Students from Sir John Community College have been involved in a project to launch the Plymouth Fish Finger
See Page 8
Hannah Donnelly, a teacher at Ernesettle Community School has won a prestigious national teaching award
See Page 12
See Page 19
City College Plymouth honoured its exceptional students at its annual Student Awards ceremony held in June. The Awards ceremony is the college’s largest celebration of the successes students have achieved in the past academic year and recognised the outstanding talent and hard work of student • SEE STORY ON PAGE 9
The regional electrical retailer which is Happy to be Helpful
Established in the 1970s, HBH Woolacotts’ journey began in Bude in July 1976, thanks to founder Ted Hemmerle's vision. Their commitment to quality products and customer service quickly led to growth, with expansions into Launceston and Holsworthy by 1979.
The 1990s saw further progress with the opening of the UK’s first Panasonic Technics Centre in Plymouth (recently rebranded to Panasonic Store) on New George Street in 1990, followed by a Wadebridge location in 1994, extending their reach within Cornwall. The early 2000s solidified their regional presence with new branches in Liskeard and Bodmin in March 2003.
A key development in their strategy was the move towards larger retail spaces. Their first superstore opened in St Austell in May 2012. Most recently, their flagship retail superstore opened in Coypool, Plympton, in September 2017, a testament to their continued success and growth since their early days. A new superstore is currently in development in Barnstaple, North Devon, and is scheduled to open Autumn 2025.
The Plymouth superstore highlights their strong brand partnerships with dedicated sections for Sony, Panasonic, LG, Samsung, Dyson and Smeg showcasing their specialised knowledge and relationships with some of the industry’s leading brands. What's particularly noteworthy is that HBH Woolacotts has remained a family-run business across three generations, from Ted Hemmerle to Martin and Chris Hemmerle, demonstrating their long-term commitment and values, centered around their motto: "Happy to Be Helpful."
Initially offering essential household items, HBH Woolacotts has evolved to provide a wide range of electrical goods from leading manufacturers at prices to suit all budgets and requirements. Their emphasis is on helping customers to make informed decisions through comprehensive staff training, ensuring knowledgeable and helpful advice is always available.
Approaching their 50th anniversary, HBH Woolacotts stands as a respected and significant retailer in the South West. Their enduring success is built on a strong focus on their customers, dedicated staff, and the local
community. Marketing Director Chris Hemmerle emphasizes their key strengths as "consistent delivery of excellent customer service, the friendly and long-standing nature of our team, and our ability to offer competitive pricing while maintaining a personal, local business feel." He also notes that their family ownership allows for quick and efficient decision-making, maintaining high standards within a positive work environment.
Their strategic approach includes active marketing and their own logistics, which include a network of delivery and installation teams to support free next day delivery and a field based service network to support both warranty and out of warranty repairs. HBH Woolacotts’ positive customer experience is driven by a helpful team with a positive attitude, a knowledgeable workforce, and a carefully selected range of products at competitive prices, plus a full range of support services.
BOURNEMOUTH & THE ISLE OF WIGHT BY HOVERCRAFT
Departing Mon 22 Sep ‘25
Oh we do like to be beside the seaside! From our base in Bournemouth, we explore Dorchester Market and the harbourside town of Weymouth. We also discover Ryde after taking a journey to the Isle of Wight by hovercraft with the chance to visit Poole and Swanage.
SO MUCH INCLUDED...
Return coach travel from Plymouth, Saltash
4 nights at the Royal Bath Hotel, Bournemouth (JG3 rating) with dinner & breakfast
Return hovercraft journey to Ryde, Isle of Wight
Excursions to Dorchester Market, Weymouth & the Isle of Wight
Optional excursion to Poole & Swanage (£14pp)
LITTLE TRAINS OF NORFOLK & THE MISSISSIPPI PADDLE STEAMER
Departing Mon 29 Sep ‘25
The beautiful county of Norfolk is characterised by charming seaside towns, and unspoilt coastline. We discover the beauty of its waterways by paddle steamer as well as enjoy nostalgic journeys on Norfolk’s heritage railways, taking us back to a bygone era.
SO MUCH INCLUDED...
Return coach travel from Plymouth, Saltash
4 nights at the Nelson Hotel, Great Yarmouth (JG2+ rating) with dinner & breakfast
Entertainment some evenings (at the Nelson & Waverley Hotels only)
Heritage train journeys on the North Norfolk Railway & Bure Valley Railway
Mississippi Paddle Steamer cruise on the Norfolk Broads
Excursion to Cromer & Sheringham
Optional excursion to Norwich (£15pp)
SCARBOROUGH, YORK & NORTH YORKSHIRE MOORS RAILWAY
Departing Mon 13 Oct ‘25
Scarborough provides the perfect base for this five-day holiday as we explore the highlights of Yorkshire’s coast. We include excursions to Whitby, Bridlington and Filey, as well as the highlight of the break, a journey on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway.
SO MUCH INCLUDED...
Return coach travel from Plymouth, Saltash
4 nights at the Royal Hotel, Scarborough (JG2 rating) with dinner & breakfast
Entertainment some evenings
Heritage train journey on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway
Excursions to Whitby & York
Optional excursion to Bridlington & Filey (£12pp)
By Coach from Plymouth, Saltash
Send details of your event to info@ cornerstonevision.com and we will do our best to include them in Out and About. Unfortunately because of space limitations we are unable to publish details of regular meetings of groups and societies or similar organisations.
Pirates of Penzance
June 27
Performed by Plymouth Gilbert & Sullivan at Stoke Damerel Church at 7.30pm. Tickets £12, children £10. Available on the door and via 07552 234583
Charity Coffee Morning
June 28
Sherwell United Church Hall in North Hill from 10am to 12 noon with proceeds to Christian Aid.
Choral Concert
June 28
St Peter’s Church, Wyndham Square at 7.30pm. Phoenix Chorale present a fabulous mix of choral music from the Renaissance to Romantic periods, plus contemporary works by a number of composers including Arnesen, Gjeilo, Lauridsen, Rutter and Bach, all representing the joy that singing brings. Refreshments will be available. Tickets £12 in advance from www.ticketsource.co.uk, £14 on the door, children under 18 free.
Plymouth Armed Forces Day
June 28
Armed Forces Day is a fantastic opportunity for everyone to show their support for the men and women who make up the Armed Forces community from currently serving troops to reservists, veterans, cadets and their families. This exciting family day is packed with displays, parades, military equipment to explore, a thrilling arena programme, live music and much more. Details at www. plymoutharmedforcesday.co.uk
Barbican Arts and Crafts Market
Every Sunday in July and August
The Barbican Arts and Crafts Market is a vibrant celebration of creativity, hosted each summer at the picturesque Pier Masters House on Plymouth Barbican. Showcasing a handpicked selection of talented local artists and makers, the market offers a unique opportunity to discover beautiful handcrafted creations in a stunning waterfront location. From 11am to 4pm each Sunday.
Wimbledon on the Big Screen
June 30 to July 13
Wimbledon returns to Plymouth city centre’s Piazza this summer with an exciting twist – live tennis screenings and the chance to try one of the UK’s fastest growing sports, Padel, all in one vibrant city centre location. Every match of the Wimbledon Championships will be screened live on a state-ofthe-art mobile screen. To mark Wimbledon finals weekend, an international market will take place along New George Street, bringing together global street food, handmade goods, and cultural stalls.
Ruckus 25 Music Festival
July 4 to 6
Hosted by Plymouth Albion at Bricklfields Ruckus will feature a line up of top live performances with a focus on iconic UK acts. Headline performers include The Feeling, The Specials, Elvana and Tom Meighan. Alongside the music there will be a food and beer festival highlighting the best of local produce and craft beers. For details visit www.plymouthalbion. com/ready-for-a-ruckus
Charity Summer Concerts
July 4 and 5
The Down Thomas Singers are raising funds for Bowel Cancer West with their two Summer Concerts at the Silver Jubilee Hall, Down Thomas at 7.30pm on Friday and a matinee on Saturday at 2pm. To cheer everyone up in these troubled times the concert consists of
Out and About
Your
guide to events in the local community and beyond
light musical numbers, poems and clarinet piece. Tickets are £7 including light refreshments and free parking. There is always a good raffle. Contact 01752 299204 for tickets.
Ultimate 80s Party Cruise
July 5 and Aug 9
Plymouth Boat Trips present their popular music cruises with the best of 80s hits with their resident DJ. Complimentary drink included. Fully equipped luxury vessel, with toilets and a licensed bar on board. Very popular so book early to guarantee a ticket. Leaves Commercial Wharf at 7.30pm, returns 10.30pm. Details and tickets from www.plymouthboattrips.co.uk
Saturday Sessions at The Square
July 5, Aug 2 and Sept 6
Live music sessions at Old Town Square on the first weekend of the month in the city centre from 1pm to 3pm. Featuring the Hot House Combo in July, True Foxes in August and Firebird in September.
Coffee Morning
July 5
Crownhill Methodist Church Hall from 10.30am to 12 noon. Various stalls supporting water Aid. All welcome.
Summer Fair
July 5
St Boniface Church, St Budeaux from 10am to 12 noon. Various stalls including cakes, tombolas, plants, refreshments and grand draw.
Medieval Lunch
July 5
Visitor Centre at Ford Park Cemetery at 1pm. Booking is essential. Tickets cost £15 and can be obtained from the office at Ford Park from 10am to 4pm.
St Levan Park Fun Day
July 5
The popular community event returns from 11am to 4pm with free entry for all. The Fun Day features live music and entertainment, craft, produce and food stalls as well as the Gables Dog Show. There will be a toddler soft play area as well as inflatables and Zigzag entertainer. For updates visit #StLevanFunDay
Good Food & Craft Market
July 6 and Aug 3
Known for showcasing some of the region’s most talented artists and makers, Royal William Yard’s Good Food & Craft Markets offer everything from tasty treats to handcrafted gifts. The monthly markets have been a staple of Royal William Yard’s event calendar for years, and have won event awards along the way. From 10am to 3pm. For details visit www. royalwilliamyard.com
St Luke’s Midnight Walk
July 11
The popular family-friendly event, with a heart full of hope, kindly sponsored by Michael Spiers returns
for 2025. For the first time, there will be a choice of four routes instead of three from 2.5 miles, 5 miles, 7.5 miles or 13.5 miles all beginning and ending at Plymouth Argyle’s Home Park stadium in the Fan Zone. For details and registration visit www.stlukes-hospice. org.uk/midnight-walk
Native Makers Market
July 12 and 13
Ocean Studios at Royal William Yard hosts the event from 10am to 4pm each day. The free event will feature over 40 makers, demonstrations, family friendly activities and delicious food. For details visit www.nativemakers.co.uk
Rum & Reggae Festival
July 12
The spirit of the Caribbean is celebrated at Home Park’s Fan Zone with live music, tropical cocktails and The Marley Experience live on stage from 2pm to 10pm. Tickets from £10.
