Plymouth Chronicle Central & Waterfront December 2021

Chronicle Plymouth

# PLYMOUTH TOGETHER

December 2021

Plymouth’s popular Christmas Market returns to the city centre from December 2 to December 19 offering an open air festive bar, food and drink and plenty of artisan gift stalls. There will also be a host of entertainment to enjoy at the Market.

Central & Waterfront

There will be fantastic festive family fun in Plymouth this Christmas. Young family members will love the opportunity to have breakfast with Santa at The Box every Saturday and Sunday between November 27 and December 19

Christmas cracker!

Plymouth is all set for a fantastic festive season with a host of activities and special events, new Christmas lights and dazzling displays in the city centre and The Barbican. Full details can be found in the special eight-page pull-out supplement in this edition.

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2 December 2021

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Winter is coming – protect yourself Over the past week the weather has certainly taken a cooler turn. It looks like winter is on its way, bringing with it the annual bugs and viruses that cause havoc to our health.

The colder weather traditionally leads to increased transmission of a number of viruses.

Experts have warned that this year there could be a significant flu surge as well as continuing COVID-19 cases. We also expect that immunity to flu might be lower this year. Because we were socially-distancing last year, flu did not manage to spread and so few of us were exposed.

Vaccines give high levels of protection but immunity does reduce over time, so it is vital vulnerable people come forward to get their COVID-19 booster jab to top-up their defences and protect themselves this winter.

Currently, that includes those who: • Are aged 50 and over • Live and work in care homes • Are frontline health or social care workers • Are aged 16 or over and have a health condition that puts them at high risk of getting seriously ill from COVID-19 • Are aged 16 or over and are a main carer for

someone at high risk from COVID-19 • Are aged 16 or over and live with someone who is more likely to get infections (for example HIV) People will be invited for the COVID-19 booster jab when it’s their turn. If you have not been contacted within a week of reaching six months since your second jab you can call 119, book online or go to Home Park vaccination centre for a walkin appointment.

Those who are eligible for a free flu vaccine can also book an appointment through their GP surgery or local pharmacy. In a typical winter, the flu virus kills about 11,000 people in England.

During the last bad flu winter of 2017-18 the toll was more than double that, with more than 300 deaths a day during the peak.

Flu and the other winter viruses also lead to many hospital admissions a day in winter months, putting additional pressures on our healthcare system.

With the added threat of COVID-19 and our immunity wavering, it’s so vital that people get protected against both these deadly viruses. So don’t delay if you are eligible Of course the ‘evergreen’ offer of a first and

second COVID-19 vaccine remains open to anyone who is 12 years old or older. There are many places across the city where you can get a jab – our website has all the information.

As the school term restarts, so does the inschool vaccination programme and vaccines are still available for those aged one to 15 at the Home Park vaccination centre.

As we move forward to the weeks and months ahead, it is important that everyone plays their part and helps keep our communities safe. It is therefore vital that we all remember: hands, face, space and fresh air.

Take a rapid test regularly and stop the unknowing spread of infection to others. Get vaccinated as soon as you can and make sure you have your second dose (and your booster if eligible).

I know that some people will say I am a broken record and it is time to move on. Well it isn’t time.

I will stop when COVID-19 stops being a threat to our lives.

By Dr Ruth Harrell

Director of Public Health for Plymouth

BOOK A VACCINE FOR 12 TO 15-YEAR-OLDS The Director of Public Health for Plymouth is advising families of children aged 12 to 15 to book their COVID-19 vaccine at Home Park, following a rise in case numbers across the city.

Locally, the number of positive cases has started to increase and at the same time, the hospital is seeing an increase of COVID linked admissions.

In Plymouth the highest proportion of positive COVID-19 cases can be seen in the younger population (11 to 16-year-olds), many of whom are yet to be vaccinated. Most of the cases are linked to outbreaks in schools and in education settings.

The result of this increase is a disruption to learning for the rising number of young people who test positive and are not able to be physically in school. It also raises the risk

of COVID-19 spreading to other people in the household.

The Coronavirus vaccinations could help reduce some of this disruption, with healthy children aged 12 to 15 now being offered a single dose of the vaccine to give them the best protection against COVID-19.

Over the past few weeks, the NHS has been visiting schools across the city vaccinating this age group. However, to ensure that this age group can be vaccinated as soon as possible, appointments can also be booked, outside of school, on the NHS national booking service.

This will enable young people to get a jab at a vaccination centre in the same way as adults can.

In Plymouth, Home Park is offering prebooked appointments for 12 to 15-year-olds.

Young people will need to attend their appointment with a parent or carer.

HELP THE NHS THIS WINTER

The NHS is encouraging the public to use NHS 111 online to get urgent medical advice quickly – in addition to existing services – ahead of what it fears will be a ‘winter like no other’.

With more people predicted to suffer from flu this year and hospitals already treating an increased number of COVID-19 patients, NHS 111 online offers an alternative way to get immediate medical advice – particularly if you have an

urgent but not life-threatening medical issue.

NHS 111 online can direct patients to urgent treatment centres and walk-in clinics, GP surgeries, pharmacies and emergency dental services and, if needed, a call from a healthcare professional.

Data from September showed that the NHS was already experiencing record demand for emergency services.

Therefore, before jumping in the car and heading to A and E, go online now at: https://111.nhs.uk/

Where to get your vaccine jab If you haven’t had your COVID-19 vaccination yet, or you’re due your second jab, you can get one at Home Park or the Council’s mobile vaccine van – and you don’t need an appointment or NHS number.

The mobile van will be visiting the following locations during November.

Only the Pfizer vaccine will be available, for first and second jabs. No appointments are needed.

• Monday 15 November: Mutley Baptist Church (11am to 5pm) • Tuesday 16 November: North Prospect Library (midday to 7pm) • Thursday 18 November: Plymouth Market (11am to 5pm) • Saturday 20 November: Tothill Community Centre (11am to 6pm)

• Sunday 21 November: Fredrick Street (10am to 6pm) • Monday 22 November: Tothill Community Centre (9am to 6pm) Home Park is also offering walk-in vaccinations.

For more information go to www.plymouthhospitals.nhs.uk/get-tested.

HOW TO KEEP UP-TO-DATE

You can check the latest number of COVID-19 cases in Plymouth on the Council’s website at www.plymouth.gov.uk/COVID-19. NOTE: This information was correct at the time of going to press on November 11.

Out and About Your guide to events in the local community and beyond

Illuminate Nov 15 to 28 The spectacular Illuminate light festival, will once again transform Royal William Yard through light art installations and projection mapping. Created by local and international artists, tech designers and students, the festival promises to deliver an inspiring, immersive experience which will delight visitors of all ages. Illuminate is free to attend. Families are welcome and there are plenty of interactive and playful workshops for everyone to get involved in, both during and in the lead-up to the festival. For more information visit illuminatefestival.co.uk/

Plymouth Christmas Market returns to the city centre from December 2 to December 21

Christmas Lights Switch On Nov 18 The Christmas holiday calendar officially kicks off with the switch-on of this year’s beautiful Christmas lights, marking the start of late-night shopping. More information from visitplymouth.co.uk Roots Up! Nov 19 The sensational Roots Up! Hip Hop festival is back on track as the high energy team from Plymouth’s Street Factory get set to stage a spectacular two-hour show in Plymouth City Centre at 6pm, the day after the Christmas Lights Switch.

Christmas at Saltram Nov 19 to Jan 3 This Christmas it’s the perfect time to meet up with family and friends to see the well loved story of The Nutcracker bought to life within the house. The grandest room at Saltram, the Saloon, will be transformed into a magical fairytale forest with decadently decorated trees and magical interventions to make the house feel alive. Plus, have fun on a walk round the garden and learn about the natural ‘nutcrackers’ that live within the gardens and parkland at Saltram.

Christmas Fayre Nov 20 St Budeaux Parish Church Community Hall, The Green, Crownhill Road. PL5 2HN from 11am to 2.30pm. Various stalls including crafts, cards, Jewellery, cakes, children’s toysand more.

Refreshments available. Morning coffee, mince pies, cakes, pasty lunch. Admission 20p.

Plymouth Christmas Show Nov 20 After the very successful Plymouth Christmas Shows of previous years, the show returns to Plymouth Guildhall with a festive market, live music, food, drink and Santa’s Grotto. Free entry 10am to 4pm.

Autumn Concert Nov 24 Plymouth Symphony Orchestra present one of their postponed Mayflower concerts at Plymouth Guildhall, featuring soloist Joanna MacGregor performing Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue. Also included are Dvorak’s New World Symphony and Copland’s Fanfare for the Common Man. Doors open 7pm, concert starts 7.30pm. Tickets from www.plymouthsymphony. co.uk Andy Parsons Nov 25 Mock the Week regular Andy Parsons is back on the road with his Healing the Nation tour which was postponed because of COVID. He will be appearing live on stage at Marjon University’s Quad Theatre. Tickets from tickets.ents24.com Plymouth Together fundraiser Nov 26 An evening of music poetry and performance at The Junction pub on Mutley Plain raise funds

for the families and communities affected by the tragedy in Keyham. The evening’s entertainment, which kicks off at 7.30pm, will feature sets from local bands, including The Busketeers, Tailfin, and acclaimed Cornish singer Ezmay Grace, while spoken word and poetry will also be performed by the likes of former Plymouth laureate Thom Boulton and Plymouth arts collective WonderZoo founder Peter Davey. Admission £5 on the door Christmas Tree Decorating Competition Nov 27 St Gabriel’s Church in Peverell Terrace is holding a Christmas Tree Decorating Competition with a fete between 10am and 4pm. There will be a variety of stalls selling everything you need for Christmas and a few treats too. Come and vote for the best decorated tree! Refreshments available.

Christmas Fair Nov 27 Organised by Elburton WI at Plymstock Community Centre. Doors open at 10.30am. £3 entry to include a hot drink and mince pie.

Christmas Fayre Nov 27 Ford Park Cemetery 11am to 2.30pm. Free entry.

Barbican Lights Switch-On Nov 27 Head to the Barbican for the annual Christmas lights switch on with family-friendly entertainment, free activities and some very special guests.

Breakfast with Santa at The Box Nov 27 to Dec 19 If you’ve got little ones who like eating out, you can enjoy ‘Breakfast with Santa’ in The Box Kitchen & Bar from 9am to 11am every Saturday and Sunday. Santa will be on hand to greet you as you arrive and sit down to either pancakes with maple syrup or blueberries, a breakfast bap or a breakfast flatbread. All washed down with a hot chocolate, tea, coffee or fruit juice.

Love Local Christmas Festival Nov 28 Miss Ivy Events present their popular Christmas Festival at Plymouth Albion, Brickfields from 10am to 3.30pm. The day will be jam packed full of festive treats from over 50 artisan, upcycled and gift exhibitors selling a selection of jewellery, candles, gifts and many other amazing items. On offer will be a gnome trail for the little ones, Festive Punch & Judy Show, rides and face-painting. There will also be local choirs, street food, mulled wine bar and lots more! Entry £2 (under 16s free).

Concert Nov 28 Plymouth Philharmonic Choir and Orchestra at Plymouth Guildhall at 7.30pm. Featuring Haydn’s Nelson Mass and Mozart’s Coronation Mass and Exsultate Jubilayte. Musical director Christopher Fletcher with soprano Phillipa Hyde, mezzosoprano Kate Symonds-Joy, tenor Matthew Pochin and baritone Richard Bannan. Tickets online at www.wegottickets.com. More details at www.plymouthphilchoir.org Festive Shopping Markets Various dates in December Royal William Yard is running a series of weekend and late-night shopping markets during December, featuring a selection of the region’s most exciting independent artisan traders. The late-night markets on December 1, 8 and 15 run from 5pm to 9pm. The Festive Good Food & Craft Markets run from 10am to 3pm on December 5, 12 and 19. For more information visit www.royalwilliamyard.com Plymouth Christmas Market Dec 2 to Dec 21 Pick up some individual and unique Christmas gifts at Plymouth Christmas Market, located in the heart of the city centre. With an open air festive bar, food and drink and plenty of artisan gift stalls it’s the perfect place to pick up some Christmas gifts and get into the Christmas spirit.

There will an array of entertainment on various dates including live music, funky hooping, illuminated roller skating and a sofa driving Santa. For dates and other information go to www.visitplymouth.co.uk Sunrise Mass Dec 4 Join Phoenix Chorale for a new programme of choir music, featuring Ola Gjeilo’s evocative Sunrise Mass. Sunrise: Symphonic Mass for Choir and String Orchestra had its world premiere in Oslo in 2008. Talented, contemporary Norwegian composer Gjeilo skilfully creates aural pictures within the music and weaves them into a beautiful, spiritual and contemplative journey.

In addition, the choir will perform works by Gerald Finzi, Eric Whitacre, John Rutter, Charles Villiers Stanford, plus Christmas carols. The event is at 7.30pm at the Church of St Peter and The Holy Apostles, Wyndham Square, Plymouth, PL1 5EG. Tickets: Adults: £12 on the door or £10 in advance at www.eventbrite.co.uk; Children: Free entry. For more information, please visit plymouthphoenixchorale.org Shekinah Christmas Fair Dec 4 Supporting local artists and businesses to help raise money for the homeless. To be held at

Catherine Street Baptist Church from 10am to 3pm. Live music, Christmas raffle, Christmas wreaths and refreshments.

The Christmas Mouse Dec 8 to 24 Stiltskin Theatre Company’s festive winter show for little people at the Soapbox Theatre in Devonport Park. A wintery tale for under 5s.

Details stiltskin.org.uk Christmas Concert Dec 11 Music of the Night Choral Foundation present ‘A Holy Jolly Night of Carols at Mount Gould Methodist Church Farringdon Road, Plymouth at 7pm. Contact choir secretary for tickets 07860354290.

Santa’s Christmas Party Cruise Dec 11 and 12 Get into the seasonal spirit on board Plymouth Boat Trips’ Christmas Party Cruise which departs from the Barbican Landing stage. Enjoy a complimentary glass of mulled wine or Prosecco from the bar, then dance and mingle the night away to festive tunes. Adults only event. Tickets £15.50. Details at www.plymouthboattrips.co.uk Christmas Fayre Dec 11 and 12 Back for the 17th year at Mount Edgcumbe Country Park. From 10am. Entrance adults £3, children £1. All day parking £1.

Aladdin Dec 17 to Jan 15 Joe Pasquale stars in the Theatre Royal’s annual spectacular pantomime. Packed with all of the traditional pantomime ingredients audiences expect, Aladdin features laugh-out-loud comedy, stunning scenery, beautiful costumes and plenty of boos and hisses. For tickets visit www.theatreroyal.com Christmas Tree Festival Dec 18 At St Budeaux Methodist Church from 10am until 3pm. Entry is free. Light refreshments will be available. Donations for the church funds will be gratefully received. The Carol Service will be on December 19 at 6pm, led by Revd Alistair Lowe.

Christmas Concert Dec 20 Plymouth Area Police Choir return after a long absence through COVID with a Christmas concert at Methodist Central Hall, Plymouth at 7pm. The concert will include performances by the young people of Montpelier Primary School and the Legacy Choir. Tickets available by calling 01752 339788.

Send details of your event to info@ cornerstonevision.com and we will do our best to include them in Out and About

4 December 2021

4 Deceember 2021

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New plan to transform bus services Plymouth City Council has submitted a £117 million plan to transform local bus services, on behalf of the recently formed Plymouth Bus Service Improvement Partnership.

Cllr Jonathan Drean (centre) pictured with Plymouth Citybus managing director Richard Stevens and leading driver Stephen Bignell from Stagecoach

• A competitively priced range of ‘Skipper’ tickets covering all bus operators (with the intention of adding ferry and rail services during the plan period), offering great value for commuters and leisure riders • More bus priority, building on the

investment being delivered through the council’s Transforming Cities Fund programme, supporting faster and more reliable journeys • Travel planning support to help people gain skills and confidence in choosing their

bus routes and finding timetable and ticketing information Councillor Jonathan Drean, Cabinet Member for Transport, said: “Restoring confidence in the city’s bus network and boosting passenger levels – first to pre-pandemic levels and then further – is essential if we are to deliver our pledge to be carbon neutral by 2030 and deliver the sustainable growth targets set out in the Plymouth Plan.

“Our Bus Service Improvement Plan will deliver

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The Bus Service Improvement Plan is something the council committed to developing back in June, along with the new ‘enhanced partnership’ with local bus operators.

All local transport authorities are required to do this to access £3 billion of discretionary funding set aside under the Government’s ‘Bus Back Better’ strategy for England, published in March.

This national strategy aims to dramatically improve bus services across England to reverse the long-term decline in the number of journeys made by bus, as well as encourage passengers back post-COVID-19.

