LymeOnline Digital Edition - November 22 2019

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Council attitude ‘improved’ since May elections

LYME Regis Town Council has seen a “marked reduction in personal conflict” and a “significant improvement” in attitude since May 2019, according to town clerk John Wright.

Giving his annual statement of internal control and risk assessment at last week’s meeting, Mr Wright reported that, following a “significant deterioration” from late 2016 to May 2019 caused by personal conflicts, the attitude of the council had improved since it started its new term following the local elections.

The election saw six new members join the town council in May, and another won a seat in a by-election in August.

REPORT, PAGE 2

Marching in memory

Bids made for £15k film funding

SERVING and retired members of the Armed Forces led the Remembrance Sunday parade through Lyme Regis earlier this month. A weekend of commemoration events were well attended by local organisations and residents, honouring those from the town who had died in conflict. Full report and more photos on page 17.

Photo by Richard Austin

New school dilemma

VILLAGE MAY LOSE PETROL STATION, SHOP & POST OFFICE UPLYME could lose its filling station, shop and post office if plans for the village’s proposed new primary school go ahead.

Outline planning permission for the £4million school has been granted by East Devon District Council showing one in and out entrance from the site, adjacent to the village hall, onto the main road through Uplyme, together

PHILIP EVANS

philip@lyme-online.co.uk

with a pedestrian crossing.

Whilst supporting the new school project, Uplyme Parish Council has objected to the plans over traffic issues and are currently in discussion with Devon County Council’s highways department and the trust which runs the school to find a solution.

There are fears that traffic will build up on the main road outside Uplyme Filling Station, contravening safety regulations.

David Ostler, a parish councillor and owner of the filling station site, has taken advice from the Petrol Retailers Association who have confirmed that such a situation would be “hazardous”.

Mr Ostler, who has not been involved in any parish council dis-

cussion because he has a vested interest, has made it clear that if the plans are not changed to include a separate entrance and exit, he will be forced to close down the site.

“It would be a very big blow to the village and beyond, but if anything went wrong I would be responsible and I am not prepared to take that risk,” he said.

TURN TO PAGE 2

LOCAL organisations have made their bids for £15,000 grant funding donated to Lyme Regis by filmmakers behind the Mary Anning biopic ‘Ammonite’.

Bids were made by eight local organisations at last week’s council meeting, with several of the applications relating to Lyme Regis’ famed fossil hunter Mary Anning.

The council will now make a final decision on how to spend the money next month.

REPORT, PAGE 3

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LymeOnline

Published by Lyme Regis Media Limited Hyper-local website and fortnightly newspaper serving the communities of Lyme Regis, Uplyme & Charmouth.

Unit 5 Uplyme Business Park, Uplyme Road, Lyme Regis, Dorset DT7 3LS www.lyme-online.co.uk edit@lyme-online.co.uk Facebook: facebook.com/LymeOnlineUK Twitter: twitter.com/LymeOnlineUK Instagram: instagram.com/lymeonline Editor: Francesca Evans francesca@lyme-online.co.uk 07810 221 420 Contributors: Philip Evans philip@lyme-online.co.uk Richard Austin edit@lyme-online.co.uk Regular Columnists: Sophia Moseley, Marine Theatre Mark Vandeweyer, Citizens Advice Peter Lacey, Tales of Lyme’s Past Production: Jackie Evans jackie@lyme-online.co.uk

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New school plans raise concerns over traffic and filling station safety ■ CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE

The concerns were discussed at last week’s meeting of Uplyme Parish Council after which the chairman, Chris James, issued the following statement: “It has become apparent that there is significant misunderstanding concerning the parish council’s position in regard to the detailed planning application for the new school. Support for building the new school is a completely separate issue from concerns raised during the planning process.

“The reservations of the planning committee relate to the design of the building, to movement of vehicles entering and leaving the site and the plan for parking.

Building design is covered in an annex to the Neighbourhood Plan and will be easily resolved.

“The reservations relating to the safety of the proposed traffic system include possible effects to the traffic flow on Lyme Road. The current plan may also adversely affect the garage, in respect of the statutory requirement for evacuation protocols used in an emergency.

“The parish council is in discussion with the Bestic Trust and Devon County Council’s highways department in an attempt to resolve the traffic issues and we believe that a satisfactory solution is possible. Currently, a one-way system through the new school grounds is the preferred option.

“I can state unequivocally that no parish councillor objects to building the new school. The school building project is also supported within the Uplyme Neighbourhood Plan, which has statutory authority.”

The new school, described as having a striking 21st century design, will accommodate 210 children, 25 more than the capacity of the present school, which has occupied its current site in

AN artist’s impression of the planned modern new school in Uplyme Pound Lane since 1854.

A statement was also issued this week by Martin Whitehead, chairman of the Bestic Trust, which overseas the running of the school.

Mr Whitehead said: “The Bestic Trust is aware of the concerns of the parish council with regard to access arrangements for the new school building and the formal complaint made by David Ostler (owner of Uplyme Filling Station) posted on the East Devon Planning portal.

“The access and parking arrangements for the new school site were determined by East Devon District Council by the granting of outline planning permission in 2013 (the outcome from the application made in 2012) and consequently those matters are not under consideration as part of the current reserved matters application 19/2197/MRES. “The concerns about the approved access arrangements first arose in 2016 when the outline planning consent was renewed. David Ostler, supported by the parish council, sought to object

to the access arrangements and submitted evidence in the form of a report produced by consultant Hydrock. That objection was considered and a traffic survey was conducted by Devon County highways. The outline planning consent was renewed without change.

“Construction of new school premises in the village is recognised in the Uplyme Village Plan and is essential to the Bestic Trust in order to maintain its charitable objectives, the pursuit of the reserved matters application at this time is made entirely without prejudice.

“It is recognised that the concerns raised warrant consideration in the best interest of the whole community, to which end The Bestic Trust has commissioned consultants AWP to look at the viability of forming alternative access arrangements that would satisfy all parties.

“The trust is working proactively with both the parish council and David Ostler to find a solution that could be submitted as an amendment to the current approval.”

‘Significant improvement’ in Weaknesses found in town attitude since May elections council’s financial controls LYME Regis Town Council has seen a “marked reduction in personal conflict” and a “significant improvement” in attitude since May 2019, according to town clerk John Wright.

Giving his annual statement of internal control and risk assessment at last week’s meeting, Mr Wright reported that, following a “significant deterioration” from late 2016 to May 2019 caused by personal conflicts, the attitude of the council had improved since it started its new term following the local elections.

The election saw six new members join the town council in May, and another won a seat in a byelection in August.

Another by-election is now expected to be held in the New Year, following the announcement that deputy mayor Jeff Scowen will be standing down, which could leave the 14-strong council with a majority of new faces.

The town clerk’s report said that the reputation of the council, which in the past had been “damaged by member disagreement”, had also improved, as had relationships between councillors and officers.

He said that the integrity of the council was “generally good” and previous concerns about breaches in confidentiality had reduced significantly.

Mr Wright’s report said the competence of council employees was high, supported by their varied qualifications and experience, and that councillors had also undertaken a significant amount of training since May 2019, putting

FRANCESCA EVANS

francesca@lyme-online.co.uk

the council in a strong position for achieving the gold standard of the Local Council Award Scheme.

However, his report added: “At times there is a preoccupation with detail and history, and debate can drift from subject matter but, by and large, the council and its committee retain the ability to concentrate on the bigger picture, core policy and business priorities.

“Having invested a significant amount of time developing agreed objectives, some members and officers have added issues to the ‘to do’ list during the year.

“To some extent this is inevitable, but there’s a tipping point where new issues begin to push aside objectives, core business and activities, and reduce the time set aside for responding to unforeseen events. In addition, they have an adverse impact on the council’s budget.

“Inevitable, the views of 14 independent men era will be disparate but, occasionally, comments made go against the grain of what the council is trying to achieve and sometimes translate into negative headlines about the council and the town.

“On occasions, some members appear to want to embarrass the council and its officers.

“There are officer failings too. In particular, these relate to financial controls, timely processing of invoices and delays in undertaking bank reconciliations [see right].”

A NUMBER of weaknesses in Lyme Regis Town Council’s financial systems have been highlighted by an auditor’s report, with the problems put down to the long-term absence of a finance manager.

The council’s finance manager went on long-term sick leave in 2018 and later left the organisation, and a permanent replacement has not yet been found.

An interim finance manager joined the council at the start of the 2019/20 financial year and was due to take up the post permanently, but has since stepped down.

While the council is well-known to be in a strong financial position, with reserves of £1.3million in the bank, the latest auditor’s report outlines “significant control weaknesses” in its financial systems.

It reported that staff were “weeks behind schedule” with regards to posting and reconciling all of the bank account transactions, reconciling customer and supplier accounts and ensuring that the council’s accounts were up to date.

It added: “The sheer volume of work means that it may not be possible to bring the accounts back up to date in a timely manner just using the current resources.”

The report stated that if the council failed to bring key financial controls up to date, it could make management of the council’s budget throughout the year more difficult, and could impede the budget setting process for 2020/21, which is now underway.

It added: “Delays to processing bank payments and receipts both increase the amount of time it takes to reconcile debtor and creditor accounts, increasing the time it takes to identify and take action of any is-

sues with debt collection, and further tying up staffing dealing with creditors who have overdue accounts and are threatening to stop supply or take legal action for the recovery of debts.

“If these weaknesses persist until the end of the financial year, they are likely to result in a fail on the control areas of bank reconciliation, budget management and (potentially) income.”

Problems caused by the absence of a finance manager were further emphasised in reports from town clerk John Wright at last week’s meeting.

In his annual statement of internal control and risk management, he said that there were failings in financial controls, timely processing of invoices and delays in undertaking bank reconciliations.

Mr Wright said the absence of a finance manager had created extra work for the finance assistant and this was causing a dilemma. He explained that unless other officers undertook these functions regularly, they wouldn’t be able to substitute for the absence of a finance manager, but if they did undertake these tasks, they would not doing their own job and would be carrying out higher-level functions that fall into a higher salary grade.

Councillors did not look in depth at the auditor’s report at last week’s meeting because of the particularly long agenda that ran until 11.40pm.

This item was instead deferred for discussion next month, although the Mayor of Lyme Regis, Councillor Brian Larcombe MBE noted it was important they debated it in full as in contained some serious concerns.

Friday, November 22 2019 3

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Bids made for ‘Ammonite’ film funding LOCAL organisations have made their bids for £15,000 grant funding donated to Lyme Regis by filmmakers behind the Mary Anning biopic ‘Ammonite’.

Following negotiations with Lyme Regis Town Council, production company Fossil Films Ltd donated £15,000 in return for transforming several areas of the town, including Bell Cliff, into a film set for ‘Ammonite’.

The scenes, starring Oscar-winning actress Kate Winslet as Lyme’s famous fossil hunter Mary Anning, were shot in Lyme Regis in March and the film is expected to be released in 2020.

Local organisations were invited to apply for the grant funding with the Mayor, Councillor Brian Larcombe MBE, saying he wanted it to be used to “support a worthy project or cause to cre-

Council to increase precept

LYME Regis Town Council is expected to increase the precept - its portion of the council tax bill - by 10 per cent for the next financial year.

The council has held the precept at the same level as one of its main objectives for the past four years, absorbing the reduction in council tax support grant from the former West Dorset District Council, which has now been completely phased out, without passing it on to local council tax payers.

However, as the town prepares for the liklihood of taking on more responsibilities and assets from the new Dorset Council, members have now recommended that the precept be increased by 10 per cent for the 2020/21 financial year.

The council currently raises £120,708 from the precept - less than it has given out in grants in some years.

The Mayor of Lyme Regis, Councillor Brian Larcombe MBE, questioned whether it was necessary to raise the precept when it would only “scratch the surface” of the council’s overall budget. However, others argued that they had to start preparing for increased costs passed down from Dorset Council.

A recommendation to increase the precept by inflation at 2.5 per cent failed. The proposal to increase by 10 per cent then passed and will now go to full council for final approval.

FRANCESCA EVANS

francesca@lyme-online.co.uk ate a lasting legacy for Lyme Regis”.

Representatives from eight local organisations made their bids at a town council meeting last week, several with connections to Mary Anning.

However, due to the length of the meeting, which went on until 11.40pm, the council has still not made any decision on how the money should be spent. Bids will now be considered at an extra meeting called for Tuesday, December 17.

Those applying for the £15,000 funding are as follows: Axminster & Lyme Cancer Support – This local charity supports those facing the diagnosis and impact of cancer, and hopes to use the grant funding to set up Mary Anning’s Beach Hut. This would be a seafront beach hut available to book through the charity for anyone affected by cancer, providing space by the sea to relax and spend time with family. The hut would be named after Mary Anning, who died of breast cancer aged 47.

B Sharp – Lyme’s music charity has a strong track record working with children and young people across the region. They hope to use the grant to create a ‘Town Songbook’, involving the whole community in celebrating the town through visual arts and songwriting. The ‘Town Songbook’ will comprise of a series of original songs based on local stories, which could be used in local school singing and assemblies, and by local singing groups.

Lyme Regis Gig Club – Having launched in 2007, the club has a membership of almost 200, ranging in age from eight to 80, and a further 45 on the waiting list. The grant funding would allow the club to purchase a further gig with fittings to enable it to also be sailed, upgrading the safety of the club’s existing training gig which is particularly important for junior rowers. The new gig would be named ‘Ammonite’ to tie in with the Mary Anning theme.