Tamar Concert Choir
July 12
Free concert at Christ Church, Ley Park Walk, Estover (near ASDA) at 7.30pm. Enjoy songs from Lion King to Cole Porter as well as well known pop songs. Charity donations to PUMA (Plymouth to Ukraine Medical Aid)
Southway Summer Table Top Sale
July 12
Church of the Holy Spirit,Southway from 1pm to 3pm. Free entry. Children’s crafts and tombola. Refreshments and lots of goodies available. For more information or to book a table at £5 please contact Veronica on 07855 256383.
In the Spotlight Concert
July 15
Music of the Night Choral Foundation perform their latest concert at Mount Gould Methodist Church in Farringdon Road at 7.30pm. Adults £8, under 16s £4. Contact Paula Ingram on 07860 354290 or email her at paulaingram001@icloud.com
Levowan Chamber Choir
July 18
The choir continues its 10th anniversary celebrations at St Peter’s Church, Wyndham Square at 7.30pm. Featuring a selection of uplifting, contemporary choral music from around the globe. Free entry with a retiring collection. Reserve seats at www.levowan.com
Tamar Concert Choir
July 19
Free concert with a retiring collection for charity at Pilgrim URC church, St Levan Road at 7.30pm. An evening of well known love songs for a summer evening.
A Talk on the Remarkable Pinwill Sisters
July 23
This talk at the Plymouth Proprietary Library at 2pm is by Dr Helen Wilson, author of The Remarkable Pinwill Sisters. The Pinwill sisters were famed for creating between them one of the most successful
ecclesiastical woodcarving companies in the West Country, with work in over 180 churches across Devon and Cornwall and further afield. When first Mary and then Ethel left the company, Violet ran the business single-handedly, employing nearly 30 carvers and joiners at the height of its success. Talk: £4 for members, £8 for non-members.
Family Fun Day
July 26
Keyham Green Places in Renown Street, Keyham is hosting a fun day from 11am to 3pm with cake stall, craft fair, table top sale, raffle, plant sales and free children’s activities, plus the opening of the Keyham Scouts’ Storytelling Shed. Free entry
Charity Coffee Morning
July 26
Sherwell United Church Hall in North Hill from 10am to 12 noon with proceeds to PATH.
An Afternoon with Babs Horton
Aug 2
Author Babs Horton will read from a selection of her short stories and her debut novel ‘A Jarful of Angels’ at Plymouth Proprietary Library in St Barnabas Terrace from 2pm. Babs will also include excerpts from her Edinburgh Fringe sell out play ‘In the Lady Garden’ Babs will be happy to take questions on anything writing related. Refreshments provided. Free for members £4 non-members. For details visit www. theppl.org.uk
Celebrities v Forever Green
Aug 3
Former Argyle players and celebrities will be joining together for a special match in support of Forever Green. Two teams – one consisting of famous faces, and the other of iconic ex-Greens – will face off on the Home Park pitch at 2pm. Tickets are £10 for adults, and £5 for children. Tickets can be purchased from argyletickets.com, in-person at the Home Park Ticket Office, or over the phone on 01752 907700. Tickets will be digital/print-at-home only.
Romeo & Juliet
Aug 9
Award-winning South Devon Players Theatre and Film Company bring their touring production of William Shakespeare’s classic to The Muse Theatre at Lipton Academy at 7.30pm. Tickets available from www. southdevonplayers.com/box-office or on the door on from 6.30pm.
British Firework Championships
Aug 13 and 14
Tens of thousands of people will head for The Hoe and viewing points all along the waterfront for the spectacular annual competition. Six previous winners will battle it out to be crowned Champion of Champions. Three firework companies will be competing each day at 9.30pm, 9.50pm and 10.10pm. For more information go to www.visitplymouth.co.uk/ whats-on
West End Carnival
Aug 23
All day fun for the whole family, with plenty of carnival flair, music, entertainment and food from 11am onwards in Frankfort Gate and the surrounding streets.
Charity Coffee Morning
Aug 23
Sherwell United Church Hall in North Hill from 10am to 12 noon with proceeds to Jeremiah’s Journey.
Send details of your event to info@cornerstonevision. com and we will do our best to include them in Out and About. Unfortunately because of space limitations we are unable to publish details of regular meetings of groups and societies or similar organisations.
St Luke’s Midnight Walk returns to the city on July 11
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
“An eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind.”
MahatmaGandhi
to prepare for £4.4 billion investment
Plymouth City Council, working as part of Growth Alliance Plymouth (GAP), has commissioned a major economic study to help the city prepare for the opportunities and challenges arising from an investment programme worth in excess of £4.4 billion at Devonport Naval Base and Babcock’s Devonport Royal Dockyard.
The research will provide critical insight into shaping Plymouth’s economic future and maximising the impact of Ministry of Defence investment over the next decade and beyond. Babcock’s pivotal role in delivering the next phase of the Royal Navy’s submarine programme and the Continuous At Sea Deterrent (CASD) with support extending through to at least 2070 represents one of the most sustained and significant long-term financial commitments ever made to the city and wider region.
To help ensure Plymouth best manages this opportunity, the council has appointed one of the UK’s leading economic and labour market research consultancies, Stantec, to deliver a detailed economic forecast and skills gap analysis from 2025 to 2035.
Working with major city employers including Babcock and Growth Alliance Plymouth (GAP), the research will address two key questions: What will Plymouth’s economy look like as a result of this investment? And what skills and workforce capacity will be needed to support it?
The work builds on earlier research commissioned in partnership with Homes England, elevated by Growth Alliance Plymouth (GAP) to support the development of the Plymouth City Centre Housing Vision. It forms a key part of the council’s evidence base for strategic planning, inward investment, and future funding bids.
It also directly supports the delivery of the Plymouth Plan, the city’s long-term strategy that sets out how Plymouth will grow in a sustainable way, covering areas such as housing, jobs, transport and the environment.
The research will also play a critical role in helping to attract further investment into Plymouth, supporting bids for additional Government funding and giving confidence to both public and private sector partners looking to invest in the city’s future.
The study is expected to conclude by Autumn and will inform both immediate planning priorities and longer-term strategy across skills, housing, infrastructure, and regeneration.
Tudor Evans, Leader of Plymouth City Council, said: “This investment is unlike anything Plymouth has seen before— not just in scale, but in its long-term significance. It will shape the future of our economy and our communities, and we need to be ready. This research will give us the hard evidence we need to make good decisions now, so that the
Plymouth Albion raise over £4,000 for St Luke’s Hospice through ‘one of a kind kit’ initiative
Plymouth Albion is celebrating a remarkable moment of community spirit and creativity that raised over £4,000 for St Luke’s Hospice Plymouth.
In March, Brickfields was packed with community spirit as Albion took on Rosslyn Park in the dedicated St Luke’s Men’s Day Out fixture, in front of a crowd of over 2,500 supporters.
But it wasn’t just any match. Albion took to the field in a unique kit designed by a talented six-year-old pupil from Widey Court Primary School.
The winning design featured the iconic Smeaton’s Tower, a proud emblem of Plymouth’s maritime heritage and a beacon of the community. Chosen from dozens of imaginative entries, the finished shirts were not only a symbol of creativity but also a way to raise vital funds. Every penny of sponsorship and shirt sales went directly to support the incredible work of St Luke’s Hospice.
Recently, Albion managing director Max Venables visited Widey Court to personally present the young designer with a signed version of her winning kit. This special moment was shared with Georgina Dyke from St Luke’s
Hospice and Colin Aldworth, associate director at Nevada Construction, Albion’s main kit sponsor.
Max said: “It’s amazing what sport, community and business can achieve together. St Luke’s has always been close to the heart of Plymouth Albion, and Men’s Day Out was such a special day. Visiting Widey Court and showing the school, especially
the young winner, the real impact of her kit design was a brilliant experience.”
Nevada Construction played a crucial role in the success of this initiative, giving up their front of shirt space for the fixture.
That decision enabled 20 individual businesses to each sponsor a one-off match shirt, giving every shirt its own front of shirt sponsor and allowing this
community powered kit to come to life in full. Colin Aldworth of Nevada Construction said: “We are so pleased for St Luke’s, Plymouth Albion, and the pupils at Widey Court Primary.
“It was a no-brainer for us to be involved in something so meaningful. Community has always been at the heart of what we do at Nevada, and this project was a perfect reflection of that.”
Georgina Dyke, events manager at St Luke’s Hospice Plymouth said: “We’re incredibly grateful to Plymouth Albion, Nevada Construction and Widey Court Primary. Raising over £4,000 is a fantastic achievement, and the creativity and enthusiastic spirit behind it truly reflect what makes our community special. Thank you for helping St Luke’s continuing to care for those who need us most.”
Plymouth Albion will continue to support St Luke’s Hospice throughout the off-season with a series of events, including the Ruckus Music Festival in July and the Plymouth Albion Golf Day.
As the club proudly builds toward its 150th year, St Luke’s will remain Albion’s chosen charity throughout the 2025-26 season.
Students to take part in big Plymouth chess tournament
Primary and secondary school students will be taking part in the third major chess tournament in Julyand organisers are calling on schools across the city to encourage more youngsters to take part.
The tournament is being held at Plymouth College on July 5 with free entry and light refreshments provided.
The event is organised by Plymouth Chess Club, whose president Alan Crickmore said: “We know there are many more students, both boys and girls, playing chess in schools are our objective is to encourage them –and what better way than to hold a tournament.
“There are many advantages to playing chess as it appears to improve logical thinking, academic performance, confidence and patience.”
He said that certificates and prizes will be awarded to participants.
Plymouth Chess Club have a group of students who attend weekly tuition sessions and the club hopes to promote more chess in schools and establish an inter-school league online.
Schools or students wanting more information can visit the club website at www.plymouthchess.uk
Victorious milestone as submarine enters Devonport dock in big £560m revamp
The crew of one of Britain’s most powerful military machines gathered in the cavernous Devonport dry dock housing her to mark the next stage in the £560m regeneration of HMS Victorious.