Plymouth’s plan, informed by local and national research on what passengers’ top priorities are, focuses on making buses more frequent; more reliable; easier to understand and use; better co-ordinated and cheaper.

It identifies the following priorities: • High frequencies on core corridors, with buses available seven days a week (both in the evenings and during the day) • High quality infrastructure, reducing journey times • Services that connect more destinations • Great value for money • Services that people are supported and empowered to use Subject to funding being secured, the plan will deliver: • More frequent buses on Plymouth’s six core bus corridors, with significantly better frequencies in the evening and at weekends • Enhanced park and ride services

a step-change in local public transport and support our commitment to encouraging and increasing bus use by working with bus operators to provide services and routes residents want.”

Richard Stevens, managing director of Plymouth Citybus, said: “I am pleased to support the ambitions described in the Plymouth Bus Improvement Plan; buses have long been the ‘forgotten essential service’. The successful implementation of bus service improvements will help Plymouth to be the successful, wellconnected, vibrant and healthy place we all want to live in.”

Mike Watson, managing director of Stagecoach South West, said: “Buses are a critical mode of public transport, connecting people with work, education and retail and bringing friends and families together. We welcome the ambition in the Plymouth Bus Service Improvement Partnership.

“The national bus strategy provides an opportunity for all partners – operators, national government and local authorities – to work together to harness the huge potential of the bus to help tackle climate change, deliver better air quality in our towns and cities, secure improved mobility for local people and support a sustainable economic recovery for the country.

“Planning our towns and cities around green buses and active travel, rather than private cars, is central to delivering faster, better value services and getting more people back on board the bus.

“That is why it is critical that the new bus strategy is matched by the right level of funding, consistent policy across government and a flexible partnership approach which prioritises benefits for customers and local communities.”

To view Plymouth’s Bus Service Improvement Plan visit www.plymouth.gov.uk/bsip.

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Parking restrictions to be introduced at Devil’s Point Changes to parking restrictions at Devil’s Point Car Park are set to come into force by the end of the year, to enable visitors and locals to enjoy the area more fairly.

The changes mean that parking at the popular beauty spot will remain free, but is limited to a maximum stay of three hours, with no return within two hours between 8am and 8pm.

The parking restrictions have been introduced to ensure the car park remains accessible for locals and visitors to be able to enjoy the area.

Councillor Jonathan Drean, Cabinet Member for Transport said: “These changes have been brought in after we received numerous complaints that the car park was being used all day by commuters stopping people being able to park and enjoy the area.

“By bringing in time limited parking at Devil’s point we are able to ensure that residents and tourists alike are able to have access to the car park so they can enjoy this popular beauty spot.”

Visitors will have to register their vehicle at the newly installed parking machine, but will not have to display a ticket.

Residents asked to have their say on budget priorities Plymouth residents are being urged to give their views on the City Council’s plans to balance its books as it addresses a significant budget shortfall for next year.

The council has launched a budget engagement exercise that invites residents to say which council services they value the most and to give their views on ideas on its ongoing plans to reduce spending and raise income.

The council is facing big challenges as it works on balancing a proposed revenue budget for next year of around £198 million. Like most councils, its funding and income continue to decrease, while demand for services rises, particularly for high cost social care for both adults and vulnerable children.

These pressures mean that in order to set a balanced budget for the next year the council needs to identify how it will close a £20 million gap between its resources and costs.

The council is already working on a number of measures to help close the gap and wants to hear the views and ideas of Plymouth residents before decisions are made and it sets its 2022/23 budget in February.

Council Leader, Councillor Nick Kelly, said: “This administration is firmly committed to listening to Plymouth residents. We want to hear their views and ideas before we make important decisions about services in Plymouth for the year ahead.

“We want to know which services residents value the most and think we should prioritise, what their views are on our current plans and their ideas on how they think we might provide better value for money.

“We want to hear from every corner of Plymouth and are asking people to share this survey far and wide to friends, family and neighbours.

“Even if you just have one thought, one idea, one comment on how we spend our money and prioritise, we want to know.”

The questionnaire is available at www. plymouth.gov.uk/budget

6 December 2021

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‘Dental student who spotted cancer saved my life’ A Plymouth man who discovered a malignant lump under his jaw as part of a routine dental appointment is encouraging others to check for signs themselves as part of Mouth Cancer Action Month.

John Sanders...’completely in her debt’

John Sanders, who lives in Mutley, was called up for a routine dental check-up with the University of Plymouth’s Peninsula Dental School during lockdown.

Fifth-year student, and now qualified dentist, Jasleen Batra, examined him, and ran her fingers from his chin along his jaw line, following an initial chat which suggested his oral health had been otherwise fine.

Jasleen found his lymph gland was swollen and very hard, which, following her referral to Derriford Hospital, was discovered to be cancer, spread to the lymph gland originating from the tonsils. and surroundings.

John credits Jasleen with “I underwent surgery to saving his life, and says the have as much of the cancer outcome could have been as possible removed and different if it hadn’t been for Jasleen Batra the surgeon told me that her professionalism. But he the cancerous lymph gland is now encouraging people to had grown by 12mm in just check for signs themselves and speak to their 10 days between my appointments, so it was dentist, dental team member or GP if they very fortunate and of great importance to my have concerns. future health that Jasleen discovered it when John said: “I hadn’t been in pain at all, she did. but Jasleen found a hard lump under my “I went through chemotherapy and jaw, which I then felt with my hand. She radiotherapy, and have been given a good calmly explained the need for an urgent prognosis of survival if the cancer does not referral and less than two weeks later, I went return. for an examination and then a biopsy. The “I do not wish to contemplate the possible consultant informed me that I had malignant ramifications had Jasleen not recognised the and aggressive cancer of the tonsils that had potential problem early, but also had the

courage of her convictions to refer me for further urgent checks.

“I’m completely in her debt, and, if anything can come from my experience, it’s that people need to check for signs before it’s too late.

“There are national campaigns to check breasts and testicles for lumps and abnormalities, but no one really thinks about checking their mouth. It was luck that I had an appointment, and wish I’d known about checking myself. It’s really important that we all know how to do it and speak to a professional if we have concerns.”

Jasleen said: “Oral cancer screenings are essential and are now routine every time you see a dentist. However, checking at home is so simple and should be promoted more.

Having a good look around your mouth,

Plymouth Christmas Market 2-19 December, City Centre

including your lips, cheek, tongue, under your tongue, the back of your throat and the top of your mouth with a mirror takes less than a minute a day, but means you would catch any changes early before they become more serious.

“I am so glad Mr Sanders came to see me when he did and glad to hear he is doing well. I was just doing my job and what the staff at Peninsula Dental School have taught me over the years. I hope his story creates awareness that may save lives in the future.”

Mouth Cancer Action Month runs throughout November, and Peninsula Dental School, and placement provider Peninsula Dental Social Enterprise, are promoting patient and public self-screening.

Ewen McColl, director of Clinical Dentistry at Peninsula Dental School, said: “Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, dental students and dental therapy students from Peninsula Dental School have made a significant contribution to oral health care across the South West. In the last academic year alone, students were responsible for delivering 22,481 appointments.

“A crucial component of these visits is screening for oral cancer. Whilst this has significance at a population level, at a patient level this screening can be lifesaving as testified by Mr Sanders.

“Throughout November Peninsula Dental School and placement provider Peninsula Dental Social Enterprise are promoting patient and public self-screening across Truro, Exeter, Devonport, and Derriford Dental Education Facilities.”

From feeling your neck to pressing the floor of your mouth, see how to check for symptoms on the Mouth Cancer Foundation website.

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Mayflower Pilgrims: A Clash of Worldviews In 2020 we celebrated the Mayflower Pilgrims’ voyage to America from Plymouth.

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December 2021

Bogus taxi drivers warning

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Bogus taxi drivers are cashing in on the current demand during busy nights out by offering cheap lifts.

There has been growing number of complaints regarding unlicensed drivers offering their ‘services’ on social media, some for as little as £5 for a return journey to the City Centre.

While taxis have been hard to find on busy nights, there are significant dangers involved with travelling in unsafe or uninsured cars with drivers who are not properly vetted. It’s also undercutting licensed taxi and private hire vehicle fares and harming the livelihoods of council approved drivers.

Councillor John Riley, Cabinet Member responsible for Community Safety and Licensing said: “We want everyone to enjoy their nights out in Plymouth which is why we are urging people to take sensible steps to avoid unscrupulous bogus taxi drivers who put earning illegal extra money before people’s safety.

“Using an unlicensed vehicle could put your safety in jeopardy and in the worst case scenario, could be the last journey you make.

No one wants their lives devastated by a car accident they could be uninsured for just because of the desire to get home quickly after a night out.

“We are urging people to only use a licensed taxi or private hire vehicle and if not, to have a designated driver within their group on a night out.”

The council’s Licensing Team have already contacted several drivers who have been advertising on social media, but there are still a number operating illegally in the city.

Drivers who carry passengers for a fee without a taxi or private hire licence are committing a number of offences and could face prosecution and fines or points on their licence.

Councillor Riley added: “Our message is very clear you cannot offer a taxi service without a taxi or private hire licence. It is a criminal offence and we will take action against you. We take any allegations of rogue taxi drivers very seriously and will investigate any reports so I would urge residents to contact us if they have any issues. You can do that via our website www.plymouth. gov.uk/licensingandpermits/taxilicensing/ taxicomplaints or by emailing taxi.licensing@ plymouth.gov.uk.”

The COVID-19 outbreak has meant there is a lack of taxi drivers nationally so to try and address this issue the council is working with employment agencies and taxi companies to encourage more drivers to join the taxi trade.

To find out more and how to apply visit the council’s website at www.plymouth. gov.uk/licensingandpermits/taxilicensing/ newdriverapplications.

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Princes Royal’s fact finding visit underlines importance of fishing industry to Plymouth

Princess Anne has visited Plymouth to learn more about its nationally important seafood industry and its pioneering efforts to protect and enhance the marine environment.

The visit included a tour of the city’s Fish Market to understand the role it plays in supporting hundreds of livelihoods and supplying businesses across the South West and beyond.

The Princess Royal was also taken by boat across Plymouth Sound, home to the UK’s first National Marine Park, where she learned about research into the environmental impacts of the shellfish industry and the habitat preferences of commercially important fish species.

The visit was arranged by the Fishmongers’ Company in conjunction with the Lord Lieutenant of Devon, Plymouth City Council, the University of Plymouth, Plymouth Trawler Agents and Sutton Harbour Group.

During the day, the Princess toured the Fish Market managed by Plymouth Trawler Agents where she met fishers, processors, stallholders and merchants.

HRH also heard about the market’s electronic auction system, and took part in a mock auction to see how each morning’s catch is not only landed but also sold.

The Princess Royal also met officials from Devon-based firm Tecmarine and learned about its efforts, supported

The Princess Royal talks to academics and students while on the University of Plymouth’s research vessel Falcon Spirit Photo: University of Plymouth

The Princess Royal talks to Dr Alex Nimmo-Smith and Professor Judith Petts during the visit to the University of Plymouth’s Marine Station (Photo: University of Plymouth)

by the Fishmongers’ Company, to use remote electronic monitoring to tackle issues caused by lost fishing equipment, also known as ghost gear.

In the afternoon, the Princess visited the University’s Marine Station where she heard about its world-leading marine research and pioneering industry partnerships.

She then joined researchers and students on board RV Falcon Spirit and was told about ongoing work to assess the impact of the UK’s largest mussel

farm, owned by Offshore Shellfish Ltd, on the Lyme Bay Marine Protected Area.

That work has been supported by the Fishmongers’ Company.

Researchers also explained how cutting edge underwater video and acoustic technology is being used to monitor the National Marine Park and fish habitats right across the English Channel.

Cllr Nick Kelly, Leader of Plymouth City Council, said: “The fisheries industry and marine innovation

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are crucial to Plymouth’s local economy. It was beneficial to learn more about the people, their expertise and the challenges they face to continue to make their living in these specialist roles. Plymouth holds a rich history and world-class expertise in both fishing and marine technology. I am very proud that we were able to show that to HRH The Princess Royal.”

Professor Judith Petts, ViceChancellor of the University of Plymouth, said: “This was a fantastic opportunity to show the Princess

Royal some of our world-leading marine research and innovation, and demonstrate how it is supporting the region’s businesses. Our collaborations with industry and other partners are enhancing our understanding of the marine environment, and enabling us to develop solutions which can benefit all areas of society.

“Our work with Offshore Shellfish Ltd is a perfect example, and the ecosystem monitoring technologies used in this project will not only benefit the farm’s operations in a marine protected area but also support wider understanding and protection of such important areas.”

December 2021

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9

Seika the hawk’s vital new role at Millbay Docks

Bosses at Millbay Docks have brought in an expert to deal with the problems caused by seagulls and pigeons – a Harris Hawk called Seika.

Associated British Ports in partnership with its other port users has launched a bird management programme at Millbay in response to growing concerns from customers and port users. It aims to control the number of gulls and pigeons onsite, in a biodiversity friendly manner without culling.

Gulls are a problem at the docks with regular reports of the birds swooping on visitors. Seika will patrol the dock to deter the birds from the area. The programme aims to improve customer experience and provide increased protection from the birds for employees and customers.

The programme is tailored specifically to the Millbay docks to ensure its effectiveness. Seika will target high activity areas identified and deter the birds from returning to nests which are currently empty. Harris Hawks originate from the Americas and have been used for falconry in the UK since the 1980s.

They work well on their own to deter birds such as gulls and pigeons. Seika is the highly trained Harris Hawk capable of working in urban areas; even in areas of high activity.

Steve Lawrie, port operations manager at Brittany Ferries Plymouth said: “We are pleased to collaborate with ABP at Millbay Docks, who has provided a wildlife friendly means of removing gulls and pigeons from the port without resorting to culling.

“This dovetails nicely into our ethos of Green Marine Europe which we have been awarded for the second year running.”

Adrian Buss, operations manager for ABP said: “Gulls have been an increasing problem. We have seen the number of complaints and concerns steadily rise.

This work is in addition to our education programme which has seen signage advising port users not to feed the birds. We have also worked closely with partners to ensure effective food waste management. This proactive approach is another step to deal with the aggressive seagulls.”

COUNCIL BUILDINGS SET FOR ECO IMPROVEMENTS THANKS TO £3.9M GRANT

A number of Plymouth City Council buildings are set to be drastically decarbonised thanks to new government funding.

The historic Guildhall, the Council House, Ballard House, the Lord Mayor’s residence at Elliot Terrace, Poole Farm, Crownhill Court, Frederick Street Centre, 1 Derriford Business Park, an office building at Prince Rock Depot and the listed Pounds House are all included in the project.

The £3.9 million grant comes from Salix Finance’s Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme

and will allow a number of improvements to help reduce the council’s carbon footprint.

Salix administer funding which is provided by the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and can be used on a range of carbon reduction projects.

The funding commitment allows the Council to tick off yet another action on its Corporate Carbon Reduction Plan, which sets out a series of steps necessary to help the bid to become carbon neutral by 2030.

Estimates suggest that once complete, these improvements could save more than 400 tonnes

of carbon per year, which us the equivalent to an average new car driving over two million miles or driving from Lands’ End to John O’ Groats 2,600 times.As part of the project, all the sites in scope will get new high temperature air source heat pumps. In addition, insulation will be installed at Ballard House and secondary glazing at Elliot Terrace to reduce the heating needed.

In the city centre, the high temperature air source heat pump located at the Guildhall will be extended to provide district heating connections to the Council House and Combined Courts.

Solar panels will also be installed at Council

House to help the electrical demand of the heat pump. Works in this area will benefit future developments at the Civic Centre.

Solar panels and batteries, to ensure any unused solar can be stored and contribute to evening heat pump demand, will be installed at Crownhill Court and on the admin building at Prince Rock depot.

Work is underway and expected to conclude in the spring.

More information on the Council’s plans to tackle climate change can be found at www. plymouth.gov.uk/climateemergency

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10 December 2021 Mark Ormrod with his Pride of Britain Award

10 Deceember 2021

Plymouth projects receive big boost from Community Renewal Fund Two Plymouth projects have been awarded over a million pounds between them in the Government’s new Community Renewal Fund.

Mark Ormrod is named Fundraiser of the Year in Pride of Britain Awards

Plymstock’s Mark Ormrod has been named ITV Fundraiser of the Year in the 2021 Pride of Britain Awards screened on ITV on November 4.

Ex-Royal Marine Mark was on patrol in Helmand Province on Christmas Eve in 2007 when he was blown up by a Taliban improvised explosive device.

