The OďŹƒcial Magazine of
Devon Air Ambulance
Spring 2016
Celebrate
The Queen in Devon
Introducing the
South Hams with
Jennie Bond
Community Helipads At the heart of the
countryside with Devon Young Farmers
A trek around
Tiverton
with Captain Richie Tate www.daat.org
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Patient Stories - Real People Saving Real Lives
INTRODUCING THE BRAND NEW JOHN DEERE X350R!
With exciting new features such as a digital dash, a shorter and wider direct collect shute for better efficiency and a deeper deck for cutting longer grass now is the perfect time to spring into action to try it for yourself and see the difference! Call us now to talk to one of our sales consultants or to book in a demonstration.
Don’t forget to visit our 4x4 Gator track at the Devon County Show! Fundraising in aid of Devon Air Ambulance
Real People Saving Real Lives
Welcome Celebrating the best in Devon
45,000 copies covering the whole county 35,000+ delivered direct to our supporters Also available online at www.daat.org Contributors David Fitzgerald Neil Devons Sarah Chesters Richard Hunt
Merv Freeman Kathy Alexander Sue Tweed Eve DiBartolo
Photographers Sarah Burden Kingsbridge Cookworthy Museum Visit South Devon Western Morning News Herald Express Express & Echo Publisher Heléna Holt h.holt@daat.org 01392 466666 Editor Debbie Gregory 01392 466666 ext 135 d.gregory@daat.org Advertising Sales Julie Hutchins j.hutchins@daat.org 07843 621463 Advertisement Copy copy@daat.org Design & Print Management Silver Foxes Publishing 07455 206470 Distribution & Mailing Silver Foxes Publishing 07455 206470 ISSN (Print) 2055-2343 ISSN (Online) 2055-2351 Next Issue 22 July 2016 is published by Devon Air Ambulance Trust Unit 5 Sandpiper Court Harrington Lane Exeter EX4 8NS T 01392 466666 E info@daat.org Registered Charity No 1077998 Registered Company No 3855746
facebook.com/devonairambulancetrust @DevonAirAmb © All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced or used in any form without prior permission of the publishers. All material is sent at the owner’s risk and whilst every care is taken, Devon Air Ambulance Trust will not accept liability for loss or damage. Every effort has been taken to ensure the accuracy of our content but the publishers cannot be held responsible for any omissions, errors or alterations or for the consequences of any reliance on these details; neither can they vouch for the accuracy of claims made by any advertiser. The views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the publishers.
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Our Guest Editor
Well, this is a first for me! I’ve never been asked to edit a magazine before and – to tell you the truth – everyone else has done all the hard work! But it’s a real pleasure to be associated with Helipad and, as this is the year of the Queen’s 90th birthday, it seemed a good time to reflect on how our beautiful county has changed during her long life. I think Devon must hold a particular place in the Queen’s heart because it was here, at the Royal Naval College in Dartmouth, that a spark was lit between the young Princess and the handsome young officer who was to become her husband. Elizabeth was only 13, Philip five years her senior, but there’s no doubt that she was smitten. “She never took her eyes off him”, wrote her governess, Crawfie, in her memoirs. And the rest is, as they say, history. So, in this edition, we take a look at The Queen’s many subsequent visits to Devon and meet some other nonagenarians who have lived through the same decades of change. And I hope you also enjoy our centre-spread feature on the South Hams, which I am lucky enough to call my home. My thanks to everyone who has contributed so generously to make this Royal Birthday edition so special.
Heléna Holt, Chief Executive Officer
Welcome to our Spring edition and first Helipad of 2016! Firstly, I would like to welcome Jennie Bond, former BBC Royal Correspondent, as our guest Editor. We are fortunate to count Jennie as one of our wonderful supporters and patron and were delighted when she agreed to step in to the editorial role for this issue. She explains more about what you can expect from this ‘Royal edition’ above. I also wanted to thank all our readers who took the time to fill out our survey which was sent out with our last issue. We share the results of this on page 33, highlighting key statistics, showcasing some of your suggestions and addressing some of the common queries raised. The positivity we received in your comments was overwhelming. We appreciate having your feedback on Helipad, so that we can continue to print the best possible magazine for our supporters to enjoy. As always, we are grateful to all of you who are helping to keep Devon’s two air ambulances flying. You can read more about why 2016 is such a milestone year for the Charity in our Operations section on pages 48 & 49.
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The Official Devon Air Ambulance Trust Magazine
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In this issue... On The Cover Issue No.13 Spring 2016 Reflections on the South Hams Salcombe © Adam Burton Next Issue: We are getting crafty! Focus on the stunning coast and country of Northwest Devon and so much more!
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Star Prizes & Ways To Help
We nominate two comments from our Facebook pages and an entry from our previous issue’s reader survey for star prizes, with thanks to various supporters who donated items for our winners’ hampers! We also take a look at our refreshed website and how you can get involved
Royal Memories
In celebration of her 90th Birthday, we look back at Queen Elizabeth’s visits to Devon
Royal Visits
Treats 19 Spring Richard Hunt gives us a taste of Spring with a healthy venison salad and a scrumptious orange polenta cake. Yum!
Growing 21 Still St Bridget Nurseries has 91 years of growth under its belt and is not slowing down
of Rosemoor 22 Memories Sarah Chesters, from RHS Rosemoor, sits down with
Lady Anne Palmer to learn the details of her childhood
Foot Fall 10 60 Andy Holt suffers broken vertebrae and a dislocated
Crossing 23 AMiaDangerous Golds-Teague suffers injuries to her entire body
on 2016 13 What’s Take a look at where we will be out and about
Hams through the Decades 25 South Jennie Bond leads us on a reflectional tour of her
Rebuilt 14 AKateHeart Laubscher receives multiple life-saving rescues
Changing World 30 AA glimpse of how things have changed through
shoulder following a paragliding accident
this year
due to various heart conditions
following being run over by a car
favourite part of the county
the eyes of four Devonians
Feedback in the English Riviera 33 Your 15 Volunteering We examine the results of the Our Torquay box collectors chat about their roles. Would you like to join them?
Farmers Achieve through the Years 16 Young The origins of the Devon Young Farmers and where they’re headed
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Helipad
The Official Devon Air Ambulance Trust Magazine
2015 Reader Survey
v Lorry 35 Motorcycle Jamil Sakhawat suffers injuries to his femur and knee after a life-changing crash
www.daat.org
flavours 46 Many of support
Contents
19 Get baking!
42
You sing, we save
22 Memories of Rosemoor
through Tiverton 36 Strolling Captain Richie Tate, pilot at our Exeter Airbase, takes us on a tour of beautiful Tiverton
Shop Re-Opens 38 Exmouth Our discount shop moves to a new larger location to keep up with its success
39 Our in-house lottery celebrates its achievements after You Flutter We Fly
nearly 15 years and looks forward to milestones ahead
41
35 Motorcycle v Lorry
A Royal Gift
During her Diamond Jubilee, The Queen is presented with a sundial from the people of Devon. Meet the man behind this incredible gift
on Board 46 Business We love working with businesses for mutual benefit and 2015 was quite a year! Here we celebrate businesses that not only chose to support DAAT, but also companies that chose to support the Association of Air Ambulances Charity
48 Operations Toby Russell, Community Helipads Development Officer,
discusses his role and how communities can get involved to set up their own own landing site as we make night time flight time
Chat 50 Back David FitzGerald brings to light all of the revelations of a good clear out
People 42 Devon Our supporters raise funds in so many unique ways and we are grateful to them all. Here are just some of the events and activities that took place around the county as 2015 came to a close
Crew 44 Junior Volunteer Manager Rosey chats about DAAT’s school
We Love To Talk! We’re active on many social networks and media channels so you can keep up with everything we’re doing between issues. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram, join the Twitter conversation and watch our YouTube films.
talks and some of the best questions she has received from students. We also meet young Chloe Parry, who tells her own story about suffering from burns and Kyle Smith, who suffered an abscess on his brain
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The Official Devon Air Ambulance Trust Magazine
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Helipad
The Official Devon Air Ambulance Trust Magazine
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Star Prize Winners
Ways To Help
This issue we have chosen our Star Prize winners from the reader survey sent out with our Winter 2015 edition and both our main DAAT and Furniture & Electrical Store Facebook pages. Thank you to everyone for keeping in touch with us!
From Questionnaire: Mrs Sheila Hall: “I notice when people come to my house and I leave literature on my low coffee table they almost always pick up Helipad. It’s a quality mag. I also really like the fact that you always acknowledge a donation, however small. Whenever I get a ‘tip’ for doing a musical venture (I never charge) I send it to you. Then I pass your letter of thanks on to the donors. They like this as they know their spontaneous gift is well used.”
Hi, I’m looking for wedding favours and I would like to raise money for Devon Air Ambulance Trust and The Wallace and Gromit Appeal. These two charities are close to my family’s heart after both playing vital roles in trying to save my 12 year old cousin’s life in September. Unfortunately he passed away, but we know he had the best possible treatment from his airlift to Bristol Children’s Hospital. Could someone advise me on where I can buy some pin badges please? Thank you, Laura Rob enjoying his purchase!
Thank you, Laura. To support the appeal in memory of Oliver Croker, visit: http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/ SomeoneSpecial/OliverCroker
All of our winners are taking home hampers! The contents of the hampers were kindly donated by various supporters.
Have you checked out our website recently? It has recently had a refresh and we would love to know what you think! You can find information about how you can support the Trust under the ‘Get Involved’ tab.
A simple way to help the Trust on a regular basis is by setting up a Direct Debit. There is now an easy way to do this by following the simple instructions on our website at daat.org
www.daat.org
Helipad
The Official Devon Air Ambulance Trust Magazine
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The Queen in
Devon
Her Majesty The Queen’s capacity for hard work and dedication to duty is widely acknowledged and she spends as much time as she can visiting her subjects throughout the UK. We have been very fortunate in Devon to have received many visits from The Queen and Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, ranging from Silver, Gold and Diamond Jubilee tours and military and naval inspections, to planting trees, giving poetry prizes, visiting a chewing gum factory and even dropping in at a pub! Here we remember some of the highlights: 1942 Plymouth – visits HM Dockyard, Devonport, with her father King George VI 1946 Exeter – as Patron, HRH Princess Elizabeth visits St Loye’s Foundation on Topsham Road and Topsham Barracks (now Wyvern Barracks) to inspect a British Red Cross Youth rally 1947 Exeter – Princess Elizabeth opens Princesshay 1949 Bradninch – The Princess visits Manor House, Bradninch School 1949 Dartmouth – Princess Elizabeth visits the Britannia Royal Naval College at Dartmouth with her husband, Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, who graduated from there in 1940
Photo: All images courtesy of Western Morning News, Express and Echo and Herald Express
1956 Eggesford, Barnstaple & Exeter – at Eggesford where the first Forestry Commission trees were planted in 1919, The Queen unveils a commemorative stone recording the planting of the millionth acre by the Commission and plants trees that are still there today 1962 Plymouth – The Queen opens the city’s new Civic Centre 1969 Torbay – more than 30 naval craft and submarines from the Western Fleet anchored in Torbay for an inspection by The Queen with a Colour presentation taking place on the deck of aircraft carrier HMS Eagle, followed by a flypast by 89 helicopters and aircraft from the Fleet Air Arm. 1977 Silver Jubilee Tour taking in Torbay, Exeter (where the Mayor offered the City Sword, outside the Guildhall) Haldon and Plymouth (including a Review of the Royal Marines) 1979 Exeter – The Queen visits the city and includes a visit to St Loye’s Foundation 8
Helipad
The Official Devon Air Ambulance Trust Magazine
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The Queen 1983 Exeter – accompanied by Prince Philip, The Queen distributes Maundy money at the Cathedral
2002 Bideford – Edgehill College. The Queen presents a gold medal to 13 year old Andrew Pirie for his entry in the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Poetry Competition
1988 Brixham – The Tercentenary of the landing of William of Orange: it was a triple Royal visit as The Queen was accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh and Willem-Alexander, the Crown Prince of Holland (now the King). The Royal party stayed for two days on HMS Britannia anchored off Torbay to witness some of the 58 commemorative events, including a full scale re-enactment of the landing of William of Orange. She departed from Brixham to go on to Plymouth for the Armada celebrations
2003 Plymouth – The Queen presented a new Colour to the Royal Navy at a Fleet Assembly on the flight deck of HMS Ocean. She also named the city’s new lifeboat
1988 Plymouth – The Queen unveils the Sundial in Plymouth’s Armada Way as part of the 400th anniversary of the Armada celebrations 1995 Exeter – accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh, The Queen visits the University of Exeter to celebrate the 40th year of it receiving its Charter 1998 Lympstone – a visit to the Royal Marines Commando Training Centre 1998 Topsham – The Queen visits her first pub - the Bridge Inn - and is presented with a bottle of 101 ale brewed especially to mark the 101st year of the pub being run by the same family
2008 Dartmouth – an inspection of cadets at Britannia Royal Naval College 2010 Exeter – with Prince Philip, the Queen tours St Loye’s Foundation and visits Wyvern Barracks for the Cadet 150 event where around 1000 cadets were on parade from the Air Cadets, Army Cadet Force and Sea Cadets 2010 Devonport – visits HMS Ocean and meets members of the crew and their families. Every Royal Navy warship has a Lady Sponsor and Her Majesty The Queen holds this title with HMS Ocean so visits whenever she can 2010 Plymouth – visits Wrigley’s factory to mark the company’s 40th anniversary in the city (the factory at Estover was officially opened by Prince Phillip in 1972) 2012 Exeter – The Diamond Jubilee tour included visiting the city centre and the University where she was accompanied by Baroness Floella Benjamin, Chancellor of the University 2015 Plymouth – The Queen attends the rededication of HMS Ocean during a visit to HM Naval Base Devonport to view the results of a £65m refit of the ship.