The 16,000-tonne submarine – one of four which conducts nuclear deterrent patrols to safeguard the nation’s security – is now out of the water at the impressive refit complex in Devonport Naval Base.
The boat is undergoing an extensive overhaul – the official designation is Deep Maintenance Period – to allow her to conduct deterrent patrols into the next decade, when the next generation of Dreadnought-class submarines begin taking over the UK military’s No.1 mission. Crew, plus staff of the Submarine Delivery Agency and employees of Babcock Marine – it takes a huge collective effort to support the UK’s Continuous At-Sea Deterrent – clambered down to the bottom of Devonport’s 9 Dock, which has been specially upgraded for the work to be carried out on Victorious.
While awaiting the dock to be readied, the V-boat underwent the first phase of her maintenance still afloat in Devonport’s 5 Basin, where the combined efforts of Royal Navy and Babcock teams made significant progress.
“The afloat phase has seen some extremely innovative engineering solutions and several in-water firsts for a ballistic missile submarine, including reactor de-pressurisation and removal of missile tube muzzle hatches which has only been achieved by working together as one team,” said Commander Simon ‘Bob’ Church, Commanding Officer of HMS Victorious.
“While there have been some initial challenges, the dedication and professionalism of our crew and our Babcock partners, has ensured that we are making every effort to maintain momentum.”
The maintenance period is a highly complex engineering task which combines significant capability upgrades (Victorious was designed in the 1980s and entered service in the mid-90s) with the revalidation of safety critical systems. The scale of the operation requires close coordination between the Royal Navy, Babcock, and the Ministry of Defence.
“Everyone in the Defence Nuclear Enterprise recognises the importance of this maintenance period to the UK’s national security and that is why our work to ensure HMS Victorious returns to operations as soon as possible matters,” added Captain Ben Stafford, Superintendent Submarines.
Cheque presentation (from left) Colin Aldworth of Nevada Construction, Max Venables of Plymouth Albion, Georgina Dyke of St Luke’s Hospice and Shaun Nicholls Widey Court headteacher with the pupil who designed the kit
Saturday night buses back on the timetable until the end of the year
Night buses will continue to be available in Plymouth and other locations in Devon and Cornwall on Saturday nights until the end of the year.
Following the success in the summer and Christmas of 2024, Devon & Cornwall Police and the Police and Crime Commissioner’s office are working with partners to continue running night buses across the two counties, providing seven new routes in addition to the four existing routes from last year.
Night bus services, provided by Stagecoach in Plymouth, operate on Saturday evenings in a bid to reduce drink and drug-related incidents.
The services have been set up by Devon & Cornwall Police and funded by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC) with support from a number of organisations including Plymouth Waterfront Partnership.
Alison Hernandez, Police and Crime Commissioner for Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, said: “I am delighted that my office will once again fund this fantastic service and help even more people get home safely after a night out. I need people to use these services to show it is commercially viable to ensure it becomes a mainstay of having a night out.
“The extension of the night bus service to
include seven new routes will be a fantastic boost to our evening and night time economy, encouraging residents and visitors alike to relax and enjoy socialising in Exeter, Plymouth, Newquay, Torbay and North Devon without worrying about the expense of a taxi, or having a designated driver.
“Night buses in Devon and Cornwall have been proven to be a great success, reducing
crime and antisocial behaviour and making people feel safer – with the added benefit of allowing them to get home for less than the cost of a pint or a glass of wine.”
Assistant Chief Constable Glen Mayhew said: “With partnership funding and support we have managed to re-launch a tested and successful initiative. The provision of improved night-time transport will ensure
Enjoy a happy healthy holiday with our FREE Fit & Fed holiday programme!
Plymouth’s Fit & Fed programme, funded by the Depar tment for Education, provides free holiday clubs and experiences for children and young people aged 5 to 16 years (reception to year 11), who receive benefits related free school meals
There are over 110 holiday clubs and experiences of fering an ama zing range of dif ferent activities, from snow spor ts and science workshops to water spor ts and dance
Fur ther details about each holiday club and how to book can be found at w w w.plymouth.gov.uk /fitandfed
There really is something for ever yone, so book today!
people, and particularly women and girls, arrive home safely having enjoyed their evening out with friends.
“We have seen that this also reduces antisocial behaviour and has a positive impact across our communities. I am pleased to see so many dedicated routes with such a wide reach into our communities”.
Peter Knight, managing director of Stagecoach South West said: “We are proud to be part of an initiative that provides a safe and affordable evening travel option for customers. It is a great example of our ongoing commitment to serving the needs of residents and where required working with partners to achieve that goal. We hope to see a similar positive impact for the community that has been seen in Torquay and North Devon previously.”
Jon Walton, chief executive of Plymouth Waterfront Partnership said: “We are delighted to be able to support this initiative that provides a safe, reliable and sustainable way of visiting Britain’s Ocean City and we have a huge range of accredited venues to provide the perfect night out!”
The night bus services are operated by Stagecoach and run from Plymouth to Tavistock via Derriford and Yelverton and from Plymouth to Saltash via Milehouse.
us this summer as we take Fit and Fed into the community with activities for all the family We will be at the following parks between 10am and 2pm Come and join us!
Tuesday 05 August
Tuesday 12 August
Tuesday 19 August
Tuesday 26 August
Victoria Park, PL1 5NQ
Ernesettle Green, PL5 2SY
Tothill Park, PL4 9HF
Central Park, PL2 3DG
WANT TO EARN SOME EXTRA CASH
EACH MONTH WHILE KEEPING FIT?
Award-winning Chelsea Flower Show garden will have new home at Shekinah
An award-winning garden display featured at the Chelsea Flower Show is to be relocated in Plymouth.
It has been donated to Shekinah, the city charity based in Stonehouse Creek. The garden plan is fully sponsored by Project Giving Back, a unique grant-making initiative supporting charitable causes through gardens at the Chelsea Flower Show.
After the show, the garden will be relocated to a permanent community space at Shekinah ensuring its legacy continues to inspire and support.
Shekinah is working with Modular, the garden designers, Pathway UK, the leading homeless and inclusion health charity and philanthropic organisation Project Giving Back.
John Hamblin, chief executive of Shekinah, said: “We are incredibly proud to be part of this inspirational project. The Chelsea Flower Show offers a national platform to raise awareness of homelessness and health and inequalities and celebrate the journeys of those rebuilding their lives and health with dignity and purpose. This partnership truly reflects what Shekinah is all about.”
“It's
great exercise, I think of it as I'm getting paid to do my steady state cardio. Good for the waistline and the wallet!”
of homelessness to better health and on to a safe place that can be called home.
Adults, young people and active seniors make up our brilliant team of delivery people across Plymouth. Get in touch to be part of the team. Own transport helpful but not essential. Scan to apply.
The exceptional garden exhibit shines a light on journeys made out of homelessness to recovery and safety, and Pathway’s work on improving healthcare for people experiencing homelessness, ensuring they’re supported out
Using sustainable design and powerful storytelling to represent transformation, resilience, and regeneration, the garden was created by Modular, a team of innovative garden designers, with people with lived experience of homelessness involved in the project from the start.
As a Plymouth based charity committed to supporting people experiencing
homelessness and social exclusion, Shekinah’s involvement highlights the power of community, compassion, and creative collaboration in addressing complex social issues.
Pathway has an expert homelessness team in Plymouth who work very closely with the Shekinah Centre to help people access the expert medical care and support need.
For more information visit www.shekinah. co.uk
City schools could soon be serving the unique Plymouth Fish Finger
A pilot community project to create a new locally sourced fish finger for school lunches is making waves across Plymouth and beyond.
Known as the Plymouth Fish Finger, the project is making use of ‘by-catch’ fish (that which would otherwise go to waste) from local fishers, taste testing them with school children, and co-designing fish fingers, with a plan to serve them in school meals locally.
Fish species involved include whiting, pouting and dogfish, and the project ensures small scale coastal fishers – in vessels under 10 metres – receive a fair price for something that is normally low-value and underutilised, while getting healthy and sustainable food into local schools.
The project is co-led by the University of Plymouth, Sole of Discretion CIC, Plymouth Fishing & Seafood Association and CATERed and is part of the national FoodSEqual programme to explore how to improve access to healthier foods for people all over the UK.
Dr Clare Pettinger is an active food system justice researcher at the University of Plymouth, with a keen interest in understanding – and overcoming – the barriers to healthy sustainable food consumption in the
local community.
As part of FoodSEqual, she held several workshops with the local community in Whitleigh, Plymouth to see what they knew about fish, and what might encourage them to eat more of it.
Themes emerged such as finding opportunities to try new fish and improving access to fish, so the focus on a local, sustainable fish finger was born.
Clare worked with Caroline Bennett from Sole of Discretion CIC and Ed Baker from Plymouth Fishing & Seafood Association to explore how to bring fishers into the conversation,
Pupils from Sir John Hunt Community College have been involved in co-design sessions
and when the by-catch species were identified, pupils at Sir John Hunt Community College held a series of taste sessions for the fish and breadcrumbs to design and make the new product.
CATERed, which provides the majority of Plymouth’s school meals, was also brought on board and is fully supportive of bringing the fish finger into circulation.
Dr Pettinger said: “What’s amazing about this project is the collaboration that has formed
around it. We have championed a community co-design model which has led to the project’s success. Our amazing local partners have a shared vision for the Plymouth Fish finger because it belongs to the community, promotes Plymouth Seafood brand and provides true pride and identity in the product.
“Our next challenge is to upscale the process and ensure it’s truly sustainable.”
The next challenge is to mechanise the manufacturing process in order to produce the 36,000 fish fingers needed for school meal cycle in Plymouth schools. In order to do this, the team now needs philanthropic investment. Work is also ongoing to ensure the fish fingers adhere to necessary industry standards to be classified as fully ‘sustainable’.
Dr Pettinger added: “We know this project is a positive thing for the city and we’ve got a proof of concept, it’s just a case of upscaling and finding the necessary support to bring it to more people. At the very least, we’ve shown that a community of practice can achieve fantastic things, so we hope other areas of the UK feel inspired. We don’t just have to accept that things won’t change when it comes to accessing healthy food at a reasonable cost – together we can achieve so much.”
The impressive garden display coming to Plymouth
Talented students honoured at annual awards ceremony
City College Plymouth honoured its exceptional students at the recent annual Student Awards.
The awards ceremony is the college’s largest celebration of the successes students have achieved over the past academic year and recognised the outstanding talent and hard work of students across all curriculum areas, with awards reflecting not only academic excellence, but also character, determination and community spirit.