He lost an arm and both legs below the knee in the blast and was twice pronounced dead at the scene. Doctors originally told him that he would never walk again but Mark defied this prediction and just five months later he marched onto the parade ground on prosthetics to collect his tour of duty medal.

Since then he’s gone on to raise hundreds of thousands of pounds for charity by carrying out remarkable feats of endurance.

He has run 3,500 miles across the USA to raise awareness of wounded veterans, cycled 3,000 miles around the UK, and as if that wasn’t enough he also won 11 medals, including five gold, at the Invictus Games.

This year he decided to raise money for the veterans’ charity REORG. What started out as a comparatively simple plan to raise £1,000 through a beard shave morphed into a challenge that has already raised almost half a million pounds. Mark, who is 38, has completed a 5km run, a 1km swim across Plymouth Sound, and a 99.9 mile bike ride.

Mark said: “I never wanted to be a burden on anyone either my family or the taxpayer and I used that as my motivation to regain my independence and push myself as hard as I could so my wife and children would be proud of me.”

(Story courtesy of the Plympton Podcast)

@PlymChronicle

Plymouth’s trailblazer National Marine Park has been awarded £655,873 while the Stonehouse Union is to receive £542,893.

The funding for Plymouth Sound National Marine Park will go towards activities with tourism businesses in the wider visitor economy that are engaged, or have the potential to engage, with the National Marine Park initiative.

Working in partnership with Destination Plymouth, businesses will receive one-toone support for sustainability and growth, training on ‘green/blue’ tourism and product development as well as innovative approaches to decarbonisation and connecting communities to the waterfront.

Council Leader Nick Kelly said: “This is about greening the tourism businesses around the waterfront and across the wider city.

“We want to bring businesses with us in this incredible journey and to work with them to explore employment opportunities as well as work with us to develop net zero and green initiatives.”

One of the elements is to help fast track 100 tourism businesses with improvement plans to cut their carbon footprint – and crucially, energy bills.

Earlier this year the Council was awarded a Heritage Horizon Award of £9.6 million from The National Lottery Heritage Fund to make its vision of a park in the sea a reality. The ambitious plan aims to reconnect an entire city to the sea, the marine environment and its history.

The Stonehouse Union bid has been put forward by Nudge Community Builders and Street Factory. It brings together a range of community organisations working towards urban renewal through meeting the needs of individuals.

The project will provide a pipeline of entrepreneurs to occupy underused commercial space and revitalise Plymouth’s Union Street and Stonehouse neighbourhood.

It will invest in people, giving them support to prepare for work and achieve their potential in the community, and provide affordable space for them to start up and scale up microbusinesses.

Plymouth City Council is the lead authority for both bids and the funding includes management and administration costs.

Plymouth’s National Marine Park has been awarded over £650,000 Photo: Ocean Conservation Trust

Chris Bunnett receiving the Volunteer of the Year Award

Top basketball accolade for Plymouth man

A Plymouth man has been awarded the highest accolade for his services to basketball.

Chris Bunnett, who lives in Stoke, received Basketball England’s Lifetime Achievement award having been involved in basketball for more than 50 years before his retirement.

The former Honicknowle Secondary Modern pupil was an all-round sportsman, excelling at football, cricket, boxing - and basketball.

He joined the Royal Tank Regiment at the age of 17 and went on to become a physical training instructor, returning 22 years later as a sergeant major and something of a legend.

During his Army career, as well as being a prominent basketball player, he also coached, was an administrator and qualified as a British Basketball League referee.

He officiated at many of the national basketball cup finals, as well as mentoring many National Basketball League officials.

During his time he always had the desire to compete annually in the ABA Boxing Championships, where he was well known for his boxing artistry. He was Army Cadet Force Junior ABA champion in 1964.

His Army career took him to many bases in Europe which enabled him to maintain his refereeing sharpness. Although not desperate to leave the Army, an opportunity at the age of 40 enabled him to be a civilian training instructor for the police, a post he held for 15 years.

Prior to enlisting in the Army Chris was keen to obtain the Duke of Edinburgh Scheme awards. He got the Bronze in 1963 and Silver the following year, but time eventually ran out.

But the criteria for the Gold Award, supported by his Army achievements and records, more than justified his Gold status. He was finally presented with the Gold Award, with the medals being approved after more than 50 years at the age of 70!

In 2019 Chris was named as Basketball England’s Volunteer of the Year for the South Region, having previously been appointed as a member of the England Basketball Fellowship.

Chris lived in retirement at Aldershot with lis late wife Mitzi, but has returned to Plymouth after many years away. He will be 75 in December and is now enjoying life in the city with his partner Caron.

Ten more Plymouth play areas to be upgraded and improved A number of Plymouth play areas are set for an upgrade.

The third phase of the already successful Improving Plymouth Play scheme will see ten more parks spruced up between now and Spring.

Included in the improvements will be new and upgraded equipment, landscape improvements and seating.

The first four sites set for an upgrade are Lower Park Drive in Plymstock, Lancaster Gardens in Whitleigh, Albion Drive in Beacon Park and Staple Close in Belliver.

Council teams will be working closely with local families and organisations to make sure the

improvements are inclusive and allow stimulating and fun adventure for children with a range of abilities.

World-renowned play company Kompan will be on board to help with the refits.

Councillor Patrick Nicholson, deputy leader of Plymouth City Council, said: “It is really pleasing to be able to invest in children’s play in this manner, especially after the 18 months we’ve just had.

“Unfortunately, the pandemic has resulted in children and young people having to deal with the social and mental disruption of long period of time with no formal schooling as well as reduced opportunities for outdoor play and sport.

“We know how important play is to children so I look forward to seeing these parks full to the brim with happy children over the next few months.”

In addition to the ten above, three other new parks have recently had improvements.

In Whitleigh, a partnership between the Council, Whitleigh Community Trust, Whitleigh Big Local and Brook Green Centre for Learning has opened the brand new Bodmin Road Pocket Park.

Together, the partnership have designed and installed an inclusive play area and seating area for outdoor learning and created a wildlife meadow. The area is now known as ‘Star Park’ (after local resident Star) and was officially

opened at a small celebration event organised by Whitleigh Big Local.

Meanwhile in Hartley, children and families have chosen some new equipment to add extra excitement in their local play area. Making the most of the space and money available a new spinner bowl, balance beams and tumble bars have been added.

Over in St Maurice in Plympton a new pirate ship is the latest addition to the play area, offering lots of new opportunities for swashbuckling fun.

Find your nearest play park here: www. plymouth.gov.uk/parksnatureandgreenspaces/ findplayground

Plymouth’s empty city centre spaces are to get a creative touch

December 2021 11

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Pop up shop launch (from left) Council leader Nick Kelly, Hannah Harris, Jane Hunt, Jodie Williamson, Erinc Tabak, Jason Skelton and Elise Wilkes-Brand

Illuminate, the popular light festival, is returning in November at Ocean Studios in Royal William Yard and the newly refurbished Market Hall in Devonport.

Illuminate 2021 will take the form of a two-week programme, in and around Ocean Studios and the Market Hall, offering a variety of light art, installations and immersive experiences for everyone to enjoy, as well as a host of daytime and evening workshops.

This year Illuminate responds to COP26 and Climate Crisis with a thoughtful collection of impressive work from local and national artists. Enjoy projection mapping, bioluminescent artwork, illuminated murals and interactive installations.

Alongside beautiful light art installations, Illuminate will also be offering a whole host of immersive dome experiences, workshops, music nights, comedy events and

Illuminate returns to Royal William Yard and Market Hall in Devonport

climate focused discussions!

Additionally, as part of this year’s event, Illuminate will host two quiet evenings specifically for people with additional sensory needs and those that find crowded places challenging.

The quiet nights will enable visitors to enjoy Illuminate at their own pace and away from the noise, immerse yourself in beautiful projection mapping, light art installations and sensory play in a stress-free and much less crowded environment.

To deliver this year’s event within COVID guidance, Illuminate is operating a timed and ticketed entry system and are working closely with local partners to ensure we can put on an event which is safe and enjoyable for all.

To book tickets for activity at Ocean Studios, immersive dome screenings at Market Hall and the quiet evening, visit the www. illuminate-festival.co.uk/

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Artists and creatives will bring unused spaces to life across Plymouth in a cultural transformation of empty shops, buildings and urban areas.

The innovative project will start by focusing on the city centre, revitalising units not in commercial use, but will spread to high street areas around Plymouth.

The scheme – known as ‘meanwhile use’ – aims to make use of empty spaces un#l they are commercially occupied and will give a platform to cultural initiatives by the city’s creative community as well as bring more exciting artist projects to the city centre. It could mean an exhibition popping up in an empty shop unit in the city centre or an interactive experience appearing on an unused area of a high street.

It is being spearheaded by Plymouth Culture, Plymouth City Council, Plymouth City Centre Company and Vacancy Atlas, specialists in unlocking the potential of empty spaces.

The project helps landlords and owners make use of their spaces by putting them into use, driving footfall and supporting the costs of rates.

For the creative community it’s a space where the lease and insurance are taken care of while providing a base to cultural opportunities that simply wouldn’t otherwise exist. More than £150,000 has been secured in funding for pop-up initiatives, as well as helping fund costs such as rates, utilities and shop fit outs.

Plymouth City Council has generously supported access to Unit 107 on Cornwall Street to act as a headquarters for the project.

Council Leader Nick Kelly said: “The high street is changing all the time and we need to look at new ways to keep people coming back to our city centre and local shopping centres to enjoy new experiences.

“More people visiting our shopping areas will help the businesses and keep our city vibrant and interesting.

We’re delighted to help with this initiative and I am looking forward to the innovative ideas people submit for our consideration regarding this exciting project.”

This unit will be managed by Vacancy Atlas who will curate a rolling programme of ‘meanwhile use’ and pop-up initiatives for a 12 month period. It is hoped

that this will be the first of many spaces to help support artists and creatives, and the partnership has already launched a call for proposals from creative and cultural organisations or individuals who would like to access empty shops to test an idea on the high street.

Steve Hughes, chief executive of the Plymouth City Centre Company, said:“ We have been working hard on finding new uses for empty shop units for some time. This partnership will speed up that work, bringing landlords and prospective tenants together and breathing new life into our city centre.

“Having a base in the West End for Vacancy Atlas was very important to us and we look forward to working closely with all our partners to transform our high street and attract more visitors.”

The ‘meanwhile use’ programme is funded through Historic England (Heritage Action Zone Culture Programme), Interreg France (Channel) England (FCE)’s C-Care Project and Plymouth City Council and City Centre Company.

Hannah Harris, chief executive of Plymouth Culture, said: “We are incredibly excited to launch the ‘meanwhile use’ programme and to have this early support from Plymouth City Council to get the initiative off the ground.

“We know from other examples around the country how valuable cultural interventions on the high street can be when it comes to breathing life back into a city.

“The ‘meanwhile use’ initiative is one part of a much wider regeneration programme across the city centre to refurbish buildings, host events and active space with cultural projects.”

The programme’s launch comes after the circulation of the Conservation Area Appraisal and Management Plan (CAAMP) for public consultation, which has highlighted the opportunity for ‘meanwhile use’ to play a valuable role in revising the high street.

The plan sets out what makes Plymouth city centre special, its specific character and setting and, crucially, what can be done to manage change and inform decision-making in the future.

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One of the images that helped Royal photographers based at HMS Drake win the Peregrine Trophy

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City’s Royal Navy photographers win the coveted Peregrine Trophy Stunning images of Plymouth’s sailors and Royal Marines in action around the globe have earned the city’s photographers their profession’s top prize.

LICENSING ACT 2003 Notice is hereby given that The Grosvenor Hotel on

8th November 2021

have made application to the Plymouth City Council, being the Licensing Authority for the purposes of the above Act, for the grant of a Premises Licence respect of the premises situated at and known as:

The Grosvenor Hotel 7-11 Elliot Street, Plymouth, PL1 2PP The relevant licensable activities are as follows:

The sale of alcohol on the premises – Sunday to Monday, Midnight to Midnight.

The sale of light refreshments – Sunday to Monday, 23.00 to 05.00 Any representations to this application should be made in writing or electronically to: Public Protection Service Manager, Licensing Office, Plymouth City Council, Windsor House, Plymouth PL6 5UF licensing@plymouth.gov.uk (for electronic representations please provide your postal address).

No later than 06/12/2021.

A copy of this application can be viewed on the Council’s licensing register or at the Licensing Office address during normal office hours.

It is an offence knowingly or recklessly to make a false statement in connection with this application. The maximum fine on summary conviction being unlimited.

and Royal Marines from the Arctic to both sides of the Pacific, as well as the Caribbean, Mediterranean, Black Sea and the Gulf.

And at home they have recorded the involvement of For the second time in three the Service’s key national events years, the small team of Royal such as the funeral of the Duke of Navy photographers based at HMS Petty Officer (Photographer) Alex Ceolin Edinburgh and State ceremonies, Drake have collected the Peregrine as well as Royal visits, emotional Trophy – the long-standing and homecomings, support to civilian highly-coveted award recognising agencies dealing with the Covid the finest work by camera pandemic and everyday activities professionals in a Naval base, from training to major exercises. naval air station or Royal Marines A spread of six images – from unit.

F-35 stealth fighters kicking up To crown the achievement, the spray on the deck of aircraft four photographers were awarded carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth to the prize for best portfolio of submariners bringing veteran Royal Marines’ imagery – the submarine HMS Trenchant Commandant General’s award. alongside in Devonport for the The Peregrine Trophy awards final time – sealed the Peregrine recognise the skill, professionalism Trophy victory. and dedication of the small group The four-strong team in Drake – of specialists – who join the Petty Officer (Photographer) Alex Navy in other trades, including Ceolin and Leading Photographers Royal Marines commandos, but Phil Bloor, Robert Oates and Mark chose to re-train as full-time Johnson – draw on ten years’ photographers/camera operators. experience as Navy photographers.

Over the past 12 months, Royal “This is our second Peregrine Navy photographers have captured Trophy in three years and an the activities and actions of sailors amazing achievement by the whole team here,” said Petty Officer Ceolin.

“We are all extremely proud to have won both the Peregrine Trophy and Commandant General Royal Marines’ Award.

“Every member of the team here contributed towards both winning portfolios.

In Plymouth, we have a great working environment and we all help each other out.”

Leading Photographer Johnson, a former Royal Marine, added: “The working environment we have is brilliant and I think it We are urgently seeking properties in really reflects in our work. It’s been a difficult Plymouth for families with children time with the pandemic, so we’re absolutely thrilled to win the Peregrine Trophy.” and single people in housing need.

Petty Officer Ceolin, who joined the Navy seven years ago as a communications The pandemic and increase in outside interest in specialist before switching to photography in renting and buying in the area has led to a shortage of 2018, also won an individual award chosen by affordable properties and as a result, across the city of the public for a stunning silhouette of patrol Plymouth, there are hundreds of families and single ship HMS Tamar at sunset.

“I’d captured some really nice imagery and people in temporary accommodation looking for a then, all of sudden, loads of dolphins started permanent home. If you have an empty property or a to swim up to the boats we were in,” said property you are selling but are willing to look at Alex, who lives in Colchester with her partner renting, please contact us.

Penny.

“So I directed the boat’s coxswain to Easylet makes letting easy for landlords. We will give manoeuvre to where I wanted and waited for you free face to face advice on your letting options. the dolphins to appear so I could capture them and the ship in the same shot.

In some circumstances, funds can be offered to bring a “It took a while because you can’t control property up to the decent homes standard. wildlife but I managed to capture the money shot – definitely one of my highlights as a There are numerous benefits and letting options for Navy photographer.” landlords who join us on the Easylet Scheme.

In her three years behind the lens, she’s travelled to Japan, the Mediterranean, across Europe and around the UK on half a dozen

warships performing a myriad different missions and tasks.

“I’ve had many fantastic opportunities to capture imagery, imagery which has since circulated on many platforms for which I’m very grateful. I’ve also had the amazing opportunity of meeting and photographing numerous members of the Royal Family and visited fantastic places like Tokyo.”

The awards date back 60 years, taking their

name from the then Royal Naval Air Station at

Ford in Sussex, HMS Peregrine (today the site of the open prison).

The primary purpose is to encourage the production of eye-catching, powerful imagery and video that can be used in the media to demonstrate the Royal Navy and Royal Marines operations.

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Christmas Sparkle and shine This Christmas, Plymouth will be illuminated with stunning festive lights throughout the city centre and the Barbican. There really is no better way to get into the festive spirit than by taking a wander through the streets as it gets dark, enjoying the sparkling lights up above and stopping to enjoy a hot chocolate or mulled wine, before tackling the Christmas shopping. Our guide includes everything you need to know about Christmas in Plymouth – where to shop, gift ideas, festive family fun and much more!

