Tavy Links magazine April/May issue 2019

TAVY LINKS WALKS | ARTS | EVENTS | PEOPLE | HERITAGE | LOCAL FOOD & DRINK | HOMES | BUSINESS

April/May 2019 | Issue 36

220

EVENTS & ACTIVITIES

Westcountry Rivers Trust

Protecting our natural environment

to enjoy this spring

We meet Oleta Forde, founder of Plymouth Beach Clean Volunteers

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FOOD & DRINK

Chocolate & Coffee Festival

HISTORY

Princetown conscientious objectors

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Saving the environment The deadline date for any inclusions in the June/July issue of Tavy Links will be 1st May 2019. For all editorial enquiries please contact Rosemary via email: rosemary.best@ linksmagazines.co.uk

THE LINKS TEAM: Publisher: Tim Randell Editor: Rosemary Best Writers: Nichola Williams, Kaye Rogers Design: Sara Venner, Julian Rees Customer Services: Rachel Rees Advertising: Jane Daniel, Olivia Breyley, Joanne Mallard

01822 615627 We’ve spotted Harry Otter 7 times in the magazine. Can you

Approximately 12.7 million tonnes of plastic winds up in the oceans every year, while the world’s science community has warned that we only have 12 years to make a significant impact on global warming and keep it to a maximum of 1.5C or we risk catastrophic consequences. It seems there has never been such a clear message about the need to take action, and although much of the power for change lies in the hands of governments, there are a multitude of ways everyone can affect the outcome for the next generation - switching to reusable water bottles and shopping bags, car-sharing, making your home more energyefficient. In the recent climate strikes carried out by young people, one of the placards summed up the situation quite neatly with ‘There is no plan-et B’.

We have been talking to a number of people who are trying to make a difference to the environment. Oleta Forde is an environmental scientist and marine conservationist who set up Plymouth Beach Clean Volunteers in February 2018. Tamar Energy Community advises people on saving energy and growing your own food. Westcountry Rivers Trust has been working with communities for 25 years, restoring the health of local rivers, estuaries and wetlands, while Tavistock Scrapstore is working with The Robey Trust on an exciting project to recycle local plastic waste.

Rosemary Best Editor

spot him too?

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9 Contents

22

26

58

5 Community News

27 Farming Diary

58 Food & Drink

10 Education

29 Naturalist

60 Outdoors & Active

11 Kids’ What’s On

30 Feature

62 History

12 Local People

34 What’s On

64 Book Review

16 Charity Focus

45 What’s On Extra

66 Tech Help

19 Health & Wellbeing

50 Music & Art

70 Trade Secrets

22 Gardening

53 National Trust

Delivered by Royal Mail to: Brentor, Grenofen, Gulworthy, Horndon, Horsebridge, Kilworthy, Lamerton, Mary Tavy, Milton Abbot, Moortown, Peter Tavy, Tavistock, Whitchurch.

@tavylinks Cover photo by Adrian Pitcher www.dartmoorphotographyadventures.co.uk; 07512 989750

2019

16•17•18 MAY

Livestock Competitions

Crafts and flowers

Equestrian Events

Food Halls & Shopping

Join us for a Celebration of the Cream of the Devon countryside at Devon County Show 2019, Westpoint, Exeter Advance Ticket Prices: Adults £19, over 60s £17 Visit www.devoncountyshow.co.uk for further details #creamofdevon

COMMUNITY NEWS

Exploring Dartmoor’s delights Regular readers will know that Tavistock Ramblers’ walks feature in the ‘Outdoors and Active’ section; with the encouragement of the Tavistock Visitor Information Centre and the support of Links Magazines, Tavistock Ramblers has compiled some of these walks into easy-to-follow guides for visitors and locals. Six walks are now available at a modest cost to help people explore the delights of the surrounding countryside.

Another initiative that Tavistock Ramblers is supporting, is The Dartmoor Way which seeks to establish a 100-mile circular walking route round the moor, taking in many of its villages and hamlets. The route survey to determine signpost locations and frequency is now underway. We all know how successful the South West Coast Path has been in encouraging walking and it is hoped that The Dartmoor Way will repeat that success closer to home.

Tavistock Ramblers, with almost 180 members, organises 150 walks annually of varying lengths and types across winter and summer programmes. The summer programme, starting in April, has just been published and comprises a rich mixture of long and short walks, some circular, some linear, with something for everyone. Since even Ramblers cannot walk all the time, there is also a programme of summer social events.

From April, Sue Whiteman, who was previously the group’s membership secretary, takes over as chair from Malcolm Cooper who has been chairman since 2016. We wish her and the group every future success. For further details on the walks or if you are interested in joining this welcoming group go to www.tavistockramblers.org.uk

BID’s egg-citing plans It’s a busy time for Tavistock Business Improvement District.

Our half-term events were attended really well, attracting visitors to the town at a time that can be difficult for traders.

The traditional ‘Games on the Square’ proved a great hit as did the ‘Shadow Puppet Shows’ with Tavistock Scrapstore. We have lots of exciting collaborations in the pipeline this year from working together with local groups to improve the VisitTavistock brand, to events such as EcoFest which will support businesses in the town who offer products for sustainable living, and creating the first Customer Excellence Awards for Tavistock.

See our community website www.dartmoorlinks.co.uk

Our brand-new egg-citing Easter Trail has just launched and runs until Easter Monday. Find and identify the eggs to win a goody bag. Supported by Devon Chocolates, Domea Favour and Brook’s, the eggs can also be won by voting for your favourite.

Clue sheets can be found in the Visitor Information Centre and I Love Candy. In May, we will launch the first of our summer trails in collaboration with Tavistock Community Gardeners and Entertainingly Different will be on hand to provide some storytelling with a difference in half-term. For more details on future town events, like us on facebook or see www.visit-tavistock.co.uk.

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COMMUNITY NEWS

Transition Tavistock

Tamar Energy Community (TEC)

Transition Tavistock was formed in 2008 by members of the local community seeking to ‘share knowledge and practical ideas to use less energy and resources, grow more of our own food, and supply and buy more locally’. From the initial concept, many off-shoots have developed to form: Tamar Energy Community and Tavistock Community Gardening, as well as a number of projects looking at current issues, such as Tavistock and District Local Economic Blueprint, reducing plastic usage and climate change. With the goal of achieving ‘a more sustainable and better future’, the group has set up a spacious community facility in Elbow Lane, Tavistock known as Local Matters (open 11:00-13:00 Mon-Sat), for the general public to visit for advice on energy efficiency, or growing your own food, with fruit and vegetable seeds available for a donation. This active community group is always looking for the next project and also keen to attract like-minded people with energy and inspiration, looking for a challenge.

Kate Royston was one of the main instigators in setting up Tamar Energy Community, with the aim of providing the general community with access to free, reliable and impartial advice about energy efficiency, as well as taking part in projects to advance energy innovation. Anyone can seek help at Local Matters or by requesting a home visit to talk about energy usage, switching providers, insulation, heating controls, grant funding and managing fuel debt.

Tavistock Community Gardening Formerly known as Roots to Transition and Tasty Tavy, this hard-working group led by Ali Sedgwick and Sue Hepworth designed and planted out the beautiful Tavistock Community Sensory Garden with trees, shrubs, flowers and grasses, appealing to all the senses, including the ‘taste’ garden - a series of raised beds filled with fruit and vegetables. They also transformed the Rose Walk and have cultivated many areas of Tavistock with ‘Incredible Edible’ vegetables, receiving a number of awards and commendations from the RHS Britain in Bloom adjudicators over recent years.

Community Solar was the first TEC local community-owned energy generation project which generates energy from solar panels mounted on the roofs of a number of community organisations and businesses, including Tesco Stores, Callington, Mount Kelly, and Abbey Garden Machinery.

The scheme provides a number of benefits including reduced cost electricity for the hosts and a contribution to national energy needs.

TEC is also one of just seven community groups in the UK looking at the peaks and troughs of energy usage. This exciting local energy initiative, ‘The Power in Your Hands’ is part of OpenLV. It involves looking at the data from Meavy Way substation in Greenlands and thinking about ways of shifting our energy usage from the peak evening period to low usage times such as the middle of the day and in the night, in anticipation of the introduction of time-of-use tariffs and decentralised energy management.