1999 Devonport – visits HM Dockyard and meets the legendary Devonport Field Gun Crew 2002 Exeter – confers Lord Mayoralty status as the result of a competition to celebrate the Golden Jubilee www.daat.org
Helipad
The Official Devon Air Ambulance Trust Magazine
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Angels from the sky... Sunday 26 September 2010 was a busy day for Devon’s two Air Ambulances, responding to eleven jobs between the hours of 9.25am and 4.50pm across the whole county.
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The Official Devon Air Ambulance Trust Magazine
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Patient Story
O
ne job attended by both aircrafts was to help Andy Holt and David McGonnagill who had experienced a serious paragliding accident at Cornridge, near Sourton Cross on Dartmoor. Andy was training to be a tandem pilot and had already flown two successful flights that day. On the third flight, Andy recalls taking off and asking his passenger David to get comfortable in the harness as he was flying along the ridge. He then asked David to prepare for a turn and the next thing he remembers is hearing Julie Stapleton’s voice. Julie, a keen paraglider pilot and also a volunteer with Devon Air Ambulance, was there with her husband Mark. Julie describes seeing Andy’s paraglider turn, spin and hit the ground after falling 60 feet. Julie and Mark ran as fast as they could to the scene where both Andy and David were conscious but in shock, and David was experiencing breathing difficulties. Mark rang 999, whilst other flying club members unclipped the canopy and made it safe so Andy and David didn’t get dragged or lifted off the ground. Julie was trying to ascertain from them both where it hurt. Julie explained, “Andy said ‘I’m fine, I’m fine’ but we knew by his colour that he wasn’t. Andy and David were still strapped together, but laid on their sides so we tried to make them more comfortable by releasing leg and chest straps as much as possible, without moving them. Andy then started to say ‘it hurts’ and David was still struggling to breathe.” Thankfully, the first air ambulance arrived quickly with the second not far behind. Julie describes them as ‘Angels from the sky’. The first air ambulance landed nearby on one skid, and paramedics Kate Adlam and Nigel Lang, jumped out whilst pilot Steve Rush heli-circled to land safely. The second air ambulance with paramadics Chris Saunders, Mark Langley and pilot Pete Martin landed near the first just a few minutes later. The crews assessed both casualties and as this was happening
Andy said his back hurt. Andy has no memory of the incident but he was saying he was concerned about Trish, his wife, who was in their van about a mile away. Julie reassured Andy and contacted Trish via mobile telephone, letting her know about Andy’s accident and that he was in good hands. As the air ambulances took off Julie and Mark collected their own paragliding kit and travelled as fast as they could across the Moor back to where the vehicles were parked. Andy’s son Simon then travelled to Derriford with Julie and Mark, where both air ambulances were headed. Julie remembers, “That seemed like a long journey!” On Trish, Simon, Julie and Mark’s arrival at Derriford, Andy was already in AEU. Andy says he was vaguely aware of Trish’s voice, but before long he fell asleep. Andy was in hospital for 4 days after being transferred on a spinal board; he had broken lower 2 and 3 vertebrae, dislocated his shoulder and ripped tendons. Andy says he had not felt any problems with his shoulder at all. David was in the corner bed, feeling well enough to eat, badly bruised, but thankfully ok. Amazingly, 3 weeks later, Andy and Trish flew to Turkey on holiday. Andy wore a back brace to travel. He then had 2 weeks R&R on a sunbed and it took 6 months to fully recover. A year later Andy started tandem training again and is now qualified. Andy loves to take his 7 year old Grandson Cobie Duckett flying and still enjoys paragliding, both tandem and solo. Andy and Trish both visited DAAT’s Exeter Airbase and met the duty crew 5 years after the airlift. Andy said, “The visit helped a lot; I didn’t realise how much of an impact the air ambulance makes until I needed it myself. I really appreciate everything that DAAT do’. Andy has gone on to become a regular supporter of DAAT by initiating a recycling scheme at work to generate funds for the charity.o
Mark rang 999, whilst other flying club members unclipped the canopy and made it safe so Andy and David didn’t get dragged or lifted off the ground
Andy Holt with Julie Stapleton and Rob Mackie
Andy Holt and wife Trish www.daat.org
Helipad
The Official Devon Air Ambulance Trust Magazine
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Attractions and places to visit in Devon COME AND VISIT
HANNAHS AT SEALE-HAYNE OPEN TO EVERYONE 7 DAYS A WEEK | FREE ENTRY An Inspiring Charity, for the last 240 years we have been supporting children and adults with disabilities Bistro Live Music Health & Wellbeing Centre Artist Studios Gallery
Exhibitions Shops & Farm Children’s Trail Outdoor Activities Conferencing Accommodation
10 mins drive from Ashburton along the A383 towards Newton Abbot.
Telephone 01626 325 800
www.discoverhannahs.org Howton Lane, Newton Abbot, TQ12 6NQ
We can’t wait to meet you... We are home to hundreds of rescued donkeys. Come and see us free of charge, open 365 days a year. Set in beautiful rolling countryside, visitors are welcome to take the family on a beautiful walk through amazing scenery; explore the maze; visit the barn and meet our friendly donkeys, hike down to our secret cove and enjoy the beach. For those who want to get up close with donkeys sign up for the Experience Days where you’ll groom, feed and take part in mucking out. There is a well-stocked shop and Visitors’ Centre and a restaurant offering a range of delicious local and traditional meals and snacks. The site also houses a video room, nature centre and family picnic areas. In between exploring, warm up at the Hayloft restaurant with their extensive menu with kids portions, specials, plus mouth-watering cakes and biscuits! Get hands on with the donkeys, open from 9am until dusk every day, with plenty of holiday activities there’s something for kids of all ages (even the grown up ones) By supporting our events you will be supporting our work around the world. You will also have the opportunity to meet some of our lovely donkeys, to learn about our work and to browse our unique range of donkey gifts and mementos in our dedicated donkey shop. The Donkey Sanctuary Sidmouth EX10 0NU Open 9am - dusk Free parking • Wheelchair accessible • Donations welcome
Telephone 01395 578222 www.thedonkeysanctuary.org.uk Charity Number: 264818
Dame Hannah Rogers Trust charity no. 1148882.
North Devon Show - 3rd August 2016 Celebrating the 50th Show Showcasing the magnificent animals bred in our region. • Food Hall – high quality food, local beer and wine • Craft & Gifts • Arcade – local businesses and Exmoor Zoo • Rural Skills – traditional skills demonstrations • Country Pursuits – fun and serious aspects of country life • Big Pete & The Grim Reaper - monster trucks • MAD Mountain Bike Aerial display • Much more, come and see for yourself!
If you want a truly entertaining family day out, come along to
Umberleigh Barton Farm (on the A377) Umberleigh EX37 9DX
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Helipad
The Natural Place for a Great Day Out Meet our Red Squirrels, Otters, Birds of Prey and Wild Boar. NEW animals arriving 2016: Lynx, Wildcats, Pine Martens and Wolves! Woodland playgrounds, maze, restaurant. FREE animal talks and feeds. Ottery St. Mary, Devon EX11 1LU JUST 15 MINUTES FROM EXETER www.escot.wildwoodtrust.org 01404 822188 Charity No. 1093702
The Official Devon Air Ambulance Trust Magazine
EST 1888
No family trip to the picturesque towns of Lynton and Lynmouth in North Devon would be complete without a ride on the famous funicular cliff lift. It’s the best and most exciting way to travel between these two historic towns and will be one of the highlights of the day - for Mums, Dads and all the family. Enjoy stunning views of Exmoor and the North Devon coastline as you glide up and down the 862 foot length of track; from Lynmouth nestling at the foot of the cliffs to Lynton perched 500 feet above. The Cliff Railway, The Esplanade, Lynmouth, EX35 6EQ Opening times 10am-5pm 7 Days Per Week Longer opening hours during high season.
Prices
Adult £3.70 return, Child 4-13 £2.20 return
Telephone 01598 753908 / 753486 www.cliffrailwaylynton.co.uk
www.daat.org
What’s On
Out and about this year… The DAA team of staff and volunteers will be at a number of events across Devon throughout the summer and into the autumn. Meet us at our stand at shows and join us at our events this year:
19-21 May – Devon County Show
4 August – Honiton Show
5 June – DAA Sea Swim
10 August – Exford Show
10 July – DAA Motorcycle Ride Out & Family Fun Day (volunteers needed!)
11 August – Okehampton Show 13 August – Cornwood Show 18 August – Chagford Show 20 August – Christow Show 25 August – Holsworthy Show 3 September – Kingsbridge Show 3-4 September – Dart 10k Swim (volunteers needed!) 13 September – Widecombe Fair
22-23 July – Chagstock
19-25 September – NAAW
23 July – Mid Devon Show, Tiverton
25 September – DAA Dragon Boat Festival
25 July – Woolsery Show 27 July – Yealmpton Show 31 July – Totnes Show 3 August – North Devon Show
8-9 October – Commando Challenge (volunteers needed!)
12 October – Tavistock Goose Fair Would you like to help at any of our events that need volunteers? They’re usually great fun! We will train you on the day, so no experience necessary. Contact Rosey - r.oakes@daat.org for more information.
Get in touch!
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Helipad
The Official Devon Air Ambulance Trust Magazine
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Patient Story
A Heartfelt Thank You
Kate was born with six holes in her heart but didn’t find this out until later in life which led to more than one airlift to hospital.