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Win

Panto tickets

Unique gifts & homewares Enjoy lunch out

We’ve two chances to win a family ticket for four to Aladdin at the Theatre Royal Plymouth.

Saturday entertainment**

Enter our FREE competition which runs every Saturday in December to be in with a chance of winning*

OPEN SUNDAYS**

Cornwall Street, Plymouth, PL1 1PS #ChristmasInPlymouth

www.plymouthmarket.co.uk

* There are two prizes of four tickets to see the pantomime Aladdin at the Theatre Royal Plymouth. The first two correct entries drawn at random after the closing date will win the tickets. The competition will be open every Saturday in December 2021 from 9.30am until 4pm.

Pantomime tickets are only valid for the 7pm performance of Aladdin at the Theatre Royal Plymouth on Thursday 6 January 2022. No cash alternative. No purchase necessary. Parental approval is required for all entrants aged 16 and under. The prizes are for a Family ticket consisting of four tickets – there must be at least one adult and one young person aged under 16 in each family group. The winners will be drawn at 3pm on Tuesday 21st December 2021. If one or both of the winners do not respond or cannot be contacted by 4pm Wednesday 29th December 2021, they will forfeit their prize and another winner or winners will be contacted. The winners agree for their names to be published and any photographs taken of them receiving their prize, can be used for publicity by Plymouth Market or the Theatre Royal Plymouth. The winners can either be sent e-tickets or pick their tickets up from the box office at Theatre Royal Plymouth prior to the performance. Thank you to the Theatre Royal Plymouth for their kind sponsorship of one Family ticket. ** Only in December.

Christmas

Brand new lights to illuminate Plymouth city centre Plymouth’s city centre will sparkle and shine extra brightly this festive season, with brand new colourful Christmas lights illuminating the streets, to the delight of festive shoppers.

Plymouth City Centre Company, which runs the city centre Business Improvement District (BID) is working with newly appointed Christmas lights suppliers, LITE Ltd and Twinkly UK, to create the new stunning display, which will be switched on from Thursday 18 November coinciding with the first late-night shopping evening.

The new displays will include banners stretched across New George Street and

Cornwall Street and sail banners on street lamps throughout the city centre. Lights will also festoon the trees in Frankfort Gate, Armada Way and Catherine Street.

The giant bauble arch, which makes for a popular selfie spot at the entrance to the Christmas Market on the Piazza, will return dressed in brand new lights from 2 to 19 December. The entrance on the opposite side of the Christmas Market will now also feature

a beautiful wave-shaped arch, demonstrating Plymouth’s links with the water.

This year will see new additions to the illuminations. A ‘light ceiling’ will cover Mayflower Street, with rows of lights stretched across the road. And the side of House of Fraser facing Armada Way will be covered in an impressive light curtain which will feature Christmas messaging and

displays throughout the Christmas period.

LITE Ltd and Twinkly UK’s innovative technology uses LED lights that are individually controllable in each display, allowing the colours and designs of the lights to be customised and opening up new opportunities for more creative displays.

Steve Hughes, Chief Executive of Plymouth City Centre Company, said: “The new Christmas lights are going to look amazing and they certainly add to the festive shopping experience, so we’re delighted to be brightening the city centre streets with these new and improved exciting displays.

“Now more than ever, our high street stores need your support. This Christmas, why not come into the city centre, enjoy the lights and browse our fantastic shops before indulging in drinks or dinner at one of the many amazing eateries? Every pound you spend on the high street rather than online will make a big difference, helping to put money back into the local economy.”

As the new lights are easy to change thanks to Twinkly UK’s technology, many will be kept up throughout the year ensuring the city centre sparkles all year long. Different themed displays can be programmed to match the seasons and holidays.

The Christmas Lights will be switched on at a free, family-friendly event in the Piazza on Thursday 18 November with lots of entertainment to enjoy, including an amazing performance from popular funk, soul and blues group Joey The Lips.

BRIGHT LIGHTS ON THE BARBICAN Plymouth’s waterfront is set to enjoy a sprinkling of festive cheer this year too, with Christmas lights illuminating the length of Southside Street. New lights will also adorn the trees at the Vauxhall Street entrance of Southside Street, making it an enchanting entrance to the Barbican.

Don’t miss the lights being switched on, which takes place on Saturday 27 November following an afternoon of free family fun and entertainment that everyone will enjoy.

From 12pm, you can meet the man himself at Santa’s Grotto in Quay Square or get creative by taking a trip to his workshop in the Barbican Theatre, where you can make a special Christmas crown or sparkling snowflake.

The friendly team from City College Plymouth will also be on hand at Barbican Theatre, giving you the chance to decorate your very own Christmas bauble biscuit.

Entertainment begins in the performance area – located in front of the old Edinburgh Woollen Mill building – from 12pm with amazing performances from Starlines Drama School, Ocean City Sounds, Holy Cross Primary, Stage Stars and Plym Kids.

Throughout the afternoon, children can have their face painted for free inside the Tourist Information Centre and snap a special festive selfie inside a magical snow globe. There’s also storytelling in The Maritime Inn, where you can snuggle up with a mug of hot chocolate and keep warm.

And while you’re having fun, don’t forget to keep an eye out for the Grinch, who will be roaming the streets trying to steal the spirit of Christmas.

A huge Christmas parade will also take place – and everyone is invited to join in!

Led by the Barbican Theatre’s amazing 7 metre tall Christmas elf puppet and accompanied by a junk band, the parade will make its way up and down Southside Street and end at Santa’s Grotto, where everyone will line up to escort Santa to the stage for the big switch-on from 5.20pm.

Santa will be joined by the Lord Mayor of Plymouth and a very special guest – a Community Hero that’s been nominated by the people of Plymouth – and together they’ll be turning the lights on, bringing plenty of festive cheer to the Barbican.

PAGE 3

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Christmas

Plymouth’s Christmas Market returns to city centre they perform to mesmerising music • 11 December: Christmas Elves and the Goodometer – they’ll be roaming the Market to check who’s been naughty and who’s been nice this year • 16 December: Angie’s Festive Funky Hooping – be wowed by amazing hula hooping displays set to some cool Christmas tunes • 18 December: Festive Foxley – he’s a first class magician with a Dickensian twist, performing astounding sleight of hand magic to amuse the crowds.

On 4 and 11 December, visitors to the Christmas Market can also enjoy beautiful singing from The Lost Sound Dartmoor Folk Choir, who will be performing in the area next to the bar.

Pick up some individual and unique Christmas gifts at Plymouth Christmas Market, located in the heart of the city centre from 2 to 19 December 2021.

With an open air festive bar, food and drink and plenty of artisan gift stalls it’s the perfect place to pick up some unique and special gifts and get into the festive spirit.

Situated in the heart of Plymouth City Centre, the Christmas market is located on the Piazza, which offers a wide-open space perfect for some safe outdoor shopping this winter.

Wooden cabins will house traders from the South West and beyond, selling everything from clothing, accessories and jewellery to books, artwork and decorations.

Foodie fans are in for a treat too, as there’s plenty of delicious sweet and savoury goodies to indulge in. Pick up Greek olives and antipasti, or tuck into traditional Turkish

Don’t forget to snap a festive family selfie in front of the giant illuminated bauble arch and the brand new ‘wave arch’, which stand at each of the Market entrances. Share them on socials using #ChristmasInPlymouth.

The Christmas Market will be open until 6pm Monday to Saturday and until 5pm on Sunday, with late openings every Thursday until 9pm, so you can take your time and enjoy browsing the stalls under the sparkling new city centre Christmas lights.

The entertainment has been funded by the Welcome Back Fund, part funded by the ERDF and HM Government.

Please check visitplymouth.co.uk/ Christmas for all the latest information and updates about the Market, including any changes to traders or entertainment.

baklava. If you have a sweet tooth, there’s a mouth-watering range of baked goods on offer, including flapjacks, fudge, cronuts, cookies, cakes, brownies and biscuits from popular local traders Flapjackery, Mila’s Bakery and The Rise Bakery.

There’s also an array of extra entertainment to enjoy at the Market, confirmed acts so far include: • 2 December: Illuminated Roller Skating – sprinkling some festive magic, watch as two beautiful giant presents come to life and zoom around the Market • 4 December: Sofa Driving Santa – expect music, lights and laughter when you share some banter with Santa, who will cruise around town on his sofa accompanied by his naughty elf • 9 December: Corvus Angelicus – tenfeet tall luminous angels will descend on the Piazza to spread joy and hope as

Plymouth Gift Guide: For the Janner in your life

Finding the perfect gift can be tricky, but there’s so much on offer in Plymouth. We’ve pulled together a guide with a few unusual gifts that you may not have considered, to help you give friends and family members the present they deserve this year.

1. Uniquely Plymouth experiences: Why not think outside the box this Christmas and instead of a physical gift, treat your loved one to something they can only do in Plymouth? There’s lots of experiences to choose from! Our favourites include: a tour of Plymouth Gin Distillery; becoming a zookeeper for the day at Dartmoor Zoo; a VIP behind the scenes tour at the National Marine Aquarium; and catching your own dinner with a Fish ‘n’ Trips session with Plymouth Boat Trips.

2. Leafy treats: The perfect gift for a green-fingered friend, there’s an incredible variety of plants available with something to suit every home. Plymouth now boasts an amazing range of plant shops too, check out Bud Houseplants on Hyde Park Road, Nook Houseplants on the Barbican or buy online from locally-based suppliers We Serve Plants and Phunky Leaf.

regional theatres. Tickets to a show in 2022 are sure to go down a treat and there’s some spectacular shows to choose from, including Bedknobs and Broomsticks, Chicago and Dreamgirls.

4. Relaxing moments: For the ultimate luxury treat, Gaia Spa at Boringdon Hall offers a variety of treatments, day spa experiences and overnight stays, or buy your loved one a voucher for Enhance Aesthetics & Wellness in Royal William Yard which specialises in spa therapy treatments and aesthetics.

5. Cuddly characters: If you’ve visited The Box this year, you’ve probably already met two of its most beloved inhabitants: Mildred, the life-sized woolly mammoth replica and Gus Honeybun, the puppet rabbit that became a local icon.

You can buy cuddly replicas – and other amazing merch - of both these amazing characters at The Box’s shop, also available online.

3. Tickets to a show: We’re so lucky to have the Theatre Royal in Plymouth, one of the UK’s largest and best

PAGE 5

Christmas

SHOPPING IN PLYMOUTH: the ultimate guide City Centre The streets of Plymouth city centre are home to an impressive range of shops, including some high-street favourites.

Head to Drake Circus if it’s brands you’re looking for where you’ll find them all under one roof (and with parking on site, there’s no need to step outside if you’re not a fan of winter weather!) There’s shops selling everything you need, from clothing and jewellery to toiletries and perfume.

If you’re shopping for children, they’ll be delighted with colourful stationery from Smiggle, funky accessories from Claire’s or toys and games from The Entertainer.

Historic Plymouth

Christmas Gift Idea

There’s lots of options for gifts for fashion conscious friends or family too – if you’re splashing out then recently opened stores include BOSS Menswear, Tommy Hilfiger and Tag Heuer. And if your loved one loves shoes as much as they love you, then you’re spoilt for choice with Schuh, Foot Locker and Footasylum all selling top brands.

If you head out of Drake Circus, you’ll find more brilliant shops along New George Street, Cornwall Street and Armada Way that have a great range of gifts – including department store House of Fraser, designer clothing store Flannels and more: Menkind, The Body Shop, HMV and B&M to name just a few.

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At the opposite end of the city centre to Drake Circus, you’ll discover the West End which is a treasure trove of independent shops and the 140-stall Plymouth Market. It’s the place to visit for extra special gifts and fresh produce. You’ll find butchers and greengrocers selling everything you need for Christmas dinner,

florists creating beautiful festive bouquets and an amazing range of bakeries and cafes serving up tasty treats. We recommend taking a wander through Frankfort Gate and in and around the Market to see what you can discover!

And as an extra bonus, the parking in Plymouth’s West End is some of the cheapest in the city. Western Approach

car park costs just £1 an hour or £5 for the whole day - or take advantage of the special offer on Thursdays for late night shopping, when you can park for £1 after 3pm (starts 18 November and runs every Thursday until Christmas). Plymouth Market also has its own car park designed for short trips if you need to pop in to pick up your festive essentials.

The Barbican and Sutton Harbour Our stunning waterfront is home to a great range of art galleries, antique stores and quirky independent shops. If you’re trying to buy a gift for the person that has everything, this is the place to be!

A stroll along Southside Street will take you past Elsie Boo-tique Wax Melts, with artisan wax melts and candles in a beautiful range of scents, and Nook Houseplants, a veritable jungle of a shop teeming with unusual flowers and plants that make great gifts. Along the road, you’ll also find amazing art galleries

PAGE 6

selling stunning paintings, prints and homewares crafted carefully from glass, clay and metal.

If you’re looking for a present for a gin fan – or are topping up your drinks cabinet in preparation for Christmas cocktails – then you’re in luck! The

Barbican is home to Plymouth Gin Distillery, the oldest working distillery in England, which boasts a shop selling its famous gins, gorgeous glasses and jugs. Tucked away on New Street is the Barbican Botanics Gin Rooms – not only do they brew their own gin and rum, the shop is stocked with a truly jaw dropping range of more than 200 different gins making it the perfect place to pick up an unusual gift for the drinks connoisseur.

Just a short walk away in Sutton Harbour you’ll also find HonkyTonk Wine Library, which is both a shop and wine lounge. They stock more than 250 wines so you’re sure to find the perfect pairing for your festive dishes.

Christmas

Tourist Information Centre

– it’s not just for visitors!

If you take a stroll along the cobbles of The Barbican you’ll find the newly refurbished Tourist Information Centre & Mayflower Museum Shop. The gift shop has a wide range of locally made products, confectionery and local interest books offering the perfect presents for locals and visitors.

From a Devon jigsaw puzzle to a delicious chocolate pasty, the shelves are filled with plenty of novelty gifts that are fun for all the family!

Deck the halls with charming hand-made felt decorations - will it be a snowman or a seagull

hanging on your tree this year? Browse the stocking-fillers, perhaps a telescope for a young explorer or a fishy fun game for those that love the sea.

Get cosy by the fire and unwind with a book from the large literature collection, ideal for children, budding historians and nature-lovers.

Whether it’s learning local facts or telling spooky stories on a cold winter’s night – they’ve got the book for you. And if you need some fresh air after overindulging at Christmas, then there’s titles featuring walking, cycling and even wild swimming.

There’s a great range of locally-crafted products

including Plymouth Tea, Kernow Chocolate, Mewstone candles hand-made in Ermington and delightful hand-made jewellery from Stockwell ceramics in Saltash. Unwrapping a naughty Beryl Cook diary will certainly bring a cheeky smile to granny’s face!

And why not make a day of it? Once you’ve finished your Christmas shopping, you can visit the Mayflower Museum and discover the voyage of the Pilgrims in the family-friendly exhibition (open this winter Monday to Friday 9am-5pm and Saturdays at 10am-4pm).

Royal William Yard Did you know that the Yard is the largest collection of Grade I Listed military buildings in Europe? The impressive buildings are now home to a thriving business community of shops, galleries and restaurants.

Browse the unique womens clothing on offer at Identity Fashion or pop into the creative hub of Ocean Studios where you can purchase pieces made by local makers.

Treat yourself to handmade chocolates from the award-winning chocolatier Domea Favour or, if you’re looking for a festive tipple, pop into microbrewery Steel Brew Co for a great range of beers brewed right here in Plymouth. For wine lovers, Le Vignoble has a vast selection

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For more inspiration or information about shopping in Plymouth, check out shop4plymouth .co.uk PAGE 7

Christmas

Festive family fun in Plymouth Get into the spirit of the season with the whole family! There’s so much going on in Plymouth that will keep everyone entertained, young and old alike, so you can relax and enjoy quality time together.

Younger family members will love the opportunity to have breakfast with Santa. The big man himself will be visiting The Box every Saturday and

Sunday between 27 November and 19 December to share breakfast at 9am – he’ll be there to greet you before you sit down to tuck into either pancakes with maple syrup or blueberries, or a delicious breakfast bap.

Alternatively, hop across the river Tamar to China Fleet Country Club in Saltash on 5, 12 or 19 December and enjoy lunch in Santa’s Grotto with gifts

and plenty of festive fun.

If mornings aren’t your thing, there are still lots of other opportunities to meet Santa. Traditional Olde Father Christmas will be visiting Buckland Abbey on 18 and 19 December, dressed all in green. He’ll meet you in the kitchen around the crackling fire, creating Christmas magic and helping you to make your own small toy.