Award winners, their families, college staff and employer guests enjoyed an address by guest speaker, Melissa Johns. Actor and disability advocate, Melissa is known for her roles in Adolescence, Coronation Street and BBC’s Life. She captivated the audience with her story of resilience, inclusion and breaking barriers in the creative industries.
Students from across the region and beyond were recognised for their contributions and achievements, spanning the college’s 36 curriculum areas.
From Barbering Student of the Year, Rocco Whitehouse, who took initiative from day one by offering free haircuts to the homeless, to Construction Trades Student of the Year, painting and decorating champion Abigail Durrell, whose success at SkillBuild has landed
her a spot on the international stage as part of the WorldSkills training programme.
Eight of the curriculum award winners were also specially selected to receive additional merits by the college’s employer partners. These employers work closely with the college to create real-life learning experiences, develop training and curriculum programmes, and contribute to the college’s state-of-the-art facilities.
This year’s recipients of the employer sponsored awards were: Freddie Rhodes, Inspiration Award sponsored by Kier Construction; Abigail Durrell, Employability Award sponsored by China Fleet Country Club; Gracie Chamberlain, Endeavour Award sponsored by BIT Group; Levi Libbey, Leadership Award sponsored by Argyle Community Trust; Angel Lewis, Peer Support Award sponsored by University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust; Adam
Perseverance Award sponsored by Princess Yachts; Izzy Snape, Student Voice Award sponsored by Babcock International Group; Rowena Murphy, Volunteering Award sponsored by Taurus Events.
The final award of the evening went to Carmen Archer who received the Chief Executive’s Award. Carmen was recognised for their natural leadership and optimism, mentoring younger students, creating opportunities and breaking down barriers, always striving to make sure everyone feels seen, supported and empowered to succeed.
City College’s chief executive Jackie Grubb said: “These students are all shining examples of hard work, resilience and kindness towards others. It’s not just their qualifications that make them remarkable, but the way they’ve shown compassion, supported their peers and overcome real challenges. They all represent the very best of City College Plymouth.”
Plymouth celebrates double win at national awards
Plymouth has scooped two prestigious awards recognising the city’s leadership in both environmental innovation and inclusive employment.
The prestigious Local Government Chronicle (LGC) Awards 2025, recognise the best in local government, with judges having to consider over 1,000 submissions from councils across the UK. The city was honoured in the Environmental Services category for its pioneering Habitat Bank, and in Diversity and Inclusion for the transformative Supported Internships programme.
Plymouth’s Habitat Bank, delivered through the city’s green finance vehicle Ocean City Nature, will deliver an impressive £7m in investment to restore and enhance habitats across the city. The initiative is creating a local market for Biodiversity Units, helping developers meet planning requirements while delivering real gains for nature and communities with work on the first site at Ham Woods already underway.
Councillor Tom Briars Delve, Plymouth City Council Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Environment, said: “This award is a huge recognition of the bold, creative work happening in Plymouth to tackle the ecological emergency. The Habitat Bank is a brilliant example of how we can use green finance to deliver real, lasting benefits for wildlife and communities. I’m incredibly proud of the team behind this – their passion and innovation are helping to put Plymouth on the map as a leader in nature recovery.”
At the same time, the city’s Supported Internships programme scooped the top award
in its category. Run in partnership with Discovery College the programme has grown from nine participants to 67 in just two years.
The programme supports young people with learning difficulties or disabilities to gain meaningful, sustainable employment through a blend of tailored work placements, coaching and classroom learning. Every single participant has gone on to secure a job – a sign incant achievement that’s changing lives.
Councillor Sally Cresswell, Cabinet Member
Representatives from Plymouth City Council pictured with their awards at the Local Government Chronicle ceremony
for Education, Skills and Apprenticeships, added: “This award is a celebration of the young people who’ve taken part in Supported Internships – and the incredible staff who’ve supported them every step of the way. It shows what’s possible when we believe in people’s potential and invest in inclusive opportunities. This work is vital to building a city where everyone can thrive.”
Astle,
Guest speaker Melissa Johns
Student Award winner Adam Astle (middle) and friends City College chief executive Jackie Grubb, with Chief Executive Award winner, Carmen Archer
Action taken to remove nuisance neighbours
Police, council and housing colleagues have worked together to close down a Plymouth property and reassure residents they will not tolerate nuisance neighbours.
The local policing team for Devonport West became aware of a residential property in West Country Close in Camels Head which was generating a great deal of anti-social behaviour and having a significant impact on the local community.
This included drugs misuse, excessive noise and a steady stream of visitors both day and night. The anti-social behaviour meant the local residents, some of them elderly, could not enjoy their homes and their feelings of safety and mental health were affected.
After months of proactive visits, safeguarding referrals and targeted patrols the local neighbourhood policing team, in collaboration with Plymouth Community Homes and Plymouth City Council, managed to gain a partial closure order on the property.
Acting Chief Inspector Paul Laity explained: “Police, housing and other agencies were tenacious with this property and tried to support the tenant. However, they continued to disregard the partial closure and continued to breach the conditions. Local officers kept the pressure on and made arrests when appropriate.
“There has been a lot of hard work and resources put into this problem-solving over many months. Nobody likes to see anyone lose the roof over their head, however I feel it is only right the public know about the joined up partnership work that goes on in cases like this and that we will work together robustly and won’t give up to ensure that positive action is taken and we get the keys back to these properties.”
Plymouth City Council escalated the case via the court to gain a full closure order. The tenant finally relinquished their tenancy and has been offered alternative accommodation.
The order means that no one can enter the property and anyone trying to do so risks a fine or prison. Closure orders normally last three months but can be extended for another three months. This gives time for housing officials to take full possession if evidence is available that the occupant continues to breach the court order and behave antisocially.
Paula Williams, senior housing officer for Plymouth Community Homes (PCH) said: “This was a very complex case where collaborating with our partners brought a successful end to the suffering neighbours unnecessarily experienced. Between PCH, Plymouth City Council and the Police we were able to deal with this situation by using our individual tools and powers to reach a successful conclusion.
“By working in partnership PCH obtained an injunction which aimed to prevent visitors coming to an address where neighbours were affected by the behaviour of the tenant and their visitors. This behaviour continued and a partial closure was granted by the court which then ultimately led to PCH seeking a Possession Order, bringing a permanent end to the distress caused. By working together, we can keep our residents, our communities and the wider public safe.”
Plymouth will be the national centre for marine autonomy
Plymouth is to be the national centre for marine autonomy, the Defence Minister has announced in a keynote address at a major networking event in Devonport.
Maria Eagle, Minister of State (Defence Procurement and Industry) made the announcement that will catapult the city and its expertise into the spotlight.
The news came as Plymouth City Council in partnership with the South West Regional Defence and Security Cluster, hosted the event at the Market Hall in Devonport involving key figures from the world of marine and defence connecting with local companies to explore opportunities for future projects and investment.
Council Leader Tudor Evans said: “This is superb news. We knew Plymouth was creating something special in the blue/green skills sector, but it is always great to see others endorse what you believe.
“We have some extraordinary businesses and organisations here in Plymouth who are at the cutting edge of this incredibly exciting sector. The world is waking up to all the possibilities marine autonomy offers and we are very keen indeed to help connect Plymouth businesses to the right people and the right organisations.”
Plymouth MP Luke Pollard told delegates that the nature of defence is changing. He said: “We have a strategic defence review that sets out that we will have fighting structure which includes marine autonomy.
“Defence is an engine for growth. This an opportunity to develop, scale up and test marine autonomy. This sector is incredible, innovative and the work we are doing in the city is cutting edge. There is a place for investment and that’s Plymouth.”
Professor Richard Davies, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Plymouth, said: “This acknowledges the key role Plymouth is already playing in the development and delivery of marine autonomy.
“But being recognised as the national centre
of excellence represents a once in a lifetime opportunity that will open new doors for the university and our partners.”
Plymouth is already a global centre of excellence for marine science and technology, with one of the largest clusters of expertise in the world and over 7,100 skilled people in marine manufacturing. Global research partners include Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Marine Biological Association, Plymouth University and marine autonomy companies already based in Plymouth include Thales, M Subs, Oshen, Zero USV, Sonardyne and Fugro.
In 2020 M Subs successfully sailed the first autonomous vessel across the Atlantic. The Mayflower Autonomous Ship (MAS400) was the world’s first full-sized, fully autonomous, unmanned ship to cross the ocean.
The revolutionary vessel set sail from Plymouth and arrived at Plymouth, Massachusetts via a pit stop in Halifax in Nova Scotia.
The industry predicts a global marine autonomy market worth £103 billion by 2030, with the UK expected to secure a 10 per cent share of the global market.
Keyham bomb heroes honoured by The King
Two divers who safely dealt with a Second World War bomb which brought much of Plymouth to a standstill lead Royal Navy personnel honoured by The King.
Petty Officers Craig Maddock and Paul Cartwright showed both bravery and cool heads when a wartime bomb was unearthed in Keyham in February 2024. They have been singled out for bravery awards in Operational Honours announced jointly with His Majesty’s Birthday Honours.
Petty Officers Maddock and Cartwright from Plymouth-based Bravo Diving Unit 1 were among hundreds of military personnel involved in the massive operation to neutralise a 500kg bomb found in a garden in Keyham.
Unearthing the bomb made national news – and caused widespread disruption due to its location in the middle of a densely-packed residential area. PO Maddock first removed a large amount of earth and concrete by hand and limited tools to access the explosive device, accurately identified the fuses in very challenging conditions and, when the bomb was moved to safe area for transfer to a boat for disposal, he led the task to de-sensitise the two live fuses and with the device throughout to stabilise it and coordinate the extremely complex evolution.
His colleague PO Cartwright volunteered to load and drive the extremely dangerous bomb through the city, planning the route to the Torpoint ferry slipway and preparing the vehicle to take it there meticulously.
The bomb was subsequently safely
detonated in Plymouth Sound. Both divers put the safety of the public before their own lives and demonstrated exemplary bravery throughout.
PO Cartwright, who is awarded the King’s Commendation for Bravery, said:
“The entire operation to defuse and move the bomb from St Michael Avenue in Keyham was a team effort, which saw every member of Bravo Diving Unit 1 work around the clock for three days to achieve the best outcome possible for the local community. Whilst I am extremely honoured – and humbled – to receive this award, my contribution to the operation was no more valuable than that of all the military personnel and first responders that week.