A
t age of 39, Kate had a stroke and then suffered a variety of serious and life threatening conditions such as Ventricular Tachycardia (racing heart beat), Atrial Fibrillation (which causes the heart to beat irregularly causing tiredness, dizziness and shortness of breath), as well as Ventricular Fibrillation (where the heart goes into spasm and stops beating). The severity of the symptoms of these conditions resulted in Kate having several collapses and blackouts. Between 2006 and 2013, Kate says, “I was airlifted from Bude on numerous occasions due to the life threatening nature of my conditions.” “The air ambulance crews were all amazing along with the genius Cardiac Surgeons at Bristol Heart Institute attached to the Bristol Royal Infirmary, who all worked together to save my life.” She continues, “My heart had to be literally rebuilt, firstly by having four operations to insert devices to attempt to close the holes in the Atrial Septum (the wall of tissue that separates the
two top chambers of the heart) and a number of ablations to try to stop the electrical short circuits in my heart.” Eventually, in June 2013, Kate had full open heart surgery, where her surgeons cut out all the devices and her Atrial Septum and rebuilt a new one from her pericardium (the membrane surrounding her heart). Kate is now working on her stamina levels, which are building slowly, and, once feeling sufficiently fit, would love to become a volunteer and support Devon Air Ambulance. Kate’s son, Sam, was also airlifted to Derriford Hospital at 9 years old after sustaining a neck injury playing rugby. She was able to travel with Sam and saw the inside of the air ambulance as a parent rather than patient on that occasion. Kate says, “I’m really appreciative of the crews who played such a major part in helping me so much during those ten years and also for helping Sam.” Kate visited Eaglescott Airbase last October to say thank you in person. o
“The air ambulance crews were all amazing along with the genius Cardiac Surgeons at Bristol Heart Institute attached to the Bristol Royal Infirmary, who all worked together to save my life.”
Kate Laubscher with paramedic Glen Birtwistle
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The Official Devon Air Ambulance Trust Magazine
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Join the Ground Crew!
Volunteers
We are on the hunt for new volunteers in Torquay, and what better way to find out what skills are needed for the role than to settle down for a cream tea with some of our existing team! The Moon family are familiar faces in Torquay and the surrounding area, having been DAAT volunteers for 9 years. Colleen paved the way for them, offering to service collection boxes after over a year as a DAAT lottery canvasser. She says, “I started off with boxes in Paignton and Colin decided to join too. It’s very rewarding, and I know that, with income from boxes throughout Devon raising over £184k for DAAT last year, we’re really making a difference. It’s more than just collecting boxes; you’re always looking for new supporters, you’re letting people know what the Trust is all about and it’s fantastic when you meet someone who has been airlifted. Sometimes you have to turn detective to search for a stray box - one box on our list moved premises three times, but I tracked it down in the end!” Colin says, “It works really well having two of you doing the boxes as one of you can drop the other off and drive around or find a parking space. It’s great that you can fit box collecting around your daily life, and you don’t have to go out in the pouring rain too often as you can schedule collections to suit you!” It wasn’t long until daughter Carlie joined the team, and though she’s now busy with baby Lucie, she still lends a hand when she can, be it driving her parents to the bank or emptying the occasional box when Colin and Colleen are away. She in turn has encouraged her 12 year old daughter to help; Paige attends events with the family and has already raised over £100, whilst earning a Civic Award from
a school cake sale in aid of DAAT. June Green and her husband Mike joined the ranks in 2012. She said, “You have to like people. Luckily all the people who have our collecting tins are passionate about the cause, and really enjoy raising money for us. A lot of the smaller shops we go to tell us it’s the children who put their spare pennies in our tin. We tend to go round doing the boxes together and then Mike delivers the postcard receipts on his bike!” All of them would recommend volunteering as a way of meeting people and are really proud to represent the Trust in their local communities. They currently need help with the boxes in Torquay (and we are also looking for box collectors in Exeter and Plympton too) so if you are a people person and would like to do something worthwhile, get in touch with our volunteer manager Rosey at r.oakes@daat.org - we’d love to have you on our ground crew!
It’s very rewarding, and I know that, with income from boxes throughout Devon raising over £184k for DAAT last year, we’re really making a difference
If you would like to find out more details about volunteering with Devon Air Ambulance, please call 01392 466666 or email r.oakes@daat.org
www.daat.org
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t en m ve ie ch A d an g in rn ea L , un F Young Farmers are keeping the countryside alive
For many, Young Farmers Clubs are associated with a way for young people in the countryside to have a raucous good time on the barn dance circuit with a view to meeting a lifetime partner of similar aspirations. They may be right, but there is so much more to this distinguished national organisation which has been in existence since the early 1920s and was first established right here in Devon.
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rom an idea imported from Canada, a Calf Club was formed in Hemyock in East Devon in 1921, where the United Dairies milk factory set children of the area’s milk producers the task of calf rearing for show and sale, with prizes for those achieving the highest standards. It proved to be a useful way of getting young farm people to meet and socialise and the idea caught on. Over the next decade more clubs opened to provide agricultural education and a ‘full and varied rural life’ which saw a growing support from the Ministry of Agriculture and other authorities. A detailed statement of the articles of the movement was published in the Times in 1928 which included these summarized objectives; • To instruct boys and girls between 10-26 in the general principles of thrift, application, preservation and self-confidence • To teach them public speaking, debating and the proper management of public affairs and to take intelligent interest in the communal life where they live • To impart sound instruction in modern dairy farming and beef production; in the breeding and management of pigs, sheep, goats, poultry, rabbits and bees and in horticulture • To carry out field trials in seeds and roots; to demonstrate labour-saving and other modern and efficient methods; to study farm cost accounting and bookkeeping and to encourage the development of practical rural domestic science and its application to everyday life.
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Lofty ambitions, which in truth have not changed much over 90 years! By 1932 YFCs in Devon included clubs in Buckland Brewer, Black Dog, Cruwys Morchard, Withleigh and Tiverton Middle School, and these convened to formalise the Devon Federation of Young Farmers Clubs first constitution. Other clubs including Honiton, Bampton and Shillingford St George were soon established, and these were followed in 1933 by Axminster, Cullompton, Newton Abbot and West Anstey with many more to come. A movement had been born but not one without its ups and downs; over the following years membership ebbed dramatically during the war and in times of crisis, such as in 2001, which severely curtailed movement in the countryside and effectively stopped association. Nevertheless, its underlying resilience,
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Community
guiding principles and clear objectives have proven sufficiently strong to see the National Federation of Young Farmers’ Clubs (NFYFC) become one of the largest rural youth organisations in the UK, with over 25,000 members and 644 clubs. 1,600 members across 38 clubs are in Devon alone, the latest to join being Kenn YFC in 2013. Under a slogan of ‘Fun, Learning and Achievement’, today’s YFCs offer a wide range of activities and opportunities from meeting new people, learning skills and helping the community, to traveling abroad, competing in agricultural and sporting events, raising money for charity and putting on entertainments. YFCs also contribute to political lobbying, providing channels for training and setting proficiency standards, with the acquisition of both practical and interpersonal skills being a strong breeding ground for people who enter public life as councillors and community leaders and need to acquire speaking and administrative skills. Employability, safety (their current ‘Tough Nut to Crack’ campaign is aimed at quad bike safety) and mental health are all key issues at the forefront of YFC policy-making, training and support. Like all YFCs, Devon Young Farmers is led by young people for young people and continues to provide an invaluable service to the county in all manner of ways. It is currently taking on a new challenge for itself; the acquisition of the freehold on the former Mulberry pub at Cheriton Bishop as their main office and new central hub for their activities, including meetings, competitions and training events. When the new hub opens, it will be shared with other voluntary associations such as the Farm Community Network and the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution as well as space for some commercial enterprises. The cost of the project is around £600,000 and there is still another £200,000 to find to complete the renovation of this exciting development. Anyone wishing to know more about the Devon Federation of Young Farmers Clubs can visit www.devonyfc.co.uk o
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Devon Air Ambulance receives huge support from rural communities who recognise the value of speedy emergency medical attendance in remote areas. None more so than Devon Young Farmers Clubs who have raised over £120,000 for the Charity in recent years while undertaking their own, hugely diverse range of activities and mutual support for young people in the farming community.
Thank you!
Hemyock Calf Club circa 1921
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Has Spring Sprung and Gone? Well I’m sure that there was a winter somewhere, or have I missed it? Devon Chef, Richard Hunt, welcomes Spring and better weather.
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hose wonderful crisp days seem to be replaced with copious amounts of water falling from the sky and South Westerly’s pounding the coast. The flowers are blooming everywhere and I’m hoping we don’t get any sharp frosts to damage the delicate buds on my apple and pear trees. As such there has been a change in the seasonal availability of food; some of our hard working farmers are really struggling to get their produce out of the ground. With these huge storms coming across from the Atlantic, the brave fishermen have been confined to port so making some of our regular produce that we enjoy scarce to say the least. On the bright side, ‘it’s an ill wind that blows no one any good’, and under the protective glass some of the first asparagus are popping their green spears through the warming soil at least a month earlier than usual. The first of the forced rhubarb is out and waiting for a great crumble topping and lashings of clotted cream! We still have our great British apples and pears to sustain us, until the warm days of summer bring forth the soft sweet fruits Britain is famous for. The spring lambing season is in full swing, using all of this great resource from slow cooked lamb breast, to wonderful garlic and rosemary roasted rack of lamb, with say a sloe gin gravy, or gathering the family together on a Sunday for a beautiful roasted leg of lamb with an apple and mint jelly. Add in a bracing walk and that is what Sundays should be all about. With regards to great and sustainable meat, the last of the wild venison is still around and is a wonderful alternative to the traditional, perhaps slow braised haunch with juniper and port;
or indulgent loin roasted in crisp puff pastry with some purple sprouting broccoli, celeriac dauphinoise and a great sauce made from the bones and perhaps some redcurrant. Make sure you ask your local butchers what they recommend as they are a wealth of knowledge and skill. Fish, as I said, has its scarce moments but the Devon ports can always be relied upon to produce a fantastic variety of species even during the most inclement of weather. Great trout lightly grilled with a little wild garlic and lime butter with a few early season new potatoes is really delicious! Whiting is a very underrated little fish; a relation of the cod it can be seen as bony and not worth the effort, but if you can get your hands on a fish of about 1 ½ lbs or so, the fillets properly prepared are really sweet and delicate, coat in a light Otter Ale batter as an alternative to the ‘big boys’ of cod and haddock for your fish and chips. It’s a sustainable and ‘cheap as chips’ option. I have chosen a couple of recipes that are easy to prepare and give a taste of the countryside and a warm citrus hug from the lovely Spanish oranges which are always at their best at this time of year. Here’s to the warmth of summer on the horizon, hopefully! o
Under the protective glass some of the first asparagus are popping their green spears through the warming soil at least a month earlier than usual
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Devon Food
Orange and Polenta Cake This is great just warm and also a treat for any gluten free guests. Ingredients 200 g unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus extra for greasing 200 g demerara sugar 3 large free-range eggs 1 tsp vanilla essence 200 g ground almonds 100 g coarse polenta The zest of 3 oranges 1 tsp good quality orange juice with bits 1 tsp gluten-free baking powder A good scoop of orange sorbet (If you want to be healthy!) Or a great big dollop of Devon clotted cream For the Syrup 250 ml orange juice, (from about 3-4 oranges) 30 ml orange blossom water 1 vanilla pod split 125 g golden caster sugar Method Preheat the oven to 160°C/320°F/gas 2½. Grease a 20cm spring form tin, line the bottom and sides with baking paper and grease again. Beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl until light and creamy – don’t worry if it looks gritty, as the sugar will dissolve when it’s cooked. Beat in the eggs, one by one, then stir in the vanilla essence. In a small bowl, combine the ground almonds, polenta, orange zest, orange juice and baking powder, then stir this into the cake mix. Pour the mixture into the tin and bake for 40–50 minutes, until the surface is light brown and the cake is coming away slightly from the sides of the tin. Remove the tin from the oven, leave to cool for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a plate. This cake will be quite moist and a little fragile, so handle carefully as you remove it. To make the syrup, put the ingredients in a saucepan and simmer over a low–medium heat until reduced and thickened slightly, it should take about 10 minutes. Set aside to cool. Prick the cake all over with a skewer, then brush generously with the syrup. Serve in slices with a dollop of clotted cream or scoop of sorbet and an extra drizzle of syrup.