There’s also a Santa’s Grotto at Boringdon Hall Hotel on 5, 12 and 19 December. On arrival you’ll be dazzled by a dance performance before enjoying a festive afternoon tea, getting creative with gingerbread decorating and meet Santa Claus to receive a Christmas present.

Looking for something that will make sure everyone in the family is feeling festive? You can’t go wrong with a traditional British pantomime.

This year the Theatre Royal is showing Aladdin (17 December to 15 January) starring Joe Pasquale. Expect a lampfull of laughs, stunning scenery, flying carpets and of course, plenty of boos and hisses.

But for something a little bit different, there are other brilliantly wintry shows to enjoy. Little ones will love The Man Who Wanted To Be A Penguin (1 December to 22 January), a playful mix of puppetry, music

and song that celebrates the joy of individuality. The whole family are sure to be mesmerised by White Christmas The Musical (7 to 11 December), which comes to Plymouth direct from the West End and features romance, comedy and classic songs.

The Soapbox Children’s Theatre in Devonport are also putting on special family shows. For under 5s, there’s The Christmas Mouse (8 to 24 December) featuring snowy scenes, colourful characters and enthralling puppets

that will capture toddlers’ attention.

Then everyone over the age of 4, including adults, can wrap up warm and enjoy the festive outdoor show of The Magic Lantern and the Story Thief (5 to 31 December) where people’s stories are brought to life by the light of the lantern.

Pre-booking is advised for all these festive events so please remember to check the event organisers’ website before you plan your visit.

Other unmissable festive events to enjoy in Plymouth this Christmas…

Christmas at Saltram

19 November to 3 January, Saltram House This year, the historic house will tell the well-loved story of The Nutcracker through some of its grandest rooms using some of the best parts of its collection. The grandest room at Saltram, the Saloon, will be transformed into a magical fairy tale forest with decadently decorated trees and magical interventions to make the house feel alive. There’s also a family trail to follow around the garden where you can learn about nature’s real ‘nutcrackers’. Visits must be pre-booked, entry for National Trust members and children under 5 is free.

For non-members it is £8 for an adult and £4 for a child.

Hound, Barbican Botanics, and The Devon Fudge Company; handcrafted gifts from Amelia Daniels Candles, Terra Jeweller, and Peck & Chisel; plus Nook Houseplants, Earthkind Refills, and a whole host of others.

Family Late Mount Edgcumbe Christmas Fayre

Festive Good Food and Craft Market

11 and 12 December, Mount Edgcumbe The Christmas Fayre is back for its 17th year, with more than 50 stalls selling an eclectic mix of crafts, gifts and food, as well as the Barrow Centre shops and cafes. Choirs will perform, filling the air with carols and festive tunes, and there’s more entertainment in the form of jugglers and living statues. Stop for a selfie next to the huge Christmas tree, and make sure to visit Santa in his grotto. Admission costs £3 for adults and £1 for children (payment by card preferred).

5, 12 and 19 December, 10am to 3pm

Christmas Party Cruise

1, 8 and 15 December, 5pm to 9pm

Royal William Yard Royal William Yard’s festive market returns to the iconic Melville building on Wednesday evenings and Sundays throughout December, featuring a selection of the region’s most exciting independent artisan traders.

From tantalising treats to tasty tipples, the markets will offer a wide range of locally sourced goods and handcrafted gifts. A variety of traders will feature across the month, including food and drink from The Hedgerow

PAGE 8

then dance and mingle the night away to festive tunes.

Adults only event (18+), make sure to pre-book your tickets which cost £15.50.

Saturday 11 December and Saturday 18 December 7.30pm – 10.30pm, Plymouth Boat Trips Get into the seasonal spirit on board Plymouth Boat Trips’ Christmas Party Cruise. Enjoy a complimentary glass of mulled wine or prosecco from the bar,

19 December, The Box Plymouth Wave off Father Christmas before he returns to the North Pole on Sunday 19 December and explore The Box’s galleries out of hours. Santa will be announcing that the doors are open at 6pm from the pulpit on Tavistock Place. Enjoy some acoustic music and try your hand at Christmas crafts. The Box Kitchen & Bar will also be open for festive food and drink. Tickets are just £5 per person.

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Plymouth’s Café Indiya scoops two top awards Management and staff at Café Indiya in Stoke are celebrating after collecting two prestigious awards.

The restaurant in the heart of Stoke Village was voted Best in the South West in the 10th English Curry Awards while head chef Naresh Chand won the title of Chef of the Year in the region.

It was a triumph for the popular eatery, which specialises in Indian and Nepalese food. The English Curry Awards celebrate the growth of the Asian curry sector and recognises the achievement of those who have played a valuable part in this development.

The restaurant was named as one of the finalists based on customer reviews and feedback.

Café Indiya proprietor Ganesh Chettri said that he and his team were delighted to have won the awards.

“We didn’t have a clue, until we were told we were among the finalists,” he said.

He and a team from the restaurant travelled to the Holiday Inn in Birmingham in October for the Awards ceremony and were thrilled when Café Indiya and head chef Naresh were announced as winners.

There was even more celebration when Café Indiya’s

Café Indiya head chef Naresh Chand

21

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sister restaurant, Himalayan Spice in Liskeard was named as the ‘Most Wanted’ restaurant in the South West.

Ganesh and his brother Suresh opened the Himalayan Spice in 2015 and two years later Ganesh took over Café Indiya.

In addition to the restaurant businesses Ganesh also operates the World Wide Food Supermarket in Cornwall Street selling a wide range of Asian and European foods and supplies.

The team at Café Indiya are now busy preparing for

the Christmas rush and have launched their festive menu.

The restaurant will be open on Christmas Day and Boxing Day for diners who are looking for something special.

Discounts are offered for NHS workers, Armed Forces and Emergency Service staff, as well as students.

A new online ordering system and delivery service is also available.

For more information and bookings visit www.cafeindiya. co.uk

Funding boost for BASICS Devon

BASICS Devon are one of the eight local organisations receiving a share of £534,639 allocated to Devon as part of the NHS Charities Together Community Partnership Grants Programme - formed as a result of NHS Charities Together COVID-19 Urgent Appeal, launched in March 2020.

The Appeal has raised over £140 million, supported by the inspirational Captain Sir Tom Moore and thousands of others.

Supporting the local community is at the forefront of BASICS Devon volunteers. They want to thank the public who donated, NHS Charities Together and Plymouth Hospitals Charity, which have given them the amazing opportunity to expand and continue to reach sick, injured, and vulnerable patients in an emergency.

BASICS Devon doctors are senior decision makers and carry enhanced pain relief, sedative drugs and can undertake surgical procedures at the scene. As a team of specialist doctors, there is no equivalent in Devon.

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The team all have specialist training in prehospital medical care and respond in their own vehicles. The scheme is also launching their own emergency response vehicle that will assist the responders and be a major resource platform for education and training across the region.

The funds will enable them to expand their existing specialist team to improve cover in the West Devon and Plymouth area. They will fully equip and prepare additional volunteers physically and mentally to respond safely and effectively. Funding will enable the scheme to provide a full response kit, including personal protective equipment, blue lights installed in their vehicles and vital training courses which include, advanced paediatric life support.

Increasing responders, especially to central Plymouth which has some of the most deprived areas of the city, will provide people with immediate access to specialist medical care, which will help save lives and reduce long-term disability.

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New hope for amputees in Africa thanks to team at Thornberry Centre

Nesbitt House at Oceansgate

Hundreds of amputees in Africa have been provided with prosethetic legs - thanks to the dedication of the team at the Thornberry Centre in Derriford.

Oceansgate’s second phase now fully let The second phase of Plymouth City Council’s Oceansgate development, a world-class innovation hub for marine industries, is now 100 per cent let.

Tenants that have taken space in Phase 2 include ESL Group’s Space and Defence Solutions division, Babcock Integrated Technology Ltd, Relay Engineering, R and M Electrical Group Ltd and City College Plymouth, which is creating a new dedicated learning environment offering universitylevel courses in marine and engineering subjects.

Oceansgate has transformed disused Ministry of Defence land into a Marine Enterprise Zone. It sits within South Yard which is a key part of the new Plymouth and South Devon Freezone, which will offer specific tax and relief benefits for companies based within it, incentivising employers to invest and create new jobs.

Council Leader Nick Kelly said: “The marine and maritime industries are vitally important to Plymouth and with Oceansgate we set out to create a dedicated space for these businesses, offering offices and industrial units designed with their needs in mind. It’s fantastic to see Phase 2 now fully let, creating a thriving business hub that encourages collaboration and innovation.”

Phase 2 of Oceansgate is a £7.6 million project funded by the council and a £2.25 million Industrial units at Oceansgate Phase 2

grant from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

It was completed in March 2021 and includes 1,350 metres squared of light industrial space in three separate buildings and 1,100 metres squared of office space.

The new office building, Nesbitt House, was named in honour of Plymouth-born Kate Nesbitt, who became the first female member of the Royal Navy to be awarded the Military Cross for her service in Afghanistan in 2009, celebrating the site’s defence links and proximity to the Naval Base.

The first phase of Oceansgate was completed in April 2018 and is now home to nine tenants within its office building, Endeavour House, and light industrial units in Endurance Court.

Endurance Court is fully let, with tenants including Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Marine Tech Systems, Lang & Potter Marine and WH Scott & Son Engineers, while Endeavour House hosts The Maritime & Coastguard Agency, Mecal and Relay Engineering, and has a number of office suites available to let.

The next steps for Oceansgate include work on phase 3.1, which will see the development of a new 2,400 metres Marine and Defence Innovation Centre.

For more information about Oceansgate, including details of units available to let, please visit www.oceansgateplymouth. com.

For the last five years the Livewell South West’s Thornberry Centre has been working alongside UK charity Legs4Africa to put unwanted prosthetic legs to good use. In the UK, approximately 5,000 prosthetic legs end up in landfills every year. Meanwhile, in Africa, 1.7 million amputees are in need of a limb to help them live independent lives.

Thanks to the unique partnership between the Thornberry Centre and Legs4Africa, these statistics are starting to positively change.

The Thornberry Centre has donated hundreds of prosthetic legs to Legs4Africa since the partnership began.

These legs have then made their way to their forever homes across eight subSaharan African countries, including The Gambia.

Once there, the prosthetic leg parts are fixed, adapted and fitted to amputees who otherwise may never walk again.

In many of these countries, a new leg built from imported parts costs upwards of £800, making them unaffordable for the majority of people. But by utilising parts that would otherwise be classed as medical waste, Legs4Africa is helping to get people like Joe back on their feet.

Joe, who received a leg from Legs4Africa said: “I broke my leg falling out of a tree, and in the end, I had to have it amputated. Thankfully I have a prosthetic now which was made from parts donated by Legs4Africa. This means I can continue with my career as a fashion designer. I have great plans for the future, I want to expand my business so I can eventually support my family.”

For the team at the Thornberry Centre, this partnership also provides them with an opportunity to do their bit

The team at Livewell South West’s Thornberry Centre

for the environment while supporting amputation patients in countries further afield.

Emma Perkins, prosthetic deputy workshop manager said: “We have very much enjoyed supporting Legs4Africa over the years by providing unusable prostheses and components that would otherwise need to be disposed of. Legs4Africa does an amazing job collecting and repairing prostheses to allow others the life changing opportunities that they would otherwise not be able to have.

“We are very proud of the work we do with Legs4Africa. We embrace the charity and all they have achieved and will continue to support the work they endeavour to do.”

The team at Thornberry is currently helping Legs4Africa to promote their latest fundraising campaign, aptly named Leg Up which has so far raised over £17,000. This match funded campaign, which runs until Christmas Eve, aims to raise awareness of the challenges faced by people with limb loss, while generating funding that will allow Legs4Africa to continue utilising the Thornberry Centre’s kind donations for

the next two years.

The vital services offered by Legs4Africa consist of providing support and prosthetic leg parts for the only mobility centre in The Gambia, community outreach and offering emotional support like counselling sessions through rehabilitation services.

To donate to the Leg Up campaign please visit www.legs4africa.org/legup

Amputee Joe with his recycled prosthetic leg

Students’ colourful contribution A colourful mural has transformed the clinical waiting space at the Thornberry Centre in Derriford thanks to a collaborative effort by two Plymouth College of Art students.

Second year student Camsell Downing and third year student Jo Haskins converted one of the plain walls at the centre into a large painting inspired by Brixham.

Camsell who is based in Stoke said: “The original idea came from my colleague Jo. We knew that the Centre wanted a Devon theme, so Jo thought we should incorporate a working fishing village as a nod to the heritage of the area.

“After several trips to Brixham to sketch, we began the mural on a board in the studio, initially layering blue tones.

After that, we proceeded to introduce more colour and detail. I got particularly carried away flicking paint across the image to give texture to the sea in the foreground!”

Jo said: “The title of the mural is ‘Above and Below’, so an idea based on a local fishing village above, then taking viewers under the sea to experience the local marine life below. We included local wildlife and landmarks such as a starfish and lobster baskets.”

Artists Jo Haskins (left) and Camsell Downing

Emma Perkins, prosthetic deputy workshop manager for Livewell Southwest said: “We’ve been wanting to create something like this for years, especially considering that we see children as well as adults at the Thornberry Centre.

“When people come to see us, their appointments can be lengthy due to the specialist nature of what we do, so we wanted to enhance the environment for them. Our patient feedback welcomed this addition.”

“We now have the painting in place, and it’s amazing to see. Because of the

scale, it takes up the whole side of one of our rooms, the more you look at it, the more you see.

“For children particularly, it’s important to have something that can act as a distraction as appointments can be scary, but it’s a painting that can be enjoyed by all.”

“We really appreciate the work that Camsell and Jo have done for us, which has greatly improved the environment at the Thornberry Centre for the people who use our services, and hope to be able to work on similar projects again in the future.”

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Tate snaps up students’ festive card designs For the second year running, six students from Plymouth College of Art have been selected to join forces with Tate for Christmas, as part of the annual Tate Christmas card commission and competition.

From an open call to all undergraduate and postgraduate Plymouth College of Art students, 150 entries were submitted, up from 80 the previous year. Judges at Tate were hoping to select five designs from Plymouth College of Art, but were so impressed by the quality of submissions that they chose eight designs to go on sale for Christmas 2021.

The students whose designs were chosen are paid royalties for the sales of their Christmas cards and get to name Tate as a client when they’re pitching for future work, which will be invaluable for opening doors throughout their careers.

Gabe Monteiro, a Portuguese-British illustrator and artist based in Plymouth who graduated from BA (Hons) Illustration at Plymouth College of Art this year with a First Class degree, was selected as the overall Plymouth College of Art winner of the annual Tate Christmas card commission and competition.

His winning ‘Ugh’ design was joined by another of Gabe’s designs, ‘Paper Mistletoe’, which was also selected to go into production.

Gabe Monteiro, overall winner of the Tate Christmas cards competition, with his winning designs

Gabe used collage techniques to create his illustrations for the Christmas cards, using paper scraps with coloured paint streaks for colour and texture. His highly relatable ‘Ugh’ design is an expression of some of his own

holiday season emotions, captured in an image of the perennially tangled Christmas tree lights that so many of us wrestle with each year.

Gabe said: “I was over the moon to hear

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that two of my designs were chosen by the Tate and that I was the overall winner, especially after seeing so many of my course mates’ amazing entries! Although I felt the pressure of the competitive element of creating work for Tate, I tried to relax and use the opportunity to have fun with the process.

“I ended up using collage, which I don’t often do, and as a result I feel like my enjoyment of the process must have showed through in the finished designs.

“Seeing my work on sale at the Tate is surreal, but a big step in the direction I want to pursue with my creative work. I am currently selling work and handmade items online as a freelance illustrator alongside other employment, developing my illustration and staying on the lookout for more opportunities.

“My experience with Tate has shown me that it works to embrace opportunities, put your own spin on them and take enjoyment from doing the work.”

From Plymouth College of Art this year, two designs by Gabe and two designs by BA (Hons) Illustration student Tianna Barnes ‘Cat Christmas’ and ‘Snowball Fight’‚ were selected, along with designs by BA (Hons) Illustration student Honor Jackson ‘Sheila Santa’, BA (Hons) Illustration graduate Milly Iris ’Tis the Season’, BA (Hons) Printed Textile Design & Surface Pattern graduate Georgia Smelt ‘Beary Christmas’ and BA (Hons) Illustration graduate Savannah Dale ‘The Joy of Winter’. All are now on sale at Tate galleries and shops across the UK, as well as online.