“The most important thing is that the people of Keyham were able to go back to their homes once we had completed the operation.”
His colleague PO Maddock earns the King’s Gallantry Medal for his actions –although like his colleague he ascribes the successful operation to a collective effort.
“What was achieved that week was only possible because of the tireless professionalism, calm determination and teamwork shown by everyone involved,” PO Maddock said.
“The divers of Bravo Diving Unit 1, alongside emergency services and military partners, worked shoulder to shoulder under immense pressure to ensure the safety of the public. I couldn’t be prouder to have been part of such an outstanding team effort.”
Left: Petty Officer Paul Cartwright oversees the safe lifting of the bomb
Top design team appointed for big Civic Centre scheme
Leading design consultancy, BDP, has been appointed to lead the project to transform the Civic Centre into a new campus for City College as well as creating more than 140 homes in the tower above.
While City College Plymouth has its own architects to oversee the transformation of the lower floors, BDP will be responsible for ensuring the design successfully separates the education establishment from living quarters.
It will also act as the Building Regulations Principal Designer ensuring the entire project complies with the Building Safety Act.
The landmark building’s basement, ground floor and first floor will accommodate City College’s Blue Green Skills hub.
Cabinet member for finance and city centre champion Mark Lowry said: “We were really impressed with BDP’s record of tackling difficult buildings and making sure that developments comply with all the latest regulations which are designed to keep people safe.
“This landmark towers above the city – it is so important to our regeneration story, but it is not an easy building, so we are delighted to have such a high calibre team help us to achieve this vision.”
BDP has worked on a number of landmark Plymouth projects in the past, including Plymouth University’s stunning Roland Levinsky building and the Theatre Royal regeneration project completed in 2013 which saw new facilities created in the basement as well as its public realm improvements.
Matthew Mayes, architect
director at BDP, said: “The Civic Centre’s transformation is a pivotal step in re-energising
historically significant building, reconnecting it with Royal Parade and Armada Way, and creating a vibrant, inclusive destination for learning, enterprise and community use.
“We believe cities should be good for us and we have a long history of unlocking the potential of complex buildings to bring them back into use, and this is exactly the kind of challenge that drives us. Our goal is to create thriving, future-ready places, and we know this redevelopment will play a defining role in Plymouth’s next chapter.”
The complexity of the redevelopment means other professionals have already been employed by the council to look at how best to turn the building – which used to be offices –into homes and an education establishment.
Issues such as power supplies, separate access, lifts, power, ventilation, insulation all have to be addressed as part of the project.
A new planning application will also have to be submitted later this year as detail from the original application has changed.
Gwella Contracting Services continue the strip out works on site. This has been particularly challenging in the Civic Centre because of the building’s age and the fact there are currently no lifts in the 12-storey tower, which means that all waste material must be carried down the stairs.
The Civic Centre redevelopment is being made possible thanks to the Government’s Future High Streets Fund, Levelling Up Fund and Homes England.
Arts University Plymouth tops in South Westas voted
by its students
Arts University Plymouth has been crowned University of the Year for South West England at the Whatuni Student Choice Awards (WUSCAs) 2025.
Arts Univertsity Plymouth was also crowned as the best in the South West for Lecturers & Teaching Quality; Facilities and Student Support.
Voted for by students and based entirely on over 35,000 verified reviews, the WUSCAs are the UK’s only higher education awards driven solely by student opinion. These honours reflect both national and regional recognition for excellence in areas that matter most to students.
Being named University of the Year for South West England reflects Arts University Plymouth’s continued leadership in creative education, combining a nurturing and inclusive student experience with a distinctive industry-informed curriculum.
Arts University Plymouth was ranked second best in the UK for student satisfaction by Times Higher Education’s analysis of the National Student Survey 2024, and continues to build on its national reputation for student-centred learning.
Topping the Facilities category for the South West, Arts University Plymouth is home to over 13,000 square metres of studios and workshops across six buildings, all located in the heart of Britain’s Ocean City.
Students have access to a wide range of open-access resources including Fab Lab South West, the Materials Lab, the Multimedia Studio, Imprint Lab, and Adobe Creative Campus resources. These spaces support a culture of experimentation, interdisciplinary collaboration and professional-standard creative production.
Professor Paul Fieldsend-Danks, Vicechancellor of Arts University Plymouth, said: “To be named the South West winner in four separate categories is an exceptional honour, and a clear reflection of the dedication and values shared across our university community. This recognition from our students reinforces not only the quality of our teaching, facilities and support, but the care we take in creating a place where every student feels empowered to thrive.”
Arts University Plymouth placed fourth in the UK overall for University of the Year at the 2024 WUSCAs and remains the top-scoring arts university in the UK for student experience in the National Student Survey 2024, 2023 and 2022.
the city centre. This project presents an exciting opportunity to breathe new life into a
Pictured here: Coun Mark Lowry (left) pictured with members of the BDP team
Arts University Plymouth Vice-Chancellor Professor Paul Fieldsend-Danks
TEACHER HANNAH DONNELLY
Plymouth teacher Hannah Donnelly from Ernesettle Community School has been recognised with a Silver Award for Outstanding New Teacher of the Year in this year’s Pearson National Teaching Awards.
Chosen from thousands of nominees, she will now be in with the chance of winning the highly desired Gold Award, which will be announced at a prestigious awards ceremony in London and on BBC One’s The One Show later this year.
Hannah’s journey into teaching hasn’t been easy, but it’s one filled with perseverance, heart, and an unshakeable belief in making a difference.
A proud member of the local community, Hannah has been part of the school for over a decade in a range of roles – always going above and beyond.
Becoming a teacher was her dream and now she inspires children, parents, and staff not to give up on theirs.
Headteacher Olivia Bartlett said: “What sets Hannah apart is her quiet humility; she doesn’t see how special she is, which makes this recognition so powerful. Her work with children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) in Early Years is exceptional.
“She’s been recognised nationally through the NHS Big Brush Club and brings magic to welcoming new reception children each year. This award will remind her she truly deserves to be in front of the children she inspires every day.
Hannah is one of 93 deserving teachers, lecturers, leaders, support staff and institutions recognised as a silver winner in this year’s awards for the lasting impact they have on shaping the lives of young people.
The announcement follows tributes from celebrities, students and schools across the UK as they say thank you to all those who work in education to mark National Thank a Teacher Day.
Celebrating the whole education community, National Thank a Teacher Day and the Pearson National Teaching Awards are run by the Teaching Awards Trust, an independent charity established over 25 years ago to celebrate the transformative impact of education, shining a spotlight on the pivotal roles teachers, support staff, colleges, schools and early years educators play in inspiring young people, every single day.
Creative talents of local children and young people showcased at The Box
Works of art by over 250 children and young people from the South West are now on display at The Box following a competition that took place earlier this year inspired by surrealism and landscape – including two winning entries from young people from Plymouth.
‘Surreal Estates’ has been delivered in partnership between The Box and Arts University Plymouth. It connects with the ‘Forbidden Territories: 100 Years of Surreal Landscapes’ exhibition which is currently at The Box (until September 7) and which features a wide range of work by some of the most influential artistic and literary figures of the 1900s.
‘Surreal Estates’ encouraged children and young people from across the region to submit work in any medium as long as it used a surrealist technique such as collage or photomontage. Entries were open in four different categories: Early Years, Primary, Secondary and 18-25.
Three-year-old Leo Simo from Plymstock was the winner in the Early Years category. A keen drawer, he created a colourful painting of his garden by mixing the paints with his hands.
Salwa Kamali, who lives in Plymouth, triumphed in the 18-25 year category with her dreamlike photograph titled ‘For Sale: Self-Worth’. The image was taken under a tyre swing in a local park and features one her friends with their face covered in stickers. In a similar approach to a number of surrealist artists from the past and present, the image takes something familiar linked to childhood and gives it an uncanny twist.
The winners were selected by a judging panel consisting of Rebecca Bridgman, head of Collections and Programme at The Box, Tony Davey, engagement officer at The Box and Paul Fieldsend-Danks, Vice Chancellor of Arts University Plymouth.
Their winning work is now taking centre stage in one of the first floor galleries at The Box until the end of September 7, alongside the other entries to the competition and a selection of highly commended works.
For details about The Box visit www.theboxplymouth.com
Internationally renowned artist commissioned for groundbreaking Sea for Yourself cultural programme in Plymouth
An internationally renowned artist and filmmaker will create a major new commission for Plymouth as part of Sea for Yourself - the city’s ambitious cultural programme that will use art and digital innovation to connect people with the UK’s first National Marine Park.
David Cotterrell, recognised for his visionary public realm and digital work, will develop an exciting new work in Plymouth that will unfold across multiple sites and digital platforms throughout the city. His past projects include a mysterious ‘geyser’ in a city suburb, films exploring trauma and memory and a data-driven public sculpture connected to legal recognition of the rights of bodies of water as ‘living entities’.
The four-year Sea for Yourself programme will use art, storytelling and digital innovation to reconnect people with the ocean. It is linked to Plymouth Sound National Marine Park, which was created to forge a new relationship between the city, its communities and the sea.
David said: “Sea for Yourself is a chance to build a completely new type of relationship between people and the sea. I want to create something open and accessible - something that uses animation, gameplay and narrative to help people experience the ocean with awe and urgency.
“Plymouth is the perfect city to do that.”
David was selected following a process of nominations from arts professionals based locally, across the UK and internationally, after review by members of a commissioning advisory group set up to support Sea for Yourself with a diverse set of skills and expertise spanning digital art, public realm commissioning, engagement, placemaking and the environment.
This is the first in a series of commissions for artists and creatives, with the imminent launch of two further open calls.
The first invites artists and creative teams from across the UK to work with Plymouth communities and cultural partners over a sustained period to explore themes of cultural identity, belonging and marine citizenship. The commission will offer access to The Box’s archives and heritage collections
to support creative development and community engagement.
The second open call is aimed at creatives based in Plymouth, Devon and Cornwall and will offer up to three Artist in Residence commissions. Open to all artforms, the residencies are designed to uncover and share personal and community stories that reflect Plymouth’s deep connection to the sea.
Sea for Yourself is a catalyst for a new kind of creative ecosystem in Plymouth where arts, technology and environment intersect. It aims to further develop the networks, skills and visibility that will establish Plymouth as a leader for coastal creativity with national significance, offering research, training, development and partnership opportunities.
It has been supported by funding from Arts Council England and The National Lottery Heritage Fund.