Venison Salad Serves 4 as a starter or 2 as a main course A really quick healthy and tasty dish for a light lunch or luxurious starter, your butcher will be able to get the venison for you and prepare it if you ask them. Ingredients 280 g venison striploin, cut into thin strips from Roe or Muntjac Deer Marinade 2 garlic cloves, crushed 2 tsp brown sugar 2 limes - juice only 2 fresh red chillies seeded and finely chopped A few drops of Thai fish sauce or light soy sauce Mix together the marinade and place the venison in this for up to 6 hours. However the longer you marinate the less of the venison flavour will come through. Salad 1 pack mixed baby salad leaves 1 bunch chopped coriander 4 finely sliced radishes 50 g salted peanuts One third of a cucumber diced into 1cm cubes Dressing 3 tbsp white wine vinegar or rice vinegar 3 tbsp honey 3 tsp soy sauce ½ cup vegetable oil ½ tsp Chinese five spice Method Pan sear the venison in a HOT pan until just pink, remove from the pan and keep warm. In a bowl place chopped coriander, peanuts, leaves, radish and cucumber. Lightly dress the salad. Add the venison and toss together with the salad and serve straightaway.
We had to try this one for ourselves big thumbs up from the team!
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90 Years
and Still Growing F
ounded in 1925 by the late Frank Langdon and his wife Hilda, St Bridget Nurseries is one of the longest running businesses in Exeter. Still a family business, the company is unusual in that it propagates such a diverse range of plants not least 888 varieties of shrub, 261 varieties of herbaceous perennials, 200 varieties of trees (both ornamental and fruit), 43 varieties of bamboos, grasses and ferns, 209 varieties of roses plus hundreds of seasonal bedding and vegetable plants. So how has the company changed over the last 90 years? One of the first crops grown, were St. Brigid anemones. Frank and Hilda used this as inspiration for a company name just amending the spelling to Bridget. To help make ends meet, vegetables were grown as well as flowers in the early years. As the business grew, the vegetables gave way to shrubs and trees. In 1934 Frank bought some 30 acres of land at Clyst St. Mary, where pigs were reared, to ensure there was a permanent supply of organic manure to the main nursery in Old Rydon Lane, Exeter.
The nursery entrance circa 1950
The nursery continued to expand steadily with greenhouses and buildings being erected and more staff employed. Frank Langdon died in 1941, leaving the business to his nineteen-yearold son Norman. Under his management, St Bridget Nurseries became fully involved in the Dig for Victory campaign on Aylesbeare Common; nursery stock was replaced by vegetable crops, though a nucleus of stock plants were planted in a small corner of land so that production could recommence quickly after the war. Indeed after the war, the nursery expanded rapidly and St Bridget Nurseries was soon exhibiting at lots of shows, including Chelsea, and supplying plants to customers across the country. Hilda Langdon passed away in 1965 but three years later her granddaughter, Janet, joined the firm. During this decade, the Garden Centre in Old Rydon Lane had started to evolve and in 1969 the famous old nursery firm of Robert Veitch and Son Ltd was acquired. Although run separately for many years, Veitch’s is now a non-operational subsidiary of St Bridget Nurseries.
We’re the natural choice for your garden 21
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Frank & Hilda Langdon
In 1974 the Garden Centre at Clyst St. Mary was opened on the site of the old piggery and has had several re-developments over the decades to become what we see today. Norman Langdon passed away in 2004, but two years later, and with history almost repeating itself, his granddaughter, Tammy Falloon (Janet’s daughter), joined the firm as the fourth generation. Since then, the company has won many national awards including Nursery Retailer of the Year, The UK’s Greatest Planteria Team and voted one of the top 20 garden centres in the UK by the public, plus St Bridget Nurseries were finalists in the UK Grower of the Year awards. Janet and Tammy still hold the original company values to heart and the focus is still very much on producing top quality plants and providing exceptional horticultural advice to customers. They say the world and the challenges they face today are incredibly different to the world back in 1925. Legislation such as employment law and health and safety was certainly less complicated. It is also a more competitive market, people have less free time and the variety of leisure activities available to people is vastly greater now than it was then. “One thing that hasn’t changed is our horticultural practices. We still grow our plants by hand – real people using trade skills like taking cuttings or grafting trees and roses. This is why we offer nursery tours throughout the year to demonstrate that our plants really are propagated and grown on site just like Tammy Falloon and Janet Flinn 4th they were 91 years and 3rd generation family owners ago!” ¨
St Bridget Nurseries
Old Rydon Lane, Exeter, EX2 7JY Tel: 01392 873672 Sidmouth Rd , Clyst St Mary, EX5 1AE Tel: 01392 876281 www.daat.org The Official Devon Air Ambulance Trust Magazine
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Gardens
A Life at Rosemoor Sarah Chesters recently returned from holiday in New Zealand, where she spent a couple of days with Lady Anne Palmer, soon to be 96, and her husband Bob Berry who will celebrate his 100th in June. They both continue their keen enthusiasm for plants, trees and gardens and Lady Anne has relived some childhood memories of Rosemoor for this edition.
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f course I have lots of memories of our early days at Rosemoor in the 1920s. My father bought it in 1923 as a fishing lodge, an alternative to a property he previously owned in Argyllshire. The caretakers were Harry Smith and his wife who remained in our employment until his death in the 1970s. She was a good cook and he cared for the garden, mowing the long grass in front of the house right back to the oak tree with a scythe, after the widely planted daffodils had died down. There was a sizeable vegetable garden in the area above the house wing; beds with annuals in the front and my mother created the Stone Garden, bringing stones from the old limekiln across the road, with which our two men built the wall and inserted the various stone objects she used to pick up in antique shops. The old millstones were placed in the paved area, and the paving stones themselves were retrieved from Town Mills, or the limekiln and she designed the ‘Temple’ with other stone antiquities. The entrance and exit driveways were both on a dangerous corner so we made another entrance half way up the straight stretch of road in the late 1940s, which is now used as the exit. Prior to that I can remember Harry Smith weeding the drive with a penknife - no weedkiller in those days. Likewise there were little grass strips edging every bed which needed to be trimmed frequently on both sides; I soon got rid of them.
Lady Anne and Bob Berry at Eastwoodhill Arboretum
My father built the ‘wing’ in 1925 to accommodate more servants. The bedrooms were built facing north, the cold sunless side so as to, according to my father, “stop the servants wasting time in their bedrooms”, perhaps a typical Victorian attitude. I remember sitting by the window as a young child, looking out to the stable yard watching the builders at work. Nothing was done to the inside of the house, which by the time my husband and I went to live there after the war was badly in need of modernisation. The Servants Hall under the bedrooms in the wing was where the cook ruled supreme, sitting for meals at the head of a large table with her husband opposite. Staff would consist of the head housemaid with one or two under her, a parlour maid who was responsible to the butler (usually the cook’s husband), a kitchen maid and the chaffeur/handyman. Quite a staff for a comparatively small house! We put a billiard table in there for our family when we came to live at Rosemoor after the war. A room through the stables was occupied by a chaffeur/ handy man who only had a large, open, overflow water tank outside the window of this room for his ablutions. I remember his false teeth would be left on the concrete edge of this tank, inviting them to be thrown into the quite deep water, which I regret to say did happen at least once by some young friend of mine. The chaffeur was named Bill Peebles and when my father died in New Zealand he came back with my mother and I by passenger liner, to work for us here; he was a good friend to me as a child and I used to visit him and his wife many years later when I returned to New Zealand. ¨
Sarah Chesters is the Education and Learning Manager at RHS Rosemoor, and she gives gardening advice in The Potting Shed every Sunday morning on BBC Radio Devon, 9 – 10.30am. 22
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The Day Crossing the Road Changed My Life
Patient Story
On the morning of 10 October 2014, Mia was heading to work and crossing the road via a pedestrian crossing in Tiverton, when a car failed to stop and ran her over.
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ia described feeling very cold and frightened, going in and out of consciousness and the ambulance crew repeatedly asking for her date of birth. Mia then remembers being loaded into the Devon Air Ambulance helicopter, which made her feel frightened as it sounded so loud. She couldn’t stop crying and shaking due to shock. Mia’s injuries were serious. She suffered extensive injury to her face surrounding her eye, a punctured lung, fractured ribs, multiple fractures of the pelvis, smashed humerus at the top of her arm along with a fractured ankle. The crew, pilot Dan Smith and paramedics Mark Hawley and Jeremy Griffiths, were dispatched within 4 minutes and, after treating Mia at the scene, conveyed her to Derriford Hospital for further treatment. Mia spent two weeks recovering in Derriford. A drain had to be fitted to her lung for the first three days. She also had an operation on her humerus replacing the joint with a titanium and plastic unit, leaving her with limited movement in her arm.
She then spent three weeks with her parents in North Devon as her own home wasn’t suitable for the wheelchair and zimmer frame she needed to get around. She later got advice from a physiotherapist for adjustments to her home. By Christmas 2014, Mia had recovered sufficiently to be on one crutch. Mia says her local GP was wonderful and she is extremely grateful for the superb support and help she received from the whole medical team to help her cope with the emotional aftermath. She has since undergone hydrotherapy, rehabilitation, massage and acupuncture to help with the pain. Mia describes her parents and sister as, “all being amazing support and help to me”. Mia now has 50% movement in her arm and gradually things are improving with her speech and memory. She starts a new job at the end of March, following 17 months out of work due to the accident. She is extremely thankful to the crew who treated and airlifted her on the day saying, “it was amazing to meet them” during her visit to the airbase last October. o
She then spent three weeks with her parents in North Devon as her own home wasn’t suitable for the wheelchair and zimmer frame she needed to get around
Bottom: Mia with her parents and paramedic Darren Hall
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A warm welcome awaits at
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Besshill Farm Shop was originally set up in the wake of the Foot and Mouth outbreak. It has since gone from strength to strength selling beef and lamb which is reared on the farm itself. We also sell locally sourced pork and poultry and vegetables. We make all own own sausages, burgers and also sell various groceries and locally made cakes. Free local deliveries can be arranged. Well worth a visit!
Besshill Farm Shop, Arlington, Barnstaple EX31 4SW
01271 850311
besshillfarmshop-barnstaple.co.uk
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Visit our garden centre for an amazing selection of quality plants, gardening accessories, furniture, gifts, clothing, pet care, speciality foods, restaurant and much, much more.
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01822 617240
Bernaville Nurseries Call 01392 851326 • www.bernaville.co.uk Find us on the A377 Exeter to Crediton road.
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Opening times 9-5 Monday - Friday 9-3 Saturday
charlesgraykitchens.co.uk info@charlesgraykitchens.co.uk
Stockists
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The South Hams It’s a strange name, isn’t it? To tell you the truth, I still don’t know whether it’s The South Hams or just South Hams. It means southern pastures, and reflects the tradition of driving the cattle up to the higher ground of Dartmoor – a two-day hike of some 20 miles. It’s a custom that continued until well after the last war. What I do know is that it’s surely one of the most beautiful areas in the whole of the UK. And, as I walk along the coastal path, I imagine that, despite the massive pace of change over the past century, this protected landscape has altered very little over the nine decades of the Queen’s life. My husband, Jim, and I discovered the area almost 25 years ago. We’ve lived here ever since – parttime for a while, but for the past 14 years, East Prawle has been our one and only beloved home. It’s one heck of a trek up to London and back whenever I have to work but, as I wearily turn the corner of our pot-holed, bumpy track and see the glorious ocean and beaches in front of me, I know that every laborious mile is more than worth it. The South Hams stretches from Tor Bay to Plymouth Sound, and in this series of articles, fellow residents write about their corner of the region. Fitz, who must be our best-known celebrity round here, extols the wonders of Ivybridge; Merv Freeman is on Kingston watch; Totnes is in the hands of Kathy Alexander, a Totnes and South Devon tour guide; and volunteer Sue Tweed on Dartmouth duty. So sit back and enjoy our tour of this jewel of our county – one that is quite rightly designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
East Prawle Back in the 1920s, East Prawle was a community of farmers and fishermen. Had tiny Princess Elizabeth been brought to visit, she would have found a thriving village with two pubs, an Assembly Room and a school with some 70 or so pupils. Kate Jennings, co-founder of East Prawle’s History Society, tells me that some villagers still remember the buckets which served as loos at the schoolhouse! In fact, sanitation was rudimentary throughout the village. Outdoor loos were commonplace and, as one much-loved late resident put it, “You had to make sure it went in the stream and hope it would be washed away!” With no public transport (and nothing has changed on that score) and very few cars, life on this southernmost tip of Devon was pretty much what you made of it. Few people ventured as far as Kingsbridge. Self-sufficiency was the order of the day. But butchers and bakers would come to the village – rather like the fish and chip van comes now. Of course, the village has changed a fair bit in the 90 years
Jennie
that have followed: we no longer have a village school, a high percentage of houses are now second homes and we have only one pub...but what a pub! The Pig’s Nose Inn is now famous far and wide – for its quirkiness, cosiness, warmth and, of course, its music. Thanks to its owners, Peter and Lesley Webber, “The Pig’s” is the hub of the village and, like so many Devon pubs, they make regular collections for the air ambulance. For much of the year, we also have a thriving village shop and cafe – a great place to catch up on all the local gossip! It’s wonderful that quite a few young people are choosing to stay in the village, or come back after sampling the joys of city life. I love the fact that our daughter, Emma, now 26, still revels in the extraordinary and dramatic beauty of the scenery here. I don’t suppose we’ll ever get a visit from the Queen but, if I see her again soon, I shall tell her she really doesn’t know what she’s missing! East Prawle is a gem of a village – and I hope very much that it will look much the same in another 90 years.