For more information on any of the above groups and projects visit transitiontavistock.org.uk, or contact info@transitiontavistock.org.uk or 0800 233 5414

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COMMUNITY NEWS

Rotary Round-up Tavistock Rotary is known for the support it gives to the local community and local projects, but there is also an international section that applies for grants to support projects in other countries. Any money is usually match funded by Rotary International which means projects can make a real difference.

Tavistock Rotary paired with the Rotary Club of Wynberg to provide funding to a Learn to Earn Course taking place in South Africa, helping to train 26 unemployed adults with basic barista skills; the 8-week Ground UP barista course also includes holistic development through the Learn to Earn Life Skills programme, such as ‘job readiness’. The second part of Rotary’s investment funding will go toward fitting out two coffee trailers, including industrial coffee machines, grinders and point-of-sale equipment, to be operated by Ground UP barista graduates.

Closer to home we are working hard preparing for our Golf Day on 15th May, which is a major fundraiser for the club and its charities. This year’s Golf Day will support the Triangle Centre- a cancer support centre based in Tavistock.

Anthony Sherlock is organising teams of three players for the competition and all holes are sponsored by local businesses; this fantastic support enables us to support numerous charities. The day ends with a good buffet meal and the only thing we can’t organise is the weather! If you would like to find out more about joining Tavistock Rotary as a member or a volunteer please email catherinebailey945@gmail.com

‘Ron’s Pets’ celebrates 30 years Thirty years ago, Ron Ayling established Ron’s Pet Supplies, initially starting off with just a table in Tavistock Pannier Market, selling peanuts and a few dog chews. The business steadily grew and in 1999, Ron’s Pets opened up the first shop in West Devon Business Park, run by both Ron and his son Gavin. Five years later the shop moved into bigger premises and Ron’s other son, Gary, joined the family firm, in charge of expanding the market stall business. Although Ron passed away in 2013, the business has remained Ron’s Pet Supplies, and is still very much a family firm with Gavin and Gary taking over the reins, and the next generation stepping up to learn the ropes - Gavin’s children, Ross and Bethan, have taken over the role of business managers for the shop, whilst Gary’s daughter Oak works alongside him in the market.

30th Anniversary

Open Day Sunday 9th June 2019 11am - 4pm

Ron’s Pets is celebrating its 30th anniversary with an open day in West Devon Business Park on Sunday 9th June from 11:00am to 4:00pm. There will be 100 free goody bags to give away, a novelty dog show, live demonstrations, a bouncy castle, face-painting, a pet photography booth, supplier stands, nutritional advice and lots of fun for all the family.

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Looking after you Free Admission • 100 free Goodie Bags to give away • Novelty Dog Show Live Demonstrations • Hot & Cold Refreshments • Bouncy Castle & Face Painting and your pets Supplier Stands • Nutritional Advice • Pet Photography Booth • and more...

West Devon Business Park, Tavistock PL19 9DP www.ronspets.co.uk • 01822 611110

See our community website www.dartmoorlinks.co.uk

7

COMMUNITY NEWS

Money problems?

Question: I’ve got three kids, and as usual, my finances are not in good shape. I’m on a low income so have had to put some purchases on a credit card. I have been trying to pay it off but I’m already behind on other bills. I haven’t been able to pay my council tax in three months and received payment reminders from my energy provider. What should I do?

Answer: First things first, work out how much you owe - make a list of who you need to pay each month and how much. If you don’t have your most recent statements, you can contact your creditors to find out. Make sure you are getting all the income that you are entitled to. For example, you may be entitled to tax credits to top up your income or help with child care, housing costs or school meals. Create a budget by adding up essential living costs, such as food and housing, and take these away from your income. Any money you have spare can be put towards your debts. The Citizens Advice budgeting tool on the website can help.

Your council tax, rent or mortgage, and energy are priority debts, as there can be serious consequences if you don’t pay them. These must be paid first. Separate these and work out how much you owe. As you’re already in arrears with your council tax, you must act quickly and contact your council to arrange an affordable payment plan. You can also contact your energy supplier to help you sort out a payment plan that works for you. They must help you do this and you can get help from your local Citizens Advice if they don’t. To cut your future bills you should make sure you’re on the best deal you can get.

Use a price comparison tool to check. For further help working out your budget, negotiating with creditors or checking which benefits you’re entitled to, contact your nearest Citizens Advice by phone, online or face-to-face.

For the most up-to-date advice, please visit www. citizensadvice.org.uk, call Adviceline on 03444 111 444 or visit Tavistock Citizens Advice, Abbey Surgery: Mon, Weds, Fri 103pm www.ruraldevoncab.org.uk

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COMMUNITY NEWS

Estate agent on the run A local Tavistock estate agent is attempting the 2019 London Marathon on 28th April in memory of a very close friend.

Sally Collings, sales manager for Miller Town & Country in Tavistock, is raising money for CRY- Cardiac Risk in The Young - along with her friend Casey Knight, administration officer at Derriford Hospital. They need to raise £4,000 between them and hope to raise much more, in memory of their dear friend Lee, who died at the age of 19. Sally said: “Lee had just finished tech’ing a show; he said goodnight at the end of the rehearsal, went home to bed and didn’t wake up. He was diagnosed with young sudden cardiac death.”

In 2010 Casey’s nephew William was born with a rare heart condition, which was not detected until after his birth and within days he needed life-saving surgery. Casey said: “He has battled on to successfully overcome numerous subsequent surgeries and has grown up to be the amazing and cheeky little eight-year-old we love today. We recognise how crucial early screening and diagnosis is, so fully appreciate the work that CRY does.”

CRY is a charity that supports bereaved parents as well as aiming to get screening programmes into schools in order to help prevent further deaths. Sally and Casey have been raising the much-needed funds with Santa runs at Christmas, car boot sales and collections in Plymouth and Tavistock. To help Sally and Casey reach their total for CRY you can donate online at: uk.virginmoneygiving.com/SallyCollings and uk.virginmoneygiving.com/CaseyKnight1

Limited edition Tavistock maps Artist Terry Townson has captured Tavistock in a beautifully designed A3 picture map, with limited edition prints and cards on sale in aid of St Eustachius’ Parish Church. Produced in watercolours and pen and ink, her map shows historic landmarks, including the church, the town hall and St Francis Drake’s statue, along with St John’s holy well, a Devon world heritage window in the town hall and the Honour Oak, which marked the boundary of parole for French prisoners during the Napoleonic War. Londoner Terry moved to Gunnislake in the 80s and then to Tavistock last year. She had previously created a similar map for Sidmouth Parish Church which proved a great success.

Designing the map was no easy task, but after consulting books by the town’s historians, including Gerry Woodcock and

See our community website www.dartmoorlinks.co.uk

Simon Dell, she found she had more than enough material.

Terry’s signed and mounted prints and cards are available at St Eustachius’ Church at Friday coffee mornings, Tavistock Museum, The Bedford Hotel, Book Stop and other shops in Tavistock.

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EDUCATION

‘I’d rather be a rebel’ Tavistock College theatre company, Malarkite Collective, recently presented its first production - ‘I’d rather be a rebel’ - producing a high-level cross-arts work, both educating and entertaining its audience. More than 135 people watched the play over the course of the day as the cast of eight female sixth-form students shared the stories of influential women in Devon, focusing on their connections with the West Country and exploring how the roles of women have changed and are changing in society. The women chosen were Edith Splatt, Emily Pankhurst, Sylvia Calmady Hamlyn, Madame Paulo, Belinda Lee, Elizabeth Just, Joss Stone and Heather Fell - all influential and inspiring in their own way. Each of these women was seen to have some connection to the role of women today, such as Belinda Lee’s stand against the sexualisation of women in the film industry.

The group researched the women, basing monologues on real speeches they had made, and also looked at the works of influential female playwrights such as Caryl Churchill, Charlotte Keatley and Laura Wade, to develop their playwriting

style. The movement work was inspired mainly by the popular dances of the eras but also included physical theatre to embody the journey of the characters. The group composed songs and created soundscapes, as well as revisiting songs of the past to contextualise the work. The narrative followed the story of Heather Fell’s determined struggle to become an Olympian and the closing speech echoed the meaning behind the whole piece: ‘This is for the women who went before me who paved the way for women of today, for the people, men and women, who stand beside me as we seek an equal playing field and those who will go ahead of us to continue to remove barriers to opportunity and equality.’