Lyme Regis Musical Theatre – Formerly known as the operatic society, this local group will be celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2020 and will stage a concert version of ‘The Mikado’ as well as hit musical ‘Chicago’. The grant fund-

ing would allow them to purchase a folding platform that could be used to extend the stage at venues such as the Marine Theatre and Woodmead Halls, which could also be used by other local organisations.

Mary Anning Rocks – This campaign was inspired by fossil-mad Dorset schoolgirl Evie with the hope of erecting a statue of Mary Anning in Lyme Regis. Initial plans for the statue have recently been scaled back and it is now expected to cost between £55,000 and £75,000, which would be raised via a Crowdfunder campaign to be launched in the New Year. The group requested £5,000 of the ‘Ammonite’ funding for educational workshops and to commission an artist’s impression and maquette of the statue.

Mary Anning Scholarship Fund – The scholarship fund would support students from Lyme Regis attending higher education to study earth sciences or STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering, maths). It would specifically help those who are not currently well represented in these fields, particularly women from less advantaged backgrounds, honouring the legacy of Mary Anning by offering local young people the opportunity that she was not awarded within her lifetime.

Town Mill Trust – One of Lyme’s most historic attractions, the Town Mill was rescued from demolition 20 years ago and is now a thriving hub of artisan businesses, workshops and galleries, as well as the working watermill itself.

The grant funding would go towards a new ‘Grain to Loaf’ themed multi-sensory exhibition, which would tell the story of man’s use of grain for food, specifically for bread, from the Stone Age to the modern day.

The Woodroffe School PTFA – The Parent, Teacher and Friends Association of Lyme’s Woodroffe School are hoping to win the funding to cover the design and installation costs of an all-weather outdoor canopy for the use of students and teachers. This will create an outdoor learning space, as well as an area for students to socialise during their breaks, and a key element of the project would be the incorporation of artwork developed by pupils on the themes raised in the Mary Anning biopic.

New breakfast club for veterans

THE Royal Air Force Association, Royal Naval Association and Royal British Legion have come together to form a Breakfast Club for military veterans in the the Bridport and Lyme Regis areas.

The first meeting will be held on Saturday, November 30 at the Greyhound Hotel (Wetherspoons) in East Street, Bridport, at 9.30am.

There are over 3,000 breakfast clubs in the UK for serving Armed Forces personnel, veterans and their partners and relatives. If successful it is hoped the Bridport breakfast meetings will become a monthly event.

There are no subs or joining fees, just “breakfast and banter”.

Fish lunch for Save the Children

THE Lyme Regis branch of Save the Children raised £375.94 at their recent coffee morning.

The event was held at the Baptist Church Hall, where volunteers served hot drinks and mince pies. Organisers would like to thank Tesco Express in Lyme Regis for their donations.

The next event in aid of Save the Children will be a lunch at the Pilot Boat on Thursday, November 28. Fish and chips or scampi and chips will be available for £7 from 12noon.

Coffee morning and sale for church

A COFFEE morning and ‘new to you’ sale will raise funds for St Michael’s Parish Church’s tower appeal.

The event will be held at the Woodmead Halls from 10am to 12noon on Saturday, November 30 with second-hand books, a raffle, tombola, tea, coffee and cakes.

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NEWS ONLINE: Catch up with A round-up of the top stories from our website

Work to re-level beach after storms completed WORK to re-level Lyme Regis beach after stormy seas washed away a large quantity of sand has now been completed. The town’s main beach was cordoned off after a steep ridge was left in the sand following recent storms. Dorset Council engineers carried out the works earlier this week to replenish and re-level the beach. Sand which had been washed away in the recent storm was replaced using two large dump trucks and two excavators.

Co-op staff complete marathon for Mind STAFF from the Co-op store in Lyme Regis have completed a marathon challenge in aid of mental health charity Mind. Store manager Karl Josko and staff members Nichola Hutchings, Chrissie Chan, Louise Barton and Cameron Tyne walked a marathon distance of 26 miles up and down Lyme Regis seafront last week, raising £1,260 for the charity, which has been selected at the Co-operative’s national charity of the year.

Charity B Sharp launches £6k fundraising campaign LYME Regis-based charity B Sharp is hoping to raise £6,000 in just one month to take music-making to even more local young people.

B Sharp has launched a Crowdfunder campaign to run more active and fun music sessions across Dorset, especially for children and young people who are facing particular challenges such as mental health issues.

The cash will also support increasing numbers of young people to take on leadership roles within B Sharp, and so developing skills to help in their future lives.

There is also a plan to provide young people in need with bursaries to take part, to ensure financial hardship is not a barrier.

B Sharp is asking the local community to back the campaign by pledging money, and as an incentive great rewards are on offer including one-to-one music

lessons, tickets to B Sharp events, access to a term of B Sharp Jams or Boombox sessions, and many other goodies.

B Sharp chief executive and artistic director, Ruth Cohen, said: “Music is vital to young people, and research consistently shows that taking part in music making improves young people’s life chances. However, young people’s access to music making is reducing - they have less opportunities for involvement within education, and fewer are learning instruments outside of school.

“Without B Sharp sessions and work with partners, many young people in the area would not have the opportunity to explore music with their peers at all.”

For full details of the B Sharp Music Crowdfunder and to make a pledge visit the website www.crowdfunder.co.uk/bsharpmusic

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Former Lyme sailor picks up prestigious award A FORMER Lyme Regis youth sailor recently picked up an award in Bermuda on behalf of the Royal Yachting Association (RYA). Kate Fortnam, daughter of Lyme Regis residents Peter and Lynne Fortnam, collected the prize (pictured above centre) as the RYA was crowned winner of the World 11th Hour Racing Sustainability Award at the World Sailing Awards. Kate was a keen youth sailor with Lyme Regis Sailing Club, where she gained her RYA sailing certificates. She is now manager of The Green Blue, the environmental and sustainability department of the RYA.

Friday, November 22 2019 5

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the latest from Lyme Regis

FROM LYME’S OW N COMMUNIT Y WEBSITE

Stay up to date at www.lyme-online.co.uk - 24/7 news | sport | community Helping to make our planet a better place

‘Hey Alexa, what’s the latest from the police?’

DORSET Police is introducing a new channel for local communities to get the latest news from the force. Through the new Dorset Police Flash Briefing skill for Amazon Alexa, members of the public can now access free daily updates with the latest news and appeals delivered straight from the force’s media office into their home via their smart speaker. The briefings include witness and missing people appeals, investigation results, court updates and crime prevention advice.

Scouts and Guides join Rotary in bulb planting LOCAL Scouts, Cubs and Guides have helped the Rotary Club of Lyme Regis plant 4,000 crocus bulbs in Langmoor Gardens, thanks to permission from the town council.

The bulbs will create a sea of purple for the Rotary’s Purple4Polio campaign, helping to raise funds and awareness to eradicate polio from the world, with cases now only found in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

A FEW weeks ago I pledged that LymeOnline would be doing its bit for the environment and the fight against climate change. And today we launch the first of our ecofriendly initiatives with the new, monthly ‘Green Page’ on page 16.

Here you will find all the latest news, advice and eco-events from local organisations that are working together to make our planet a better place, including Turn Lyme Green, Plastic Free Lyme Regis and the One Planet Working Group, which is working alongside the town council after its official declaration of the climate emergency.

But the page is not just for these groups. We’re keen to get the whole community involved, so if you have some eco-news or green events to share, please let us know.

You can also read more about our own environmental policy and how our newsprint is responsibly sourced on page 2.

LymeOnline recognises climate change and environmental concerns as one of the most important current issues faced by our local community and across the globe.

So I was disappointed to hear just one fleeting question on the subject of environment put to Boris Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn during this week’s ITV Leaders Debate.

Instead, they focussed almost completely on the ‘B-word’ and were even asked about Prince Andrew and what they’d leave for each other under the Christmas tree!

I found it to be a frustrating, hurried debate and, as someone who has yet decided how to vote, it left me none the wiser.

I’ve always advocated the importance of using your vote, especially for young people, so I’m adamant I’ll still be at the polls on December 12 - even if I have to decide there and then! Next Tuesday (November 26) is your last chance to register to vote and you can do so online at gov.uk/register-to-vote - it only takes two minutes!

Hopefully the next issue of LymeOnline will help you make your decision, as we’ll be featuring election addresses from all the West Dorset parliamentary candidates.

Meanwhile, Christmas preparations continue a pace in Lyme Regis. A giant Christmas tree from Penn Farm arrived in the town last weekend and if you’ve popped into Broad Street this week you will have seen Virgil Turner and John King working hard to get our new illuminations ready for next Saturday.

Find out everything you need to know about the switch-on and other upcoming festive events with our special feature on pages 12 & 13.

Francesca Evans, Editor

NE W LOOK

Academy students to celebrate at boat launch Council appoints new THE latest class from Lyme Regis Boat Building

Academy will launch their boats on Wednesday, December 4. The class of February 2019 will celebrate the end of their 40-week course as six boats and two paddle boards are launched into Lyme Regis harbour. The boats include a 16’ traditional clinker sailing boat, an 8’ sailing dinghy, a 16’ lug- rigged sailing boat, a 16’ traditional coble fishing boat and two canoes – one traditional clinker, the other strip-planked.

lead for social care

ALISON Montgomery has been appointed as Dorset Council’s new corporate director for care and protection. Alison is currently the head of strengthening families at the City of Wolverhampton Council. She has more than 17 years of experience in working with children and families, as well as 11 years of experience in working for the police.

LYME RE G I S

Sunday Sequence Every evening 8-10pm Dancing Fitness that’s ‘Strictly’ Fun New dancers welcome

Fun, Fab, Dance Based Fitness Join Sarah on Tuesday mornings from 10-11am for 1st session free Call 07788 946 427 for more information

The Jerseys bring tribute show to Marine BRINING you all your favourite hits from Frankie Vallie and the Four Seasons, tribute act The Jerseys will perform their spectacular show ‘Oh What a Nite’ at the Marine Theatre in Lyme Regis on Thursday, December 19. With authentic harmonies and pitch-perfect acappella vocals, these four boys always leave the audience ‘beggin’ for more. Tickets cost £16 in advance or £18 on the door and are available by calling 01297 442138 or visit www.marinetheatre.com.

Other regular events include Ballet, Yoga, Pilates, Bingo and Town Band Rehearsals

To book the Woodmead Halls telephone Michaela Ellis on 07856 630975 Follow us on Twitter @WoodmeadHalls and Facebook at www.facebook.com/woodmeadhalls

6 Friday, November 22 2019

LYME MATTERS with Philip Evans Essential reading for all those with Lyme at heart

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Paying homage to town’s war dead L

YME Regis turned out in force yet again to honour the 100 local men who lost their lives in the two world wars.

There was a wonderful turnout for the Remembrance parade through the town and St Michael’s Parish Church was packed for the service.

The Remembrance events in Lyme are coordinated by the local branch of the Royal British Legion in liaison with the church and a great deal of effort goes into making sure that those men of Lyme who made the supreme sacrifice are remembered in an appropriate manner.

As well as the main parade and service on the nearest Sunday to November 11, there are also short ceremonies the day before at the memorial grave to those who lost their life when HMS Formidable was torpedoed in Lyme Bay in 1915, and at the Polish pilots war memorial in Anning Road.

A wreath laying service is also held at the

New school plan creates fears over village amenities UNLESS the planning issues over the entrance and exit to the proposed new primary school in Uplyme are resolved, there are real fears for the future of the petrol station, village stores and post office.

The loss of such facilities would be a major blow to the village but would also impact on the wider community.

Uplyme Parish Council is currently in discussion with the trust that runs the school and Devon County Highway Department in an attempt to solve the traffic issues, the main one being having just one entrance and exit which could lead to a build-up of traffic outside the petrol station, a potentially dangerous situation.

It is to be hoped a solution can be found.

It is inconceivable to think that the provision of a much-needed new school could lead to the demise of the village’s only amenities.

town war memorial in George’s Square on Armistice Day. The service at the Polish memorial is always quite emotional. Although there was no direct connection between Lyme Regis and the Polish pilots who played such a key role in the Battle of Britain, the memorial was erected by Magna Housing many years ago after the town received a request to do so.

The town council now maintain the memorial and the Legion is grateful for the special effort they put in to ensure it is kept in good order.

It contains a plaque which says: “In memory of the Polish pilots who died in World War II defending Great Britain.”

It’s tradition for the Polish national anthem to be sung at the memorial, a duty undertaken

by Mrs Lavery, a former Polish nurse, who lived in Lyme for many years which is now undertaken by Ania Driver, also a former nurse who hails from Poland and is a leading member of the Royal British Legion branch committee. This year she was joined by another Polish national, Magda Witkowska, who also lives in Lyme.

As President of the Lyme branch, my duties include reciting the Exhortation at the various services and reading out the names of those from Lyme who died which are recorded in a special Roll of Honour book. It’s certainly the most important role I play in any of the organisations with which I’m connected and I take it very seriously.

When first asked to do it, I thought it would be a fairly easy task. After all, during my career I have spoken to audiences much larger than that in the parish church and I did not give it too much thought.

But at that first reading of the names it suddenly occurred to me that whilst I knew none of those on the Roll of Honour, as they died before I was born, I had grown up among their children and grandchildren, familiar Lyme names, many of who were close friends.

Suddenly a wave of emotional attachment came over me and I struggled to finish reading the names. It’s far more difficult than I thought.