Hannah Harris, chief executive of Plymouth Culture, said: “Sea for Yourself places world-class creativity in direct conversation with Plymouth’s people and its ocean landscape. These commissions are a catalyst for the wider programme, which seeks to create opportunities for interdisciplinary work and explore the use of creative and digital interventions to support people’s connection to the sea for mutual benefit.”
Find out more at plymouthculture. co.uk/sea-for-yourself
Local winners Salwa Kamali and three-year-old Leo Simo
Hannah is presented with the award by headteacher Olivia Bartlett
Hannah pictured with her award and youngsters from Ernesettle Community School
New look for Devonportbased specialist hydrographic survey team
The Royal Navy’s new-look specialist survey teams are ready to use enhanced capabilities to support the Senior Service’s global mission after completing several years of transformation.
The newly-formed Hydrographic Exploitation Group (HXG), which is based in Devonport, harnesses the latest technology, surveying waters shallow or deep, ocean or coastal, recording details of depth, seabed objects and composition.
That information can directly impact operations, increasing littoral access and manoeuvre, understanding of the environment or help cartographers redraw charts of the oceans with greater accuracy – for the safety and benefit of all seafarers.
After many years merged with the Royal Navy’s meteorological experts as the Fleet Hydrographic and Meteorological Unit, the two branches have now parted company.
In their place, two new units: one dedicated to surveying and hydrography, the other to all things meteorological, hence the Hydrographic eXploitation and the Metoc Information Warfare Groups (HXG and MIWG respectively).
The separation is part of a broader transformation of survey/hydrographic operations which is shifting the Navy away from traditional survey ships such as HMS Echo and Enterprise in favour of small rapidly-deployable teams, autonomous systems, and 11 and 15-metre Vahana survey motor boats for sustained, detailed work.
After months of training and making use of the panoply of new kit, the HXG is now at full operational capability – able to support front-line operations and conduct hydrographic missions wherever needed – prompting a roll-out of its craft and equipment at Morice Yard in Devonport Naval Base.
Aside from the Vahanas, which are capable of conducting detailed hydrographic surveys using multi-beam echo-sounders, HXG can call upon a number of state-of-the-art Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) which can efficiently and precisely carry out surveys of the seabed for charting and wider defence purposes.
The unit is also equipped with a Remotely Operated Towed Vehicle (ROTV) which can be deployed on larger vessels and which will further enhance Military Data Collection capabilities in support of the wider Fleet.
In charge of the new unit is Commander Olivier Barritt who believes the concentration on a single role will benefit both new groups, with the hydrographic unit look forward ‘to delivering a number of refreshed capabilities for the Royal Navy, and delivering faster to our frontline users.’
He addeed: “Our specialised survey boats are capable of being transported to where they are needed most. More importantly, thanks to close collaboration with Navy Develop and the Future Military Data Gathering programme, we have a whole host of surface and sub-surface autonomous vehicles to operate alongside them – or separately.
“This means HXG teams can now deploy with a combination of ‘flyaway’ capabilities that are designed to meet a wide variety of survey requirements.”
Devonport remains the home of Royal Navy hydrography – including the hydrographic school –and the wider Plymouth area is home to ‘a growing number of hydrographically-focussed educational and industrial institutions’ said Commander Barritt, turning the city into a developing centre of excellence which makes it is a great place to be based and to operate from.
“The arrival and deployment of the new capabilities on show today is a game changer and, alongside pending developments in larger autonomous platforms – under the Future Military Data Gathering programme – makes for an exciting future for the Hydrographic Exploitation Group,” he added.
Commander Olivier Barritt is in charge of the newly-formed Hydrographic Exploitation Group (HXG), which is based in Devonport He said: “The unit is looking forward to delivering a number of refreshed capabilities for the Royal Navy, and delivering faster to our frontline users.”
affordable rented self-contained flats for former Royal Navy & Royal Marines, WRNS, QARNNS, RN National Service, RFA or RNXS aged over 60, their spouses, partners, widows & widowers.
Hydrographic Group with their new Vahana survey boats and other new equipment
Organisers of Stoke Fun Day appeal for financial support after match funding setback
A community-led fundraiser supporting the annual Stoke Village Fun Day has passed the £3,000 milestone, as organisers appeal for further contributions to ensure the event goes ahead as planned on Sunday July 20.
Now in its fifth year, the Stoke Village Fun Day has become a key summer event for residents of Stoke and Morice Town in Plymouth. Organised by The Village Hub – a grassroots group of local residents – the event sees the main street through Stoke Village closed to traffic, transforming the area into a vibrant, family-friendly celebration with live music, community stalls, and street entertainment.
The Village Hub, which also runs a local drop-in space and coordinates support and activities for residents year-round, launched a Crowdfunder campaign to help cover the significant logistical costs of the event. These include public safety measures, road closures, toilets, security, power, staging, and event management support.
More than 2,000 people are expected to attend this year’s Stoke Fun Day event. Local retailers and volunteers contribute their time free of charge, but organisers say covering essential infrastructure is key to delivering a safe, inclusive event for everyone.
Although the campaign has already raised over £3,000 thanks to community donations and Gift Aid, the team remains £2,000 short of their £5,000 target. Hopes for match funding were set back after applications to three schemes were unsuccessful.
Diane Flynn, one of the organisers, said: “This milestone shows the strength of our community. Events like this bring people together in joyful, inclusive ways – and we’re proud of what we’ve achieved so far. But we still need help to close the gap.”
The group had hoped to secure half their target through matched contributions, making the first £2,500 in donations especially vital. Additional funds would allow organisers to provide more free entertainment and activities, helping ensure the day remains accessible to families facing financial hardship.
To support the Stoke Village Fun Day or learn more about The Village Hub’s work in the community, visit www.thevillagehub. org.uk or go directly to the fundraiser at www.tinyurl.com/ OurFunDay2025
Magical new venue revealed as...
...popular free Yard Sessions return
Royal William Yard’s popular Yard Sessions are returning for summer 2025 with a stunning new venue.
The free live music events are moving to the enchanting ‘Secret Garden’ which is located behind Residence 1 and found through an archway into a landscaped walled garden just metres from the sea.
The Friday evening sessions run from 5.30pm to 8pm throughout the summer, offering the perfect way to end the week and usher in the weekend. During this summer’s Yard Sessions, visitors can sink into deckchairs and relax on picnic blankets - or bring their own and get cosy.
There will be a licensed bar within the Secret Garden, run by the Yard’s very own independent wine bar, Le Vignoble, ensuring a range of refreshments to complement the musical line-up.
This year’s programme is as follows: June 20 - Simon and John; July 25 Sundowner Session (act to be announced); August 29 - Thomas Ford and Becca Langsford and September 12 - Alex Hart
Featuring handpicked international artists alongside the brightest talent on the South West scene, it ranges from laid-back folk to thumping foot stompers. Simon and John offer a blend of acoustic rock classics and sing-along songs.
Becca Langsford serve up energetic jump blues, and Devon-born singersongwriter Alex Hart rounds out the line-up as an important addition to the UK’s current crop of classy country and roots artists.
With its unique walled garden setting, incredible sound and that unbeatable seaside atmosphere, Yard Sessions 2025 promises to be a sought-after musical experience.
Make an evening of it and explore Royal William Yard’s bars and eateries, or simply sit back, relax, and let the music play as the sun sets in this scenic setting.
Find out more about all summer events at Royal William Yard by visiting www. royalwilliamyard.com/whats-on
Gardening group offers a lifeline for men’s mental health in St Budeaux
A men’s wellbeing project in Plymouth is using gardening and green space to tackle the growing mental health crisis among men.
The Great Escape, based at the St Budeaux and Barne Barton Wellbeing Hub, is inviting local men to its Open Day on Thursday July 17, offering the chance to explore the project and meet participants.
The project is funded by the North Yard Community Trust and forms part of wider community-based approaches to addressing social isolation and mental health.
It forms part of a wider network of services delivered by Colebrook South West, a social
enterprise offering wellbeing support across Plymouth. Staff say they have seen the impact of the Great Escape first hand from improved confidence to stronger support networks.
Projects like the Great Escape aim to reduce stigma around men’s mental health and create spaces where open conversations and peer support can happen naturally.
The Open Day will run from 11am to 1pm and is open to anyone who wants to learn more or get involved. No experience with gardening is needed.
For more information, contact Jo Cole on 07890 257 649 or email wellbeinghub@ colebrooksw.org.
Brother and sister duo Thomas Ford and
Brother and sister duo Thomas Ford and Becca Langsford are appearing on Friday August 29. Photo courtesy of Greenbeanz Photography
Photo: Urban Splash
Lifelines
How a devastating stroke proved to be a positive turning point in Sandy’s life
Sandy Kear was living the best of lives in Plymouth with a loving partner, good job and comfortable home. But that all changed dramatically in 2008 when she had a massive, life-threatening stroke.
Remarkably, far from taking her life, the stroke led to a profound spiritual experience which she now describes as her rebirth.
Sandy grew up in a Christian family in Oxford and attended Sunday school as a child, but in her teens drifted away from church. She married at the age of 22 and went into the pub trade with her then husband. “It was an extremely busy life and after 10 years I realised that I could not go on like that,” said Sandy. “Our marriage fell apart and we went our separate ways.”
She then met her new partner Chris – who was a Christian – and they spent the next 20 years together, before he sadly died from cancer in 2011.
Sandy had moved to Plymouth around 25 years ago to be with Chris who was renovating a house in the city at the time.
As well as her full time job in telemarketing, Sandy hosted foreign students and the couple also looked after a number of rental properties. She and Chris were also renovating a house in France as a future retirement home.
Actively involved
Sandy had missed church and Christianity during her years in the pub trade and when Chris recommended that she should attend St Andrew’s Church in Royal Parade she didn’t hesitate. She became actively involved in the life of the church, including being on the rotas for reading and welcoming visitors. Then in 2008 her life changed completely and unexpectedly.
Sandy was 51 at the time and at her home in Keyham when she suddenly collapsed to the floor, totally unable to move. She cried out for help and a Spanish student who was staying with the family at the time called for an ambulance.
Sandy was rushed to Derriford Hospital where she believes she had another seizure which led to a bleed on the brain.
It was during this traumatic experience that Sandy had a vision of herself at her house in France - which was being renovated at the time.
“I was laying in hospital in a serious condition when I found myself sitting at a long table with people I knew, including my
then vicar and his wife.