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KIDS WHAT’S ON KIDS WHAT’S ON

BID TAVISTOCK TAVISTOCK EASTER EGG HUNT Monday 1st to Monday 22nd April. Another egg-citing and free trail brought to you by Visit-Tavistock and Tavistock BID. Collect your clue sheet from I Love Candy and The Visitor Information Centre to find all the eggs and earn yourself a goody bag. Vote for your favourite and you could win it! www.visit-tavistock.co.uk STORYTELLING WITH ENTERTAININGLY DIFFERENT Friday 31st May. Join the entertaining Rob Pudner for a day of storytelling with a difference throughout Tavistock. See www. visit-tavistock.co.uk for more details.

BUCKLAND ABBEY CADBURY EASTER EGG HUNT Saturday 6th to Sunday 28th April, 10am – 4:00pm. Can you help us find all the Medieval bunnies before they cause real mischief! Once you have found all the bunnies, you can claim your special chocolaty reward.

BURRATOR DISCOVERY CENTRE FAMILY ACTIVITY ‘DROP IN DAYS’ Thursday 11th April, Tuesday 28th May, 10am-3pm –.Each day will have a different theme and will involve a nature trail, woodwork, environmental art and outdoor

cooking plus much more. Please wear outdoor clothing & footwear. £3 per child, £2 per adult. For more information call 01822 855700 or email heritage@ swlakestrust.org.uk.

FAMILY WILDLIFE WATCH Sunday 28th April, Sunday 19th May, 10.30am-12.30pm. Wildlife Watch session followed by hot chocolate & biscuits. We meet at Burrator Discovery Centre (PL20 6PE). Please wear outdoor clothing & footwear. £3 per child, £2 per adult. For more information call 01822 855700 or email heritage@swlakestrust.org.uk.

COTEHELE HALF-TERM FUN AT COTEHELE Saturday 25th May to Sunday 2nd June, 10am-4pm. Follow a new free children’s trail from the house, the pisky trail to the Mill and join in with activities throughout the week. Normal admission applies.

LYDFORD GORGE LAUNCH A BOTTLE ROCKET Monday 8th April, 11.30am-3pm. Bring along an empty fizzy pop bottle or borrow one of ours and see how high you can make it fly using just water and air.

Normal admission charges apply. Booking advisable on 01822 820320 BUG HOME MAKING Thursday 11th April, Tuesday 28th May, 10.30am-1.30pm

Construct a home for all sorts of creepy crawlies and tick off one of the 50 things to do before you’re 11 ¾. £2 per person.

Booking advisable on 01822 820320

PLYMOUTH MUSEUM ON TOUR ‘TALL TALES’ STORYTELLING SESSIONS Sunday 28th April, various times. Come and meet storyteller extraordinaire Ariadne from Stiltskin Theatre Company.

Be illuminated and entertained by her wonderful lighthouse tales involving the ups and downs of living in our very own Smeaton’s Tower, The Hoe, Plymouth PL1 2NZ - standard admission to the lighthouse applies, book essential on Eventbrite.

ROSEMOOR HALF TERM FAMILY FUN GET SET GROW Saturday 25th May to Sunday 2nd June Get set grow garden trail: a chance for families to explore RHS Garden Rosemoor, enjoy creative play with free drop-in craft workshops and spot wonderful wildlife.

Normal admission charges. On 28 May, 3:00-4:00pm - Alice in Wonderland, a magical adaptation of the classic story.

Join your host the Mad Hatter and all his friends as they help Alice find her ‘unbirthday’ party. Tickets from £5-£18. www.rhs.org.uk/gardens/rosemoor

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Outstanding Childcare and Natural Environments Outstanding and Caring Staff for Your Child 11

LOCAL PEOPLE

Cleaning up our act Since setting up the Plymouth Beach Clean Volunteers in February 2018, environmental scientist and marine conservationist Oleta Forde has been overwhelmed by the local response.

Plymouth Beach Clean Volunteers help to keep the beaches around Britain’s Ocean City free of marine debris, whilst learning about its impact on the local environment. In the first year alone, and following an initial crowd-funding appeal which raised £300 towards purchasing litter-picking equipment, more than 600 people volunteered at 45 beach cleaning events at Mountbatten, Bovisand, Jennycliff and the Hoe. As a measure of their enthusiasm, people even turned out during the snow blizzard of March 2018 for the very first event, and since then, groups of up to 60 volunteers have been drawn to get involved with this fun and sociable activity, along with some local councillors and Luke Pollard MP. All volunteers are carefully briefed by Oleta, then given the necessary gloves, litter pickers and buckets to collect cans, bottles, fishing wire, pieces of plastic, foam and polystyrene, and even clothing. Oleta says that people often don’t expect to find anything and are surprised by what they discover

once they start looking more closely. Working in cooperation with Plymouth City Council, all collected debris is now safely deposited in specially provided bins and then carted away by the Street Services Team.

Oleta utilises the power of social media through her Facebook page and website to educate people about the impact of marine debris on the marine environment, and she hopes to link to other groups around the UK to strengthen their cause.

She has already participated in two large-scale events: the Great British Beach Clean weekend in September 2018, a national event organised by the Marine Conservation Society together with Waitrose & Partners, where more than 15,000 volunteers collected litter from beaches around the UK; and an even bigger, worldwide event took place in February this year, when the group joined in the Great Global Nurdle Hunt and searched for the lentil-sized pellets of plastic used in the

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LOCAL PEOPLE

events with rock pooling, to link the act of clearing a beach of plastic debris with learning about protecting marine life. manufacture of plastic products and regularly found washed up on beaches.

Oleta grew up in the South-East of England and has always had a keen interest in the oceans, often visiting the coast and enjoying watching TV documentaries and reading books about marine life. In 2013, she moved to Plymouth to study for a BSc (Hons) in Environmental Science at the university, and also began volunteering at the National Marine Aquarium as a visitor experience guide. She now works there full-time, coordinating the volunteers and also running school workshops, teaching children about the marine environment.

Although she is a scientist, Oleta sees herself as more of an ‘educator’. Her passion for change is clear – she plans to focus on raising awareness and inspiring the public to change their attitudes and behaviour with regard to the use of plastics; to be the link between current research and a greener

society. Oleta’s approach is to lead by example: she talks to people about changes she has already made, such as swapping her plastic toothbrush for a bamboo one, then switching from using bottles of liquid soap to using bars of soap - this then encourages people to have a go themselves.

Following the early success of this initiative, Oleta has a clear vision for the way ahead. The first project this year will be to create a community interest company, which will enable the group to receive funding for more equipment, marketing materials and the production of branded merchandise. Oleta also hopes to purchase a minibus to transport volunteers and equipment to areas outside Plymouth, as she develops her beach-clean events to include more beaches in South Devon and the tidal reaches of our local rivers. In addition, she plans to attend more outreach events nationally to promote her work and engage the general public, and she wants to incorporate beach clean

Oleta’s achievements are already getting her noticed and, in recognition of her work, she has been made a ‘Litter Heroes Ambassador’ for the Keep Britain Tidy campaign and she won a ‘Plastic Free Ambassador’ award from Surfers Against Sewage, as part of their Plastic Free initiative. The volunteer group is also supported by the Boston Tea Party café chain, which donates money from the sale of their reusable cups, under their ‘Make Things Better’ sustainability policy.

In her spare time, Oleta loves to do yoga, snorkelling and scuba diving but her favourite pastime is to go paddle boarding around the coastline off Plymouth and, yes, she even collects litter as she goes!

Kaye Rogers

For details about future beach clean events, see page 34 or visit the Facebook page Plymouth Beach Clean Volunteers; for further information about reducing plastic usage, visit www.plymouthbeachclean.co.uk

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13

LOCAL PEOPLE

‘A huge honour’ This April, Simon Martin will be inaugurated as the next High Sheriff of Devon, an office of royal appointment which goes back some 1000 years in British history.

The High Sheriff is the Queen’s representative in the county for all matters relating to the judiciary and the maintenance of law and order. This non-political role, lasting one year, includes attending court proceedings and offering hospitality to visiting High Court judges – nowadays nothing too formal though; a kitchen supper is often preferred, as they are glad to be out of their official robes and unwind in relaxed company. Also, at the invitation of the Lord Lieutenant, the High Sheriff might be in attendance when members of the royal family visit Devon.

Simon considers it to be ‘a huge honour’ to be offered this role. There is no remuneration for the office of High Sheriff but it requires a great deal of time and commitment, supporting and raising the profile of crime prevention agencies, the emergency services and voluntary organisations in the county.