Since that first occasion, I try not to catch a

THE memorial in Anning Road where a plaque pays tribute to the brave Polish pilots who died fighting alongside their RAF compatriots in World War II, planted out in the Polish colours of red and white glimpse of those in the congregation who have lost a loved one, so as not to be distracted and to make sure that I do justice to those we are honouring.

After reading the lesson, the Mayor of Lyme Regis, Councillor Brian Larcombe MBE, related a story about how his father Alan took part in the D-Day landings carrying a poem with him as he fought with the Dorsets through to the end of the war. It was very touching.

The Legion is also grateful to the Reverend Rosemary Bragg, standing in whilst a new vicar is being appointed, who conducted the

service, and to Parochial Church Council member Tim Bacon who made sure things went smoothly.

It was heartening to see so many local organisations represented at the parade and service, especially the newly formed Lyme Regis Army Cadet Force who were marching in their uniforms for the first time.

The Legion were also delighted to see a few serving officers with Lyme connections leading the parade, including former Woodroffe School pupil, Royal Navy Captain Simon Petitt CBE, who has returned to the town to live.

‘Rich’ council to be less generous advantage digital print

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WITH £1.3million in the bank, Lyme Regis Town Council is considered to be one of the richest small authorities in the South West.

And it is certainly the most generous, awarding grants of somewhere in the region of £130,000 every year.

But it would seem those days are coming to a close.

Lyme’s lucrative car parks are one of the reasons the council has been able to be so generous in recent times in making grants to local organisations and projects.

But the council is facing some big expenditure in the coming months, including £700,000 on a replacement roof above the Amusement Arcade, SWIM and Antiques Centre on Marine Parade, which is likely to be paid from reserves rather than through borrowing. There are also plans to refurbish the council offices in Guildhall Cottage, likely to cost another six-figure sum.

These two items alone will make a big hole in the council’s cash assets and mayor Brian Larcombe is also keen to clear the council’s existing

outstanding borrowing, so there goes another £200,000 plus. With these big costs very much in mind, councillors have agreed to reduce the amount set aside for grants to £80,000, still a generous sum compared to other councils in the locality.

Consideration is also being given to increase the precept (the amount the council receives from the council tax) by 10 per cent but that will only bring in another £12,000.

The awarding of grants has always been a difficult process with deliberations often going on for hour after hour.

Last week a meeting of the Strategy & Finance Committee did not finish until 11.40pm. Part of that meeting was taken up with local organisations making a claim for grants from the £15,000 given to the council for disturbance money by the company which made the film ‘Ammonite’ starring Kate Winslet.

In all eight groups put in a bid but the council did not have time to make a decision and decided to refer the bids to a separate meeting, which would have been a good idea in the first

place.

One of the criteria put forward for part of the £15,000 was that there had to be a legacy, preferably related to Mary Anning. That being the case, there were only three applications which I felt met this criteria - a bid for £5,000 for the proposed Mary Anning statue; a proposal from the Axminster & Lyme Regis Cancer Support Group to have a dedicated beach hut for those suffering from cancer, Mary Anning having died of the disease; and the Mary Anning Scholarship Fund to support students from Lyme Regis studying the earth sciences in higher education or STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering, maths).

All the applications were worthy of support but some had no connection with Mary Anning at all and to have divided the £15,000 between all eight would not be considered as genuine legacy funding.

The allocation of the £80,000 allocated for local grants from the council will take place in March of next year.

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Woodroffe students complete volunteering with lifeboat crew

■ DONATIONS made by visitors to a Charmouth caravan park resulted in a cheque for £3,130 presented to Lyme Regis lifeboat crew. The owner of Wood Farm Caravan Park, Jane Bremner (picture above centre), made the RNLI her charity for the year, and the 4,500 bookings for the park resulted in the bumper donation. The caravan park has been in Jane’s family for 47 years and has 300 pitches. Nick Marks, volunteer lifeboat operations manager in Lyme Regis, said: “The generosity of Jane and her visitors is much appreciated by all members of our crew.” Next year’s charity at Wood Farm will be Dorset Mind.

■ A FORMER diving instructor who was once rescued by a lifeboat crew has joined the volunteer RNLI team in Lyme Regis.

Paul Carey, 61, who moved to Lyme Regis from Sussex this year, has joined the management team at the town’s lifeboat station as a deputy launching authority.

Paul, who started diving at 14 soon after he learned to swim, was rescued with his dive buddy after they surfaced only to find their dive boat had disappeared.

“We were in the water for 45 minutes with waves of three feet. The dive boat reported us missing and we were very relieved when the RNLI arrived,” said Paul.

As a qualified lifesaving examiner, boat handler and VHF radio tutor, Paul also taught diving at Poole Dive Centre.

Paul, who worked with adults with learning difficulties in Sussex for 20 years, said: “I will never forget my gratitude at being rescued by the RNLI, and when we moved to Lyme Regis I thought here was the ideal opportunity to give something back by volunteering.”

Paul and his wife Karen have three grown up children, twins Lucy and Anna, 24, and Timothy, 26.

DUKE of Edinburgh students from the Woodroffe School in Lyme Regis enjoyed a trip on the town’s lifeboat after completing their volunteering stint at the station FIVE teenagers, who spent six months learning the ropes with RNLI volunteers in Lyme Regis, were rewarded on Sunday with a trip in the town’s lifeboat.

The youngsters, all students at the Woodroffe School, are working towards their Duke of Edinburgh Awards and have spent the past six months attending training sessions at the lifeboat station to complete the volunteer sec-

Fish supper raises £500

A FISH supper held at Lyme Regis lifeboat station raised £519.25 for the RNLI. The supper was hosted by former chef Petrina Muscroft, and 23 diners tucked into a large pot of chilli con carne, two slow cookers of fish curry, three large salmon and one gammon.

A quiz and a raffle helped to boost donations.

tion of the scheme.

The lifeboat trip marked the end of their sessions with the lifeboat team.

Helm Brian Street took each of the youngsters to sea, one at a time, with other crew members.

Two of the students are Brian’s sons, Logan, 15 and Tyler, 17, who is hoping to join the crew soon.

Another of the youngsters, Rafferty Porter, 15, is the son of the lifeboat crew’s deputy launching authority Steve Porter.

As he came ashore Rafferty said: “That trip in the lifeboat was so cool, so much fun and who knows, I might join the crew one day.”

The other two students were Jack Evans, 15, and Merlin Thompson, 14.

Mr Street, a helm with the lifeboat for 15 years, said: “For the past six months these young men have been shown rope work, navigation methods, chart work and all about the workings of the lifeboat and the station as a whole.”

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Passing out parade for Charmouth recruits

CHARMOUTH firefighters James Lathey, Ben Perry and George Skewes pictured at their recent passing out parade

DORSET & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue (DWFRS) Service held its third pass out parade for new firefighters at Salisbury fire station earlier this month.

Thirteen firefighters, who have successfully passed their Firefighter Acquisition Training Courses, received certificates from Chief Fire Officer Ben Ansell in front of their families, friends and colleagues.

Distinguished guests at the event included the Lord-Lieutenant of Wiltshire, Sarah Rose Troughton; Deputy Lieutenant of Dorset, The Honorable Tim Palmer; High Sheriff of Wiltshire, David Scott DL; and members of Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Authority.

During the parade, the group of firefighters held a training display which simulated a property fire and included the use of an aerial ladder platform and two fire engines.

Three of the recruits taking part in the parade are based at Charmouth fire station.

Firefighter James Lathey said: “I joined the Service in April 2016 and completed my final competency assessment in June 2019. The application process was fairly quick, taking four months from applying online to my first drill night.

“Being part of the fire and rescue service is great, it gives me a real sense of helping in our small community and increases the social aspect that I may not have got working for myself in my day job.”

Ben Perry added: “I joined the Fire

and Rescue Service as I wanted to do something worthwhile and beneficial for my community.

“The crew on station have helped me to find the correct balance between my full-time job and being on-call. I have seen the positive impact first-hand that our station can provide to emergency incidents, and working for DWFRS has been far more rewarding than I had expected.

“Individually, and as a member of a crew, I feel like I'm making a real difference.”

George Skewes joined the service to learn new skills and do something worthwhile for the community. Since joining, he has become more capable and more versatile which has benefited

him personally.

The one thing he enjoys most is working with great individuals as part of a team.

Head of Learning and Organisational Development, area manager Kathy Collis, said: “Our pass out parade is a significant milestone in the firefighter development process. It is also a great occasion for family and friends to be able to celebrate the achievements of our new firefighters and see first-hand what they have learnt.

“My congratulations go to them all, and I hope they all have long and enjoyable careers with us.”

To find out more about becoming an on-call firefighter, visit the website www.dwfire.org.uk/on-call-firefighters

■ CHARMOUTH resident Barbara Pope celebrated her 103rd birthday last week. Barbara, who now lives at Bymead House nursing home in Charmouth, was born on November 14 1916, during the First World War. She enjoyed her big day with fellow residents and staff, with a homemade cake, balloons and presents. Barbara said her secret to reaching 103 was to push your way through life, eat plenty of baked beans, being an only child and working hard.

Uplyme supports Children in Need YOUNGSTERS from Uplyme helped to boost funds for this year’s Children in Need appeal last Friday.

Pupils from Mrs Ethelston’s Primary School in Uplyme dressed in pyjamas and spotty clothes for the day, and created a Pudsey bear from their pennies (pictured left), raising £217.

Uplyme Pre-School also took part in the fundraising events, dressing in spotty clothes and making Pudsey-shaped biscuits (pictured above). They raised £33.

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10 Friday, November 22 2019

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Museum Friends scoop award

JEAN Knight of the British Association of Friends of Museums presents a certificate and cheque to the chairman of the Friends of Lyme Regis Museum, David Cox, watched by fellow members THE Friends of Lyme Regis Museum have Fowles, who later became honorary museum won an award for one of their regular newslet- curator, providing volunteers to man the desk and welcome visitors. The group became a ters that are sent out to all members.

The Friends’ newsletter from January 2019 registered charity in 1979.

In the early days, the Friends purchased was selected by the British Association of Friends of Museums (BAfM) as the best sub- many items for the museum to supplement mitted by groups with a membership of 251 to and enhance its collections. It also donated £1,000 to help the newly-formed Charmouth 750 members.

As well as regular reports from the chair- Heritage Coast Centre set up a geological base man, treasurer and museum director, it in- with a qualified warden.

It is from these beginnings that the group cluded special features on museum displays, its volunteers and a tribute to the late Diana has grown to become the vibrant and highly Shervington, a Lyme Regis resident who was effective Friends organisation that it is today, a direct descendant of author Jane Austen, with about 460 members and a busy programme of talks and events to raise funds for and a great supporter of the museum.

Friends chairman David Cox received a cer- the museum every year.

In recent years the Friends have made three tificate and a cheque for £250 from Jean Knight, the BAfM secretary and national co- major donations to the museum, including ordinator, who visited from London this week £24,240 in 2010, covering the bulk cost of essential repairs and maintenance work to the to make the presentation.

Mr Cox said: “We have around 460 mem- exterior fabric of the grade II listed building.

In 2011 a contribution of £10,000 was made bers and were in competition with Friends groups from city museums so this is an hon- towards the cost of installing state-of-the-art our for a small town and a relatively small LED lighting throughout the museum, and in 2017 the Friends donated £68,000 towards museum.”

The Friends of Lyme Regis Museum were the building of the new Mary Anning Wing exfounded in 1977 by the late author John tension, opened in July 2017.

■ FOUR charities have benefited from money raised through car parking in Lyme Regis over the spring and summer months. Every year, Bob and Cynch McHardy open up their land off Haye Lane for additional parking facilities during busy periods. All money raised from the car parking is donated to their chosen charities, with this year’s beneficiaries being Dorset Air Ambulance, the Lyme Regis branch of Cancer Research UK, town crier Alan Vian’s charity to improve education in Milawi, and the WESC Foundation, a specialist centre for visual impairment in Exeter. Representatives from the charities this week collected cheques totalling several thousand pounds from Mr and Mrs McHardy at St Andrew’s House B&B, which adjoins the land and is now run by the couple’s daughter and son-in-law.

■ MEMBERS of the Lyme Regis/Barfleur Twinning Association recently welcomed friends from across the channel. Despite the recent stormy weather, the French visitors were able to enjoy most of the events that had been planned for them, including a visit to The Gallery at Symondsbury Estate, a buffet in the Lister Room on Marine Parade and dinner at the Mariners Hotel (pictured above). Members are now looking forward to a return visit to Barfleur next year. New members are always welcome to join - call 01297 442920 for further details.

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30th novembber 2019 broad streeet 3pm: lanterrn making workshop

Pine Hall, Lyme Regis Baptist Church. Great fun ffor or kids and all the family.

Free even nt, all materials provided.

4.30pm: judgging of the lanterns Ly yme Reg gis Baptist p Church. Prizes for for best entries in each age g ccategory.

5.15pm: lantern parade with father chrristmas Lyme Regis Majorettes will head the parade w with the cross stre eet lights illuminating as the parade passes do own Broad Street.

5.30pm: christmas lightss switch onn

The winners of the Christmas Lights Raffle willl be drawn follo followed by the switch on of the Christmas ttree lights.

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Christmas in Lyme

12 Friday, November 22 2019

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The best place to celebrate the festive season!

Countdown to the big switch on!