Last year’s winner from Plymouth College of Art was BA (Hons) Illustration graduate Charlotte Leadley’s and since the release of her first Tate Christmas card, she has been named one of the Association of Illustrators’ 10 UK Graduates To Watch, in addition to being longlisted for the World Illustration Awards 2021.

Mel Brown, assistant head of School, Design + Communication, at Plymouth College of Art, said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for Plymouth College of Art students to sell their work in Tate’s network of four of the best-known art galleries in the UK. “Joining the Tate team to shortlist the designs was one of my highlights of the year.

We were so impressed by the range and quality of submissions, it made the selection process so much more difficult.

“I’m thrilled for all the students who were chosen and would recommend all current students to look out for news early next year, when we hope to announce the next competition.”

A representative from Tate said: “We are delighted to have worked with Plymouth College of Art for a second year, and were really pleased with the standard of the entries. Tate’s Christmas cards are really popular and we love being able to offer our customers new designs each year, whilst also giving students an opportunity to have their work published.”

Below: Georgia Smelt’s ‘Beary Christmas’ design

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Songlines: Tracking the Seven Sisters is an international touring exhibition produced by the National Museum of Australia with the ongoing support of the traditional Aboriginal custodians and knowledge holders of this story.

Image: montage photographs by Sarah Kenderdine, Peter Morse and Paul Bourke. Seven Sisters rock art reproduced with the permission of Aṉangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara and the Walinynga (Cave Hill) traditional owners.

This exhibition is delivered by The Box and The Arts Institute, University of Plymouth partnership.

24 December 2021

24 Deceember 2021

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£2 million fund set to help more Plymouth families this winter

Plymouth City Council will distribute food and fuel support worth more than £2 million to organisations that can help support vulnerable households during the winter months with food and fuel costs, as part of the Government’s Household Support Fund (HSF).

The scheme will provide support to vulnerable households and families with children particularly affected by the COVID pandemic throughout the winter period, where alternative sources of assistance may be unavailable.

With the funding ring-fenced to support with food, utility and essential costs, it will allow help to reach the hardest-hit families and individuals over the winter period.

Council Leader Nick Kelly said: “We are fully aware that the last 18 months have been extremely challenging on families and being able to afford the basics like food and essential utility costs is a real worry.

“I am absolutely delighted that the Government have awarded us these much needed funds which will allow us to help to reach the hardest-hit families and individuals over the winter period.”

A package of support totalling £1 million to help eligible Plymouth families cover the cost of meals over the school holidays until Easter 2022 has already been announced. This will provide families on the Free School Meals register with vouchers to the value of £15 per child per week that can be redeemed at various supermarkets.

The council has partnered with Plymouth Energy Community to distribute £500,000 of the HSF funding to people at risk of fuel poverty as a result of the impacts of

the pandemic and the rise in energy prices. This funding will be available from December and more information will be available soon.

In line with national guidance the following households will be eligible for support under the Household Support Fund: • Households with children that are in receipt of any benefits • Households (including statutory provision) with children that are recognised as vulnerable and are in receipt of statutory support • Households without children that are struggling to access food or are in arrears with utility costs. These households will only be eligible for support if they can evidence that they cannot pay for food or fuel.

Some of the fuel poverty element of the grant will also be used to support homeless people and families to move on from bed and breakfast and other forms of temporary accommodation.

The council’s Community Connections team will work with PEC to support people with fuel debt and white goods, both of which can be barriers to people moving into permanent accommodation.

Approximately £250,000 has also been set aside from the HSF and will be awarded to groups, charities and social enterprises who can provide food and essential items to individuals and families in need either through buying, storage or distribution.

Charities and organisations in Plymouth who provide food and essential items for vulnerable people are being invited to bid for grant funding of up to £10k.

Full details of the Household Support Fund can be found www.plymouth. gov.uk/benefitsandgrants/ householdsupportfund

Climate change declaration (from left) Tom Hamilton, Unison representative; Jackie Grubb, chief executive; Daniel Norrish and Rose Hamlett, joint sustainability student council representatives; Gemma Hutchings, UCU Green representative, City College Plymouth Branch; and Ian Poyser, environmental science lecturer

City College answers the call to help prevent climate crisis

City College Plymouth is the first college in the South West to join universities across the globe in calling for action to prevent a climate catastrophe.

With the world focused on the COP26 summit, the college has officially declared a climate emergency and is putting in place its plans to become a carbon-neutral organisation.

A working party of staff from across the college has developed a plan of action to address ways in which the organisation can contribute towards the fight against climate change.

Chief executive, Jackie Grubb, said: “At City College, we’re preparing students for happy, successful futures,

POLICE ISSUE WARNING ABOUT BOGUS STORE REPRESENTATIVES Police are aware of a number of recent incidents in the Plymouth area where high-street stores have been targeted by people identifying as store representatives to commit high value thefts.

Thieves have been entering stores, often in groups consisting of males and females, and presenting themselves to staff as store representatives. They are then accessing staff only areas such as warehouses before removing large volumes of high value goods (often alcohol) before leaving the store resulting in significant loss for the businesses in question.

The people in question are regularly wearing highvisibility jackets, branded lanyards, and carrying clipboards.

Police are requesting that store managers make all staff aware of store check and challenge protocols and perform appropriate identity checks on anyone presenting as store

representatives, including: • Checking photo identity cards • Confirming identities of everyone present • Asking anyone who presents as a store representative but is unable to confirm their identity to leave the premises immediately • Ensuring that the person or group and any associated vehicles are captured on CCTV where possible Staff who believe that bogus store representatives are on site at their premises should call police immediately on 999.

Anyone who believes they may have been victim of bogus store representatives recently and have not already reported this please email tryst.fentem@dc.police.uk Information can also be passed anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers by calling 0800 555 111 or reporting online at www.crimestoppers-uk.org

but what type of a future will they really have if we don’t act now to protect the planet?

“We have formally acknowledged the global emergency collectively with our students, staff and representative groups, and last week City College signed up to the United Nations Race to Zero campaign. In a short space of time, our new working party has been identifying different ways the college can be part of the fight against climate change.”

The college is now developing a strategy to meet its carbon-reduction targets and will be placing curriculum at the front and centre of this strategy, with all areas being encouraged to develop their teaching content around this theme.

Mark Trewin, chief digital transformation officer and owner of the strategic action for opportunities at the college, said: “This fight against climate change needs to be rooted in every aspect of our life. There is no single area of the college responsible for making the site more environmentally friendly or for reducing its carbon footprint - it’s a cross-college effort.

“We are inviting the students to contribute to our overall plans by setting up a student-led sustainability group, and we will also create a new student representative role here at the college so our students have a nominated voice to speak on their behalf.”

Ian Poyser, lecturer in environmental science and an expert in resource-management and sustainability, said: “The college is already doing lots of great things across the campus, but now we need to step up the gears.

“The climate declaration is the first step towards creating a more sustainable college community. The benefits of committing to a long-term sustainability plan will be far reaching: not only can we help avert a local and global climate and ecological catastrophe, but it will improve and enrich the lives of students and staff.”

Jackie added: “Our ambitions are vast but for the sake of the planet, they have to be. It is fortunate that City College benefits from a breadth of skills and knowledge to drive these plans forward and support the city in creating a green and more sustainable future for all.”

December 2021 25

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How Nicola and Kate’s compassion is helping women in Asia to escape abuse and poverty

A Plymouth woman has been one of the driving forces behind an ethical business that has helped women in Asia who are survivors of sex trafficking or caught in extreme poverty.

The organisation called Spirited Clothes was established in 2013 by two friends Nicola Willis and Kate Montgomery after a visit to India the year before.

Appalled by the plight of women in India and the Philippines who were forced through poverty into the sex trade, they decided to establish the clothing business and create sewing centres where the ladies could be trained in new skills to provide an income and security for their families.

There are two training centres in India and a third in the Philippines, all funded by Spirited Clothes.

All the materials are provided by Spirited Clothes and the women then use their new-found sewing skills make the range

of loungewear and pyjamas which can be purchased online through the organisation’s website.

The business was first established in Australia, where Nicola was living at the time.

She then relocated to the Philippines and then the UK where she set up the UK side of the business in 2018.

Her co-founder Kate is still based in Australia where she runs the Liora charity working in collaboration with Nicola in the UK. Nicola said: “Through training and employment in our sewing centres, these ladies are given a skill and a way to provide an income for their families. It also helps in their rehabilitation by having a safe, loving environment to work in as well as regular work and salary.”

The business has helped women like Rani, who found herself trapped in the right light area after her husband abandoned her and

Spirited Clothes founders Nicola Willis (left) and Kate Montgomery pictured with some of the ladies they have helped escape from exploitation and poverty

her two daughters. With little or no family to support her, Rani was forced to finds work to support herself and her children. This was hard for her to do because of her lack of education or training..

A neighbour heard about her story and offered her a cleaning job which Rani took with much appreciation, but this job was not what it seemed and she didn’t know that the neighbour had the intention of selling Rani to the pimps in the red light area.

Big Sis social enterprise helping young girls and carers with mentoring programme A Plymouth-based social enterprise is helping young girls and their carers to deal with the challenges of puberty changes.

Big Sis CIC is a community interest company set up by creative educator Friedel Fink. Formed at the end of 2019, Big Sis aims to provide emotional and educational support to empower girls with a deep understanding of their body, mind and emotions. In turn this supports their participation as confident, resilient young people in their families and communities.

After raising nearly £19,000 through Crowdfunding - which was match funded

by Plymouth City Council, Natwest, Nudge Community Builders and iMayflower – a ‘Girl Mentoring Programme’ was launched in the first months of the pandemic.

Meanwhile a girl empowerment curriculum was finally launched in three Plymouth primary schools in September this year supporting 50 girls aged 10 and 11.

The ‘Big Sisters’ - eight women who are students of psychology and mental health or mothers of pre-teens are volunteering their time to deliver the 12 week curriculum featuring themes such as emotions and feelings, puberty changes, menstrual cycle experiences and body image.

A key aspect of the curriculum is a question and answer time for girl’s questions about puberty. With the impacts of the COVID crisis being felt all over the UK, founder Friedel Fink knew that the Big Sis Mentoring Programme would be vital in helping young girls through their increased stress and anxiety.

Friedel said: “The central questions for Big Sis as an organisation are how can we create positive narratives for our girls and how can we empower them to grow into confident and resilient people?

“Equally we found it important to support carers in finding their voices and confidence

The Big Sis mentors

in supporting girls. In our community, carers most frequently report having received negative, fragmented, or no education at all about puberty-related topics.”

Taila, a coach and aunt said: “I can’t wait for more girls to have a different education, so they don’t have to grow up with the shame that I did!

“I would like my child to be supported by more people than just me, trying my best to make it a positive experience against my own upbringing, family attitudes and general society‚“, said a survey participant.

Through their work, Big Sis have understood, that parents find it hard to approach these conversations with their daughters. So in 2020, Big Sis established a monthly interactive webinar addressing the basics of puberty preparation for carers ‘Preparing Girls For Puberty.

Cara, a mum of two said: “You have filled me with confidence to suss out the next part of life with my daughter.”

Since 2020 Big Sis have reached 40 parents and carers who support 50 girls ages from seven to 13. Parents are being empowered to better support the young girls in their care.

Big Sis involves mental health and well-being experts, holistic practitioners and teachers to develop and deliver their materials and programmes.

A close collaboration with Plymouth University and Marjon University is important for them. Big Sis have worked with four student interns in the development of the ‘Girl Mentoring Programme’ giving them the opportunity to develop themselves professionally.

Find out more, become a volunteer or help us raise funds visit www.big-sis.co.

One day whilst Rani was working, three men came into the house and trapped and abused her, then took her away to the red light area with her daughters where they sold her and left her. She suffered extreme abuse and cruelty whilst she was trapped in there.

Nicola said: “Thankfully that is not the end of her story: Rani found freedom from sex trafficking and now works in our sewing centre, helping to make our beautiful range of loungewear and pyjamas. Her children are safe and attend school and Rani has hope for her future and the future of her children.”

To highlight the work Spirited Clothes is doing in Asia, and to hear the stories of the women making their clothes, Spirited Clothes has teamed up with Redeemer Church in Plymouth to host a Fashion Show on Saturday November 20 at 7pm. The show will be at the church in St Barnabas Terrace, Plymouth PL1 5NN. Nicola added: “Not only will we be sharing the stories but also showcasing the beautiful range of clothing that these amazing women are producing. It’s an excellent chance to hear how buying from Spirited Clothes changes lives and makes a difference.

“It’s an ideal time to browse for Christmas presents for your friends and family from the new range of loungewear and pyjamas, or treat yourself to something new!”

Tickets are £10 which includes a complimentary drink on arrival as well as discounted prices on the products. Go along for a night out with the girls and hear about the inspiring women behind the brand.

To purchase tickets and find out more go to www.spiritedclothes.co.uk

Ranjana and the many women like her, depend on clothing sales for their continued employment

26 December 2021

26 Deceember 2021

@PlymChronicle

Gables appeal for help to treat elderly Springer Spaniels Dolly and Droopy need urgent medical treatment

Two elderly Springer Spaniels with multiple severe medical issues have been taken in by Gables Dogs & Cats Home.

The two dogs, Dolly and Droopy, need urgent treatment to drastically improve their quality of life and ensure they are more comfortable and pain-free in their twilight years.

Dolly needs urgent surgery to remove a life threatening and very uncomfortable perineal tumour. This large tumour is causing pain when she sits and is restricting her bowel movements. She also has a very large mammary tumour that will need removing, with further investigations required to determine if it has spread to her lungs.

The poor girl also has severely decayed teeth and suffers from entropian in both of her eyes; this is a painful condition where the eyelids turn inwards, causing the eyelashes to rub and damage the eyes. She desperately needs surgery to correct all of these medical problems to help relieve her suffering.

Twelve-year-old Droopy is also in critical need of a dental procedure, which will include several extractions, as he has some of the most diseased teeth the charity has ever seen.

He also appears to have well-developed cataracts which will need further medical attention. In addition to these urgent operations they will also both be neutered, reducing the risk of future complications. They will also be fully vaccinated and treated for fleas and worms.

Deputy manager Ruth Rickard said: “We knew we had

to help this wonderful pair as we believe they deserve the best chance at a happy retirement. Considering their age and incredibly poor health, they are absolutely full of life and are two of the sweetest dogs we’ve ever had in our care.

“After watching the two together and seeing the fantastic bond they have with each other we knew it would be unfair to separate them, so they will search for their forever home together when they have recovered. We are hoping our amazing supporters can help us again and are grateful for any support we receive, but no matter the cost we will be there for these dogs.”

When Dolly and Droopy first arrived, staff at the charity were shocked at the condition the pair were in but they are confident that they will go on to live the rest of their lives pain free. It is estimated it will cost Gables an additional £5,000 for the life-saving surgeries, expert veterinary treatment and vital aftercare they will need. If Gables is lucky enough to raise more money than is needed it will go towards helping the other animals in their care.

Gables Dogs & Cats Home does not receive any government funding and has felt the financial strain from the COVID pandemic, but they are determined to help Dolly and Droopy. To help ease Gables’ financial burden a contribution can be made to ‘Dolly and Droopy’s Vet Appeal’, please call 01752 331602 or visit www. justgiving.com/campaign/dollyanddroopy or paypal.me/ gablesdogsandcats to donate online.

Using solar power to illuminate artworks Local people have been harnessing the power of solar energy and digital technology to create their own sustainable illuminated artworks, in workshops hosted by Plymouth College of Art’s Smart Citizens Programme and South West-based art collective, Art and Energy CIC.

Fourteen local people and students attended these twopart workshops, held three months apart at Fab Lab Plymouth.

During the workshops, participants learned new skills in reverse glass painting, soldering solar cells, computer aided design and laser cutting, in order to construct their unique artworks.

Charged by sunlight, these solar-powered artworks light up at night, illuminating the participants’ designs. Through creative projects, Art and Energy CIC develop artistic responses to the climate emergency, to help people engage creatively with the huge changes we experience with our energy system.

Climate emergency

Their Moths to a Flame project, co-led with Plymouth Energy Community, is working with nationwide collaborators to make 20,000 moths and record messages about the Climate Emergency to turn calls for urgent action into a magnificent mass-participation art installation at the COP26 conference in Glasgow.

In November 2020 Plymouth Energy Community and Art and Energy CIC launched a campaign with iMayflower partners Crowdfunder to hold free Moths to a Flame creative activities in Plymouth throughout 2021. Theirs was one of seven within the Plymouth Climate Challenge hosted by Plymouth City Council, with their project raising £45,189.

Workshop participant Lorraine England, a retired nurse and midwife who now works as a maker and workshop tutor, said: “The workshops with Smart Citizens and Art and Energy really kindled an interest in solar power for me and how it can be incorporated into our lives, not just from a functional but also from an aesthetic perspective.

