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Community garden news
by Rebecca Blackman
We’ve had quite an uplifting month at South Molton Community Garden. Following a positive and productive AGM back in February, we are excited to welcome the arrival of some red mason bees and a brand new website!
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The bees are in tiny little cocoons and not ready to hatch yet. They are non aggressive bees with no honey, and are superb pollinators. One of our members has been busy making paper tubes for the bees to nest in and we’re building a little bee hotel to house the tubes.
This will be situated in a quiet, south facing area of the garden and we’ll wait for them to emerge over spring. In the meantime, we need to ensure plenty of pollinator-friendly planting to keep the bees happy. A very exciting addition to our lovely garden.
If you’d like to join us, please come along on a Thursday afternoon, weather permitting, around 2pm. Alternatively, please visit our new website for more information or to get in touch: southmoltoncommunitygarden.co.uk
Fined for unlicensed dog breeding
An Exmoor equestrian centre owner has been handed a £10,000 fine for breeding dogs without a license. Tristan Gosling, of Whitemoor Equestrian Centre, East Anstey, was found guilty at a hearing on March 1st at Barnstaple Magistrates Court. He was said to be responsible for breeding dogs in September last year without the required license and selling pets without proper authorisation, contrary to animal welfare laws.
Chair of the Licensing Committee at North Devon Council, Cllr Louisa York said, “Licensing allows us to undertake checks on a business to ensure all welfare standards are being met, and animals are leading healthy, happy, and safe lives. I’m pleased we got this outcome, which hopefully sends the message to other people that we take animal welfare extremely seriously.”
MP tackled over lack of dentists
Concerned residents are lobbying North Devon MP Selaine Saxby over the lack of NHS dentist provision, after she stated that South Molton could see an ‘NHS dental van’ service visiting. John Northfield of Bee Meadows said, “In two years we have not been able to obtain any NHS dental services within a thirty mile radius of South Molton. With hundreds of new homes being built in the town it’s nothing short of a total disgrace.” He is urging others to write to their MP.