I

T’S that special time of year again when Lyme Regis really starts to twinkle. And spirits are expected to be especially high on Saturday, November 30 as the town officially begins its countdown to Christmas with the colourful lantern parade and switch on of the Christmas lights.

The lighting up of Lyme never fails to draw crowds and gasps of wonder from onlookers soaking up the seasonal atmosphere.

The festive extravaganza is set to be bigger and better than ever as organisers, Lyme Regis Christmas Lights Committee, have for the first time been purchasing their own sets of lights, including a new ammonite centrepiece to be displayed across Broad Street.

Christmas lights committee member Rob James commented: “We’re hoping as many people as possible join us to celebrate the beginning of the festive season in town.

“The committee are dedicated to putting on a display the town can be proud of and we are very grateful to our sponsors Lyme Bay Holidays, Swim, St Austell Brewery and Toad Hall Cottages for their support along with many other

local businesses, the town council, Rotary Club, and members of the local community who have generously contributed to our fundraising efforts.”

The afternoon celebrations commence with the Christmas lantern-making workshop at Lyme Regis Baptist Church Hall at 3pm. This is a free event with all materials provided and is great fun for kids and all the family.

Prizes will be awarded for the best lanterns in each age category with judging taking place at 4.30pm. Lanterns made at home are also welcome to enter the competition.

Following the judging, the lantern parade will make its way down Broad Street from 5.15pm, with the cross-street lighting displays illuminating as the parade passes underneath. Lyme Regis Majorettes will be adding a bit of extra sparkle to the proceedings with an energetic routine, followed by Father Christmas, who will be accompanied by the mayor, town crier Alan Vian and local resident Andrew Hodder, who has been selected to switch on the lights for his sterling efforts in selling raffle tickets on behalf of the lights committee.

The parade will eventually reach the iconic Christmas tree at Bell Cliff, donated by Penn Farm, where the draw for the raffle will take place followed by the switch-on at 5.30pm.

Entertainment will be provided by ukulele band Lyme Luggers and Lyme Morris dancers.

The lights will continue to sparkle until the first week of January, taking the town into a bright New Year.

The new lighting display in Langmoor Gardens are also expected to switched on on November 30 and will be on for two weeks over the Christmas period.

More information about the Christmas Lights Committee can be found on the website lymechristmaslights.co.uk

Celebrate Christmas around the town tree JOIN one of Lyme Regis’ longest running Christmas traditions at the annual Carols Around the Tree event on Monday, December 23.

Organised by the Rotary Club of Lyme Regis, the event always attracts a big crowd and this year will raise funds for Julia’s House Hospice.

Traditional carols around the town’s Christ-

mas tree in Broad Street will be accompanied by Lyme Regis Town Band from 7pm and hot soup will be served in the interval courtesy of the Royal Lion Hotel.

The Rotary Club will also be holding Christmas street collections in aid of the Dorsetbased hospice on Friday, December 20, Saturday 21 and Monday 23 in Lyme Regis, and also on Monday 23 in Charmouth.

Sign up for Christmas Tree Festival

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LY TM TCH DAY 30TH S R RI WI TU ER S SA M B 5PM VE 5.1 NO

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LYME Regis Regatta & Carnival Committee and Lyme Regis Baptist Church are joining forces once again to host the popular Christmas Tree Festival.

This year’s festival will be held in the Baptist Church hall from Friday, December 20 to Sunday, December 22, showcasing Christmas trees decorated by various local organisations.

L o c a l clubs, organisations and charities interested

in taking part are now being asked to sign up. An entry fee of £15 includes a small tree and power socket for lights (no more than two sets per tree).

Entrants are asked to decorate their tree between 4.30pm and 6pm on Thursday, December 19 and remove it before 11am on Monday, December 23. Arrangements can be made for organisers to remove your tree if you are unable to do so on this date.

Those taking part are also encouraged to decorate their tree to reflect the work of their organisation, and can leave leaflets, information and collection tins at the base of the tree.

The festival will be manned by stewards throughout and any collection tins will be removed for safe keeping at night.

For more information or to book a tree, call Alan and Lynne Vian on 01297 442220 or email alan@alanvian.co.uk

LYME Regis’ spectacular Christmas lights display always draws in the crowds. Pictured left, Lyme Morris will entertain once again at the big switch on Photos by Richard Austin

Take a dip this Christmas and New Year ONE of the area’s most popular festive events, the Christmas Day Swim in Charmouth, is once again expected to draw hundreds of spectators, as well as those brave enough to take a dip in aid of the RNLI. Fancy dress is not compulsory but vicars, dinosaurs, Father Christmases and pirates are expected to turn up for a splash in the sea at 11am. Participants should get to the beach by 10.30am.

Sue and Matthew Bracey of Charmouth’s Royal Oak pub are once again supporting the swim and will be providing mulled wine.

Sue said: “The free wine goes down very well with the swimmers, but this year we will have more bottles so that we can serve spectators as well for a donation to the RNLI.” Volunteer members of Lyme Regis lifeboat crew will be keeping a watchful eye out during the event, which will be subject to a risk assessment of conditions during the morning.

■ THE iconic Lyme Lunge will then return to Lyme Regis beach on New Year’s Day, and a fancy dress dip in the balmy waters of Lyme Bay is just the thing to lift your spirits the morning after.

This year, the Rotary Club of Lyme Regis will be supporting the Dorset County Hospital Charity Chemotherapy Appeal, raising funds to refurbish, enlarge and modernise the chemotherapy department having moved the consulting rooms to the new radiotherapy block opened this year. The Lunge last year raised funds for the equipping of the consulting rooms.

This is always a great occasion with thousands of spectators supporting a growing number participants, reaching record levels on New Year’s Day 2019.

Swimmers will parade their costumes on the beach before a quick dash to the sea at 1pm sharp, so make sure you get there in plenty of time. And the lifeboat crew will be on hand again to ensure everyone’s safety.

Full details and sponsorship forms are available at lymeregisrotary.org

Christmas in Lyme

Friday, November 22 2019 13

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The best place to celebrate the festive season!

Carollers to tour the streets of Lyme A white Christmas at the Marine Mill’s Christmas party to TRADITIONAL Christmas carollers and mince pies. kick off festive season Song sheets will be provided and will be touring Lyme Regis on Sunday, December 15 and all are in- there will also be two optional, in-

vited to join in.

Local resident Sarah Causley has launched Lyme Regis Community Carols, inviting all to join in and bring festive cheer to the streets of Lyme.

Everyone is invited to take part with a route planned around the main residential area of Lyme from 5pm on December 15, finishing at Woodmead Halls with warm drinks

formal rehearsals at Lyme Regis Baptist Church between 5pm and 6pm on Sundays, December 1 and December 8.

The carol singers will be collecting donations en route, which will be in aid of Lyme Regis Christmas Lights Committee.

For more details, visit the Facebook page facebook.com/lymecommunitycarols/

SANTA Claus will be back in town on Monday, December 9 and Tuesday, December 10. The charity Santa sleigh, organised by local residents Neville and Sarah Causley and their family, will be touring the streets of Lyme, playing music and bringing festive cheer to children and grown ups too! The sleigh will this year raise funds for Lyme Regis Christmas Lights Committee, with times and the route to be announced soon.

AS the nights get colder and the fires get brighter, the Marine Theatre in Lyme Regis has the perfect festive programme that is sure to get you in the Christmas spirit.

Pick up a mug of mulled wine and enjoy Jazz in the Bar with Charlie Bicknell (with an added dash of yuletide sparkle), a screening of Shakespeare’s tragi-comedy ‘The Winter’s Tale’, a double-bill of ‘The Snowman’ and ‘Father Christmas’, and a ‘Polar Express’ pyjama party. The star on the top of the tree and the theatre’s gift to you - a free screening of ‘White Christmas’.

This festive flurry kicks off with Charlie Bicknell’s Christmas Jazz in the Bar on Sunday, December 8. A vocal sensation, Charlie Bicknell will be performing a special Christmas programme at the Marine’s longrunning jazz event.

Next on the Marine’s Christmas extravaganza is a streaming of ‘The Winter’s Tale’ on Thursday, December 12. Filmed live at London’s Garrick Theatre in 2015, this re-imagining of Shakespeare’s classic tale of love and obsession stars Judi Dench and Kenneth Branagh.

Both young and old are invited to don their cosiest pyjamas for the Marine’s special event, The Polar Express Pyjama Party on Saturday, December 14, including a screening of the hit film. You may even catch a

LYME REGIS BRANCH

Christmas

glimpse of Father Christmas and the Station Master themselves at the theatre.

This year’s free yuletide feature film is the epitome of a Christmas classic, ‘White Christmas’ (pictured above). On Saturday, December 21 the Marine will be screening the Bing Cosby musical in which a successful song-and-dance team become romantically involved with a sister act and team up to save the failing Vermont Inn of their former commanding general.

Finally, before the seasonal hibernation commences, the Marine is closing its festive goings on with a double-bill of ‘The Snowman’ and ‘Father Christmas’. These Raymond Briggs classics will be played back to back with an interval on Sunday, December 22.

For further details on all events or to book tickets, call 01297 442138 or visit www.marinetheatre.com

THE Town Mill is hosting a Christmas party on Saturday, November 30 to tie in with the switching-on of Lyme Regis’ festive illuminations.

Residents and visitors are being welcomed to the Town Mill complex before or after the big switch-on in Broad Street at 5.15pm.

There will be live music in the festoon-lit courtyard from local duo Guilty Pleasure.

Lyme Regis Brewery will be showcasing its newly-expanded venue and serving its craft beers and some special Christmas drinks till late, while the neighbouring Courtyard Café will be serving hot festive food suitable for vegetarians and vegans.

Artisan businesses at the Town Mill will be also be open until 8pm, with Molesworth and Bird offering a 10 per cent discount to help you get started with your Christmas shopping.

Both of the mill’s art galleries will be open, with Pop up Vintage and Mike Mcgoran's exhibition ‘Beneath the Trees’, and chestnuts will be roasted on an open fire.

Christmas Trees for Life are also back this season, so come along and ‘adopt’ your tree for the festive period.

The Town Mill will also be hosting a Father Christmas experience on December 14 and 15. For more details on this and other events, and to book, visit the website www.townmill.org.uk/

Christmas Auction SATURDAY, DECEMBER 7TH FROM 7PM

Friday, November 29th

Woodmead Halls, Lyme Regis, eyes down 8pm Great festive prizes up for grabs!

Thank you to all who supported our recent coffee morning and curry night, raising a further £800 for Cancer Research UK!

LYME REGIS FOOTBALL CLUB SPORTS MEMORABILIA & TICKETS RESTAURANT VOUCHERS HAMPERS, GIFTS & MORE!

timeoutinLyme

14 Friday, November 8 2019

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ART | MUSIC | THEATRE | WHAT’S ON | COMPETITIONS

What’s on...

Friday, November 22

Knit & Knatter Lyme Regis Library, 2.30pm A friendly group who meet weekly to chat and knit over a cup of tea - all welcome.

Music: The Simmertones Marine Theatre, 7pm One of the UK’s leading authentic ska and reggae bands, with support from DJ Ska Au Go Go. Tickets £8 in advance/£10 on the door – call 01297 442138 or visit www.marinetheatre.com.

Bar opens 7pm for 8pm start.

Friday @ The Pilot The Pilot Boat, 9pm Weekly live music nights at the Pilot Boat.

Saturday, November 23

Bethany Chapel Coffee Morning Bethany Chapel, 10.30am Free monthly coffee morning at Bethany Chapel, Coombe Street, with donations welcome for the RNLI and Dorset Air Ambulance Music/Talk: ‘The Life & Times of Dire Straits’, Marine Theatre, 7pm Bass player John Illsley of Dire Straits presents this special evening, including live music and a Q&A session. Tickets £28 in advance/£32 on the door – call 01297 442138 or visit www.marinetheatre.com.

Bar opens 7pm for 8pm start.

Live DJs @ SWIM SWIM, 9pm DJ Tomjuno and friends perform every Saturday night at SWIM on Marine Parade.

Sunday, November 24

Sunday Craft Market The Pilot Boat, 10am A weekly Sunday craft market at the Pilot Boat Inn, Lyme Regis. Call 01297 443157 to book a stall.

Live DJs @ SWIM SWIM, 12noon DJ James Baker and friends perform a chilled out set every Sunday afternoon at SWIM on Marine Parade.

ISQ Jazz Workshop & Concert Marine Theatre, from 5pm SWIM, 12noon A practical workshop led by jazz quartet ISQ, open to anyone with an interest in jazz and improvisation and followed by a live concert ‘ Requiem for the Faithful’ at 8pm. Tickets cost £5 in advance/£7 on the door/£12 advance concert and workshop combined – call 01297 442138 or visit marinetheatre.com.

Sequence Dancing Woodmead Halls, 8pm Lyme Regis Sequence Dancing Club meets every Sunday at 7.45pm for an 8pm start. The friendly, welcoming group enjoys popular sequence dances and visitors are welcome.

Tuesday, November 26

The Old School House Café The Hub, 9am Community café run by LymeForward, open every Tuesday morning at The Hub in Church Street. Hot drinks, homemade cakes and toast available – just pay what you can, if you can.

Talk: ‘The Unusual Diary William Trollope’, Woodmead Halls, 2.30pm A talk on William Trollope of Charmouth and Lyme Regis, presented by his grandson John Trollope and supported by Paul Mellor and Vicki Dixon. This event is organised by the Lyme Regis Society and is free for members, £3 for visitors, including refreshments.