“Within my own creative practice I make predominantly in felt, fibre and textiles. I left Fab Lab Plymouth trying to consider how solar light could be incorporated into the illumination of artwork made from wool. Overall, I found the workshops to be fascinating, engaging, innovative and inspirational.

“During my research before and afterwards, I found many remarkable global projects where solar power has been merged with creative practice, in beautiful and functional ways such as solar trees or architecture.

“This inspired me to look into the history and principles of solar-powered systems, so that I could better understand the wiring process. This was a fascinating lesson in basic electrical circuitry and energy which I wish had been taught in science when I went to school.

“From both a societal and cultural perspective I think that the Smart Citizens Programme is timely and very relevant. Plymouth

not only supports a vibrant creative community but it is one in which there are huge economic and social challenges. There is huge social deprivation and poverty in the city and an energy crisis starts to loom. With national energy costs escalating, many families are going to suffer from energy poverty. There is therefore an emergent need to make this technology more accessible to these groups of individuals, in a way that is affordable.”

Sarah Trotter also took part in the workshop. A local experimental visual artist and play and support worker, Sarah said: “I learnt so much during the workshop and about Art and Energy’s work within communities.

“I really enjoyed learning about the Fab Lab processes and laser cutting and also how solar power cells actually work - my mind was blown and I loved the connection between the two processes! It was a truly enlightening workshop, both in terms of creativity and in gaining knowledge into how energy can be created by the sun. I was so chuffed with my completed artwork at the end of the workshop.

“The workshop has supported my knowledge around sustainability and how much of an effect it has within the world - however small a contribution, education will make a huge difference for our futures. It has made me more mindful within my own practice and something that I am looking to integrate more within the way I work and resources and materials that I use.”

Renewable energy

Art and Energy CIC launched in 2018 with a vision to transform the look of solar panels through art, in order to brighten up our cities, celebrate a diversity of culture and inspire more people to consider using renewable energy.

Ian Hankey, the principal technician at Fab Lab Plymouth and a master glass craftsman with extensive experience gained from the Royal College of Art, Pilkington Glass and Teign Valley Glass, worked with Art and Energy to develop a range of markmarking processes using traditional glass processes and digital subtractive manufacturing suited to the photovoltaic panels.

These panels were tested by Dr Katie Shanks at the Environment and Sustainability Institute at the University of Exeter and now form part of Art and Energy’s ongoing work.

Jenny Ayrton, one of the directors at Art and Energy, is a Plymouth College of Art graduate and practicing artist, specialising in sand and kiln cast glass, etching and engraving.

Art and Energy CIC have benefited from collaboration with expert staff members from Plymouth College of Art, Fab Lab Plymouth and Crowdfunder as part of the Environmental Futures & Big Data Impact Lab and later the iMayflower Smart Citizens Programme.

The solar-powered art workshops are part of the iMayflower project and have been supported by The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, who fund the Cultural Development Fund, which is administered by Arts Council England.

Participants Kerry Brosnan (above) and Vanessa Crosse (below) with their finished solar artworks Photos: Smart Citizens Programme

Building strong grassroots organisations, charities, and social enterprises in Plymouth

They want to tell your story Are you a grassroots community project doing wonderful things in Plymouth for Plymouth? Well listen up! There is an amazing group of talented film-makers looking for stories to tell. The Hundred Hands has already worked with Nudge Community Builders and are currently creating stories about the amazing work of Plymouth Scrapstore and Routeways. Project Manager and Director, Drew Graves, recently moved back to Plymouth after studying film and working in Bristol for several years. He says the amount of community goodwill in Plymouth he has observed has been a revelation;

Circle Time with the Keyham Wellbeing Warriors

Watch out: Wellbeing Warriors about Children in Keyham are being urged to transform themselves into Wellbeing Warriors. A new weekly club has been set up for young people between the ages of seven and thirteen. Through yoga, mindfulness, games and crafts the sessions intend to fortify the children with resilience and life skills. Run by Haidee Dampney from The Tree Project, which was set up in 2018 to “explore wellbeing in our lives”, it could not, she says, have come at a better time.

“It’s been such a tough year for everyone,” says Haidee. “With the Wellbeing Warriors club we’re focussing on the children, providing them with a safe space where they can come make friends and have fun and, at the same time, teaching them the means to live a happier life and help manage life’s ups and downs.”

In a world made more challenging by recent

events, Haidee firmly believes that one of the things we can do for young people is teach them to be more resilient. Fifteen children are taking part in the weekly Wellbeing Warriors sessions, and despite only starting in September, Haidee can already see a transformation; “In a relatively short space of time we’ve seen many of the children better able to articulate their feelings and that’s a really good thing at any age. They’re really engaging with the yoga, the mindfulness and the relaxation and, I think, because of this, and the creative and outdoor elements of the sessions, are finding effective ways to care for themselves and each other.”

The Wellbeing Warriors course is run by The Tree Project in collaboration with Creative Curiosities. If you know someone who might be interested, contact Haidee on 07722 846 879 or at thetreeprojectcic@gmail.com

Helpline Numbers:

Efford Community Network

Glenholt 07849 413125

“It’s just amazing the amount of work being done across the city at a grassroots level.

It’s made us want to get involved and do what we can to promote these initiatives and the change they are helping to bring about in people’s lives.”

The Hundred Hands is offering their professional services free-of-charge (yes, really!) to produce a short video for small scale community groups in Plymouth. So, if you want to put your project in the spotlight contact Drew at thehundredhandsco@gmail.co.uk

Efford 07380 309586

SUPPOSE YOU HAD £1000 TO SPEND IMPROVING YOUR COMMUNITY

WHAT WOULD YOU DO?

POP is working with Street to Scale to bring grassroots community ideas to life. There is no application form; no targets and no need for written outcomes. If you’d like £1000 to spend on your community, contact: 07842 043399 (WhatsApp)

Supporting more members than ever 253 POP members, March 2020

71% have a turnover of less than £100k

430 POP members, October 2021

30% have a turnover of less than £10k

A third of our members are grassroots organisations

What would you do with £250?

One of our members recently spent the money taking a group of asylum seekers on a community camping trip over to the lovely Maker Camp at Rame. The two-night minibreak provided the group of ten women and men with some much-needed light relief and fun away from the many challenges and concerns they face each day. As Louise Anderson from the Farsi speaking community says the trip was a great success; “It was such a joy to watch everyone relaxing, laughing and having fun together.

I think for several of them it was like the sun bursting through the clouds after a long season of stormy weather.”

Without the funding there is no way, says Louise, that anyone could have paid for the trip themselves. The funding from POP turned it from a dream into reality; “Asylum seekers are on a very basic budget and there really isn’t room to put money aside for an event like this. So, the grant made all the difference to us being able to go ahead with this trip.”

The £250 a POP fund is open to members.

Membership of POP is free-of-charge.

For more information visit www.plymouthoctopus.org

28 December 2021

28 Deceember 2021

THE

Experience I’m old enough and sentimental enough in my older years to remember songs from musicians like Louis Armstrong, who wrote the song ‘What a Wonderful World’, and I still believe in seeing things half full as opposed to half empty without jettisoning my faculties of reason.

I can imagine some of you singing this song in your head right now. Just by way of clarification, however, I do present our radio programmes on Cross Rhythms with music that is far more contemporary but still carries great, life affirming lyrics. What’s my point?

The global experiences we have all gone through over the past couple of years what with COVID, climate change challenges and the geopolitical ‘sabre rattling’ that is going on amongst nations, can easily erode your optimism and seriously challenge everybody in thinking the world has lost the plot, if it ever understood the plot it in the first place.

As we come into the Christmas season, I know that our family will be gathering

@PlymChronicle

Take heart in these difficult days

By Chris Cole, Founder of Cross Rhythms Charity

together to share the values we hold dear in terms of our spiritual faith in Jesus Christ.

He has been so faithful to us in the good and the bad times. By experience we can, as people who put their trust in God, understand what Jesus said in John 16 verse 33: “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me.

Here on earth, you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart because I have overcome the world.”

I must say that if anybody knew the plot, it was Jesus.

It isn’t easy to Chris Cole appreciate that there may be a loving,

intelligent design behind the universe when in our consumer society, which focuses on individualism, we can often feel isolated and insecure about life.

We are the fifth richest economy in the world yet with all we have access to we are not at peace.

Happiness can be great, but what is it built upon when circumstances change?

Over Christmas we will sit down in the family to watch some of the older films which carry an eternal message. ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ has a timeless message about the value of our lives regardless of the

circumstances we encounter.

Produced just after the second world war in 1946 by director Frank Capra, it is a timeless movie, and is one of the most life affirming films ever made. It is well worth an investment of time to watch and be uplifted.

From all of us at Cross Rhythms, we wish you a peaceful, fun filled season of love, laughter, good food and drink and massive generosity of love and kindness to each other.

If you have tears of sadness may they be mixed with tears of joy - Jesus is the reason for the season and as you dig deep into the truth of his birth you may also experience a touch of His Love.

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

Children’s Commissioner for England visits Trevi Dame Rachel de Souza, Children’s Commissioner for England, recently visited Plymouth-based Trevi – the Southwest leading children’s and women’s charity.

The visit provided a vital opportunity for Trevi to show the difference its trauma-informed child centric services make to children’s and women’s lives.

During the visit, Dame Rachel was given a tour of two of Trevi’s three facilities – Jasmine Mother’s Recovery and the Sunflower Women’s Centre.

Jasmine Mother’s Recovery is a residential rehabilitation facility exclusively for mothers and their children. Since it opened in 1993, it has saved hundreds of women’s and children’s lives.

Up to 12 women and their children can reside at the centre at any given time, with the average length of stay being 24 weeks. Each mother is supported to successfully detox and to go forward to be the best mother she can be.

Results show that the trauma informed therapeutic programme enables almost 8 out of 10 children to stay with their mother.

Trevi’s Sunflower Women’s Centre operates five days a week in the community, providing support for any woman in recovery. This includes recovery from substance misuse, domestic abuse, sexual violence, childhood trauma, mental ill health and criminogenic behaviours.

Dame Rachel’s tour began in the recovery lodge at Jasmine, where the women’s therapeutic group work takes place daily. She was joined by two current residents who told her just how hard it was to obtain funding to be able to access Jasmine.

One resident explained how she had self-funded her rehabilitation for 12 weeks and now how her parents have funded an extra four weeks. She said she simply didn’t know what she would have done if she had not obtained a place.

Barbican Theatre’s popular puppet parade Photo: John Allen

Children’s Commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza (fourth from left) pictured during her fact-finding visit to Trevi

Dame Rachel was then able to visit Trevi’s Ofsted registered nursery where a baby sensory group was taking place. The nursery has recently been refurbished with a new sensory room.

The room was full of mothers laughing and singing with their children.

Nursery manager, Carol Cornall, explained how some of the women arrive having had little parenting themselves: “They have no blueprint to follow and so a lot of the work our specialist attachment practitioners carry out is focused on modelling good parenting, giving mothers the confidence to then go forward and be the best she can be.”

The visit ended with a tour around the three floor Sunflower Centre, encompassing the 1,400 square feet health and wellbeing suite, trauma informed creche and contact centre.

Dame Rachel met another Trevi beneficiary during her tour called Sam, an ex-resident of Jasmine Mother’s Recovery who is now, since exiting Jasmine’s residential rehab, accessing support from the Sunflower Women’s Centre.

Sam explained: “Jasmine changed my life. I now have my son with me, and I am

being supported through the Sunflower Women’s Centre to continue to move forward in life. Both the women who left Jasmine at the same time as me, went back to their homes, but they are finding it difficult in their hometowns as they are not getting any support like I receive in Plymouth.”

Trevi chief executive Hannah Shead, said: “Being a mum is hard enough, but imagine having to go through the courts to fight to keep your child, then entering detox and recovery all whilst you feel your child might be taken. The women I meet through our services have to have real tenacity and courage. I take my hat off to any of them. It was a real privilege to meet Dame Rachel de Souza and to showcase our innovative services to her.”

Dame Rachel said: “I was really pleased to visit Trevi last week. I was touched by the determination of the mothers I met to address their own challenges for the sake of their children, and by the compassion and determination of the women working to help them. It was great to see firsthand the benefit of a range of women’s services supporting mums in very challenging circumstances.”

Search for new leaders to help Plymouth realise its cultural potential

A new generation of leaders from a diverse range of backgrounds is being sought to head up three of Plymouth’s most prominent cultural organisations.

KARST, Barbican Theatre and Plymouth Culture are all recruiting new board members to guide their strategy and provide new perspectives on how they work with their audiences.

All three are seeking ambitious people who share the vision for Plymouth to be an international city driven by arts, culture and innovation.

The trio of organisations value people, passion, collaborations and creating opportunities to make extraordinary things happen in Plymouth.

Applications from all are welcome, but of particular interest are applications from a young voice, a community voice and an ethnically diverse voice - to broaden the diversity of those represented.

The goal of the process is to have a set of board members across three organisations driving

change who truly represent Plymouth’s communities.

KARST is the largest independent contemporary arts gallery and studio complex on the South West peninsula. We create conditions in which diversity, innovation and risk can thrive. Barbican Theatre creates stunning live entertainment not confined to the stage that builds Plymouth’s own creative voice, and gives it a platform. Plymouth Culture is the city’s sector support agency helping realise its cultural ambitions by fuelling collaboration, securing crucial funding and creating creative opportunities.

Hannah Harris, chief executive of Plymouth Culture said: “We are now at a pivotal moment in our history when we can truly use culture and creativity to spark real change in our communities. To achieve this, we need passionate, creative and diverse leadership at the head of the organisations driving that change.”

For more information visit plymouthculture.co.uk/trustees barbicantheatre.co.uk/jobsopportunities/#Trustees and karst.org.uk

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Further steps being taken to help Afghan refugees come to Plymouth

30 Deceember 2021

• Book Reviews • Book Reviews • Book Reviews • Book Reviews •

Historian’s new book reveals why the Mayflower Pilgrims set sail Philip Quenby loves to tell stories of fascinating characters from history, showing how their lives many years ago still speak to us in the modern age.

His latest book, One Small Candle, published as an excellent gift for Christmas 2022, focuses on the Mayflower Pilgrims, their extraordinary lives and their voyage from Plymouth to Massachusetts.

Former lawyer Quenby is best-known for his five-part documentary Magna Carta Unlocked in which he examines how and why modern civil liberties grew on the back of a failed peace treaty. The ideas behind the Magna Carta have influenced the world for 800 years; in this new book, Philip focuses on how it led to ordinary English families leaving their homes and their livelihoods 400 years ago to sail to the New World and build a colony, with a new form of government based on equality, liberty and justice.

Many of their experiences would be familiar to us today – climate change,

Plymouth is going even further to help refugees fleeing Afghanistan.

Having previously signed up to a Home Office scheme to relocate locally employed staff who worked for British forces, Plymouth City Council is now committing to helping a further 60 people within the next year. This will include vulnerable Afghan citizens, such as women and children.

Refugees will be aided with housing and integration through bespoke support to assist in adjusting to their new life in the UK, including finding employment, attending schools and community activities as quickly as possible.

The council and refugee support providers will support those arriving to settle permanently in Plymouth and continue to build their lives and future.

Councillor Vivien Pengelly, Cabinet member for Homes and Communities, said: “I am delighted to back this scheme.

“Many of these people will have fled their homes with nothing more than the clothes on their backs to be able to provide a home for them here, in our wonderful city, makes me very proud indeed.”

Since announcing our intention to aid Afghan refugees, we’ve had loads of enquiries from residents who are keen to help us welcome Afghan refugees to Plymouth.

Here are ways how people can get involved: Accommodation Accommodation offers in Plymouth are being directed to PATH. The council is grateful for people who have advised them that they have a spare room or two but the council is only looking for landlords who can let entire properties to families. Any landlords who can help should please email easylet@pathdevon. org The number of families which can relocate to Plymouth will depend on the number of suitable and affordable accommodation offers received.

Donations A city-wide collection for people wishing to donate to Afghan individuals or families in Plymouth has already been established. Any funds raised will be used by support providers for specific individual needs such as furniture, bus passes, laptops.

The fund is being hosted by Open Hearts, Open Borders. Donations can be made at www.justgiving.com/campaign/ afghanresettlementsupport For residents who wish to donate to support people still in Afghanistan the British Red Cross has a national appeal.

Offer of Goods If residents have items they wish to donate, please contact your local British Red Cross charity shop to see if they are happy to take donations. Service providers can then support Afghan families to access those shops.

@PlymChronicle

technological innovation and economic migration. But it was ultimately a question of freedom of conscience that led them to set sail.