With the possibility of up to 360 events throughout the year,

there is opportunity to choose the specific events and areas of interest which appeal personally. Simon has a long list of initiatives he plans to support, including National Crimebeat, which recognises the most innovative and successful crime prevention projects carried out by young people to create safer communities. He has elected to support CHICKS (Country Holidays for Inner City Kids) and Operation Encompass, an initiative between headteachers and the police to support children who have witnessed domestic abuse. He also wants to work with other charities who support ex-servicemen and ex-offenders. Under the Criminal Law Act 1826, the High Sheriff is empowered to present financial court awards

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LOCAL PEOPLE

to anyone who has assisted in the apprehension of offenders. He can also bestow personal High Sheriff awards on individuals who have made an outstanding contribution in some way, perhaps through voluntary work.

The term of office commences with a ‘Declaration Day’, to be held in April, and for the location, Simon has chosen the church of St Michael de Rupe in his home village of Brentor. With a select gathering, comprising a Justice of the Peace; the Lord-Lieutenant of Devon; the outgoing High Sheriff; the Under-Sheriff; his chaplain, the Revd Nick Shutt; his chosen police cadet; and others including members of his family, Simon will declare his oath of allegiance. One of the first key dates in his diary will be to attend the start of the Ten Tors challenge in May. Then in June, he will attend ‘Legal Sunday’, a special service held at Exeter Cathedral

in the annual ceremonial calendar of the Western Circuit of the judiciary.

Simon was born in Weymouth in 1951 into a naval family and, following initial training at the Britannia Royal Naval College in Dartmouth, served in both diesel and nuclear submarines before completing the Commanding Officers Qualifying Course, informally known as ‘The Perisher’ and recognised as one of the most intense military training schemes anywhere in the world. He went on to be the commanding officer of submarines HMS Orpheus and HMS Swiftsure. In 1996 he was appointed as Commander of the Royal Yacht Britannia, a tour which included the Hong Kong handover and her final decommissioning. He was promoted to captain in 1997 and was appointed a Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order (LVO) in the 1997 New Year Honours list, for services to the Queen. Then in 2000,

he was admitted as a Younger Brother of Trinity House, a charity dedicated to safeguarding seafarers. Simon’s final appointment was as captain of the Second Submarine Squadron (SM2) in Devonport. In 2006, after 36 years of service, Simon retired from the Royal Navy and shortly afterwards was appointed an OBE, which he describes as the ‘final accolade at the end of a fulfilling career’.

Having spent so long away from home and family, Simon vowed not to take a second career and instead threw himself into village life in Brentor, where he has lived for nearly 40 years, so he became a parish councillor and dabbled in amateur dramatics for a while. His wife Gaye, who has family roots in Devon, is looking forward to the coming year, supporting Simon as he undertakes his High Sheriff duties, and indulging her love of meeting new people. Gaye has every reason to be extremely proud of Simon, an unassuming man who is very humble about his achievements. These days he enjoys relaxing outdoors where he takes a great interest in wildlife, gardening, shooting and river fishing, and he loves spending time with their two daughters and three grandsons.

Kaye Rogers

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CHARITY FOCUS

Scrapstore and Precious Plastic Tavistock Ursula Mann, one of Tavistock Scrapstore’s trustees, has been one of the main driving forces in bringing the local community together to look at ways of recycling waste plastic into usable products.

Scrapstores can be found countrywide and all work on the same basic principle of collecting donations of unwanted materials and finding ways to recycle them through art and craft sessions for people of all ages and abilities.

Tavistock Scrapstore is a veritable treasure trove for the keen craftsperson, with shelves stacked full of everything from coloured papers, card, fabric and wool to buttons, ribbons, boxes and even old puzzles. Members pay £7 per year and can then buy bags of scrap for £2 and access sessions and workshops at reduced rates. Everything is run by a dedicated group of volunteers and the charity has gone from strength to strength, after a public appeal for fundraising and support led to a number of donations, several successful fundraising events and a grant from the Norman Family Charitable Trust, as well as support from the Lions Club, Worth Electrical, Fairway Furniture and Dart Print. Tavistock Scrapstore was originally run for people with learning disabilities from the Molly Owen Centre, until the centre was relocated. An enthusiastic committee chaired by Ursula, took over the running of Scrapstore in 2013 and a couple of years later it became a charity. With generous support and funding from Cllr Debo Sellis, the committee moved the Scrapstore to several temporary venues in Tavistock until settling into its current home at Tavistock Library.

Scrapstore has created a great creative environment for people to come together and enjoy art and craft, in addition to

16

providing sessions for afterschool clubs and charity groups. However, the recycling element is also a very important part of its ethos and that principle has been the catalyst for Precious Plastic Tavistock. A couple of years ago, Scrapstore stopped accepting plastic bottles, as recycling them into robots or other artistic projects, rendered the plastic difficult or impossible to recycle in the long-run. The volunteers started searching for a way of truly re-using plastic and Ursula came across the Precious Plastic website which contains instruction videos, blueprints and numerous tips on how to turn waste plastic into useful and attractive products. The idea for Precious Plastic was started in 2013 by Dave Hakkens, to help people transform plastic waste into products valued by consumers. There is now a global community of hundreds of people who share their skills and knowledge online to solve plastic pollution.

Discussions with the Fab Lab team at Plymouth College of Art gave Ursula confidence that the project was viable and she worked with West Devon CVS and Transition Tavistock to find community partners, as well as talking to individuals and groups all over the UK about their plastic recycling experiences. The project needed engineering input and she

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CHARITY FOCUS

was directed to The Robey Trust, a charity better known for its magnificent collection of steam engines. However, its chairman Alex Masters, and director Hywel Edwards quickly became very engaged in the concept. Peter Keegan, head of DT at Tavistock College, also offered his support and was even able to supply a redundant injection moulding machine, which the Robey Trust engineers managed to repair.

Alex’s father, Richard Masters, is an engineering lecturer at Exeter College, and another long-term aspiration for the project would be to involve pupils and students in working on business projects centred around recycled plastic products.

potential product designs. In February, the project team were delighted to learn that Precious Plastic Tavistock had been awarded £10,000 by The National Lottery Community Fund to convert a shipping container into a workshop and build the basic machines needed to convert waste plastic into usable products: a shredder, plus compression moulding and injection moulding machines. There is still a lot to sort out in terms of which plastics to recycle, what products to make and how to roll out the project, but the scope is huge and there is palpable excitement about its potential, with products like plant pots, garden furniture, and even insulation being mooted.

In November 2018 an open meeting introduced the project to the community, drawing wide support, including help from Andy Cairns of West Devon Art Workshops who is now working on

The Robey Trust engineers are now going ‘full steam ahead’ to get the project up and running to produce some simple key fobs and drink mats for a sustainable engineering exhibition

Hywel Edwards & Chris Mace of Robey Trust

at the Tavistock Steam Fair on 2nd June, followed by an Eco Fest in The Meadows on 20th July. As Alex Masters says: “Sometimes it’s good to join the dots up in weird ways. Steam engines helping to recycle plastics... who’d have guessed?”

Rosemary Best

For more details visit Tavistock Scrapstore, Tavistock Library, The Quay, Plymouth Rd, PL19 8AB; tavistockscrapstore.org or preciousplastic.com or email tavyscrapstore@gmail.com Scrapstore welcomes new volunteers and members - opening times are: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: 10am-1pm, 2pm-5pm; Saturday 10am-1pm

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HEALTH & WELLBEING

Dealing with stress As a GP, I am acutely aware of stress and the impact it has on the mind and body. Partly of course because I and my colleagues in hospital and GP practices are exposed to stressful situations day in and day out at work, and increasingly because I see many patients who are suffering from the effects of stress. Often neither I nor the patient are able to immediately identify that stress is the cause of their symptoms, and we need to rule out other causes before we can be certain, although sometimes it is more obvious.