Wednesday, November 27

Talk: Natural Gardening Uplyme Village Hall, 7.30pm Uplyme & Lyme Regis Horticultural Society AGM followed by talk at 8pm by Brian Tomsett. Entry free for members, £3 for non-members.

Wednesday @ The Pilot The Pilot Boat, 8.30pm Weekly live music nights at the Pilot Boat.

Thursday, November 28

Lyme Regis Community Bingo Woodmead Halls, 8pm Bingo night every Thursday at the Woodmead Halls, raising funds for local organisations which are members of Lyme Regis Community Bingo Association.

Pilot Boat Quiz Night Pilot Boat, 8pm Weekly quiz night at the Pilot Boat for teams of two or more with cash prize for the winner plus £100 jackpot prize!

Live Music @ SWIM SWIM, 8pm Weekly live music night every Thursday at SWIM on Marine Parade.

Friday, November 29

Knit & Knatter Lyme Regis Library, 2.30pm A friendly group who meet weekly to chat and knit over a cup of tea - all welcome.

Screening: ‘42nd Street’ Marine Theatre, 6pm The largest ever staging of the Tony Award-winning musical and was filmed live at the Theatre Royal in the heart of London’s West End. Tickets £11 in advance/£13.50 on the door/£5 for under 18s – call 01297 442138 or visit www.marinetheatre.com.

Bar opens 6pm for 7pm screening.

Christmas Bingo Woodmead Halls, 8pm Christmas bingo in aid of the Lyme Regis branch of Cancer Research UK. Friday @ The Pilot The Pilot Boat, 9pm Weekly live music nights at the Pilot Boat.

Saturday, November 30

Christmas Fayre & Duck Race Uplyme Village Hall, 10am Stalls, refreshments and grand raffle with over £500 worth of prizes, followed by duck race at 12noon.

Theatre: ‘Moonbeam on a Cat’s Ear’, Marine Theatre, 1pm A visual journey into an exciting world of dreams and imagination for children aged three and over. Tickets £7 adults/£6 children/£20 family (2 adults, 2 children) – call 01297 442138 or visit

Send your diary dates to francesca@lyme-online.co.uk www.lyme-online.co.uk/events

www.marinetheatre.com.

Doors open 1pm for 2pm start.

Christmas Lantern Parade & Lights Switch On, Broad Street, from 3pm Lantern-making workshop at Lyme Regis Baptist Church from 3pm followed by judging at 4.30pm, parade down Broad Street at 5.15pm and the big switchon at 5.30pm.

Screening: ‘One Man, Two Guvnors’, Marine Theatre, 6pm Featuring a Tony Awardwinning performance from James Corden. Tickets £11 in advance/£13.50 on the door/£5 for under 18s – call 01297 442138 or visit marinetheatre.com.

Bar opens 6pm for 7pm screening.

Arabian Nights Supper & Auction Uplyme Village Hall, 7pm In aid of Uplyme Community Sponsorship Scheme, including dinner and auction of promises led by star of stage and screen Oliver Ford Davies. Tickets cost £20 - call 01297 442138.

Uplyme FC Auction The Nag’s Head, 8pm Sports memorabilia, tickets and more up for grabs at this fundraiser for Uplyme Football Club.

Live DJs @ SWIM SWIM, 9pm DJ Tomjuno and friends perform every Saturday night at SWIM on Marine Parade.

Sunday, December 1

Sunday Craft Market The Pilot Boat, 10am A weekly Sunday craft market at the Pilot Boat Inn, Lyme Regis. Call 01297 443157 to book a stall.

Live DJs @ SWIM SWIM, 12noon DJ James Baker and friends perform a chilled out set every Sunday afternoon at SWIM on Marine Parade.

Live Screening: ‘Present Laughter’, Marine Theatre, 6pm Matthew Warchus directs Andrew Scott in Noël Coward’s provocative comedy.

Tickets £11 in advance/£13.50 on the door/£5 for under 18s - call 01297 442138 or visit www.marinetheatre.com.

Bar opens 6pm for 7pm screening.

Sequence Dancing Woodmead Halls, 8pm Lyme Regis Sequence Dancing Club meets every Sunday at 7.45pm for an 8pm start. The friendly, welcoming group enjoys popular sequence dances and visitors are welcome.

Monday, December 2

Poetry: Pam Ayres ‘Up In The Attic’, Marine Theatre, 2pm One of the nation’s favourite poets visits the Marine for the first time in her 40-year career, to talk about her new book of poetry, ‘Up In The Attic’, and to sign copies.

Tickets £10 - call 01297 442138 or visit www.marinetheatre.com.

Bar opens 2pm for 3pm start.

Tuesday, December 3

The Old School House Café The Hub, 9am Community café run by LymeForward, open every Tuesday morning at The Hub in Church Street. Hot drinks, homemade cakes and toast available – just pay what you can, if you can.

Wednesday, December 4

Wednesday @ The Pilot The Pilot Boat, 8.30pm Weekly live music nights at the Pilot Boat.

Noel Coward comedy to be screened at Marine

Thursday, December 5

Theatre: ‘Are You Going to the Marine?’, Marine Theatre, 7.30pm nightly running until Saturday, December 7 A special community play celebrating the 125-year history of the Marine Theatre, written by Andrew Rattenbury. Tickets £6 adults/£3 children in advance or £7 adults/£5 children on the door - call 01297 442138 or visit marinetheatre.com. Bar opens 6.30pm nightly for 7.30pm start.

Lyme Regis Community Bingo Woodmead Halls, 8pm Bingo night every Thursday at the Woodmead Halls, raising funds for local organisations which are members of Lyme Regis Community Bingo Association.

Pilot Boat Quiz Night Pilot Boat, 8pm Weekly quiz night at the Pilot Boat for teams of two or more with cash prize for the winner plus £100 jackpot prize!

Live Music @ SWIM SWIM, 8pm Weekly live music night every Thursday at SWIM on Marine Parade.

Friday, December 6

Knit & Knatter Lyme Regis Library, 2.30pm A friendly group who meet weekly to chat and knit over a cup of tea - all welcome.

Charity Poker Night Lyme Regis Football Club, 7pm Raising funds for mental health charity Mind. Entry costs £20 include chillip and chips dinner. Call Seb Cope on 07877 321 435 to book.

Friday @ The Pilot The Pilot Boat, 9pm Weekly live music nights at the Pilot Boat.

Saturday, December 7

Human Rights Day Coffee Morning, Baptist Church, 10.30am Coffee and cakes, Amnesty International greetings card campaign.

Uplyme Church Fayre Uplyme Church, 12noon Stalls, games and children’s activities, festive refreshments and raffle.

LRFC Christmas Auction Lyme Regis Football Club, 7pm Lots include sports memorabilia and tickets, vouchers for local restaurants and attractions, hampers and lots more. All welcome.

Live DJs @ SWIM SWIM, 9pm DJ Tomjuno and friends perform every Saturday night at SWIM on Marine Parade.

THE Marine Theatre in Lyme Regis will be live streaming Noel Coward’s provocative comedy, ‘Present Laughter’, direct from London.

The performance, which stars Andrew Scott (BBC’s ‘Sherlock’ and ‘Fleabag’), Sophie Thompson (‘Four Weddings and a Funeral’), and Indira Varma (‘Luther’,‘Game of Thrones’), is directed

by National Theatre veteran Matthew Warchus.

The comedy follows the life of star actor Garry Essendine as he prepares to embark on an overseas tour. Essendine’s colourful life is in peril of spiralling out of control.

Overwhelmingly engulfed by a rapidly escalating identity crisis, his various and many relationships battle for his undi-

vided attention.

His few remaining days at home are embroiled in chaos: a theatrical whirlwind of love, sex, panic, and soul-searching – all the ingredients for a classic Coward.

‘Present Laughter’ is a scintillatingly giddy and surprisingly modern reflection on fame, desire, and loneliness. The performance will be captured live from The Old Vic in London and streamed to the Marine Theatre on Sunday, December 1.

The bar will open at 6pm for a 7pm screening. Tickets cost £11 in advance, £14.50 on the door or £5 for under 18s, with 10 per cent off for theatre members.

To book, call 01297 442138 or visit www.marinetheatre.com

Line up announced for comedy club LAURA Lexx will headline the Christmas edition of the Marine Theatre’s monthly comedy club.

As well as performing on the ‘Live at the Apollo’ Christmas special, Laura Lexx has appeared on ‘At The Edinburgh Festival’ (BBC Two), ‘The Comedy Club’ (BBC Radio 4 Extra), and ‘The Jason Manford Show’ (Absolute Radio).

Following the critically acclaimed run of her show ‘Trying’ last year, she has gone on to win Best Performer at the Comedian’s Choice Awards (2018). She was also included in the top 10 list for Dave’s Funniest Joke of the Fringe (2018).

The supporting line-up begins with the West Country favourite, Jon Wagstaffe. Beating the competition to be dubbed Tewkesbury’s finest stand-up comic, Wagstaffe’s take on modern life will have any audience in fits of laughter.

Also supporting the Christmas edition of the Marine’s Comedy Club is Morgan Rees. This softly spoken Welsh comedian comes jam-packed with an arsenal of quippy oneliners and hilarious short stories. Rees has appeared on BBC Radio 4 in the finals of the BBC New Comedy Award and was also a runner-up in So You Think You’re Funny (2017).

Resident compere Tom Glover will top off the bill.

Lyme Regis Comedy Club will be held at the Marine Theatre on Saturday, December 14, with the bar opening at 7pm for an 8pm start.

Tickets cost £8 in advance or £10 on the door - call 01297 442138 or visit www.marinetheatre.com

The Harbour Inn - celebrating 15 years in Lyme!

timeoutinLyme

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ART| MUSIC | THEATRE | WHAT’S ON | COMPETITIONS

Community play celebrates theatre’s anniversary Living Spit brings AS the Marine Theatre in Lyme Regis comes to the end of its 125th anniversary year, a special community play will be staged to mark the milestone.

The play ‘Are You Going to the Marine?’ has been written by Lyme-born scriptwriter Andrew Rattenbury, who has previously written episodes for the BBC’s ‘EastEnders’, ITV’s ‘Doc Martin’, and Channel 4’s ‘Teachers’.

With a local cast, writer, director and musical director, the show is a celebration of Lyme Regis, the theatre, and the community.

The production includes sections from many local societies - Lyme School of Ballet, Lyme Regis Pantomime Society, the Marine Players, B Sharp, Lyme Regis Musical Theatre and Saxminster.

For example, the musical theatre society will be reviving a section of their 1938 performance of ‘The Mikado’ at the Marine. The result is that everyone involved in the play is passionate about ensuring that “the audience see themselves reflected in the piece and the theatre’s history,” says musical director Declan Duffy.

The play opens as a technical rehearsal and is set up as a play-within-a-play. It charts the whole chronological history of the little theatre by the sea, from its time as a Georgian bath, through both wars, swinging into the 60s, and finishes by looking toward the Marine’s future.

The Marine’s long and rich history is seen through the eyes of three pairs of lovers who we meet them in different periods of time who act as a thread that weave together the 125 year his-

LYME-born scriptwriter Andrew Rattenbury has written the play especially for the Marine Theatre’s 125th anniversary tory.

The writer, Andrew Rattenbury, posted a callout on social media for people’s stories of the Marine and said that “the majority of the responses were tales of love and romance”.

This, he says, is what he wanted to be reflected in the play. Tales of unrequited love, 50-year long marriages, and fleeting romances have all been sparked from chance meetings under the

twinkling lights of the Marine.

The play is personal for Lyme Regis, as he hopes that the audience are free to see themselves reflected in the story. His passion for the community is evident, saying that “writing for the anniversary is like soul food”.

Georgia Robson, the director, is no stranger to the Marine stage herself, having performed there as a child and in the recent production of ‘Monmouth’.

She said: “As a director and a member of the community, I am excited to see the play come together and loving working on the project.

“The cast members as well as the Marine stage are familiar and friendly, something I hope the audience will feel as well.”

Musical director Declan has mirrored the 125year story with music from across the period: the first is from the 17th century, finishing with Daft Punk. The string quartet, unaccompanied singing, and the rock and roll band represent the cacophony of sounds that have emanated from the theatre over the years.

‘Are You Going to the Marine?’ will be staged at the Marine Theatre from Thursday, December 5 to Saturday, December 7 with the bar opening at 6.30pm nightly for 7.30pm starts.

Tickets cost £6 for adults and £3 for under 18s in advance, or £7 for adults and £5 for under 18s on the door, plus a 10 per cent discount for theatre members.

To book, call 01297 442138 or visit www.marinetheatre.com

LYME RE REGIS, GISS, PUT YO YOUURR

Join us for food, craft beer and cocktails.

Music kicks offf around 8.30pm

Marine Parade, Lyme Regi g s, Dorset, DT7 3JH Follow us on social media @swimlyme | 01297 442668 | info@weswim.co.uk

‘Swan Lake’ to rural Dorset venues

SWAN Lake – the most famous, magical, waterbased avian ballet ever performed. But expensive, high-brow and normally only at a big city theatre miles away from where you live… well, not any more!

This December the inimitable Living Spit are heading to Dorset for three performances of their brand new show ‘Swan Lake’ with Artsreach, the county’s touring arts charity.

Teaming up with Somerset producers Theatre Orchard, this comic duo will present the smallest ballet ever performed (probably). With Howard and Stu joined on stage by two professional ballet dancers, this is a proper ballet – in miniature.