“He was sharing about Easter, the Cross and forgiveness and I knew deep in my soul that God had everything under control,” said Sandy. “God saved me in that moment and gave me a new life.”
But Sandy faced a long battle ahead. She had to undergo emergency surgery to remove part of her skull and relieve the pressure on her brain. The stroke caused Sandy to lose her voice, she couldn’t walk and she lost the use of her left arm.
Six months in hospital
She spent six months in hospital before being moved to a specialist rehab care home in Devonport. “I had to learn to talk again, walk again and to eat and drink again,” she said. “Recovery was hard but I learned to lean into God. He closed the door on my past and put me back on my feet again.”
As part of her renewed commitment to Jesus she was later baptised at Plympton Swimming Pool. “It was something I really wanted to do,” said Sandy. Her recovery progressed and Chris helped her secure a powered wheelchair so that she was able to continue to attend church and get around the city.
Sadly, her partner Chris passed away with cancer in 2011, but her faith in God carried her through. “He never told me he had cancer
because he said he didn’t want it to affect my recovery and rehab.”
Sandy now lives in Cattedown and is supported by carers who visit her every day. She still attends St Andrew’s Church and also the nearby Plymouth Christian Centre.
“I have a wonderful family of Christian friends,” she said. “My life is richer and more fulfilled than ever before, thanks to God’s everlasting love. I am so thankful for everything He has done for me.
“Looking back over my 68 years I can now see that God’s hand was on my life all the way through. I don’t believe in coincidences - I firmly believe in Godincidences!” she added.
Thanks to her powered wheelchair Sandy can get out and about regularly which enables her to share her story with people she meets on the streets, in shops or wherever an opportunity presents itself.
“It is my great joy to be doing God’s work and to share a little of my testimony with people I meet. I have a real place in my heart for the homeless and needy. Everyone has a backstory and the love of God has the power to give them new hope,” she added.
Sandy recently shared her story on Cross Rhythms. Click on the QR code here for a link
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When Beverley Teasdale from Plymstock suffered a bad fall into a glass cabinet, she knew she had to get help with her fitness. The 70-year-old has a detached retina and a cyst on her skull which interferes with her balance.
The former full-time carer admitted: “I have been shocked about reaching this age and suddenly having various things wrong. I lost a lot of confidence when out and about walking.”
She now attends the Falls Management Exercise (FaME) classes which are led by specialist exercise professionals from Livewell Southwest. Livewell’s Falls Prevention Team guide small groups in Plymouth through a 24-week programme looking at reducing the risk of falls.
Beverley said: “I am glad to say that my balance is coming back well. I am walking further than I used to and I have even persuaded my husband to get some walking boots. You have got to keep up with keeping fit otherwise you just waste away.”
According to NHS England, falls are the number one reason why people over 65 years old are taken to emergency departments in the UK. Approximately one in 20 older people living in the community experience a fracture or need hospitalisation after a fall.
This accounts for more than four million bed days every year in England alone, at an estimated cost of £2 billion.
If a person who is frail goes on to fracture
likelihood and potential injury of a fall and importantly helps make everyday activities easier, so participants can keep on doing the things they enjoy.
Dean Blagdon is one of the health improvement practitioners who leads the classes. He said: “We don’t just work on strength and balance. It is all elements of fitness such as increasing range of motion and improving flexibility.
“One of the key things is that we work towards backwards chaining. This is a technique which shows people how to get back up safely, should they end up on the floor. This really reduces the risk of lying on the ground for a long time, needing medical help to get up and a visit to hospital for treatment.”
Health improvement manager Paula Swift said: “The biggest thing people are reporting is they are more confident. We are seeing people who were too worried to catch a bus to get to the classes to start with and had to ask family members to bring them. Now they get here independently which is amazing to see. Some have even ditched their walking aids. The classes are making a massive difference to people’s lives, independence and wellbeing.”
Benefits after completing the 24-week programme include:
• Reducing falls - 88% reduction in the rate of falls (only 5% of attendees who completed the programme experienced a fall,
a wrist, hip or vertebra, there is a real risk that they may never recover the same level
of independence again. The FaME programme acts as a preventative measure to reduce the
in comparison to 70% in the 12 months before FaME).
• Reducing time in hospital – in the 12 months before attending the classes, 10% of people had broken at least one bone, 17% attended the Emergency Department and 5% had to stay in hospital as a result of a fall. There have currently been no broken bones, trips to A&E or admissions to hospital throughout the programme.
• Most participants improved their balance and muscle strength.
• Getting fitter – more than 80% of participants said they were actively planning on continuing with strength and balance exercise after finishing FaME.
Eileen Cole, who is 86, prides herself on
living independently and says her strength has improved in just ten weeks. Eileen, who attends the class at Plymstock United Church said: “Doing my housework is a lot easier, I’m digging with a spade in the garden and when I had to get down on the floor to read my meter, I managed to get up easier than I would have previously. So, I know the classes are helping me.”
Lorna Mckenzie joined the classes after having a knee replacement. The 73-year-old former GP receptionist said: “The exercises have strengthened my legs and my arms which really helps for getting up out of chairs. I have noticed it is much easier to get in and out of the car too. The classes keep you motivated. When you are in a group, you are
Beverley Teasdale
Eileen Cole
Work under way on new home for city athletes
A new home for Plymouth’s athletes is getting on track with work starting on the concrete foundation for their new pavilion.
Councillor Sue Dann, Cabinet Member for Customer Services, Sport, Leisure started the big dig to mark the start of work which will see foundations laid and services run into the site.
The preparation work is being carried out as part of a massive city investment in sports and wellbeing at the former Brickfields Sports Centre and wider site.
Now called Foulston Park, the ambitious project has been delivered through a partnership involving Plymouth Argyle, Argyle Community Trust, Plymouth City Council, Plymouth Albion RFC and Devonport Community Leisure Limited.
City of Plymouth Athletics Club is also a key stakeholder and as part of the extensive negotiations that enabled the redevelopment to go ahead, surrendered the lease on their old club house in return for support for a new pavilion to be built.
The old pavilions was a wooden clubhouse on land on the other side of the car park, but their new home will be track side, with the Foulston project contractors preparing the land for foundations and utilities to run into the new building.
The new pavilion is a steel fabricated unit and will be installed over the summer. Costing in the region of £50,000, it has been funded through grants from Plymouth City Council, the Armada Athletics Network and the club.
Chair of the club, Paul Crutchley said: “This is a very exciting time for the club and is something we have wanted to see happen for a long time. Having the pavilions and a modernised weight and
gym facility closer to the track will enable athletes and coaches to train more effectively as well as providing a focal point for the athletic community and support athlete rehabilitation.”
Getting the pavilion installed is just part of the job. Work needs to be carried out to transform the interior, with plans for a small kitchen, a separate meeting room and small storage room – work he is hoping to persuade club volunteers to help with.
Councillor Sue Dann said: “There are around 330 club members with aspiring athletes and a host of volunteers who give up their time to support,
coach and encourage people of all ages and ability on their athletic journey.
“They do an incredible job and are truly unsung heroes! It’ s good to be able to make their life a little bit easier with the new pavilion. As a city we have committed to being a great place to grow up and grow old and access to great facilities is part of this commitment.
“We want Foulston Park is be a place where everyone can enjoy keeping fit and well –
whatever their chosen activity!”
Mark Lovell, chief executive of Argyle Community Trust added: “We are proud to have already supported the health and wellbeing of hundreds of people across the city since opening The Hub at Foulston Park just a couple of months ago.
“The gym is providing best in class equipment in an inclusive environment to support fitness journeys and the range of fitness classes means there’s something for everyone.
“The athletics track is an extremely important and popular part of this as we continue to support local athletes and position Foulston Park as a destination for creating opportunities and inspiring people of all ages and abilities through sport.”
It is another step in the wider Foulston Park development due to finish late summer 2026. The Hub opened its doors at the end of March and offers a range of health and wellbeing opportunities, including a state-of-the-art gym, physical activity programmes, mental health support, youth and veterans’ programmes and life skills training.
Much more than just a fitness centre, it has been designed as a friendly and welcoming space for all, whether people are looking to get fitter and healthier, connect with others or simply enjoy a safe and supportive environment. Once complete the park will also see:
• A new permanent home for Plymouth Argyle’ s Academy and Plymouth Argyle Women
• Extensive community and sport facilities which will include new grass and all-weather 3G pitches
• Play zone exclusively for public use
• Better public access, landscaped public areas and parking
Awards ceremony celebrates Plymouth’s best care workers
Deputy of the Year (Domiciliary Care): Tendai Madume, Indiana Healthcare Services; Highly Commended: Kimberly Tucker, Your Choice Care and support Manager of the Year (Domiciliary Care): Rebecca Pannell, @PlymouthCare; Highly Commended: Emma Bonney, Prestige Healthcare Nurse of the Year (Domiciliary Care): Vanessa Schaben, Prestige Nursing and Care Team of the Year (Domiciliary Care): Tamar Care; Highly Commended: @PlymouthCare Care Worker of the Year (Domiciliary Care): Rafie Sodiq, Indiana Healthcare Services; Highly Commended: Arron Marley, @PlymouthCare Care Worker of the Year (Day Services): Fiona James, Tamar Homecare; Highly Commended: Holly Ewings, Alpha Care Care Worker of the Year (Supported Living): Katie Bartlett, Achieve Together; Care Worker of the Year (Care Home): Deepak Barnes, Greenacres Care Centre; Highly Commended: Aleisha Smith, Chatsworth Home Deputy of the Year (Care Home): Sarah McCaffrey, Butterfly Lodge Dementia Home; Highly Commended: Hayley Cook, Astor Hall Care Home Manager of the Year (Care Home): Jamie Graham, Abbeyfield Tamar House; Highly Commended: Marie Claire, Seymour Court Nursing Home Nurse of the Year (Care Home): Ursula Sheriff, Darbyshire Care – Hamilton House; Highly Commended: Jennifer Curtis, Meadowside and St Francis Care Centre Team of the Year (Care Home): Greenacres Care Home, Mannamead Care; Highly Commended: Alpha Care SW Care Home Activity Coordinator: James Gooding, Devonshire House and Lodge; Highly Commended: Catherine Britton, Merafield View Nursing Home Culinary Care Team: Phil Jane, Brunel House; Highly Commended: Lottie Fisher, Merafield View Nursing Home Ancillary Worker of the Year: Kim Crook, Merafield View Nursing Home; Highly Commended: Kristen Bradbury, Butterfly Lodge Commitment to Workforce Development: Gemma Parnell and Katie Spring, Alpha Care SW; Highly Commended: Merafield View Nursing Home Contribution to Care: Kelly Hawkins, Prestige Nursing and Care; Highly Commended: Lisa Willis, Merafield View Nursing Home Excellence in Dementia Care: Butterfly Lodge Dementia Home; Excellence in Learning Disability Care: Allison Nicholls, Jan Ltd; Highly Commended: Mark Peard, IOTA Care Excellence in End-of-life Care: Seymour Court Nursing Home; Innovation in Technology Leon Bulbin, Support’ed Innovative Partnership Working: Gillian Fordham, Seymour Court; Promoting Independence Champion: Maggie Overill, Astor Hall Rising Star: Theresa Benjamin, Achieve Together; Highly Commended: Lexie Witcher, Tamar House Abbeyfield Service User Involvement: Prestige Nursing & Care Service User Story: Ian Bullen, Prestige Nursing & Care
Congratulations to all the deserving winners pictured and listed here
More than 40 of Plymouth’s best and most dedicated care workers and teams have been honoured at a special awards ceremony.