Our body and mind are well adapted to dealing with acutely stressful situations with our fight or flight response – extremely helpful at improving performance when sitting an exam or giving a best-man speech. However, when we never get time to recover, the body and mind can start to feel ill effects. When we say we ‘feel stressed’, we are experiencing the psychological and physical effects of this sustained adrenaline and cortisol rise, which can cause: •

Headaches and insomnia

•

Low mood, snappiness, anxiety and depression

•

Overeating, undereating and increased alcohol or drug use

•

High blood pressure increasing the risk of heart attack and stroke

•

Higher blood sugars increasing the risk of diabetes

•

Blunting of the immune system leading to increased risk of infections

•

Stomach aches, heartburn and irregular bowels

•

Low libido and erectile dysfunction

•

Missed periods and a reduction in fertility

•

Musculoskeletal aches and pains

•

Worsening of underlying issues like lung disease, PMS, high blood pressure, diabetes, menopausal symptoms

When we have identified that stress is the main cause of a patient’s symptoms, we usually explore whether the cause of the stress can be avoided or removed. Sometimes this can be achieved, but may often feel impossible to change - for example the ill health of a family member, financial concerns or employment problems. Then we focus on reducing the impact of the stress and helping the patient feel better while dealing with whatever life is throwing at them. We have two routes to fight the effects of stress: promote the ‘happy’ hormones, endorphins, or prevent further physical stressors being added to the body - both work best when done in combination.

Promoting ‘happy’ hormones: •

Exercise that involves raising the heartrate, like brisk walking, swimming, cycling, boxing, all release endorphins.

•

Giving can release endorphins too. The ‘feel good’ factor after pledging £10 to Comic Relief is because the act releases endorphins.

•

Yoga and meditation have been shown to provide useful stressbusting effects through endorphin release.

•

Some foods like spicy foods and dark chocolate release chemicals similar to endorphins that act on the brain in a similar way.

•

We know laughing and smiling make us feel better and of course this is through endorphin release too. Staying socially connected and taking time to do fun, communal activities can be a highly effective ‘stress buster’.

Avoiding further stressors: •

Really look at your diet and avoid high sugar foods, limit caffeine and alcohol, and make sure you’re eating enough fruit and vegetables.

•

Get enough good quality sleep – this can be a challenge during chronic stress but is essential. Make sure you have good sleep hygiene (avoid caffeine after midday, avoid screen time before bed, have a bedtime routine) and avoid always relying on drugs or alcohol to sleep.

•

Manage any chronic health conditions as well as you can with input from your GP and practice nurse where needed.

There isn’t any one thing in the above list that will make stress disappear, but working each day to try and prioritise a range of things proven to have a beneficial effect, can gradually improve how you feel. For further help see: www.nhs.uk/ conditions/stress-anxiety-depression/understanding-stress/

Dr Jo Coldron Tavyside Health Centre, Tavistock

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HEALTH & WELLBEING

Dementia Support at Tavistock Memory Café A cuppa, some time, and vital support Tavistock Memory Café provides local support for those living with dementia as well as their carers, and takes place fortnightly on a Saturday at the Anchorage Centre, Chapel Street, Tavistock, 2:00-4:00pm. New members can be sure of a warm welcome, and will be introduced to others sharing their dementia ‘journey’, very soon finding themselves making new friends over tea, cake and a chat. At each session we offer the carers a confidential peer support group where they are able to talk frankly, share their problems and experiences. On a regular basis, a professional speaker or carer ambassador from Devon Carers attends these meetings to give advice.

Those attending who live with a dementia, can enjoy a range of activities provided by a dedicated team of volunteers, with the emphasis on fun and stimulation, all in an atmosphere where people can feel relaxed and just be themselves.

These activities may include music-based seated exercise led by a qualified practitioner, table-top games such as bagatelle, dominoes and bar skittles, reminiscence chats with memorabilia which evoke wonderful memories, and quizzes where the emphasis is not on how much you know, but simply to encourage participation and conversation. Local entertainers regularly come and help us exercise our vocal chords and get the toes tapping - singing and dancing is always popular, as music touches people on many levels and at all stages of dementia. This year we are also hoping to get more involved with the Community Sensory Garden, plus two or three times a year, the whole group goes out together on a trip to a local venue or an attraction, which invariably involves tea and cake!

Several of our volunteers started out by bringing their loved ones to the café, and now they no longer have caring

responsibilities, they have chosen to give others the support which they enjoyed. The feedback we receive from members is very helpful: “The volunteers are knowledgeable and helpful. They also talk to the cared-for people in just the right way; very important.”

“They are all so kind and caring, I feel safe leaving her with them all. Thank you all.”

Tavistock Memory Café is a charitable organisation that has a board of trustees with a wealth of expertise, who give guidance and governance. Recently the café has achieved quality assurance accreditation through the Devon Memory Café Consortium, demonstrating excellent standards of dementia support.

New members are always welcome so if you or someone who you know would like to benefit from our Memory Café services, or if you are interested in volunteering with us, then please get in touch. For more information please ring Heather Rayne on 07765644843 or email info@tavistockmemorycafe.co.uk or visit www.tavistockmemorycafé.org.uk or search Tavistock Memory Café Facebook.

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GARDENING

‘Green’ gardening Whether you’re taking on a new garden or want to give your existing one a facelift, make your planning go hand in hand with environmentally-friendly practice and the results are win/win all round.

Create a garden that looks more beautiful, all year round, and teems with life – from the larger birds, mammals and amphibians that are fascinating to watch, right down to worms, insects and micro-organisms that maintain a rich, healthy soil.

then shade-tolerant perennials, ground cover plants and bulbs beneath. Include evergreens for permanent structure and ensure there’s something blooming in every month of every season, preferably nectar and pollen-rich flowers to provide vital food for bees, butterflies and pollinating insects. Encouraging wildlife means a healthy balance of nature that rarely requires intervention, and going chemical-free means you won’t harm the birds and beneficial insects that usually keep on top of less welcome creatures like slugs and aphids. If you do need to intervene, there are now plenty of ecofriendly pest control methods.

Choosing a varied range of plants at all levels creates great-looking borders, plus variety really is the spice of life when it comes to wildlife appeal.

Where space is limited, plant in tiers to achieve maximum good looks with, say, a tree underplanted with shrubs,

Ornamental features really ‘up’ the appeal on all counts, too.

Vertical structures make an instant transformation, from a simple arch or trellis screen to an arbour or pergola with a bench beneath, where you can sit and relax in dappled shade. Well, once

plants are established, anyway – and there are lots of gorgeous climbers to choose from like roses, honeysuckle, clematis and jasmine. Perfect for hanging bird boxes and feeders into the bargain.

This style of gardening is in right royal fashion too: The Duchess of Cambridge has co-designed the RHS Back to Nature garden at this year’s Chelsea Flower Show in May, with the aim of encouraging and inspiring families to connect with nature. Until then, you can read more on environmentallyfriendly gardening on my blog at www. suefishergardens.co.uk

Seasonal jobs Feed: pretty much everything, to nourish the spring explosion of growth. A general-purpose fertilizer is fine for most border plants, preferably organic for

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GARDENING

Sue Fisher GARDEN DESIGNER & HORTICULTURAL SPECIALIST

Inspirational ideas to transform your garden Advisory visits • Planting plans Complete designs tel: 01822 841895 • email: suefisher@talktalk.net www.suefishergardens.co.uk

Looking good a healthy soil which = healthy plants.

Seaweed-based feeds are particularly good, especially for roses and other flowering plants.

Get your lawn summer-ready with a spring feed; sow seed on bare patches; and cut fresh, crisp edges using a half-moon edging tool. Moss is going mental after the wet autumn: tackle it by spiking to reduce compaction and rake out with a spring-tine lawn rake. Don’t bother just chucking on a moss-killer: this just treats the symptom, not the cause.

Trim lavender bushes to keep growth bushy and compact. Left untrimmed, plants become tall and leggy with a tendency to fall open and split in the middle. But only cut back into fresh growth: lavender won’t regrow if the old stems are pruned.

Moisture-loving plants growing in boggy soil and pond edges, start the season with a flourish of gold, with Kingcup or marsh marigold (Caltha palustris) and the unappealingly-named skunk cabbage (Lysichiton americanum). Don’t get too near the latter – the inspiration for the name will become obvious.

A succession of bulbs create a magnificent pageant of colour through spring. For an easy and economical carpet of colour, Muscari (grape hyacinths) are unbeatable, plus they’ll often self-seed for a bigger and better display over time.

Sue’s top tips Thrifty: Sow seeds, indoors and out.

Watching tiny green shoots appear and then grow into wonderful plants is hugely rewarding and saves heaps on buying ready-grown plants. If you’ve never grown anything from seed before, start with easy plants: indoors in small pots, sow French and runner beans,

courgettes, pumpkins, squash, and colourful cosmos. Outside, sow hardy annuals directly in the soil where they are to grow.