Photo: Kingsbridge Cookworthy Museum
Providence Inn and thatched houses in East Prawle
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Ivybridge is the fastest growing town in Europe. That’s a statement I have been faced with on numerous occasions. I think it came from a report, which happened to be written on the day that building figures were released, and thus it has been stuck with that doubtful fame ever since. In reality, it’s a commuter town for Plymouth with a quiet heart centred around an area called Warrenstown. It’s a name that rarely appears on maps but is mentioned on a small plaque attached to a local store. The name may refer to an ancient tradition of keeping rabbits for food and they would have fed the local community. Ironically the shop on which the plaque is placed is a convenience store. The village is mentioned in documents as early as the 13th century; it was noted as an important crossing point over the River Erme on the Exeter to Plymouth route. The 13th century bridge was the only structure and means of crossing until 1819, unless you count wading The Erme. That river was painted by Turner and he is believed to have stayed in The London Hotel on the banks of the river, as did Wellington. Sadly that hotel has long since been turned into flats and indeed the village has lost a lot of its original trades and services. I used the term village and so many locals still do even though it became a town in 1977. The industrial revolution saw the urbanisation and development of Ivybridge. The South Devon Railway Company built its train route through it in the 19th century. Kingston Kingston is an unspoilt village in the South Hams region of Devon located on the eastern side of the Erme estuary, around a mile inland, and has remained much the same over the past 200 years. There are just over 200 properties in the village including 38 holiday lets or second homes. There is a population of some 328 adults with 45 children and less than a third of the population are retired. The village is surrounded by working farms and miles of beautiful coastline and estuaries which are havens for birds and wildlife. Wonwell Beach is in walking distance and is a favourite spot for summer barbeques. The parish is in the middle of the South Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and the village includes two conservation areas. The National Trust has opened a new path round the estuary to Muxham Point which is a lovely walk with unforgettable views. There is no school or shop but the Dolphin Inn, the church and the village hall are the focus of the community and there are many events that are staged throughout the year including a summer fair, weekly market, monthly cinema and quiz, keep fit and pilates classes, short mat bowls, coffee mornings, a biannual pantomime and much more. There is just one bus a week – to Plymouth on a Friday. What makes Kingston special is its cohesive mix of people and inclusivity. There are no ‘them and us’, no moaners and groaners, but there is a can-do attitude and a willingness to adapt to help the village survive and thrive. Nobody is excluded and everybody is encouraged to do what they want to do and people of every age get involved. 26
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A paper mill was constructed alongside it and this led to an increase in housing nearby. The paper mill recently closed, after over 150 years in the town. The population now numbers around 13,000 and Ivybridge is marketed as the gateway to Dartmoor. Its next chapter in history will see the building of Sherford on land opposite which may again change the face of ‘the village’.
Photo: Visit South Devon
Ivybridge
Local people are open to sympathetic development and we are looking to expand the housing ladder as a way of retaining local young people. We have already applied a local lettings policy which has helped enormously. Kingston is not a place you go through by chance, you have to seek it out down narrow country lanes but the effort is well worth it.
The Dolphin Inn, Kingston www.daat.org
Beautiful Devon
What’s in a name? In this case it’s a town built by the Saxons as a fortress, or Burh, on the nose (Nes) of the hill (Tot). Surrounding the tidal ford that Totnes was built to protect and the bridges that now replace it, it sits ten miles from the sea and five miles from the lower reaches of Dartmoor. For many centuries the river was the lifeblood of the town; the processing and transporting of wool, cloth and tin created the wealth of Totnes, to be replaced in the 19th century by timber (incoming) and cider (outgoing, mostly!). Nowadays the river trade is still important, in the form of tourists who come and go from Totnes to Dartmouth on the beautiful tidal reaches of the Dart. The Saxon fortifications gave way to Norman walls and ramparts, the lines of which are still walkable today by following South St and North Street, which will lead you past the Castle to Totnes Guildhall (once the medieval Priory) and behind St Mary’s church, last rebuilt in the 15th century. From there, the Rampart Walk leads down narrow steps to emerge under the East Gate where Fore Street stretches downhill to the river and High St leads uptown. These two streets have been the heart of the community for centuries as the marketplace for town, village and farm, and are now a major draw for visitors who come for the many individual shops, art and craft galleries and eateries. Our reputation as a major arts and alternative culture hub stems from the holistic community and arts centre set up by the Elmhirsts at Dartington Hall from the 1930s onwards, and has led to Totnes being several times named in the top ten list of ‘funky towns’ in the UK. Long may it continue.
Photo: Visit South Devon
Totnes
Totnes
Photo: Visit South Devon
The River Dart at Totnes
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A view over Dartmouth
Stoke Fleming and Dartmouth The Parish of Stoke Fleming has grown considerably in the 90 years since 1926, and changed in a number of ways. From originally being a village of farmers and fishermen, expansion mainly to the north and, more recently, to the west has provided housing for commuters to nearby Dartmouth, Kingsbridge and beyond, and for many retired people and second home owners. The village centre is much as shown in photographs from 100 years ago: a narrow, winding main street flanked by high walls and plain-fronted houses. The busy A379 goes straight through the village and often becomes congested due to the increased number of locals, commuters and, especially in summer, tourists for whom Stoke Fleming and surrounding areas offer accommodation. While several shops and a couple of pubs have disappeared, at the heart of the village remain the primary school, St Peter’s Church, the Green Dragon pub and the village shop/post office. The church has had several major renovations, with current
work ongoing on the tower, bells and clock. An impressive village hall has been built, accommodating a library and most of the many clubs and organisations active in this lively, thriving coastal community. Nearby Dartmouth has also seen a vast increase in tourism over the last 90 years, changing the character of the town considerably. There are now many galleries, gift shops and eateries, replacing most of the more traditional shops selling food and everyday supplies. Dartmouth is a lively town, with a full programme of festivals throughout the year. Many more leisure sailing vessels are moored in the river than the military and commercial shipping of days gone by. Dartmouth suffered from air raids in 1942-43, partly because of the shipbuilding yards up the river, partly because of the presence of war-shipping and the Royal Naval College. Since the birth of Queen Elizabeth II 90 years ago, the College students have also changed, from young schoolboys to adult officer cadets, of whom one was, of course, her future husband Prince Philip. o
Britannia Royal Naval College, Dartmouth
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90 years of change and reminiscence
In 1926, the Great War was still fresh in people’s memories, the vote was still unavailable to the vast majority of women, aviation was still in its infancy, Egyptomania was at its height after the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb a few years earlier and Clarence Birdseye had only just invented a process for freezing food.
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n the UK, 1926 saw a number of noteworthy events including the miners’ industrial action which led to the General Strike, the first publication of A.A. Milne’s Winnie the Pooh, the introduction of the iconic red telephone box and Agatha Christie’s famous disappearing act which caused intense public speculation and an unprecedented manhunt involving 1000 police officers. Some notable births in that year included broadcaster and naturalist David Attenborough, Paddington Bear creator Michael Bond, comedian Eric Morecombe, movie star Marilyn Monroe, rock singer Chuck Berry, novelist Harper Lee and crooner Tony Bennett. The most famous birth in 1926, however, occurred on April 21st with the arrival in the world of HRH Princess Elizabeth of York, later Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and destined to become the longest ever reigning British Monarch. Much has happened in that long reign; much of it historically inconceivable and unpredicted – jet propulsion, nuclear energy, television and mobile communications, laser technology, space travel, the internet and social media and even everyday items now taken for granted such as home refrigeration, microwaves, electric showers and personal computers. We all feel the impact of these innovations but how do others born in the same decade as Her Majesty remember the way things have changed and what life was like without them? What is their memory of life in Devon? Helipad talked to four Devon residents who were also born in the 1920s and asked them for some of their memories from the last 9 decades.
husband and wife team James Ridge and Gwen Gooding, who were joined by Harry Hill after World War II. Harry, who had just finished an apprenticeship as a fitter and turner on the railways, had begun taking dancing lessons but was glad to be offered a teaching role when diesel began to replace steam and redundancy became a possibility. Harry said, “In those days dancing was the only entertainment available. If you wanted to get to know girls, you took up dancing. We would go dancing at the Marine Spa Ballroom on Beacon Hill and listen to some of the biggest Harry and Janet Hill in their ballroom
Harry Hill, Dance Instructor, Torquay After more than 60 years running Torquay’s renowned Castle School of Dancing, 90 year-old Harry Hill finally hung up his dancing shoes only last year.. The Castle School of Dancing was founded in 1932 by 30
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90 Years bands of the day, such as Ivy Benson and Ted Heath. The Council even had its own dance band.” Harry’s private dancing lessons began in a small studio at No.1 Castle Road Torquay, but the owners later acquired the adjacent two villas and in 1957 built a full sized ballroom, said by many dance instructors and examiners to be amongst the very best dancing school ballrooms in the UK. Harry’s second wife Janet took dancing lessons with Harry in the 1960s before marrying and living in France for 20 years. The 79 year-old said, “My husband died in 2010 and I returned to Torquay. After a while I decided to start ballroom dancing again and came to the Castle School of Dancing and was astonished to find that Harry was still here! We married soon after.” Harry, who once danced at the Albert Hall in the UK finals of Butlins Valetta competition, has a passion for dancing that is unsuppressed. He said, “Today’s music is all about beat, there’s no flow. Ballroom dancing is about the music. It is much more than just learning a series of steps, it’s about using your body to flow with the music. There’s nothing like it.”
get his father to buy a tractor, which was a princely £170 at the time. He recounts how they had to turn to growing potatoes during the war, how he negotiated buying the tenancy at West Heddon from Lord Fortescue and then drops in that his great nephew is Alistair Cook, the England cricket captain.
Albert Cook, retired farmer, Filleigh North Devon
Farming is in his blood, and he is clearly passionate about it, but there is an especially bright glint in his eye when he talks about the County Show from when it was a moveable event (Albert won the sheep shearing championship at the combined Devon County/Bath and West Show held in Plymouth in 1958), to how it became established at Westpoint. He said, “Shows are a wonderful way of presenting the country to the town. It’s important for everyone to know where their food comes from and that the agricultural industry is crucial to their survival.”