The dynamic duo have promised to leave the tutus at home, but promises are made to be broken…

Choreographer Holly Noble has previously worked for English National Ballet and Sadler’s Wells as an Associate Dance Artist and was English National Ballet Youth Company Artistic Director.

Teaming up with Howard and Stu, they just might have created the funniest, danciest, waterfowlest micro-ballet the world has ever seen!

Living Spit will perform ‘Swan Lake’ at Wotton Fitzpaine Village Hall on Friday, December 13 (call 01297 560948 for tickets) and at Lytchett Matravers Village Hall on Sunday, December 15 (01202 623299).

Tickets for both venues are now limited and can be booked by calling the numbers listed or visit www.artsreach.co.uk

thegreenpage

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Climate and environmental Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree emergency - a call to action!

“WE are facing a crisis like no other. We are working to fend off disaster.”

“We are working to create a safe, fair, sustainable and possibly wonderful future.”

These were among the closing thoughts of the ‘Climate Emergency: From Declaration to Action' conference for local climate action groups on Saturday, November 16 at University College, London.

Lyme Regis Town Council is currently shaping its visions, plans and projects for its five-year term and will be engaging with the community through a Lyme Voice survey, by listening to views expressed by email and in person at the open public consultation held yesterday (Thursday).

In July, the council unanimously passed the climate and environmental declaration which pledged to: 1) Make Lyme Regis Town Council carbon neutral by 2030.

2) Work towards the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

3) Set up and support a One Planet Working Group to co-ordinate town council, community and individual activities towards net zero carbon and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

4) Call upon national government and Dorset Council to provide the powers and resources to make the 2030 target and SDGs possible.

5) Work with other local councils to determine and implement best practice methods to limit global warming to less than 1.5⁰C. 6) Continue to work with partners across the Lyme Regis area (Uplyme and Charmouth) to deliver the new goals through all relevant strategies and plans.

7) Prepare a report within six months with the actions Lyme Regis Town Council will take to address the 'climate and environmental emergency'.

The One Planet Working Group (OPWG) has met four times since July, co-ordinating ideas and suggestions from community groups and residents and selecting the first two projects to submit as Sustainable Development Goals - Plastic Free Lyme's Boomerang Bags and the Uplyme Community Sponsorship scheme to resettle a refugee family from Syria.

OPWG members have attended climate action and 'Green New Deal' workshops and conferences in Birmingham, Exeter, Bournemouth, Dorchester and London. We are currently initiating a Climate Action network of Dorset and Devon town and parish councillors working on their climate and environmental action plans to share best practice and collaborate where scaling up could attract external partnerships and funding.

Myself and Councillor Rob Smith collated the Climate and Environmental Action Plan which was agreed by all town councillors attending the informal budget setting meeting in October. The Strategy and Finance Committee then agreed those plans and projects which fell into the direct remit of the Lyme Regis Town Council - these will be the priority topics discussed during the public consultation process.

The wider Lyme Regis Climate and Environmental Action Plan includes proposals where the town council can influence and lobby local and national government, for example, to amend planning regulations to make energy efficiency and conservation measures fit for purpose for future climate change.

It also proposes collaborations with other councils, government agencies and social enterprises working to support local efforts to develop renewable energy schemes; raise building standards; encourage better and more sustainable transport options; promote local and climate-friendly food; rewild disused spaces, plant trees and wild flowers;

Re-use or recycle your copy of LymeOnline when you have finished reading it!

reduce waste and, above all, encourage everyone to work together to improve our natural and built environment, working lives, educational opportunities, community activities and overall health and well-being.

The task is immense. The consequences of not acting now are terrifying. Scientists tell us we are hurtling towards a 4˚C global temperature rise and we are already experiencing floods, storms, wildfires and catastrophic deforestation beyond even their predications. Children rightly fear for their future. Seventy-four per cent of people under 25 and over half of all adults agree that climate change will greatly influence the way they vote. We need to act now.

A safe, fair, sustainable and possibly wonderful future is possible. Please support the town council's climate and environmental action plan and tell us what you would like to happen. Come and join the One Planet Working Group to make Lyme Regis a climate action innovator, pioneer and hero as well as a plastic free champion. We are all in this together and we need you! For more details on the One Planet Working Group, visit opwg.org.uk/ Councillor Belinda Bawden, One Planet Working Group

IF you have visited the centre of Lyme Regis recently, you may have seen the large tree that has just been installed at the bottom of Broad Street, decked with festive lights ready for November 30 and the season that follows.

Many homes in Lyme Regis will also be celebrating by decorating a tree. The British Carbon Trust has calculated that a natural tree which ends up being chipped and composted, or one that is burnt as firewood, has a CO2 footprint of 3.5kg. If the tree goes into landfill, that number significantly increases, to 16kg.

An artificial tree has a much bigger footprint of around 40kg of CO2, so it will only be more sustainable than a natural tree if you keep the same one for at least 12 years. I have seen quite a few artificial trees in the skip for ‘waste that cannot be recycled’ at the local recycling centre, so I suspect 12 years is ambitious - do you still have your tree from 2007?

There is also a growing trend towards artificial trees made from natural materials, such as driftwood or FSC certified timber. As long as you keep a tree like this for a few years it should have a far lower footprint than a plastic one or even a natural one that gets put through a chipper at the end of its short life in your house.

Many of us try to follow the mantra, “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” but simply not having a tree

seems a step too far for many people.

Whichever type of tree you decide upon, you could choose to offset its carbon footprint by planting one to replace it or compensate for one made from fossil-fuel based plastic. There are many organisations who plant trees, so even if you don’t have a garden or any land at all, it’s quite simple to do.

Whatever actions we take in life, there are always environmental consequences attached to them. Our planet is in crisis: try to make sure your carbon footprint is as light as possible and endeavour to lean towards the green even more in the New Year.

Simon West Chairman, One Planet Working Group

Are we seeing a political ‘climate change’?

THIRTY years ago world leaders such as George Bush Snr and Margaret Thatcher did start to engage with climate change, but soon well-funded lobbying campaigns blocked government action.

For 30 years scientists have been advising all governments, and for thirty years environmentalists have been campaigning. But things continued getting worse.

Last year the UN released its latest assessment of global warning. It clearly stated that we had this year to turn things around. From 2020 onwards, global emissions had to start falling.

This year, Extinction Rebellion (XR), Greta Thunberg and the Schools Strike for Climate have ignited the debate. Every month, term time or holiday, students protest for their futures. Their marches have grown month on month, and governments have found them hard to ignore.

In April, and again in October, XR supporters

sacrificed weeks of annual leave to camp out in London. Many thousands laid down their liberty – being arrested by being in the way, accepting the career and travel limitations of a criminal record. They counted their liberty less than the human suffering that climate change will cause.

Around the country and the world, local XR groups continue to take action.

These mass global movements are having some effect. And people are waking up to the extreme weather, the loss of ice cover and rising sea levels. The environmental breakdown is still getting worse, but in most countries the political discourse now includes climate change.

Climate change requires bold, massive action.

With unprecedented storms and floods and fires around the world, how long will we keep on compounding the destruction? Ten years more?

Twenty or 30 years? It has never been more im-

portant to campaign and act to protect the environment.

If you can’t join a global movement, or protest in a capital city, there is still plenty you can do by getting involved in local community environmental groups such as Turn Lyme Green.

Rob Smith, Turn Lyme Green

PLASTIC FREE LYME REGIS INTERVIEW CONTINUING our series of interviews looking at businesses and organisations around Lyme Regis that are planning to become single-use plastic free, Karen Durham-Diggins of Plastic Free Lyme Regis speaks to Toby Guiducchi, co-founder of The Albany Guest House. ● WHAT have been the hardest challenges in reducing plastic in your business?

The hardest challenges we’ve faced have primarily been around sourcing, which is always going to be a challenge to a smaller business like a bed and breakfast like ourselves with a scope of five or six rooms, unlike a large hotel.

When you do find suppliers at the scale we need, which has got better, we still find amusing and frustrating things. We looked hard for 100 per cent recycled toilet paper; we found some that looked good but when it was delivered it was wrapped in plastic!

The hospitality sector itself is a challenge, the industry has traditionally been particularly bad, proliferating with single use plastic items in everything that it does. Our final challenge is the people that come and visit. Unfortunately, they aren’t all singing from the same hymn sheet. For example, we put tea bag tidies out so that we can compost them and not ruin the bin liners, but guests will still bin the teabag. ● WHAT have you achieved in reducing plastic

and any other environmental savings?

All our jams and marmalades are made locally in Uplyme for us, which we put in pots rather than individual plastic sachets. In the rooms toiletries are a big problem in the tourism industry; if you use small plastic bottles and pots and only a little is used it has to be thrown away. My wife makes her own range called Essence of Serenity so we put a dispenser in each room and guests can use as little or as much as they like. We can keep them topped up with no waste.

The other area we concentrated on is looking at our energy usage. We started with electricity, so all of the lights are LEDs and either on timers or motion sensors in the community areas, so they’re not left on over-night or all the time. We’ve moved to 100 per cent renewable electricity.

The second was our water usage. Obviously, guests are continually using showers, so we fitted flow reducers and aerated showerheads, and we do all our washing and laundry in house. We line dry everything rather than use tumble driers as much as possible. We put in smaller kettles and when guests check out, we use any water left in them to water the garden and plants. ● WHAT have been the business benefits of reducing plastic?

We’ve always had a strong sustainability ethos so a lot of these changes we’ve made since day one. What it has done has led to lots of awards that’s recognised what we’re doing. This actively supports our business as people looking for this

kind of place come and find us as they share that lifestyle choice and trust our environmental credentials as opposed to staying elsewhere.

If you cut it down to nuts and bolts of the business to pounds and pence, then I can definitely say it has cut our commercial waste charges considerably. By reducing our plastic, we minimise our landfill waste and recycling so pay less.

That’s mirrored in our utility usage in using a lot less water, in an expensive water area, we’ve seen the costs come down and our electricity bills. ● WHAT do you hope to achieve for the future?

That’s a difficult one. We’ve done an awful lot in the business but you can’t be complacent. We are always looking to see what else is new or what haven’t we considered. Somethings are still a bugbear, like bin liners in the guest bedroom waste bins. We’ve searched for a number of years for a sustainable, or recyclable or biodegradable product that doesn’t get compromised by what guests put in it and works from an environmental and a business prospective. We get through a lot and I’m still on the hunt!

One thing I’d like to see is more support or recognition at a government or local council level on a lower business rate or tax banding based on how much an organisation is doing to be sustainable and reducing waste. The other thing is interviews like this to share what businesses have done. By showing what we’ve done, by letting others know all the options available to them to reduce plastic so they can adopt these practices for their businesses to make it more sustainable for the future.

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Town falls silent for Remembrance Day

REMEMBRANCE Sunday was marked in Lyme Regis with the annual parade and church service.

The procession was led down Broad Street on the morning of Sunday, November 9 led by Royal British Legion standard bearer Jon Hunt, drummer Warren Jones and parade marshal Kevin Taylor.

Among those marching were serving and retired members of the Armed Forces, as well as members of the Royal British Legion and the new Lyme Regis Army Cadet Force.

Many local organisations and the emergency services were also represented, including the police, fire and rescue service, coastguards and lifeboat crew; Woodroffe, St Michael’s and Mrs Ethelston’s schools; and the 1st Lym Valley Scout Group, Lyme Regis Brownies and Guides, the Rotary Club, Freemasons, football club and majorettes.

As the procession passed the Guildhall, it was joined by the town’s civic party, including the Mayor of Lyme Regis, Councillor Brian Larcombe MBE, his wife Wendy, town crier Alan Vian, town clerk John Wright, members of the town council and macebearers Derek Hallett and Heather Britton.

The parade was followed by the annual Remembrance Sunday service at St Michael’s Parish Church, led by the Reverend Rosemary Bragg.

Hymns were accompanied by Lyme Regis Town Band and the church choir also performed

while wreaths were carried to the alter by the representatives of local organisations.

The mayor read the lesson and also shared a personal story about his father, Alan Larcombe, who served in the Second World War. The president of the Royal British Legion Lyme Regis branch, Philip Evans MBE, read the roll of honour listing all the men from Lyme who lost their lives in the two world wars, and then delivered the Exhortation.

Following the service, the procession re-formed to march past the town’s war memorial, along Coombe Street and into Cobb Gate square, where crowds lined the streets to observe a twominute silence at 11am, marked by the Last Post and Reveille, followed by the National Anthem.

Chairman of the Royal British Legion, Major Ian Marshall, delivered the Kohima Epitaph. The mayor and Mr Evans then thanked all organisations taking part before the parade was formally dismissed.

Other events over Remembrance weekend included wreathlaying services at the HMS Formidable grave in the cemetery and at the Polish war memorial in Anning Road on the Saturday morning.

The 100th anniversary of Armistice Day was marked on Monday, November 11 with another short service at the town’s war memorial in Monmouth Street, where further wreaths were laid by the mayor and Mr Evans.

SERVING members of the Armed Forces line up ahead of the Remembrance Sunday parade

MEMBERS of the newly-formed Army Cadet Force march in their first Remembrance Sunday parade

LYME Regis Guides in the procession

LYME Regis Fire Brigade march in the procession COMMEMORATIONS were also held to remember all those from Charmouth who lost their lives during conflict.