Wildlife: Stop pruning hedges, dense-

growing climbers and mature shrubs, which are prime bird-nesting sites. Wait until the end of August when the main nesting season has finished. Makes a change to be told to do nothing!

‘Green’: Buy a couple of good hoes to tackle weeds, rather than resorting to chemicals. I use a long-handled one plus a short-handled Japanese razor hoe – this has a sharp point that is ideal for winkling out weeds in awkward spots.

Time saving: Raise young plants in biodegradable pots that can be planted complete, rather than having to fiddle about with plastic ones. While you can buy these, it’s cheaper (and more eco-friendly) to make your own with a paper pot maker, or save toilet/kitchen roll inners. Alternatively, invest in a soil block maker and there’s no need for pots at all.

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GARDENING

St Luke’s Open Gardens Sunday 12th May

Thorn Cottage, Burn Lane, Brentor PL19 0ND Discover this beautiful garden in the middle of breathtaking countryside, with 360-degree views. From the formal hedgerow area and diverse borders to the stunning wild bluebell wood, this garden is a delight to explore. Open 12 - 5pm; free parking; refreshments including ploughman’s lunches; plant sales; dogs on leads welcome; light musical entertainment in the garden.

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Wednesday 15th May

Lewtrenchard Manor, Lewdown EX20 4PN Visit the gardens at Lewtrenchard, designed by Walter Sorel and extending over several acres with streams, a sunken garden, a profusion of shrubs, a huge rustic dovecote and a recently restored walled vegetable garden. Stroll along Madam’s walk, on the banks of the river Lew and to the woods and beyond. Open 12 - 4pm; free parking; refreshments available in hotel; dogs on leads welcome; wheelchair & pushchair access on lawns and some level areas.

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FARMING DIARY

What one hand gives…

After 4 long years of being in and out of TB restrictions we were very pleased to get a full clear herd test in February, meaning we won’t have to test again for a full 12 months! This is a massive relief as for the last few years we have had to test throughout the year which takes time, costs money and stresses the cattle, as well as us! Last year we tested 3 times taking up 3 full weeks; it also takes four of us to get the cattle through, stopping us doing other vital jobs around the farm. Now we can freely trade our cattle which opens up our business options. Needless to say, we all had a large glass of wine the day we got the results!

For the past 4 years we have sold our beef to local butcher Howells of Tavistock. It has been a great relationship - the butcher gets a reliable local supply with a great story and we get a good price and can also sign-post people to the shop to get our beef. We have our cattle processed at a local abattoir in Tideford which delivers a very good service and is a vital link in the supply chain for local butchers and producers. Sadly, the owners recently made the decision to close the operation down - not because they want to but because they have been made to jump through so many hoops of legislation, they can no longer afford to keep the

small abattoir open. I am not suggesting for one moment that abattoirs shouldn’t adhere to the very highest standards, but I think some help should be given to smaller operators who are being put under such pressure. The result of this small operation closing could make it unviable for me to continue to supply my local butcher, as the next available facility is near Truro, turning a 1-hour round trip into a 4-hour round trip. The loss will also affect many other local butchers and their suppliers. Larger abattoirs already control the market with just a few massive facilities dominating the whole sector and have little or no interest in servicing these local needs.

I do hope we can find a viable solution, but it’s sad to see small businesses being driven into the ground needlessly.

Big is not always beautiful!

Although some of our ewes lambed in March, the vast majority are lambing

M.T. ALLEN Groundworks & Plant Services

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now in April. After last spring’s disastrous lambing season, we decided to lamb the large majority of our ewes ten days later, so let’s hope April is kind to us. At least with longer days and hopefully better weather we should have more viable lambs on their feet come May. The ewes have scanned fairly well this year with good crops of lambs expected. The scanning results were down on last year and some would say the ewe’s bodies remember the hardship they faced in last year’s wet, and cold spring so nature tinkers accordingly! Some farmers have also suggested that the dry summer held the ewes back a bit as the grass was short and this has lowered lambing rates.

Every farm is different and as you all know we live on a wet rock here on the western edge of Dartmoor and generally a dry summer doesn’t hurt us too much.

But I do think all these factors affect how nature ultimately deals with things.

Hopefully by the middle of May the ewes will all have lambed and be turned away for summer, the cows will be nearly all calved and the cattle all turned out. About this time we can generally relax and by Devon County Show we are usually able to draw a line in the sand and say winter is done, summer has arrived!

Mat Cole Greenwell Farm

27

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NATURALIST

NATURALIST

Look after our insects!

I previously mentioned the ‘windscreen effect’: the relative lack of insects splattered on the car windscreen, compared with a few years ago. This casual observation has now been followed up by hard data in an international report that hit the headlines early in February, suggesting that the majority of insects could disappear in the next 100 years due to the combined effects of pesticide use, loss of habitat and climate change. In the light of this report I started to think about the insects we should be able to observe in late spring and early summer.

The appropriately named maybugs or cockchafers are unmistakeable due to their size (20-30mm long) and the loud buzz they emit as they approach. They are active at dusk from May to July, strong flyers and attracted to artificial light in the same way as moths, although nowhere near as manouverable, often crashing into windows. On close examination they are large rust-coloured beetles with typical hard outer wingcases protecting the more delicate rear wings hidden underneath.

Their antennae are large and open up like a fan when they are flying and despite their somewhat fearsome appearance they are vegetarian, feeding on leaves of trees and shrubs.

However their fat white larvae, considered a delicacy by rooks and other corvids, do feed on roots and at one time devastated agricultural crops. Insecticides nearly wiped them out, but EU regulations currently in force restrict the use of environmentally damaging chemicals, and methods of biological control are being developed.

Aphids are another ‘pest’ well known to all gardeners. They include the familar greenfly, and blackfly, respectively pests of roses and broad beans, and numerous other species such as the grey woolly aphids which feed on cabbages. Gardeners know how quickly these aphids seem to multiply if they are not kept in check. At this time of year many aphid species dispense with both wings and the time-consuming process of mating, egg-production and a larval stage - and simply reproduce carbon copies of the ‘stem mother’ from a brood pouch in the abdomen! The resulting population explosion coincides with the rapid spring growth of their food plants on whose sap they feed using needlelike mouthparts to pierce though the skin of the plant. However, their numbers are controlled to a great extent by our garden birds.

Hoverflies and ladybirds are well known as predators of aphids and at this time of the year the larval stages of both species

are doing the good work. I have watched a maggot-like larva slowly making its way up a young rose stem outside our kitchen window, ‘hoovering up’ each aphid that it encountered in its path. Many hoverflies are quite large and furry and do superficially resemble small bumble bees, but they are true flies and only have one pair of wings, whereas bees - like most insects - have two pairs. The ladybird larvae, a species of beetle, are again quite unlike their adult parents, being blue-grey in colour and rather prehistoric in appearance, with small yellow spots on the sides of the abdomen. Up to 10mm in length, with the segmented body and three pairs of legs on the thorax typical of insects, they have powerful jaws to consume their aphid prey.

Unfortunately, pesticides used against species such as aphids will inevitably adversely affect other beneficial insects. The decline of insect numbers could be halted and even reversed by measures such as the use of biological control of pest species; they make use of natural predators such as nematode worms to target specific pests while not harming other beneficial species. Farmers and growers who work with, rather than against natural ecosystems, have an additional benefit of reduced input costs. Many farmers are also setting aside areas of land for wild plants to grow and thrive as food for insects such as bees which are so vital in the pollination of many essential food crops. Of course, the so-called elephant in the room is climate change, which will undoubtably have an effect on all animal and plant species unless it too can be halted and eventually reversed.

Pete Mayston

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FEATURE

25 years of Westcountry Rivers Trust For the past 25 years, Westcountry Rivers Trust has been beavering away to ensure the water courses across the region are healthy and productive for the life they support.

Rivers, estuaries and the coast, provide a vast and varied array of natural habitats; not just in the water, but also on the surrounding land. They support an array of animal and plant species, making them fantastic spaces for wildlife and the perfect place for us to enjoy the natural world. Rivers are great places for activities such as walking, swimming, fishing and bird‐watching, or creative pursuits such as painting, poetry, and photography. Spending time in nature, breathing fresh air, watching light reflected on water or experiencing the joy of a moment among wildlife, are known to improve our quality of life. Scientific research has shown that being near water, in particular, can help us enjoy better mental and physical health with less depression, less stress and a greater sense of wellbeing.