In farming circles, 91 year-old Albert Cook is a legend. Not only has he been involved with the Devon County Show for some 70 years, as a Council member of the Devon County Agricultural Association since 1948 and later serving as its President, but he has also been a prominent member of the Devon Federation of Young Farmers Clubs, a multiple winner of breed championships for his sheep, a District and County Councillor, a magistrate and a champion sheep shearer who has judged at three world sheep shearing championships. Albert Cook
Albert (centre) showing his sheep
Eric Pengelly, retired estate agent, Stoke Fleming
He also qualified in livestock judging, thatching and reed rope making, as well as becoming a judge of public speaking. Albert attended West Buckland School in North Devon on a scholarship but left at 15 years old to help at the family’s West Heddon Farm at Filleigh next to the Castle Hill estate at South Molton. He recalls going to Barnstaple Pannier Market every Friday with cream and butter from their 10 cows, with any surplus milk being sold to Torridge Dairy. His father and grandfather were also rope makers and their wares were also sold at the market. At 17, Albert was in the home guard. Albert talks about his fascinating and fulfilling life in a very matter of fact way, describing the hardship of working a farm with only horsepower and laughing about his in-vain efforts to
When you stay in one place for a long time you are well placed to spot what is changing and what is staying the same. This is most certainly true of Eric Pengelly who is still living in the same Stoke Fleming house where he was born back in 1931. His parents moved to Stoke Fleming in the late 1920s, his father plying his trade as a wheelwright around the farms that surround the village. Eric attended the local primary school, which he remembers as having just two classrooms and around 40 pupils, before going to the privately run Thurlestone College in Dartmouth. At 17, he left school for a lifetime’s work with Dartmouth estate agents and auctioneers Letcher & Scorer only interrupted by his two years national service in the RAF working as a clerk, a time he says where he didn’t get posted overseas and never saw an aircraft. His house is one of the oldest in Stoke Fleming dating from the 1600s. It was once a pub, the New Inn, before being converted to two dwellings each with an adjoining outside loo! Eric recalls listening to Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain on the radio as
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he declared war on Germany, and remembers accommodating evacuees from London and even having soldiers billeted there for six months, fascinating the young schoolboy by cleaning
of butter in front of someone nowadays and said ‘Look this has got to last you for a week’, I can’t imagine what they would say. We had a shilling’s (5p) worth of meat a week and about 3oz of sugar, but we were the fittest lot you could have come across because there wasn’t rubbish to eat.” Before the end of the war, Marie left Barnstaple Girls Grammar School to help bring up a much younger sister. She learnt shorthand typing and became a clerk to the council and
Eric Pengelly
their rifles in the yard. Memories of WWII will always remain vivid for Eric as his house took a direct hit from a German bomber as it jettisoned unused bombs on its way home blowing off the roof and smashing ceilings although, thankfully, no one was injured. A lifetime of living in the same house has meant that Eric has witnessed a wide range of businesses disappear and become private dwellings and holiday lets. His knowledge is put to good use on the occasional guided tour he gives of the village challenging his audience to identify some of the 20 properties that were formerly butchers, convenience store, abattoir, bakery, dairy and much more. Stoke Fleming
Marie Sexon, Devon Air Ambulance Volunteer Born in a Dartmoor village where her father worked for Devon County Council in charge of the local quarry, Marie moved to Bishop’s Tawton when his work took him to Barnstaple. 91 year-old Marie was 15 when World War II broke out and regards it as a time to remember fondly despite the hardships and losses. She said, “It was awful really but in so many ways a wonderful experience. By that I mean we were on rations and you didn’t look for anything else, we managed. If you put 3oz 32
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Marie Sexon
then the water board. She married her husband Raymond in 1947, the same year as The Queen married Prince Philip, and they had three sons. Marie said, “At the council I worked in the roads department where there were over 70 roadmen. In those days they were paid cash in an envelope and I used to get all the envelopes ready, go to the bank, draw out the money in cash, walk back to the office with it – would you do that now?” A combination of her being a self-confessed tomboy (who even now wishes she could climb trees rather than go shopping), having three sons and a passion for the outdoor life, led to her to restart the 5th North Devon Cub Scouts, which had been dormant for about 30 years. Marie regards her compulsory retirement from the scouts at 65 as ‘stupid’ as she clearly could have gone on for another 20 years. Along with walking and gardening, another of Marie’s passions has been the choir at Bishop Tawton church where she has been a chorister for over 60 years, and where she also ran the Sunday school. Marie said, “I liked doing jigsaw puzzles with Ray but I lost interest after he died. Sometime later I was passing by the Air Ambulance shop and went to look at the puzzles there and before I knew it I was asking if they wanted help. That was three years ago and I’ve being doing a couple of days a week ever since!” o www.daat.org
Your Feedback
Reader Survey
Our last edition included a questionnaire, so that we could learn what our readers think about our magazine. We received fantastic feedback and suggestions to take forward as we produce further issues. A huge thank you to everyone who took the time to fill out the questionnaire; we really appreciate your input! Here are some of our findings from the responses we received:
70%+ 50%+ >1in10 16% 67%
of respondents gave our Patient Stories and Beautiful Devon articles top marks
We also wanted to take the time to respond to some of the common themes: “Where do you publish Lottery results?” All results can be found on our website every Friday afternoon, in the Sunday editions of Plymouth and Devon Independent, in our shops, at our local agents, or on our DAAT Lottery Facebook and Twitter accounts. If you aren’t able to see the results, you are more than welcome to phone our Lottery department if you have any queries: 01392 469886. There is no need to claim your prize, as our 13 weekly winners will automatically be sent their cheques by 1st class post, so do let us know if your contact details change.
of respondents gave Devon People, Operations, Gardens, Devon Food, and News top marks of respondents say they have responded to an advertisement
of respondents know someone who has been featured in Helipad of respondents read Helipad front to back
We received some stellar comments… “You all do a wonderful job. I really enjoy reading about all of the rescues” “Helipad is an enjoyable, informative and heart-warming read” “Read it from cover to cover, quality of print & magazine is exceptional” “I think it is a brilliant magazine which I thoroughly enjoy. As far as I’m concerned, there is something for everyone. Well done!” “Magazine is very comprehensive, also very good presentation quality”
…and some brilliant suggestions: “A local-based crossword would be great!” “About preventing accidents, e.g. horse riders and visibility and about how to behave when the air ambulance is called with horses around, how to keep them from being scared and where to stand” “More ‘hairy’ landing stories” “More about the helicopters: speed, range, night time capabilities and other data” “More features about shops, staff, volunteers and customers please” “Health promotion - recipes, exercises, etc.” We value all feedback and suggestions and will endeavour to address your comments where possible. Contact our Editor Debbie Gregory on d.gregory@daat.org or 01392 466666 ext 135
Get in touch!
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“I prefer to have the option to receive or not”- We are happy to send your Helipad electronically or remove you from our mailing list entirely. You are very welcome to give us a ring on 01392 466666 or email info@daat.org to update your record. Alternatively, you can simply tick the box on the coversheet of this edition to receive the magazine electronically, or not at all, and return it to our head office at 5 Sandpiper Court, Harrington Lane, Exeter, EX4 8NS. “I feel that this magazine should be less glossy, produced at a lower cost, saving the Trust money”. We are very proud of our magazine and believe that our new Lottery members, fundraisers and donations that follow each issue demonstrate its success and ongoing value to the Trust. For example, 561 of our Lottery members have signed up from Helipad, since it began being published in its current format and standard. Producing our magazine at a high quality also means we are able to generate advertising income to help with the cost. Helipad is a way for us to reach our supporters, keeping them up to date with developments, while sharing our key messages and generally raising awareness about our events and service.
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A Day Jamil Will Never Forget
Patient Story
On 10 October 2014 a motor bike ride with a friend turned into an encounter with a lorry. who lives and works as an Advertising Account Jamil, Manager in London, remembers everything about the
events of that day. He recalls being home for a long weekend visiting family and catching up with friends. Jamil and his friend Ty had just had lunch in a café in Dawlish and were riding along the road towards Kenton near Exeter, making their way to Exmouth. Jamil recalls having just overtaken three cars on his Ducati Monster 696cc when he saw his friend slow down. He looked to Ty wondering why he was slowing and missed seeing a lorry ahead of him on a bend in the road. Jamil knew he was going to hit the lorry and turned his bike so he didn’t hit it head on. On impact, he bounced off the fuel tank, landed on the grass verge on his back and, looking down, remembers seeing a lot of damage to his leg. A girl, who had undertaken First Aid training only a few days before, was first on the scene and reassured Jamil to distract him from his injuries. Jamil’s friend was completely in shock and stunned by what he had seen unfold. Initially a land crew came and, on seeing Jamil’s injuries, immediately called for the air ambulance. Pilot Rob Mackie, with paramedics Nigel Lang and Paul Robinson, were with Jamil within twelve minutes of being called,
Jamil remembers having his leg put into a splint and being given quite a lot of drugs for pain relief. Once Jamil was aboard the helicopter, the crew flew him direct to Derriford Hospital in Plymouth, the region’s Major Trauma Centre able to offer specialist treatment to seriously injured patients. Jamil spent five weeks in Derriford having snapped off the bottom of his femur and severe damage to his knee joint, resulting in a muscle transplant from his back to his knee to keep the blood flowing. That operation took twelve hours. Jamil wasn’t able to have a replacement knee joint until 30th March the following year, due to infection and other difficulties following the accident. In total, Jamil has now had twelve operations to repair his knee to date. He is able to walk, go to the gym and use the cross trainer, but still finds stairs difficult and is unable to run or ride a bike, as his leg still won’t bend more than ninety degrees. Fortunately his employer kept his job open for him for eight months whilst he recovered. Jamil says, “I’m extremely grateful to the crew for helping me on the day, and for conveying me to Derriford so swiftly”. Jamil received his most recent operation in January to help his leg become more flexible. o Top: Jamil in hospital Bottom: Jamil meets pilot Rob Mackie
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A Walk Through
Tiverton...
with Captain Richie Tate
4.
S
tart from Tesco car park (free for 3 hours) or Canal Car Park (£3 all day parking). 1. Walking from Tesco car park towards the town centre approaching the clock tower (1), turn left down station road. Continue down this road and you will then go past Old Blundell’s School (2) on your right hand side. Peter Blundell made his fortune buying cloth in Tiverton and selling it in London when Devon kerseys were in great demand at home and abroad. He never married but his generosity to family, friends and good causes was exceptional. His name was given to the Free 2. Grammar School of 1604 for 150 boys. (The largest in the West of England at the time). (3) Using the pedestrian crossing, cross this main road (A396) heading up Canal Hill towards the canal. Once here, you’ve completed this short hill and you will be pleased to know the rest is all on the flat! (4)
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The site of this magnificent canal half way up the hill does play a little on the mind. Originally part of an ambitious scheme to link the Bristol Channel with the English Channel, the Grand Western Canal was proposed as a way for shipping to avoid the long and perilous journey around the Cornish peninsular, and as a route for transporting goods, including coal from South Wales, into the heart of Somerset and Devon. Finally completed in 1838, late and vastly over budget, it prevented the final link up between the coasts. Trade and use of the canal was prosperous until the railways came along, which opened up new and faster routes. After the railways brought a section towards Taunton, then subsequently closed it, and with a major leak near Halberton as well, the canal as it was, closed in the 1920’s. A campaign to save the canal was successful in the early seventies when Devon County Council declared it as a Country Park, which it is now. There is an amazing visitor centre and tearoom that show what a part this canal played in the history of Tiverton and beyond. Continue along the towpath (5) for a mile or so, passing a variety of houses before entering the glorious countryside that surrounds this canal. (6) Before you leave the canal towpath, just before a little 5. road bridge, there is a memorial (7) on your left hand side honoring airmen who died when their English Electric Canberra jet crashed on a training exercise from Germany. What a different world being a fast jet pilot compared to a helicopter pilot: we would have to stop at least twice for fuel from Germany and it would take www.daat.org
Winter Walk many hours to do it! 7. Under the next bridge you take a left (8) and say goodbye to the canal. Walk down this quiet road for about two hundred yards. Then, once you cross the old railway bridge, take the left and walk down the hill onto the old railway. Again this is a wonderfully flat (9) and peaceful walk, through an avenue of trees, along what would have been a very busy passenger and trade link to the rest of the country. This railway line ran successfully between 1848 and 1967. Walk along here for about a mile passing (10) various farm animals quietly grazing in the fields. Before you know it you 8. may hear the clock tower from the ‘new’ Blundell’s school. As the school expanded it moved to this new site in 1882 and is now an independent day and boarding school. Not long after this, you will come to the end of the railway
line. Cross over the little road then take the pedestrian crossing over the A396 again, past ‘Westcars Vauxhall’ and MST and you’ll find yourself back at 9. the Tesco car park. This route should take around two hours.