A parade marched down The Street, Charmouth, on Remembrance Sunday, headed by parish councillors and joined by representatives of the emergency services, the National Coastwatch Institute, the Royal Voluntary Service, the 1st Charmouth Scout Group and the 1st Charmouth Brownies and Rainbow section.

Wreaths were laid at the war memorial on behalf of the various local organisations taking part. The service at the war memorial was conducted by lay reader Philip Sankey. The Last Post was played on the bugle by local resident, Richard Fereday.

The events were co-ordinated by parish councillor Paul Oatway.

Photo by Bill Burns

Photos by Richard Austin

VOLUNTEERS of Lyme Regis lifeboat crew on parade, along with Poppy Edwards representing Mrs Ethelston’s Primary School

THE 1st Lym Valley Scout Group, based in Uplyme

THE Mayor of Lyme Regis, Councillor Brian Larcombe MBE, and chairman of the Lyme Regis branch of the Royal British Legion, Philip Evans MBE, pictured at the town’s war memorial having laid wreaths on Armistice Day

18 Friday, November 22 2019

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PROMOTED CONTENT

LYME REGIS TOWN COUNCIL Mayor and town clerk given tour of church tower works THE mayor and town clerk scaled the church tower this week to see the progress of the repair works.

The council recently donated £40,000 to St Michael’s Parish Church to help pay for urgent repairs to the Saxon tower.

As the oldest part of the church, the repairs are set to cost around £150,000.

Tim Bacon, a member of the Parochial Church Council, invited mayor Cllr Brian Larcombe and town clerk John Wright to visit the church to see how work was progressing.

They braved very high winds on Wednesday to scale the scaffolding and see the restoration work up close.

They were shown around by Tim and site manager George Wolff, from Ellis & Co of Shepton Mallett, and had the opportunity to speak to those working on the project.

Cllr Larcombe said: “I really appreciated the visit. It was good to get so close to the work being done and the problems revealed with the old rendering removed.

“Taking the initiative and undertaking this work is a great credit to all who are making this important restoration possible. The visit confirmed the necessity and significant timing of it.

“It was good to be able to speak to the workforce too – I don’t envy them working in the weather conditions, but what satisfaction they must have when the work’s done.

“I firmly believe the restored outer tower and building’s surface, clock face, and ancillary detailing will be a long-lasting testimony to the quality of the work done and the effort of all those who have made it possible.

“I think the new outer surface will have quite a visual impact

and, such is the church’s prominent location, will be seen from all parts of the town.”

THE Mayor of Lyme Regis, Councillor Brian Larcombe MBE, gets a close up look at the church clock and, left, at the new lead flashings that will hold it in place

Film grant applicants We need you to help all worthy recipients us achieve climate and WE are facing the difficult task of deciding which worthy cause should receive the £15,000 Ammonite filming money.

Following the filming of a Mary Anning biopic in the town in March, Fossil Films donated £15,000 to create a beneficial legacy for the town.

We invited expressions of interest from local organisations and received eight applications for a diverse range of projects.

The applicants were invited to a committee meeting last week to speak in support of their funding bid but a decision has been deferred until December.

We had a very busy agenda and a meeting that didn’t finish until just before midnight, so we didn’t feel we could give the applications the consideration they deserved on that night.

An application came from Axminster and Lyme Cancer Support, who would like to use the funding to provide ‘Mary’s hut’, a beach hut on the seafront to be used by anyone affected by cancer.

Youth music group B Sharp would use the funding to work with young people and community groups to create a town songbook and eight large banners to be used during community events.

Lyme Regis Gig Club hopes to support the development of its junior rowing programme with the Woodroffe School with the commissioning of a new fibreglass gig.

The Mary Anning Scholarship Legacy Fund would use the funds to support students from underrepresented groups in Lyme Regis attending higher education studying earth sciences or STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) subjects.

A multi-sensory ‘Grain to Loaf’ themed exhibition would be created by the Town Mill Trust at the entrance to the mill to welcome visitors to the building, telling the story of humans’ use of grain for food.

Woodroffe School PTFA has applied for the funding to design and install an all-weather outdoor canopy in the grounds of the school, incorporating students’ artwork, to be used as an area for learning and socialising.

Mary Anning Rocks would like a third of the funding to put towards its ongoing campaign to commission a statue of Mary Anning and launch a Crowdfunder page to generate the funds needed.

Lyme Regis Musical Theatre is also requesting a portion of the funding to purchase a folding platform to use in its 100th anniversary production of ‘Chicago’ in 2020 and in future productions to help the chorus to be seen and heard.

Surely no-one would envy us the task of choosing between these projects – they are all worthy recipients and it’s clear to see the benefits they would create for the community.

environmental goals THE One Planet Working Group (OPWG) has identified projects to pledge to the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).

OPWG was set up to enable Lyme Regis Town Council, community groups and interested individuals to fulfil the climate and environmental emergency declaration and work towards being carbon neutral by 2030.

We are delighted that Plastic Free Lyme's Boomerang Bag scheme is the first community project to be registered under UN Sustainable Development Goal 12, to ‘ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns’.

Within this goal is a target to substantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse by 2030.

The Boomerang Bag scheme perfectly captures the energy and goodwill of our local community in wanting to deal with an environmental problem in a very positive and pro-active way.

The scheme involves local people, businesses and schools working together to offer a ben-

efit to residents and visitors to improve their experience shopping in Lyme while reducing the need for plastic bags.

The Uplyme Community Sponsorship scheme to resettle, support and integrate a refugee family from the Syrian conflict in the area will be the second UN SDG project to be submitted.

This achieves Goal 10, ‘to reduce inequality by facilitating safe and responsible migration, implementing a planned and well-managed migration policy’.

The Community Sponsorship Scheme is the government's chosen policy to support the resettlement of refugees forced to flee the conflict in Syria, which some argue is a consequence of the longest drought in human history caused by climate change.

Acting locally can have global impact!

Individuals and community groups are invited to contact the One Planet Working Group https://opwg.org.uk/ - to help us achieve the town council's climate and environmental action plans.

We are all in this together and we need you!

■ THANK you to all those who have so far offered feedback on our plans and objectives for the next five years.

As this is a new council administration, we are setting out our ambitions for the life of this council and one year beyond.

To help focus our work, we have been asking the public what they think of our ideas and inviting them to make suggestions of their own.

On Thursday, we held a public consultation event at the Woodmead Halls and our thanks to all those who attended.

If you’re a Lyme Voice participant, you should have received an email asking you to take part in a survey to help prioritise our plans. If you haven’t already completed the survey, you have until Friday 29 November.

There is also an opportunity for the public to email or write to the town clerk with their comments at Lyme Regis Town Council, Guildhall Cottage, Bridge Street, Lyme Regis, DT7 3BS or townclerk@lymeregistowncouncil.gov.uk This is an exciting time for the council – we have a blank sheet of paper and want to put plans in place to improve the town, our services and facilities, and the quality of life for residents, businesses, workers and visitors.

All our proposals can be found on our website at www.lymeregistowncouncil.gov.uk.

There’s still time to provide feedback so please take this opportunity to tell us what you think.

■ OUR mayor will have the honour of switching on the town’s Christmas lights next weekend.

The festive season will officially begin in Lyme Regis when the mayor, Cllr Brian Larcombe, accompanied by mayoress Wendy Larcombe, will lead the town in the countdown on Saturday, November 30.

The mayor and mayoress will also lead the lantern parade through the town, after judging the decorated lanterns at the Baptist Church.

This has always been one of the favourite events in the mayoral calendar and over the years, the council has proudly supported the Christmas lights display with funding, this year to the tune of £4,000.

The content on this page is promoted and provided by Lyme Regis Town Council

Friday, November 22 2019 19

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20 Friday, November 22 2019

FLASHBACKS with Richard Austin

www.lyme-online.co.uk

Tales from behind the lens of our award-winning photographer IT was a real privilege to have met and photographed football commentator Kenneth Wolstenholme.

“Some people are on the pitch, they think it’s all over. It is now!” Five seconds of historic commentary entrenched in the very identity of most English football fans.

I was 12 when England won the 1966 world cup and even at that age Wolstenholme’s tone and style of commentary was truly cemented in my head, so, what a privilege all those years later when I was commissioned to photograph him at his small but spotless bungalow in Torquay.

The story was not particularly a positive one; England’s fans were shaming the nation at the European Championships in 2000 and Kenneth was asked for his comments regarding the newspapers headlines.

I can tell you he wasn’t very impressed. He made us a cup of tea and it was interesting to chat to him. I asked him why he had no memorabilia on his walls, especially from the 1966 final, but he said that it wasn’t something he was bothered about.

He was still commentating in London but not full time. I asked him why he had chosen to live in Devon, to which he replied it was to be closer to his family.

During the 1950s and 60s, Kenneth Wolstenholme was the voice of football on the BBC and gained national fame for the phrase uttered at the very end of his match commentary on the 1966 World Cup Final, when Geoff Hurst scored the goal in the dying seconds of the game to secure England's 4-2 victory over West Germany.

But before his television career, at the start of the war, Wolstenholme was a member of the Royal Air Force Reserve, and was soon calledup at the outbreak of WW2 By 1941, he had qualified as a bomber pilot and was in the thick of the action. Wolstenholme completed more than 100 highly hazardous sorties over occupied Europe and in May 1944 was awarded the DFC. The following year, he won a Bar to his DFC for his continual bravery in raids on Germany in a period of exceptionally heavy night fighter activity.

He finished the war as an acting squadron leader having spent its last stages working in the RAF's public relations department.

STORMY seas returned to Lyme Regis this week, with even experienced local sailors finding the conditions a tad challenging.

Father and son sailing duo Darrol and Cameron Moss, who both work at the Harbour Inn, were captured on camera by photographer Richard Austin as they were capsized in rough seas on Wednesday, but they managed to cling on and eventually get their boat back upright.

Both Darrol and Cameron are experienced sailors and members of Lyme Regis Sailing Club, so they weren’t too fazed by the conditions, joking “it’s a bit lumpy out there” as they returned safely to dry land.

Photos by Richard Austin

‘A bit lumpy out there!’

Friday, November 22 2019 21

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classifieds&jobs

22 Friday, November 22 2019

LADIES TAP SHOES, black, size 6½, as new, £10 for quick sale - 01297 442198.

MEN’S COAT, long black winter coat, wool/cashmere mix, size medium, 40 inch chest, very good condition, originally cost £140, selling for £30 ono 01297 445788.

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CHRIS GREEN SHOOTING VIDEOS, ideal Christmas present, ‘Wildfowling’ 3 volumes (£25), New Fowling Adventures’ 3 volumes (£25), ‘Pigeon Shooting: The Whole Story’ 3 volumes (£25), or buy all nine for £60 - 01297 443419.

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TEA SET, Duchess Tranquility tea sea including six tea plates, two-tier cake stand, six cups, five saucers, hardly used, £35 or will consider offers -

www.lyme-online.co.uk

ITEMS FOR SALE

07768 901 443.

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BREAD MAKER, Panasonic model SD-254, excellent condition as hardly used. complete with manual, £38 01297 560402.

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Please note, items for sale will move down the list each issue as we receive new listings, or will be removed earlier if we are contacted to confirm they have been sold.

Axe Valley Academy

Pastoral Support Co-ordinator We are looking to appoint a Pastoral Support Co-ordinator to work under guidance to provide support in addressing the needs of pupils who need particular help to overcome barriers to learning.

Hours: 31.25 hours per week (8.35am to 3.40pm) 39 weeks (term time + Inset Days) Salary: NJC SCP 7-12 £19,554-£21,589 pro rata Cover Supervisor We are seeking to appoint an excellent part-time Cover Supervisor to provide high quality supervision of lessons for short term teacher absence. Successful candidates will be able to demonstrate effective classroom management, professionalism and a commitment to the Academy’s core values.

Hours: 15 hours per week 38 weeks (term time) + 2 days Salary: NJC SCP 7-12 £19,554-£21,589 pro rata (£10.14-£11.19 per hour) For further information about these posts and to apply please visit our website: www.axevalley.devon.sch.uk/information/vacancies This school is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

Beautiful Care Home in Lyme Regis has the following vacancies available Night Senior Care Assistant If any of these positions interest you, then please call 01297 443513 or visit our website www.fairfieldhouse.co.uk to download an Application Form and Job Description.

To advertise, call 01297 442781 or email edit@lyme-online.co.uk

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Join the LymeOnline Supporters’ Club for just £4 a week and you’ll feature on the ‘Advertising Wall’ on our website and in our printed edition Club members will also benefit from a 10% discount on all other print and online advertising For details call 01297 442781 or visit our website lyme-online.co.uk

Friday, November 22 2019 23

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LymeOnline Sport

email your sports reports to edit@lyme-online.co.uk

football

Seasiders nearly blew three-goal derby lead

LYME Regis 1st team got off to an explosive start in their local derby against Seaton Town with Joe Bond scoring a hattrick in the first 13 minutes.

But suddenly the Seasiders lost concentration and with some uncharacteristic defending saw Seaton get back into the game to level matters before half time through two free headers and a fantastic long distance strike.

Lyme’s travelling fans could not believe their eyes, but the team recovered their composure and dominated second half proceedings with another goal from Joe Bond and strikes from Fred Parsons and Dan Rendell, his first for the Seasiders.

Manager Gerard Hitchcock summed up Lyme’s performance as being “brilliant in the first 25 minutes, garbage for the next 20 minutes.