The watery places across our region are steeped in our shared history and hold the key to our health and prosperity now and, more especially, in the future. Despite their obvious importance, the protection of our rivers and other aquatic ecosystems has often been overlooked as other more pressing demands have been placed on our natural environment. As a result, many of these precious resources have fallen into decline and, rather than supporting us in our lives, have begun to negatively impact upon them. Back in 1994, several determined, like-minded river enthusiasts, established the first English rivers trust: the Westcountry Rivers Trust. The Trust was registered as a charity in May 1995 and adopted the then newly conceived ‘ecosystems approach’ to conservation. This approach was built on the broad philosophy that conservation 30

is best done at a whole ‘landscape-scale’ and that the inclusion of people and communities in decision-making was critical to successful environmental restoration.

Restoring water quality in three local Devon rivers The 3Rivers project focuses on improving water quality in the rivers Tavy, Walkham and Lumburn which feed into the Tamar at Lopwell. Westcountry Rivers Trust has been highlighting problems such as poorly managed domestic septic tanks and advising on how to handle them. On farms we have been working with numerous landowners, providing free visits, advice, soil testing, wet weather surveys to flag up potential problem areas and giving small grants to focus on protecting water quality, reducing the risk of pollution for the rivers and the surrounding environment, while improving the quality of farmers’ soil and profitability. The Walkham catchment has some localised flooding issues and we are working with others, including the Environment Agency, to solve this, including improving soil infiltration and natural flood management such as woodland planting, since trees have an important role in managing water quality and flow. The Tavy is an important salmonid fishery and we have been looking at fish migration and ways to improve access to the higher spawning grounds.

Restoring and protecting rivers for wildlife For many years, the rivers of the West Country have been a stronghold for iconic wildlife such as otters, dippers and trout.

We also have many precious natural habitats such as oak woodland, peat moorlands, culm wetlands and spectacular moorland streams. Westcountry Rivers Trust believes these

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FEATURE

habitats need to be protected and restored. As the health of rivers, estuaries and wetlands improves across the region, the fortunes of these species and many others, are beginning to recover. Water voles and beavers, which had both become extinct, have now returned to the West Country once more.

Using science to examine the health of our rivers At the trust, we use the latest technology in data visualisation and environmental monitoring to assess the health of rivers. This helps us target our restoration efforts and help people gain a better understanding of the challenges and opportunities in protecting and restoring our natural environment. We also use the latest technology to monitor water quality and do biological monitoring to assess river health. When people encounter the natural world ‘hands‐on’, they are more likely to recognise its importance and be inspired to care for it, so we work with schools, colleges, universities and anyone else, helping them become a river detective, study salmon in the classroom, become a citizen scientist or design research projects: we use science to bring water to life.

Working together We know that West Country communities are keen to work in partnership with volunteers, local government and local environmental groups to protect and enhance their natural environment. We work with farmers to promote ‘water-friendly farming’, which includes producing food from their land and managing other outputs for which they do not get paid such as ensuring clean water for us to drink or to use for recreation.

See our community website www.dartmoorlinks.co.uk

We also expect them to create spaces for wildlife, store flood waters and water for times of drought, and protect the character of the landscape. These features can protect us from flooding, improve air quality, provide us with spaces for recreation and leisure, protect us from high temperatures and reduce social deprivation.

Our mission At its core, the ethos of Westcountry Rivers Trust is built on the belief that rivers form an important part of our natural and cultural heritage and should be protected for everyone to enjoy now and in the future. Working in partnership, we aim to protect and restore the health of our rivers – we are the ‘river keepers’. Westcountry Rivers Trust has gone from strength to strength over the past 25 years. We passionately believe that the next 25 years will see the advent of even greater opportunities to engage with, protect and restore some of our country’s finest rivers.

Josie Purcell Westcountry Rivers Trust

If you would like to learn more about the work of the Trust or become part of this exciting movement, please visit wrt.org.uk or call 01579 372140.

31

Tavistock’s main venue for Films, Theatre, Live Music and Live Broadcasts

Welcome to...

live broadcasts.. wharF gallery..

Tuesday 30th April

FAUST RHO Live

Why not come along and visit our Art Gallery which is free to enter and open to the public every day except Sundays. We change exhibitions each month and feature many local and national artists. ©Barrie Cook

Disillusioned with life, the aged philosopher Faust calls upon Satan to help him. The devil appears and strikes a bargainm: he will give him youth and the love of the beautiful Marguerite, if Faust will hand over his soul.

Tuesday 14th May

ALL MY SONS Broadcast live from The Old Vic, London

Academy Award-winner Sally Field (Steel Magnolias, Brothers & Sisters) and Bill Pullman (The Sinner, Independence Day) star in Arthur Miller’s blistering drama All My Sons.

Thursday 16th May

COFFEE SHOP........

Did you know that The Wharf has its own coffee shop open 6 days a week (except Sundays) serving a varied menu to suit all tastes and at very reasonable prices.

With an outside seating area running alongside the canal, on a hot sunny day there can be no better place in Tavistock to enjoy a cream tea or slice of cake!

WITHIN THE GOLDEN HOUR

Wheeldon’s Within the Golden Hour is based around seven couples separating and intermingling, to music by Vivaldi and Bossi and lit with rich colours suggested by sunset.

THEATRE..........

SALLY MORGAN

World renowned psychic, television and theatre star and the UK’s favourite award-winning medium Sally Morgan is back and better than ever with her phenomenal interactive 10 year anniversary show.

Monday April 1st

ONLINE BOOKING AVAILABLE FOR ALL MUSIC EVENTS AT...

www.wegottickets.com

c tavistockwharf

For full details and how to book events visit our website:

tavistockwharf.com or call Tavistock Wharf Box Office

01822 611166

MUSIC.....................................

GLEN TILBROOK Tuesday 2nd April

JEAN GENIE Friday 5th April

HI ON MAIDEN Saturday 6th April

THE JAM’D Friday 12th April

The singer of Squeeze, expect to hear not only his solo work but the big hits like Up the Junction and Take Me I’m Yours.

An outstanding tribute to the legend that is David Bowie, a truly nostalgic trip back through the hits.

Endorsed by the real Iron Maiden, this band goes from strength to strength and are no strangers to the Wharf.

The Jam’d are totally committed to giving an unforgettable, authentic performance with all the energy, passion and style of the Woking 3

THE UPBEAT BEATLES Saturday 13th April

SAM BROCKINGTON Sunday 14th April

BON JOVI EXPERIENCE Saturday 20th April

GUNS 2 ROSES Friday 26th April

Over two hours of non-stop music – from She Loves You to I Am The Walrus and beyond – this band will have you dancing in the aisles from the very beginning.

Singer songwriter Sam Brockington last played Tavistock Wharf in 2014 and islooking forward to making his long awaited return this month.

Fronted by Jon Bon Jovi “clone”, Tony Pearce, the complete Bon Jovi Experience return by popular demand with their spectacular show.

Guns 2 Roses are the closest also mirror images to the original GNR line up, with ever changing authentic stage outfits to catch the era and stage performances down to the last detail.

RIVIERA DOGS Friday 3rd May

WOMEN IN ROCK Saturday 4th May

THE CUCKOO COLLECTIVE & THE WIRELESS Friday 10th May

BRYAN ADAMS EXPERIENCE Saturday 11th May

Started as a side project in 2013 they are now firmly established as the first choice for 80s nostalgia in the South West.

Outstanding and stunning to experience, not just a tribute, but a celebration to all Women who simply Rock!

The Cuckoo Collective return to the Wharf after a 3 year break for a unique gig following many requests from a loyal local audience

Bryan Adams Experience is a celebration and tribute to the hit songs and enduring popularity of Bryan Adams

TUBULAR BELLS FOR 2 Sunday 12th May

GUITAR LEGENDS SHOW Saturday 18th May

NEW JERSEY BOYS Sunday 19th May

STEVE TURNER Thursday 30th May

Two blokes juggle over 20 instruments live on stage in a spellbinding performance.

The ‘Guitar Legends’ will mesmerise you with the Greatest Guitar Hits of all time...

The New Jersey Boys, based in Devon, take their audience on a nostalgic musical journey through the career of one of the biggest selling groups of all times – The Four Seasons.