The Celebrating Excellence in Care Awards is run by Plymouth City Council’s Commissioning Team and aims to shine a light on the incredible work taking place every day within the adult social care sector. A range of award categories recognise people working in all areas of the sector, including those based in care homes, supported living provision, day centres and domiciliary care (supporting people to remain living in their own homes).
Councillor Mary Aspinall, Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Social Care, said: “I’d like to congratulate every single one of our winners and say a big well done to everyone who was nominated. The work you do is so important and often underappreciated.
“These awards are a fantastic opportunity for us to shine a light on all the hard work that takes place every single day across the city to make sure adults with care needs are supported, looked after and helped to live fulfilling, healthy lives.”
Nominations for the awards opened earlier this year and more than 400 were received from employers, colleagues, adult social care clients and their families. The nominations were then reviewed by an independent panel of judges who chose the winners.
The awards support the work of Caring Plymouth, a city-wide health and social care partnership, which works to address recruitment and retention challenges in adult social care. The partnership not only wants to encourage more people to work in the sector, but support and celebrate those already doing so.
Anyone interested in working in adult social care, find out more at www.plymouth.gov.uk/ workincare
Coun Sue Dann makes a symbolic start on the new athletes’ pavilion
Clever-ley move by Argyle!
The Plymouth Chronicle is excited to announce a collaboration with Argyle Life to provide regular Plymouth Argyle content from the perspective of the fans. We’ll be publishing regular pieces from Argyle Life contributors in print and via our website at www.plymouthchronicle.co.uk. Our latest article, written a few days after the appointment of Tom Cleverley as Argyle’s new head coachis from lifelong Argyle fan and one of the founders of Argyle Life, Sam Down It’s summer again. The sun is out, the sky is blue and we’re looking forward to getting away for a bit. We’re at the stage where we’ve had a bit of a break from football but not quite so much that we’re yearning for its return.
Argyle have appointed a new manager. It’s a former England international who’s also played for Man Utd and Everton whose wife lives in the Manchester area. He was sacked from a championship club last season. Does anyone have a bit of deja vu to this time a year ago? What could possibly go wrong?
I do, of course, jest. Although for a sightly more niche fact, I can tell you that our new head coach Tom Cleverley has precisely 13 caps for England. In the summer of 2010, the last time we got relegated out of the Championship, we hired Peter Reid who also played for Everton, was also a central midfielder and also had, remarkably, 13 caps for England. It was certainly unlucky for him and for Argyle as we made it shock back-to-back relegations to League Two.
Incredibly astute
But, ultimately these are nothing more than statistical quirks, as fun as they are (to a nerd like me, anyway). Tom isn’t Peter Reid, and he certainly isn’t Wayne Rooney despite the odd similarities. When you scratch below the surface, this looks like an incredibly astute hire for Argyle who seem to have done that rare thing. They’ve both maximised reward and minimised risk.
Before we go into it in too much detail, it’s worth referring to my last article in the previous editions of the Chronicle and also online. (See QR code at foot of article).I posted the notion that while Muslic’s departure was a blow, it could well prove to be a blessing in disguise in the long term. It did allow us to return to the ‘OneArgyle’ way of playing that got the club so much goodwill in the first place.
A style of football that is possession-based without being slouchy and is attacking without being reckless is exactly what we need to progress. From listening to fans regarding (and reading up on) Cleverley’s Watford side, it does sound like he might be just the ticket.
He always tries to play out from the back first and foremost and ultimately in this day and age that’s just the way football is going, especially when you have a dominant team and want to break down low blocks. It’s a tired old mantra but you can’t score if you don’t have the ball. The team that is without it has to chase it down and try to win it back and that does leave them open to mistakes being made defensively - which clinical teams can exploit.
He does tend, less emphatically, to try and dominate games. Watford fans described a high line and how he likes his full backs to overlap and (at times) to fill the wide area where his attacks drift into the middle. Sometimes, when the attackers go out wide, the full backs themselves can then invert. It’s about using the ball to create space from which his teams can score. It’s hard to pull off, but wonderful if you get it right.
Cleverley is also great for player development which is another significant tick on my list of nonnegotiable’s for Argyle head coach. If you didn’t catch it, take a look at our latest podcast after the Cleverley arrival.
The Watford fans who we invited on explain in great detail how players like Imran Louza (previously out in the cold) were revitalised under his leadership. This is clearly positive news for players like Michael Baidoo and Rami Al-Hajj who ended the season out in the cold, but will likely be more responsive to a better style.
Minimising risk
So, we can clearly say that Cleverley is cut from the right cloth. However, why specifically him?
What is it that makes this 35-year-old the best pick ahead of more experienced options? I think here, it’s important to return to the risk/reward question. Generally when making a hire of this nature, you need to prioritise either minimising risk or maximising reward.
Simon Hallett has previously spoken often about the need for Argyle to take big swings in order to compete. By making the same tired decisions as other clubs, we do nothing to differentiate ourselves and our weaknesses in terms of geography and (sometimes) finances become ever more apparent.
Argyle don’t have to take big risks to survive but we do if we want to thrive. We could so easily have appointed a lower league stalwart like Paul Cook or Grant McCann and they may well have got us up. But how high is their upside?
Equally, there are some who’d argue not unfairly that we’ve taken far too many risks in recent times. Ian Foster was a disaster and Wayne Rooney was worse. In both cases, they were failed gambles and the high upside (if even possible) didn’t come to fruition. Miron Muslic was a far more calculated and sensible gamble, but too far to the detriment
of our identity and was making enough calls to foreign clubs as to rack up an enormous phone bill. In all honesty, I feel the Argyle of of two years ago would have gone for either Jack Wilshere or Brian Barry-Murphy, both of whom were far riskier than Cleverley but also potentially have a higher upside, stepping into management after a few years in coaching (BBM’s brief spell at Rochdale where they were the most erratic side in the 92 notwithstanding). Understandably they’ve had their fingers burned by such left-field appointments.
It seems that Cleverley as an appointment is, well, clever (someone had to make the pun). He’s proven to have done an at least adequate job in tough circumstances and could so easily have done far better if backed in January. Quite aside from which, he’s still learning and developing as a coach. He plays a mixture of 4-3-3 and 3-4-3 and sets out to both control and entertain. Dare I say it, more than anything else he reminds me of a certain manager in charge when we won this league three reasons ago.
Lack of funds
Are there any red flags? Not really. Maybe, at most, one or two amber ones. Cleverley did find it tough to address negative momentum at Watford, showing consistently poor form after Christmas. Yes, there are (many) mitigating factors including player availability, lack of funds and the small matter of the board briefing he was about to be sacked every five minutes. But still, it’s something to keep an eye out for if the form does drop.
The other factor is that his family remain based in Manchester, even when he himself was inside the M25.
The Watford fans have assured us that he’s still very capable of spending all the time needed there and finding the work/life balance. However, these situations in the past have so often ended with a departure citing family reasons as a major factor. Again, nothing to raise alarm bells about but worth keeping in the rear view mirror.
Overall, it’s an exciting and ambitious appointment that leaves me feeling optimistic about our chances of promotion. The news is rolling in so fast at Argyle, next you’ll be telling me that our best striker of a generation has gone, but we’re being taken over by a consortium lead by Gareth Bale. Wait, what…
USEFUL NUMBERS
Photo: PAFC TV screenshot
To read Sam’s article about the departure of Miron Muslic scan this QR code
Stunning plan for 300 homes in Union Street wins prestigious national award
A proposal for a transformation of Plymouth’s Union Street, called 300 Homes within a Union Street Mile, has won a prestigious national prize.
The winning proposal was conceived by a team including Clifton Emery Design, Nudge Community Builders, Millfields Trust, Plymouth Energy Community and Devon and Cornwall Planning Consultants, and focused on reusing and extending vacant buildings along Union Street with affordable community housing and residents’ amenities in order to revive the area.
The scheme beat off competition from other projects around the country to win the Davidson Prize, worth £10,000.
The Alan Davidson Foundation announced the winner as part of the London Festival of Architecture at a ceremony in London. This year’s theme, ‘Streets Ahead: The race to build 1.5m homes,’ attracted imaginative ideas from across the UK to help unlock the central government’s ambitious target of building 1.5 million homes over the next five years.
The brief asked multidisciplinary teams, including architects, to develop design proposals for a community of 300 homes in a real location anywhere in the UK. Submissions addressed housing solutions for urban and suburban sites, as well as protected rural locations.
The winning team – comprising members from an architecture practice, planning consultancy, community benefits society, social enterprise, as well as volunteers – explored ways in which high
streets such as Union Street could be revitalised.
Pooja Agrawal, chair of the 2025 Davidson Prize jury, said: “The judges were truly inspired by 300 Homes within a Union Street Mile. We believe this proposal has the potential to be transformational. For too long, the sector has relied on and incentivised housebuilders as the primary solution to meeting ambitious housing targets.
“This proposal challenges that norm — demonstrating the need for more collaborative, grass-roots and innovative approaches that we believe are genuinely scalable. It captured all of our imaginations — not only for its mission to unlock the potential of our high streets and its commitment to affordable housing and community
empowerment, but also for how precisely it identifies the barriers that local people and initiatives face when trying to engage with our planning and financial systems.
“We hope that winning the Davidson Prize will help elevate this initiative and open doors to meaningful engagement with key stakeholders— ultimately helping the team realise their ambition to revitalise Union Street and support the people of Plymouth.”
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