“We just went to pieces,” he

PHILIP EVANS

philip@lyme-online.co.u added.

But they sat down at half time and talked it through and he was pleased with how his team raised their game in the second half.

Man-of-the-match had to go to Joe Bond for his four goals - taking him over 200 for the club (see page 24) but Fred Parsons also stood out.

Cody Bowditch and Cam Fowler also did well when they came on as subs.

Tomorrow (Saturday) Lyme entertain Kentisbeare who they beat 2-1 earlier in the season having trailed 1-0 at half-time.

They will be going all out to do the double to retain their second place in the Devon & Exeter Premier division, but Hitchcock is taking nothing for granted, describing the Devon team as “a tough nut to crack”.

Rovers go top of the league TEAM of the moment Lyme Rovers sneaked into top place in the Perry Street League Division Two with an emphatic 6-0 victory over the once mighty Shepton Beauchamp.

The Seasiders’ third string now top the division on goal average, having the same amount of points as their nearest rivals Dowlish Wake & Donyatt.

Having been promoted from Division Three last season, the Rovers have taken Division Two by storm and will be going all out to win promotion again this season.

The goals against Shepton came from Pete Peacock (2), Finlay Mclean, Scott

Meyers, Calum Taylor and Josh Rawlins, his first goal for Lyme.

It was an excellent defensive performance by the Seasiders, who played some attractive football, moving the ball around neatly.

Matt White was subbed after 15 minutes having sustained a nasty head gash. Man-of-the-match was Toby Fowler.

The Rovers will be looking to secure their position as league leaders when they meet Shepton again tomorrow (Saturday) in the return fixture at the Woodroffe School.

■ LIFE doesn’t get any easier for Lyme Regis Reserves in the Devon and Exeter Division Three.

Three points at home to Dunkeswell Rovers were well within their capabilities and would have seen them jump several places in the table.

But they found the East Devon villagers in uncompromising mood and in a game littered by errors were beaten 2-0 which sees them stuck in the bottom half of the table with just seven points from seven games.

Manager Dominic Rowe will have been disappointed by this performance, especially as they had enough chances to have won the game easily.

They found themselves 1-0 down after 16 minutes with Lyme’s threeman back line struggling for pace against a lively Dunkeswell attack.

Lyme managed to lift their game and had five good chances in eight minutes to steal the initiative. But a combination of poor finishing and a brilliant performance by the Dunkeswell keeper kept them at bay.

Lyme looked more threatening after the break when Ben Bowditch and Freddie Andrews came on as subs but they created very little in the second half, with the exception of a couple of near misses late in the game.

Dunkeswell made sure of the points with a second goal in the last minute of the game.

Tomorrow (Saturday) the Reserves are away to University of Exeter 5th X1, a team just one place above them in the table.

Swallows’ late goal rally not enough to do double over Forton AFTER a rain delayed break, Uplyme returned to Perry Street League Division One action on Saturday with the visit of Forton Rangers, who the Swallows had beaten earlier this season in a 4-3 thriller.

On this occasion, Forton were a much better organised team and started strongly. Uplyme were pinned in their own half for much of the first half with keeper Sam Wooster making a good save and also being on the end of a hefty challenge.

Uplyme were undone by their old nemesis of failing to clear in their own area, leading to Forton’s first

goal, followed by similar strike for their second when Wooster saved only for the rebound to be put away.

Uplyme pulled a goal back just before half time when a Harry Robson’s free-kick was deftly touched home by Oscar Sladen making it 12 at the break.

The Swallows started slowly in the second half and conceded two more goals, one from a free header and the other from a defensive mistake.

But they started to threaten more down the slope as Forton tired with Dan Huggins going close before the visitors notched their fifth goal.

Then came Uplyme’s best spell

and in the last 15 minutes Huggins scored twice after good work from Toby Barnes and Harry Robson.

Huggins might have got his hattrick with a better connection.

Manager Stu Wooster commented after the game: “A defeat but again lots of positives – Dan’s tireless running, Oscar’s skill on the ball to name a couple.”

The manager gave his man-ofthe-match accolade to Oscar Sladen for his goal and overall contribution.

On Saturday Uplyme travel to neighbours Charmouth for a much anticipated local derby.

golf

with Richard Jackman

‘Waltzing’ to three-ball success THERE were no singles competitions at Lyme Regis Golf Club this week, but the three-ball ‘waltzing’ bowmaker provided some keen team competition at the weekend.

Peter Beviss, Bob Taylor and the ever-present Samuel Beviss won ahead of David Binns, Graham Pickard and Bob Shepherd. Rob Coombe, Shane Stone and Bary Ebdon took third place.

In the nine-hole yellow ball stableford, the ladies braved the coldest day this winter and the team that warmed up quickest to win was Sarah Kilcoyne, Judith Ellard and Sue Crossley with 62 points, with Geraldine Wickes, Mary Minter and Marilyn Wilson only a point adrift in second. Caroline Baker, Susan Moore and Rosemary Dare came third.

Last year’s captains, Gareth Williams and Kathy Briggs. chose the Weldmar Hospice as their joint charity. Weldmar Hospicecare provides specialist end of life care for people living in Dorset. It was with great pride that both captains went

to the Joseph Weld Hospice in Dorchester, to present a cheque for £5,810.87p (pictured). The money was raised through various fundraising events and with the generosity of members and visitors.

■ THERE were some outstanding scores in the 4 Ball Better Ball competition at Lyme Regis Golf Club and it was tough at the top as three pairs all came in with 45 points.

On countback Mark Colley and John Perryman won with a spectacular score of 25 on the back nine.

Spare a thought for Scott Love and Jon Ebdon, who play off scratch and 3 respectively, as they notched up 24 on the back nine to finish second while Phil Webb and Simon Wood took third place with their 22 on the back nine.

In the last midweek stableford of the year Mark Lewis went out in fine style with two 18 point nines to finish on 36 points and win, while James Phillips just fell away on the back nine to take second on 34 and Cameron Moss took 3rd on 30.

skittles

Flyers setting the early pace AFTER four games, Flyers have opened up a two-point lead at the top of the Men’s Division One in the Lyme Regis Skittles League with Marksmen and last year’s league winners, No Hopers, in close pursuit.

The Men’s Division Two sees a tussle at the top between Clueless and The President’s Men, sharing top spot with six points apiece, although Clueless have a game in hand.

Skittso’s with six points are leading the Ladies’ League, closely followed by Hot Gossips and Wootton Wobblers.

Results Cawston All Cup La Crème 338 v Pin Pals 301: Marksmen beat Generations; President’s Men 323 v No Hopers 381.

Ladies’ Doug Clark Cup

Wootton Wobblers 306 v Skittso’s 304; Generations v La Crème TBC. Ladies George Nomination Cup Generations 132 v Wootton Wobblers 151.

Men’s League Alleytwits 329 (+BL) v Trappers 333.

Men’s Cornish Cup No Hopers 334 v Alleytwits 363 (previous round); Marksmen 373 v Clueless 366; Miscellaneous 370 v Rousdon Rebels 363; Young Guns 330 v Flyers 339; Alleytwits 381 v Roadrunners 363.

High Scores: Paul Bright 74: Paul Grinter 73; Andy Sheader 73; Smurf (Misc) 73 Division 2 Curtis Nomination Cup Skittle Me Timbers 249 v Alleytwits 281.

Nomination High Score: Lewis Hodder 63

Follow local sport 24/7 on our website - www.lyme-online.co.uk

LymeOnline Sport

24 Friday, November 22 2019

November 22 2019

Marcus stands down with gig club thriving

football

NOW IN THE DEVON & EXETER PREMIER LEAGUE

Saturday November 23 Lyme Regis 1st vKentisbeare Kick-off 2.15pm

Seasiders look to do the double

gig racing

AFTER 13 years at the helm, the driving force behind Lyme Regis Gig Club, Marcus Dixon, has stepped down from the position of chairman.

Lyme Regis Gig Club was launched at an inaugural meeting in February 2007, bringing together 50 local enthusiasts and setting up a development team to raise funds for their first gig.

Cornish pilot gigs, built with oak frames and elm planks, are 32ft long and 4’6’’ in the beam, with six oars and a cox. Today’s boats are exact copies of a fast gig called ‘Treffry’ which was built in 1838 by William Peters in St Mawes and still raced today by Newquay Rowing Club.

From the outset, Lyme Regis Gig Club grew and developed rapidly with their first gig ‘Rebel’ built by the much admired boatbuilder Gail McGarva at Lyme Regis Boat Building Academy, and launched in 2008.

The club, which now has three wooden Cornish pilot gigs all built by Gail, GRP gigs, two Cornish sea skiffs, safety boat and ancillary kit, has nearly 200 members aged from eight to 80 of which 56 are junior rowers.

The club also has a number people keen to take up the sport, to enjoy the fun of gig racing, keep fit, be part of a team and compete in the region’s fastest growing sport. There are now over 80 gig clubs the UK, Holland, USA and Bermuda, with whom Lyme Regis Gig Club is twinned.

Lyme Regis Gig Club is an ocean rowing club with crew members Elliot Dale and Chris Derby having rowed across the Atlantic both ways. Former rowing captain Nigel Le Gassick rowed in a four-man team non-stop around the UK and Roger Brine and Neil Witteridge this year achieved a great result in rowing in the Mediterranean.

The sport of Cornish Pilot Gig racing originated in the 18th century when pilots were rowed out to

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RETIRING Lyme Regis Gig Club chairman Marcus Dixon pictured with a half model of a gig made by Lyme Regis Boat Building Academy to mark his 13 years in office the square riggers to helm them navigate the perilous rocky shores off the South West coast and Isles of Scilly. The pilots only got paid if they reached the ships entering the Western Approaches first and so racing started.

The ethos of Lyme Regis Gig Club is to offer a balanced, accessible, safe programme of sea rowing for all of members, whilst at the same time competing and winning at the events and championships held throughout each year from March through to October with Lyme Regis crews, especially young rowers, having each year incrementally improved their results including at the World Pilot Gig Championships held on the

Isles of Scilly at the beginning of May. Mr Dixon said: “In the years since we launched in 2007 I have been extremely lucky to work with a team of fabulous people all of who have worked hard to create a club we can all be proud of.

“It’s a great time for me to hand over the management of Lyme Regis Gig Club to the new chairman Heather Prior and her 2020 committee.

“I have joined the club’s team of trustees and will be involved with the club’s continued strategic development and building closer links, particularly for local young rowers, with our twinned Bermuda Pilot Gig Club.”

Hat-trick hero Bondy joins Seasiders’ elite goals club A SCINTILLATING 13-minute hat-trick against neighbours Seaton Town on Saturday catapulted Lyme Regis striker Joe Bond (pictured) into a very exclusive club - those players who have scored 200 goals or more for the Seasiders.

It was Bond’s second goal of the game that got him into the ‘200 Club’ and he went on to score two more in Lyme’s somewhat haphazard victory over their nearest Devon & Exeter Pre-

PHILIP EVANS

philip@lyme-online.co.uk mier opponents.

Although 3-0 up, Lyme took their foot off the accelerater and after some uncharacteristic defending by the Seasiders’ back four, the home team found themselves back on level terms by half-time with the Lyme supporters shaking their heads in disbelief.

Lyme got their act together after the break with Bond, Fred Parsons and

Dan Rendell, with his first senior goal for Lyme, securing the points.

Bond has been Lyme’s most dangerous striker for several seasons now but took a year-out travelling which seems to have done him no harm at all.

By joining the ‘200 Club’, Bond sits alongside the likes of Lyme legends Ellis Hoole, Stuart , Percy Vere, Stuart Broom and the late Pat Rice as a worthy member of a very elite group of players.

Full match reports - see page 23

LYME Regis 1st team will be looking to do the double over Devon & Exeter Premier Division opponents Kentisbeare at the Davey Fort tomorrow (Saturday, kick off 2.15pm).

It was back towards the end of August when Lyme picked up three points at Kentisbeare after the East Devon side took a 1-0 lead before half-time.

But Lyme put in a strong second half, a hallmark of their run of six victories on the trot, to win the game with goals from a Fred Parsons’ header and a Ben Vine penalty.

Since then Kentisbeare having only won two of their nine games so with Lyme still clinging onto their second place, this is a game when the double is essential if the Seasiders want to maintain their challenge for honours.

Lyme Regis Reserves will be looking for a better performance as they travel to the University of Exeter’s 5th X1. The Seasiders’ second string were woeful on Saturday, long 2-0 at home to a determined Dunkeswell side.

The Uni boys are only one place above the Reserves in Division Three, although they have a game in hand, but manager Dom Rowe will be looking for a much improved performance.

Lyme Rovers went top of the Perry Street League Division Two table on goal difference after a brilliant 6-0 win over Shepton Beachamp.

The two sides meet again tomorrow at the Woodroffe School pitch when the Rovers will be looking for a similar performance to cement their top spot.

The big game in Division One of the Perry Street League will be the local derby at Charmouth where neighbours Uplyme are the visitors.

Win VIP tickets for motoring event VIP tickets to attend a top motoring event are on offer at Uplyme Football Club’s auction to be held at the Nag’s Head on Saturday, November 30 at 8pm.

The lucky recipient will get free entry to the GT World Challenge Europe event in May 2020, including hospitality and hot laps in the R-Motorsport Aston Martin Vintage GT car for two people.

It is just one of many lots that will be auction off at the Swallows’ fundraising event (see advertisement on page 8).

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