Post walking, you may wish to reward your efforts with a drink, or a bite to eat. I recommend the ‘Flying Pickle’ (11), which you 10. will find on the junction of Station Road, Gold Street and Barrington Street. (From the clock tower head right up Gold Street; it is 100 yards up on your right on the corner of Barrington St). There is also a lovely gallery and gift shop next door exhibiting local artists work called 11. Lantic Gallery. o
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Retail
Discount Shop Gets New Home
We moved! Our Exmouth Shop has re-located to larger premises at 26 Chapel Street and we opened the doors for the first time on 20th February. Retail Operations Manager, Chrissie Peel, said, “We had a fantastic opening day! Our shop staff and volunteers consistently needed to replenish stock, as the new location was buzzing with customers. There was also brilliant feedback about the layout of our shop, our product groups and more. We are so proud of our retail team and everyone who helped to make our re-opening such a success.” Our Exmouth branch is our discount shop, which means everything in the shop is £3, £2 or £1. Martin Bell, Retail Director, said, “Our Exmouth shop switched to a discount model in July 2013 and proved to be a huge success. We realised the necessity to move our shop to a larger location to accommodate this growth, as well as appointing a second
Assistant Manager to join our existing staff to meet with the demands of the expansion.” This new location has exceptional bargains on all clothing, shoes, accessories, handbags, pictures, linen, toys, CDs, DVDs and books. If you would like to lend your time and volunteer in the shop, pop in and Retail Director Martin Bell speak to Shop Manager Sue Redfern or Assistant Shop Managers Judy Prytherch and Simon Hayes. The Exmouth shop retains its existing telephone number (01395 227465) and Facebook page: www.facebook.com/ ExmouthDevonAirAmbulanceShop.
STOP PRESS! Announcing our new Plymouth Shop! Opening in mid-May on Armada Way More details to come soon! 38
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LOTTERY YOU FLUTTER WE FLY
Lottery
Our in-house lottery began on 21st September 2001, and almost 15 years later, we are pleased to have reached over ÂŁ12 million in sales! We wanted to take a look back to see how far we have come, digging out photos and forms from the early days, to celebrate what our lottery has achieved.
A huge thank you to our lottery members who together are making an incredible contribution to our operation! We are grateful to you all for joining us on this journey through the years, and look forward to our next milestone. If you fancy a flutter, join via the form overleaf! www.daat.org
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Lottery
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A Royal Jubilee Sundial
90 Years
On the occasion of Her Majesty The Queen’s Golden Jubilee, the people of Devon presented the monarch with an orchard of apple trees which were planted at Sandringham.
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en years later, a group of Deputy Lieutenants were tasked to find an appropriate gift from the people of Devon for Her Majesty’s Diamond Jubilee and they decided they wanted something that would remain in the county to be admired by residents and visitors alike. They opted for a sundial and they turned to Topsham based letter carver and sundial specialist Ben Jones for inspiration. Unveiled on August 17th 2012, the outcome is a spectacular commemoration which will stand the test of a very long time. At almost 5.8 metres at the highest point, the gnomon on this unique sundial beside Roadford Lake is 5 metres long on a base of 6 metres. Six stainless steel pieces of the gnomon (the raised part of a sundial that casts the shadow) represent the six decades of Her Majesty’s reign. They are surrounded by granite hour markers taken from the site of the reservoir prior to it being flooded and sculpted in Ben’s farm workshop near Kenn in East Devon. Although the granite hour markers were cut and installed by Ben, the self-deprecating stonemason was quick to point out that while he provided the overall design for the Jubilee Sundial, many others were involved in developing and building it. He said: “Such a large structure has to be sturdy enough to withstand the very high pressure that strong winds will exert upon it. There is a lot of very clever engineering in this dial, above and below the ground. There are so many intriguing aspects to sundial design. It is a rich area of study for mathematicians, astronomers, archaeologists, engineers, artists, sculptors, wordsmiths and even letter carvers.” “My wife and I moved to Exeter in 1985 and Prudence worked as a glass engraver before going to University and becoming an archaeologist, while I worked for a monumental mason. Exeter Cathedral was looking for masons and I managed to get a job there for two years. The work was wonderfully varied, ranging from square blocks to tracery, pinnacles and gargoyles.” “I learned a lot at Exeter Cathedral including how to handle big pieces of stone. I also learned the discipline of being a stonemason, the rhythm of working, how to make good progress with an economy of effort; hit it just once if that’s all it needs.” Ben’s reputation as a sundial specialist has grown because of a unique combination of physical skill, inventive design and scientific understanding underpinned by a measured philosophy. You can find his work in many locations from The Royal Horticultural Society’s gardens at Rosemoor in Great Torrington and the hospital at Ottery St. Mary to Greenwich Observatory and the National Gallery and there is growing demand from private clients across Devon and beyond. When you talk to Ben Jones about stonemasonry and, in particular sundials, you could be talking to a Middle Ages mathematician or an ancient Chinese philosopher. The subject, the understanding of time and light, and the www.daat.org
challenges simply haven’t changed. He speaks with understated passion about stone carving and the shapes, spaces and relationships that the craft requires, and he freely admits he can blind you with science when talking sundial design and the complex calculations it demands. “Remember sundials show sun time and clocks tell clock time and neither is correct or incorrect. It’s all invention.” “I like my lettering work but I like sundials, too. Memorials are mostly associated with sad occasions but sundials are happy things.” ¨ Ben Jones
“Remember sundials show sun time and clocks tell clock time and neither is correct or incorrect. It’s all invention.” Helipad
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Devon People
Real people saving real lives - what could you do to save a life? There are always loads of events and activities taking place around the county and our thanks go to ALL our fundraisers. Here are just a few…
p Crediton Dairy site manager Sean Brown, Helen Smith and Steve Yelland hand over a £500 cheque to volunteer John Groves
p Gary Ocean has raised over £2,400 busking for DAAT. To book Gary for your next event, check him out at: www.garyocean.net Debbie and Amy of our Sidmouth Shop visit Fat Face to pick up a cheque for £889.77 donated from Black Friday Weekend in November
Jill Lecayo, captain of the Ladies Section of the Tavistock Sir Francis Drake Bowling Club, hands over a cheque for £700 to Annette Packer, Manager at DAAT’s Tavistock shop
Sam Groves, a tutor at Newton Abbot College takes on the World’s Highest Mountain Bike Race, the Yak Attack, in Nepal as part of their Charity of the Year Fundraising q
p Charlene Wain of Skills Group and a recent Apprentice contestant, presents volunteer Tony Cannon with a cheque for £2550
p Leon Palmer raised over £400 for DAAT at a Santa Run in London
A Note on Horse Agility In the Winter 2015 Helipad magazine we reported on Lizzie Kirby's unfortunate accident, when her horse accidentally kicked her in the knee, resulting in her needing assistance from one of our air ambulances. We are pleased that Lizzie is now doing very well and is looking forward to riding her horse again in the future. On the day Lizzie had the accident, she had been taking part in a horse agility day. As the article stated, the accident happened after the horse agility session had finished and Lizzie was taking her horse to its horse box. We are more than happy to make it clear that the accident was unconnected to horse agility.
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Okehampton Singers raise £177.83 at their Charity Christmas Raffle
Fundraisers
Willand Rovers Football Club Santa Dash raises £1102.41 for DAAT u Volunteer Sue Tweed accepts a cheque on behalf of DAAT from the Old Inn, Halwell who have raised well over £10,000 in the past decade u
Spin A Yarn hold an annual Fashion Show with a raffle in aid of DAAT
p Organisers of Seaton Air Ambulance Week 2015 present a £5500 cheque to Volunteer Manager Rosey and Volunteer Simon Card Retail Logistics Support Officer Frank attended B&Q Exeter’s Christmas Fun Day which raised £1154.52 The University of Exeter Benchball Society choose DAAT as their Charity of the academic year u
North Devon Homes raise over £1500 for DAAT through sponsorship for the Barnstaple Half Marathon and running their own inhouse tuck shop
If you would like to find out more details about how you could support Devon Air Ambulance, please call 01392 466666 or email fundraising@daat.org www.daat.org
Get in touch!
p Voices of Exmoor celebrate their 10th Anniversary and raise £1800 for DAAT
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The Official Devon Air Ambulance Trust Magazine
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School Talks Did you know DAAT gives free talks to schools? Talking to students across Devon allows us to give them an insight into what we do on a suitable level for their age. Our representatives bring a guest along, usually our paramedic bear Ambrose and occasionally our helicopter mascot Jennie! Some of our more recent talks coincided with school fundraising, such as our ‘Dress as a Hero Day’ as part of National Air Ambulance Week, and the Schools’ Challenge at Exeter’s Great West Run (DAAT was the Charity Partner in 2015). Volunteer Manager Rosey Oakes has done a lot of the talks and says, “I love talking to young people about DAAT. They are always really interested and ask the most amazing questions! My favourite recently have been: ‘What is the most serious incident you’ve been to?’, ‘Will Devon Air Ambulance Trust be using drones in the future?’, ‘Do your helicopters have sirens?’ and ‘How long would it take to fly around Exeter six times?’”. “An interesting question we often get is, ‘What is the most unusual place you’ve landed?’; I asked our pilots and paramedics for their suggestions which included the deck of a Polish freighter in Plymouth Sound, on the railway line between Kingswear and the Higher Ferry, and next to the Tiverton canal – which required the pilot to hover over the water before moving sideways onto the footpath beside it”. “My favourite ever question came from a young lady in Year 1 who asked, ‘What happens if you’ve been eaten by a wolf?’ Happily I was able to reassure her that there weren’t many wolves in Exeter so she should be fine, but if the worst did happen we felt sure our paramedics would be the best people to look after her!”
Right: DAAT’s Volunteer Manager Rosey Oakes Below: Pinhoe Primary Dress as a Hero Day
If your school would like DAAT to give a talk to your class or at an assembly, or for more information about taking part in a ‘Dress as a Hero Day’ please contact Louise: l.newbery@daat.org
We also have volunteers, staff and crew who enjoy giving talks to groups and committees so please contact Louise if your club would like us to come and give a free presentation. Below: Ambrose visits Exwick Heights School
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Sunny day’s walk ends in hot water...
Junior Crew
Chloe Perry needed airlifting to a specialist burns unit after an accident with boiling water. She tells us what happened in her own words. Right: Chloe Perry
Unusual Christmas for all the family It was lunchtime on 23rd December 2014 and Kyle was playing on his X-Box in the lounge. Earlier that day, he had been complaining of a headache but his Mum Tracey thought it was due to Christmas excitement. Paul, Kyle’s Dad, went into the lounge before rushing into the kitchen carrying Kyle who had collapsed as if he was having a stroke. Tracey was so shocked that she couldn’t dial 999, so Paul handed Kyle to her whilst he made the call. Paramedics from a land crew were first to arrive; they laid Kyle on the floor and he started to vomit. Tracey remembers the land crew asking her if Kyle had eaten anything unusual. Then the DAAT crew arrived and paramedics Mark Hawley and Mark Langley assisted the land crew in looking after Kyle. Tracey says that Kyle started fitting whilst the aircrew were transferring him into the helicopter. Initially, the crew took Kyle to North Devon District Hospital, where he was stabilised and sedated before being flown with a doctor to Bristol Children’s Hospital one hour later. Paul and Tracey had an agonising drive to Bristol, terrified of what might be wrong with Kyle. On arrival at the Children’s Hospital, Kyle had an MRI scan. The consultant diagnosed an abscess on his brain and Kyle had an emergency operation to drain the infection away. Paul and Tracey are extremely grateful for the help and support they received from everyone in Harracott. The community pulled together to help the family with their animals during the four weeks that Kyle was in hospital, whilst they took it in turns to be with Kyle and look after their two other children Leah and Lewis.