Thanks to the efforts of Bible translator William Tyndale, the Bible was now available to the general public in the vernacular, but readers who challenged King James’ autocratic view of Church and State soon found themselves opposed by those in authority.

“Sometimes we need the help of the past to illuminate the present,” Philip suggests.

“At a time of confusion about our values and freedoms – where they come from, whether they are worthwhile, even what they are – there could scarcely be a better time to go back and reflect on original sources. This is the story of the Pilgrims, but it is also our story.”

One Small Candle is published by Onwards and Upwards and is on sale at Waterstones and Amazon (ISBN 9781788157490/RRP £7.99).

Plymouth author Chris Robinson releases two new titles – just in time for Christmas!

Several years ago Chris Robinson was asked why he had never written a book about the story of the motor car in Plymouth.

When Chris eventually started putting material together for the project it quickly became apparent that there was far too much for just one book.

And so it is that this month sees the publication of Plymouth and the Age of the Petrol-Driven Motor Car 1896-1939.

As ever with one of Chris Robinson’s books it’s lavishly illustrated and contains over 350 images, the vast majority of which have never been published in book form, so it’s a fascinating insight to a period of Plymouth’s history that hasn’t been under the spotlight before.

All the more remarkable, suggests Chris, as the motor car has changed the way we live, shop and socialise.

It’s changed our roads, our work patterns and our environment, and yet its impact has pretty much been ignored by previous

April 1924, a London registered Renault KJ passes through the newly freed toll gate on the Embankment

Francis Pearse in his 1901 Benz, pictured in 1931 on the way to Friary Station

historians and accounts of the area.

So why not treat yourself this Christmas and curl up with a copy so that you can better understand man’s relationship with his four-wheeled friend.

Learn more about the people who pioneered cars locally and who kept them on the road and discover fascinating facts like: where our first traffic lights were erected; which was our first one way street and where

our first car park was created.

Incidentally, Chris, who was awarded the MBE this summer, also worked with his father, Des, the former Argyle announcer, who died in August, to produce Des’s life story Semper Fidelis – The Story of a Plymouth Boy, which has also just been published.

For more information or to order copies of either book visit chrisrobinson.co.uk or call 01752 705337.

A NEW GUIDE TO PLYMOUTH New children’s book raises money Historic Plymouth - a Short Guide to its People, Places and Events

In this book Stephen Trahair takes us on a guided tour of the city, around the City Centre, The Hoe, the Barbican, Stonehouse, Stoke, Devonport, Plympton and Plymstock, and captures with his camera some of the more interesting and lesser-known treasures that are all too often hidden in plain sight.

The result is a fascinating overview that will entertain, inform and amuse visitors and locals alike. The pocket-size book is published by Clare Robinson of Pen & Ink and contains 120 places in Plymouth of particular interest, or which are associated with intriguing characters.

Each two-page spread covers a different place, with a full page photograph and a page of text.

One reviewer said: “The book has me totally hooked. I am devouring it from cover to cover. The author has concentrated on less well-known aspects of the history and landmarks of Plymouth and where he does touch on familiar locations, he manages to find anecdotes to amuse and intrigue.

A tiny Jewish cemetery, overgrown and forgotten for more than a century: a pub where long-dead harlots sit under the dart-board enticing their ghostly clients.”

Felicity Goodall, writer, broadcaster and author of Lost Plymouth, added: “A wonderful contribution, written with love and appreciation of the city’s architecture. A hymn to Plymouth and its history, this book will make you see parts of Plymouth with new eyes.”

The book retails for £10 and is available from Waterstones, the Tourist Office, and from www.chrisrobinson.co.uk, or call Pen & Ink on 01752 705337.

for Hospital Radio Plymouth

A local author has published a children’s book, a portion of the profits of which will go to Hospital Radio Plymouth.

The King Who Didn’t Like Snow, written by Plymouth-based author Jocelyn Porter and Illustrated by legendary comic book artist Michael S Kane, is a magical story set in the mysterious land of Cornovia.

It features King Mark, Wizard Bert and his sidekick Broderick the bookworm. Fussy King Mark hates snow, so when it starts to snow in Windy Hill Village, Wizard Bert is tasked with finding a solution. Can he resolve things without upsetting the village’s snow-loving children?

Aimed at children aged from three to eight years, the book is published by Full Media Ltd, an award-winning children’s publisher who support numerous children’s charities. The company has pledged to donate 10% of profits from The King Who Didn’t Like Snow to Hospital Radio Plymouth. “Run by volunteers, Hospital Radio does a wonderful job of entertaining patients during their stay in hospital,” said Nick Jones, MD of Full Media. “We are keen to give something back to them with this book.”

More stories written by Jocelyn Porter can be heard on Hospital Radio Plymouth, at 6 pm on Monday evenings. Sue Crowhurst reads them in a section of her show called ‘Storybook’. The stories are accompanied by music specially chosen by Sue for the young patients in Woodcock Ward. Full Media also supply stories for Sue to read.

The King Who Didn’t Like Snow costs £6.99 and can be ordered from the publisher’s website, full-media.co.uk. Also available from Amazon and local bookshops.

December 2021

@PlymChronicle

Award-winning Australian exhibition opens at The Box

31

An award-winning Australian exhibition is having its European premiere at The Box.

The exhibition, Songlines: Tracking the Seven Sisters, will be on display until February 27 next year and is part of major programme of cultural exchange between the UK and Australia.

Featuring over 300 paintings and objects by more than 100 artists, it is the first time the exhibition has been seen outside Australia.

Originally staged at the National Museum of Australia (NMA) in Canberra, the exhibition has attracted over 400,000 visitors to date.

Entirely conceived and curated by a team of First Australians, led by Margo Neale, senior indigenous curator at the NMA and elders from across the Central and Western Deserts of Australia, it expertly combines state-of-the art exhibition and display technologies with art, song and dance in order to share ancient stories from the world’s oldest continuing culture.

Songlines is a highly immersive exhibition which takes visitors on an epic journey across three Australian States and three deserts covering some 500,000 square kilometres.

It has created a network of stories that ‘map’ the Australian continent by linking narratives to

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geographical features and serving as vehicles for naming and locating sites critical for survival physically and culturally. It is through Songlines that Aboriginal people can locate and learn from significant sites and pass on laws, ways of living, and moral codes to the next generation.

Margo Neale, lead curator of Songlines said: “For Aboriginal people, Songlines are our foundational stories about the creation of the Australian continent. This exhibition was initiated and co-curated by Indigenous communities who wanted to both preserve their culture for future generations and to share their stories with all Australians and the world – this is the model for future Museum-Indigenous community collaborations going forward.

“Songlines is not an art exhibition, a history exhibition or a science exhibition. It is all of these.

It is both an Australian Aboriginal exhibition and a universal story of humankind. It offers us

connectivity to each other and our planet in a fragmenting world. It is of critical importance that the deep truths and lessons in this exhibition are seen worldwide.”

Nigel Hurst, contemporary arts consultant at The Box, said: “With ceramics, paintings, sculpture, installation and film by Aboriginal people, this award-winning, immersive exhibition from the National Museum of Australia will provide a unique platform for us to celebrate the arts and cultural life of First Australians, with points of connection linked to Australia’s and the UK’s shared successes and challenges over the last 250 years.

“Songlines will provide a wonderful and timely opportunity to bring the rich culture of First Australians to life for UK and Plymouth audiences, and acknowledge both our historic debt and the rich, complex societies that have emerged in the UK and Australia as a result of migration.”

New painting joins The Box’s collections The Box has acquired a new painting for its permanent art collection from Devon-based, Brownston Gallery.

‘Dartmoor China Clay’ was painted in 1992 by Jean Jones (1927-2012), a London-born artist who had a deep connection with Devon throughout her life.

The artwork shows a stunning rural landscape painted with Jean’s signature broad brushstrokes and simple yet vibrant colour palette.

It’s been generously gifted by Jones’ family and the Brownston Gallery in Modbury which has been working with the Jean Jones Estate to bring the artist’s work and life story back into the spotlight.

Art historian and representative of the Jean Jones Estate, Michael Kurtz, said: “We’re delighted that The Box has accepted this gift, which represents the first occasion Jean’s work will be seen in a public collection since her exhibition at Oxford’s Ashmolean Museum in 1980.

“The Estate’s mission is to research and publicise the life and art of Jean Jones, a virtuosic landscape painter whose career was derailed by mental illness and the expectation that she would perform a traditional role as wife and mother.

USEFUL NUMBERS

Terah Walkup, art curator at The Box and Catherine Gillen, director of the Brownston Gallery

“We hope ‘Dartmoor China Clay’ will bring her joyful vision of the local landscape, as well as her significant story, to a wider public.

She would have been immensely pleased, not only because Devon was her favourite place to live and paint, but also because she passionately admired many of the artists she’ll now be in the company of, such as Peter Lanyon and JMW Turner.”

Jones was fascinated by colour and often painted her landscapes ‘en plein air’, or outdoors. After enjoying holidays in the South Hams and living in Bideford as a child,

she and her husband John bought a property in Shaugh Prior on the edge of Dartmoor.

Devon and the act of painting itself often provided her with an escape from periods of anxiety, depression and bipolar disorder.

Despite the mental health challenges she faced, she produced over 400 paintings.

Catherine Gillen, director of the Brownston Gallery said: “This acquisition by The Box will go a long way towards ensuring that Jean Jones is recognised as an accomplished artist in her own right.

It also gives a voice to the many women artists who’ve struggled to find their place in an often maledominated art world.

“Jean’s extraordinary story resonates with many aspiring artists today and deserves to be told.

‘Dartmoor China Clay’ is particularly apt as it shows a scene she would have looked at every day from her cottage on the edge of Dartmoor.

We’ve enjoyed working with The Box to make this happen and look forward to seeing this striking painting on display in the future.”

Terah Walkup, art curator at The Box said: “This painting is a wonderful addition to The Box’s art collections, especially our 20th century paintings, and adds a moving, previously untold, story to the continuing legacy of artists deeply inspired by the local landscape. Jean Jones energetically captures an iconic view of an area that many Plymouth residents and visitors love. We’re hugely grateful for the generosity of the Jean Jones Estate and the Brownston Gallery for gifting this work to us, and are looking forward to supporting their ambition to share her story more widely.”

To find out more about The Box’s art collections go to www. theboxplymouth.com

Age UK Plymouth 01752 256020 Adoption UK 0844 848 7900 Al-Anon Family Groups 020 7403 088 Alcoholics Anonymous 0800 917 7650 Carers UK 020 7378 4999 Childline 0800 1111 Christians Against Poverty (Debt Advice) 0800 328 0006 Citizens Advice 0300 3309 043 Cruse Bereavement Care 0870 1671677 Devon & Cornwall Food Action 01752 651800 Disability & Information Advice Line 01302 310123 Drug Addicts Anonymous: Helpline 07818260811 Jan Cutting Healthy Living Centre 01752 203670 Money Advice Plymouth (Debt Advice) 01752 208126 NSPCC Child Protection Helpline 0808 8005000 National Missing Persons Helpline 0500 700700 National Christian Helpline 0300 111 0101 NHS Direct 0845 4647 National Domestic Violence Helpline 0808 2000247 Osteoporosis Support Group 075958 500314 Overeaters Anonymous 07000 784 985 Parentline Plus 0808 8002222 Relateline 0845 1304010 Samaritans 116 123 Talk to Frank 0800 776600 Shelterline 0808 8004444 Stop Hate Crime 24/7 Helpline 0800 138 1625 Stroke Helpline 0303 3033 100 West Country Landlords Assn 01752 242980

Travel RAC Green Flag Rail Travel, national enquiries Plymouth Citybus National Express Coaches Brittany Ferries Cremyll Ferry Torpoint Ferry Tourist Information Passport Office, National Helpline

08000 828282 0800 400600 08457 484950 01752 662271 08717 818181 08705 360360 01752 822105 01752 812233 01752 266030 0870 5210410

Entertainment Theatre Royal 01752 267222 Barbican Theatre 01752 267131 Devonport Playhouse 01752 606507 Plymouth Athenaeum Theatre 01752 266079 Plymouth Pavilions 01752 936363 Plymouth Pavilions Ticket Store 03337 727727 Cineworld 03303 33444 Vue Cinema 0345 308 4620 Tourist Information 01752 306330 National Trust Saltram 01752 333500 Plymouth City Museum & Art Gallery 01752 304774 Plymouth Arts Centre 01752 206114

Leisure

Plymouth Life Centre 01752 606900 Brickfields Recreation Ground 01752 563320 Manadon Football Dev’ment Centre 01752 201918 Plympton Swimming Pool 0870 300 0020 Plymouth Pavilions 0845 146 1460 Megabowl, Coxside 0871 5501010 Tourist Information 01752 306330 The Beckly Centre, Plymstock 01752 484433

Weather The Met Office Weathercall

0870 9000100 0870 6004242

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Please note that whilst the Publishers have made every effort to ensure the accuracy of telephone numbers in this Directory, and dates in the What’s On section, no responsibility can be accepted for any errors.

32 December 2021

32 Deceember 2021

@PlymChronicle

Advertise to

Work starts to bring fresh over look to New George Street 23,000 Work has started to refresh and revive Old Town Street and New George Street as part of a multi-million pound investment

by Plymouth City Council into a key part of the city centre.

The dated eighties landscaping is going and in its place will be features designed to make it look a lot brighter and nicer. They include • Better links between Drake Circus and The Barcode • Islands of greenery • New play area with stepping-stones through the gardens, bringing a touch of the moors into the city centre • Places to sit and rest • A small performance area • New tree planting carefully arranged to allow clear sightlines to shopfronts • Ornamental ‘rain garden’ planting with more sustainable urban drainage The taxi rank at the top of town has already been relocated to a new area directly outside the entrance of Drake Circus on Eastlake Street. Another rank has also been created at St Andrew’s Cross.

Phase one will begin to lower New George Street, from Armada Way to the House of Fraser service yard this month then phase 2 Upper New George Street and Old Town Street to St Andrews Cross will get underway in January 2022.

The council has appointed Mildren Construction to carry out the work and fencing and hoarding is being put up around a site between the Sundial and the end of the House of Fraser building, enabling contractors to get cracking on with

Artist’s impression of the improvements to New George Street

preliminary works which entails digging down into the main sewage system.

After talking to shop owners and traders, the bulk of the scheme will not get underway until after the crucial Christmas shopping period.

The project team have drawn up a timetable of work which aims to minimise the impact of the work as far as possible. Existing service yards will be accessible in the run up to Christmas for deliveries Council Leader Nick Kelly said: “We wanted to avoid the Christmas rush as much as possible, so have listened to our traders.

Artist’s impression of the improvements to New George Street

Chronicle Ads 2020.indd 5

No one wants interruption but we hope this scheme will make this important part of our retail heart a lot brighter and more attractive.

“It will not only look better, but it will be greener – not just with more trees. The scheme includes a sustainable drainage system which means rainwater will not just end up in the sewers but will be diverted to water plants. It’s another measure to help tackle climate change.”

City Centre manager Steve Hughes said: “It’s great to see so much investment in our city centre. This area was looking tired and needed to change. I am pleased that the project team have been listening to the businesses and I’m sure they will continue to do this throughout the course of the work.”

The work has been funded through the Transforming Cities Fund to the tune of £6,529,468.50 as the scheme also has wide clear routes, better visibility and improved signage for cyclists. The Heart of the South West LEP also contributed £700,000.

Karl Tucker, chair of Heart of the SW LEP, said: “Investing in our local high streets and town and city centres is vital to ensure they remain attractive and accessible for residents, businesses and visitors.

“The work being undertaken by the council around Old Town Street and New George Street will not only significantly enhance the experience for anyone visiting, but it will also introduce measures that improve the local area’s sustainability.

“We are delighted to have been able to support this work with £700k funding from the Heart of the SW LEP’s Growth Deal.”

Completion of the entire project is anticipated in late 2022.

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Chronicle Plymouth

December 2021

Plymouth’s popular Christmas Market returns to the city centre from December 2 to December 19 offering an open air festive bar, food and drink and plenty of artisan gift stalls. There will also be a host of entertainment to enjoy at the Market.

# PLYMOUTH TOGETHER

Central & Waterfront

There will be fantastic festive family fun in Plymouth this Christmas. Young family members will love the opportunity to have breakfast with Santa at The Box every Saturday and Sunday between November 27 and December 19

Christmas cracker!

Plymouth is all set for a fantastic festive season with a host of activities and special events, new Christmas lights and dazzling displays in the city centre and The Barbican. Full details can be found in the special eight-page pull-out supplement in this edition.

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18/12/2020 11:53