As a thank you to DAAT, Tracey organised a strawberries and cake day and raised £550 for the help Kyle received.
www.daat.org
Helipad
Kyle Smith with sister Leah
As a thank you to DAAT, Tracey organised a strawberries and cake day and raised £550 for the help Kyle received The Official Devon Air Ambulance Trust Magazine
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Business on board Every year, our finances must be audited to ensure we comply not just with financial regulations but also best practice, safeguarding the charity and our supporters. Our auditors, Francis Clark, play a significant role in providing oversight of what we are doing. Francis Clark’s Martin Newman said: “DAAT’s determination not just to do things right, but to do things better, is remarkable. They are now financially geared up to take on the challenge of night flying and the development of a network of community helipads over the next few years and, with the development of exemplary process and procedures, they are undoubtedly leading the way and setting the standards for others to follow.”
Burts Potato Chips wrapped up their 2015 Charity of the Year support and raised a brilliant £3,539.32! Not only were employees fundraising in the office, but some chose to actively challenge themselves and take part in the Plymouth Half Marathon, Great West Run and Cornish Santa Run to raise sponsorship for the Trust. The potato chips company will be staying on to support DAAT in 2016!
The partners at Tozers Solicitors LLP decided to nominate DAAT as their charity of the year back in 2014, not least because one of them had been previously airlifted as a result of an equestrian accident. The support for the Charity continued through 2015, and Tozers is now pleased to celebrate raising a total of £13,500 for the Trust. From donating clothing to our shops, to taking part in various DAAT events, Tozers’ diverse methods of giving contributed to their outstanding total. Some highlights include partner Tracy Lambert taking part in the New York and London Marathons, and two consecutive years of Tozers’ runners participating in Exeter’s Great West Run, an event the firm sponsors. Rachel Elliott, Business Development Manager at Tozers, comments, “It has been a real pleasure to work with Devon Air Ambulance for the past 2 years to raise funds for our local air ambulance which is such a valuable and essential resource for any rural community. Furthermore, as a result of our work with DAAT last year, it was an honour for Tozers to be shortlisted for the CSR Award at the Express & Echo Business Awards 2015.”
Gregory Distribution Ltd debut their new trailer that will be driving around the South West supporting DAAT and specifically our Night Flight Campaign! If you spot and photograph the lorry, use the hashtag #wheresdaatlorry on social media! The company raised a brilliant £730 from their Christmas raffle and in lieu of sending Christmas cards.
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Business Support HSBC in Teignmouth continue their ongoing support with their fundraising total at well over £4,000 from the past two years. The branch’s support stems from employee Emma Oxley, who was airlifted by DAAT following a fall from her horse in 2012. Emma says, “Every year I organise a fundraising weekend at my local stables and we have a gymkhana, One Day Event and of course a raffle and cake sale. I think the staff and crew at DAAT do a wonderful job and thank them for coming to my rescue”. HSBC branches from the South West also took part in a coastal challenge to support air ambulances across the region.
South West Highways continue their annual support. “At SWH Group we place great emphasis on promoting a safe working environment. We encourage all employees to report ‘SHEQ Events’ – situations that they feel have the potential to cause damage to safety, health, quality or the environment. To provide further encouragement, we pledged to donate £1 to DAAT for every SHEQ Event reported and this year we saw a 25% increase bringing the total to £752. Not only are we improving the safety and health of our employees, but we’re doing so by helping a great cause in DAAT. It’s a win-win!”- Tim Pegler, Safety Health Quality & Environment Manager, SWH Group
Companies such as Kubota, Roadchef and Allianz chose the AAAC (Association of Air Ambulances Charity) as their chosen national Charity for 2015/16. We thank them for their support! The AAAC is a nationally registered Charity working with businesses to support them in their fundraising for UK air ambulances. If your business would like to nominate the AAAC as your national Charity, contact Caroline: c.creer@daat.org www.daat.org
Soar Mill Cove held a Heroes Charity Ball in aid of DAAT and The Royal Marines Charity. The elegant evening featured a Charity Auction hosted by David Fitzgerald and raised a brilliant £7,000! The Exeter office of Coleman Insurance Brokers has chosen its client, Devon Air Ambulance Trust (DAAT), as their nominated charity of the year for 2016. Coleman has supported DAAT for a number of years from dress down days to sponsoring our 20th birthday party and providing insurance for our aircrafts. To begin their support for 2016, Coleman is sponsoring our What’s On booklet and look forward to the year ahead. Steve Risk, Joint MD, says, “We are proud to have worked with DAAT since 2008 and are delighted to be supporting such a worth-while cause. We really hope that over the next year that we can help to make a real positive difference to the Charity.”
We are proud to announce The Exeter are our official sponsor for this year’s Dragonboat Festival. Save the Date: Sunday 25th September 2016! If your business would like to take part contact Tracy: t.owen@daat.org
If your business is interested in supporting DAAT call Tracy Owen on 01392 466666 Ext.*134 or by email on t.owen@daat.org
Get in touch!
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Operations
Making Night Time Flight Time Putting your air ambulance at the heart of your community... The Operations team at Devon Air Ambulance is working hard to develop all the different elements needed for us to extend our service until midnight each day from this October. One essential part of this work is helping local communities across Devon develop their own night landing sites.
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A pre-surveyed floodlit ‘community helipad’, which is funded and managed by a community, can be located on a village green, field, sports pitch or playing field and will enable us to bring a life-saving service into the heart of communities when it is dark. DAAT’s Community Helipads Development Officer, Toby Russell, explains, “A community helipad needs to be a flat open area of at least 50m x 50m, to provide maximum operational benefit and safety, have pedestrian and vehicle access close by and could be on grass, tarmac or concrete. Whilst tall trees or power lines within the site might be a hazard, if they are on the periphery they may not cause a problem. Communities are encouraged to consider all potential sites in their local area - not just those we have landed at before - as each site may have different pros and cons for landing at night”. Floodlighting is an essential component of a community helipad for both safety and practical reasons – it will help illuminate the site during landing and take-off and will help paramedics see the patient during transfer between a land and air ambulance and loading in the aircraft. A community may be able to adapt existing lighting at a site (e.g. a sports pitch) or utilise existing infrastructure to support new lighting (e.g. the side of a building or pole). Where there are no existing lights or infrastructure at a site DAAT would recommend installing a 10m high column with a set of 2 LED panel lights which can be powered via mains electricity supply or solar power. A solar-powered system incorporates two solar panels which will be secured to the top of the lighting column and a set of batteries to power the lights. Each lighting system will incorporate an integral mobile phone SMS control box which will enable the lights to be turned on/off remotely by the Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) dispatch team, meaning no-one needs to be on-hand when we fly into a community. Pictured left is our mobile lighting rig that we are taking to communities to demonstrate the quality of lighting required for a helipad.
Jock Campbell from Newton St Cyres at a meeting with DAAT Community Helipads Development Officer, Toby Russell, looking at a potential site for their community helipad
www.daat.org
Working with your community… Devon Air Ambulance are here to help communities throughout the helipad development process, as Toby Russell described, “Initially we will help local communities identify and select one or more sites that might make a good helipad in their area. Community Helipads After that screening process, we will carry Development Officer Toby Russell out a formal helipad survey of the most suitable site and advise the community on the lighting system required whilst engaging a local supplier to provide a quote for that lighting solution. At that point we will also discuss any site improvements that might be required (e.g. better access at night) and ongoing management of the helipad. Following that, our role is to help communities achieve their goal of having their own helipad - that might be through helping to identify and target sources of potential funding for the helipad lighting (e.g. grant funding) and/or by providing practical advice and support should the community wish to get involved with installing the lighting systems themselves. Once the lighting system has been installed, and any other work completed, the helipad will be ‘signed-off ’ for use by DAAT and added to our county-wide network of community helipads”. Following a call by Tim Law, President of Bideford Rugby Football Club, DAAT have been working with the Club to explore whether their ground could become a suitable helipad for the town. When asked why they wanted to get involved with the initiative Tim said, “Bideford RFC were really keen to support the Devon Air Ambulance Trust in their efforts to establish a night landing capability in the North Devon area. From initial site visits with DAAT we understand that the floodlight infrastructure already in place at the Club makes the rugby pitch an excellent location to be developed by installing a remote switching system to enable night landing. The Club and its members have recent first-hand experience of the lifesaving service that the aircrew and paramedics provide for the people of Devon. As DAAT officers have explained, once a safe, properly lit helipad is available, the aircrew will be able to respond and take-off to a patient – which will help our community enormously particularly during the during darker winter months. Being a Community Club we would be delighted to play a small part in providing such a valuable community facility”. Our thanks go to Tim and the team at Bideford RFC for their support and we look forward to getting Bideford’s first community helipad up and running in readiness for night flying later in the year.
If you would like to find out more, or discuss how your community might start to develop its own helipad please contact our Community Helipads Development Officer Toby Russell on t.russell@daat.org or 07943 207673.
Get in touch!
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Back Chat
Bathed in a new light... Well-known broadcaster and DAAT Patron, David FitzGerald, finds out that along with energy efficiency comes energy expenditure I am not going to gloat or point and laugh because this has been quite a journey for me and the good lady wife. Some eighteen months ago ‘her’ engagement ring was lost. Beds were moved, cupboards were disembowelled, and even the corners of a carpet were ripped back in the futile hunt for the ring. Then, one afternoon, a squeal of delight from the bedroom and there, triumphant from her latest searching quest, the enemy held aloft the missing ring. ‘Where was it?’, I enquired. ‘In the ring box!’, was her surprisingly honest answer. A quicker mind would have faked its discovery up the hoover or wedged down the back of the bog. A slightly more devious one would have claimed to have found it in my sock drawer or slipped into the inside pocket of my jacket…but no! There was a tense moment after I enquired as to what sort of idiot puts a ring in a ring box but things have now calmed down and the house is back to normal. Well, when I say normal…..the search has uncovered a great deal of built up grot in FitzGerald towers, so the enemy has taken it upon herself to start to have a massive clear out. This includes the ‘no go’ zone or ‘her clothes’ cupboard. When I say cupboard, think ‘walk in’ small bedroom. With three rails and a stand-alone shelving system, every piece of clothing that she has ever bought is stored in this windowless tomb. From what looks like a hanky for a gerbil, to a dress which Drake could have used as a sail to explore The New World; tons of materials are balanced in one corner of the building. Fashions from
several houses were uncovered… Fraser, Millen, Biba and Hammer House of Horror, with hats to match. All have been sifted through, bagged and now donated to charity. Sorry Devon Air Ambulance, but you’ve got the lot. Actually, not all! One or two were sent straight to the tip as no-one but no-one wants The Bay City Rollers style hot pants, platform flip flops and the Donny Osmond fan club T-shirt….not even Donny Osmond! With all of this spring cleaning in mind, I have decided to upgrade the lighting system in my house and have started in the kitchen. LED’s are the future I told myself, a warm light, at a fraction of the cost. A tame electrician was found, Richard Wood, and buckets of bulbs (LED) were purchased. That evening I switched on the lights. We must have come up on the NATO radar system! The International Space Station could have seen us. Sat there having dinner was like being in the abduction scene from Close Encounters of the Third Kind. The lighting system was so strong and so clear, we’ve had to clean the kitchen now. I swear that if I had not pulled the blinds, we would have attracted aircrafts in bound for Exeter! Still, one good thing, some of the bulbs come with a 25 year guarantee. Can you all make a note, the receipt is in the drawer by the bread bin, should the bulbs go before I am 74 or before 2041, I am taking them back.
One or two were sent straight to the tip as no-one but no-one wants The Bay City Rollers style hot pants, platform flip flops and the Donny Osmond fan club T-shirt….not even Donny Osmond!
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Yours with an LED induced tan
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