Known as a pioneer of highly sophisticated English concertina song accompaniments, stretching the boundaries of traditional forms, with one of the best voices in the business

See our community www.dartmoorlinks.co.uk Dateswebsite and times shown may vary, so please check our website for all up to date information: www.tavistockwharf.com

33

W hat’s O n 11 & 12 May Pirates Weekend Plymouth

7-27 April Plymouth Beach Cleans Come along to our beach clean events and collect rubbish, plastic nurdles and even mermaids’ purses (shark eggs).

We meet on the beach in suitable clothing/shoes, all equipment is provided. April: 7th at 14:00 at Mount Batten; 15th at 10:00 at Bovisand; 21st at 13:00 at Bovisand; 27th at 15:00 at Mount Batten.

Enjoy a swashbuckling day out as this award-winning family event returns with two tall ships, shanties, puppeteers, stilt walkers, storytellers, arts & crafts and the Pirate Trail - and arch-enemies Jonty Depp and Captain Barbossa! The Barbican and Sutton Harbour 10:00am-4:00pm

25 May Lord Mayor’s Day

14 April Plymouth Philharmonic Choir

Welcome the new Lord Mayor and enjoy the carnival procession - this year’s theme is ‘The Future’ with a visit from 8-foot tall Titan the Robot.

All-day entertainment in the piazza features local community groups, dancers and singers, food and craft stalls from 10am to 4pm.

Bach: St Matthew Passion at 7pm at Plymouth Guildhall with soloists Neil Jenkins, Catherine Hamilton, Alison Kettlewell, Nicholas Hawker, John Hobbs and Darren Jeffery.

Tickets £19 on the door, £17 in advance from www. plymouthphilchoir.org or Mainly Stationery, Tavistock students and children £5

31 May - 2 June Flavour Fest 2019 The South West’s largest free food and drink festival transforms the city centre piazza with live music, a marquee bar and more than 100 traders showcasing the best regional produce, plus cooking demos with Great British Bake Off stars Nadiya Hussain on 1 June and Steven Carter-Bailey on 2 June.

4 May Charity Star Wars Family Fun Day & Exhibition May the 4th be with you! Fun day raising money for 2 charities, ‘Heads Together’ and ‘Hugs from Henry’ at the Crowne Plaza, Plymouth, with Force for Charity Star Wars characters, Jedi training classes, kids stage show, crafts, bouncy castle - adults £5, children £3, under 1s free.

www.visitplymouth.co.uk D@visitplymouth 34

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THE KING’S SINGERS

Wed 8th May - Tavistock Parish Church

Tavistock 2019

24 APRIL to 8 MAY 2019

Fifteen days of music & arts events in Devon’s top award-winning market town Introducing this year’s Festival: President, Andrew Wilson

The beating heart of the arts in West Devon and East Cornwall!

The Tavistock Festival CIO (charity no. 1169664) is pleased to be working in partnership with:

TAVISTOCK PARISH CHURCH

Tavistock RC Church

Welcome to our 17th Festival and my first as Chairman.

The 2019 Tavistock Festival builds on all that our former Chairman, Christopher Kirwin, has achieved and this year’s programme offers high class events across the arts to capture the interest of all. We are grateful to Andrew Wilson, local conductor and renowned world-wide prize-winning composer, who continues as our President and we are also indebted to all those who have worked tirelessly to plan the Festival.

None of this would be possible without the support and encouragement of our generous sponsors - our own Friends of the Tavistock Festival, the Bedford Hotel, Olijam Communications Ltd (Tavy, Oke and Moor Links magazines), Alistair Kinsey, Miller Town & Country, Plymouth Music Accord, The Wharf Arts Centre and the Mount Kelly Foundation, plus the Malcolm Arnold Society, Tavistock Library, Tavistock Pannier Market and the Tavistock Rotary Club.

The Festival is introducing online ticket sales for a number of concerts – a number of different providers are involved so please ensure that you use the correct online details.

Please do make contact or view our website for more information.

Dr Sean Sweeney, Chairman sean.sweeney01@btinternet.com

www.tavistockmusic.co.uk

Tavistock 2019

Wednesday 24th April

Festival Opening by the Chairman.

Reception & Entertainment from 12.30 pm in Tavistock Parish Church of St Eustachius – retiring collection

MUSIC in APRIL Wednesday 24th April Tavistock Parish Church

1.00pm: To Music Borne - brief musical interlude from local musicians, Rosemary Turner (soprano), Mary Mazur Park (piano) and Leslie Mazur Park (oboe).

Friday 26th April Tavistock Parish Church

7.30pm: Plymouth Area Police Choir.

The choir sings an eclectic mix of popular music and their vocal quartet whose genre is ‘close harmony.’

Tickets £10 available from the beginning of April from the Parish Centre or on the door. Proceeds from tickets in aid of church funds.

Sponsored by Hansford Bell

7.30pm: Peter Fisher (violin) and Margaret Fingerhut (piano) Including works by Malcolm Arnold, Clive Jenkins and Andrew M Wilson.

Tickets £12 (aged 18 and under - £6) from www.ticketsource.co.uk/ tavistock-festival, Miller Town & Country Tavistock Office or on the door.

Sponsored by the Malcolm Arnold Society and Hansford Bell

Friday 26th April The Wharf Arts Centre

8.00pm: Rock On with Guns 2 Roses.

Tickets from £16 from the Wharf Arts Centre Box Office. Call 01822 611166 www.tavistockwharf.com

Saturday 27th April Tavistock Parish Church

7.30pm: South West Chamber Choir directed by Stephen Trahair, organist Dr Sean Sweeney ‘A Voice from Heaven’ six centuries of a cappella and accompanied English anthems for chamber choir, including works

by Taverner, Byrd, Gibbons, Purcell, Stainer, Stanford, Howells and many more. Tickets £8 (under 18s £5) from www.wegotickets.com or on the door.

Sunday 28th April Tavistock Roman Catholic Church

7.00pm: Levowan XII (a group of twelve voices from across the South West delivering a variety of accessible chamber music) and musicians from Mount Kelly. Retiring collection to help defray expenses.

Sponsored by the the Mount Kelly Foundation

Thursday 25th April Tavistock Parish Church

1.00pm: Lunchtime Recital by Stella Searson (piano) & Hannah Griffiths (cello) in a programme of French and Spanish music. Tickets £5 (children free) on the door.

Recital series sponsored by Alistair Kinsey

7.30pm: An evening of jazz with Helen Porter. Tickets £10 (aged 18 and under £5) from www. ticketsource.co.uk/tavistock-festival, Miller Town & Country Tavistock Office or on the door.

Helen Porter 25th April

Tuesday 30th April Tavistock Methodist Church 1.15pm: Children’s Concert - a fun event for local school children and their families. Retiring collection to help defray expenses. Sponsored by

Alistair Kinsey

The Wharf Arts Centre

7.00pm: Live Broadcast Performance of Gounod’s ‘Faust’ from the Royal Opera House.

Tickets £12 (£10 children/Friends of the Wharf) from the Wharf Arts Centre Box Office. Call 01822 611166 www.tavistockwharf.com

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36

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MUSIC in MAY Wednesday 1st May Leeden Tor Car Park

5.15am: Dartmoor Dawn Chorus in the company of the Dartmoor Border Morris dancers, followed by breakfast at the Fox Tor Café in Princetown.

Thursday 2nd May Tavistock Parish Church

1.00pm: Lunchtime Recital by Mary Mazur Park (piano) and Leslie Mazur Park (oboe). Tickets £5 (children free) on the door.

Recital series sponsored by Alistair Kinsey

Saturday 4th May Tavistock Parish Church

7.30pm: Mount Kelly Choral Society present Haydn’s Creation with professional soloists and orchestra.

Tickets £12 (under 18s free) from www.ticketsource.co.uk/mountkelly, Bookstop or on the door.

Sponsored by the Mount Kelly Foundation In association with the 2019 Tavistock Festival.

Sunday 5th May The Wharf Arts Centre

7.00pm: Devon County Youth Brass Band 15th Anniversary Concert.

Tickets £7 from the Wharf Arts Centre Box Office 01822 611166 or on the door.

Supported by the Friends of the DCYBB

Monday 6th May Tavistock Methodist Church 9.30am for 10.00am -12pm: ‘Let’s Sing.’ Enjoy a fun and stimulating singing workshop of memorable music in different styles, directed

by Dr Sean Sweeney. Suitable for all ages, refreshments available.

Tickets for participants £10 (aged 18 and under free). For booking details, contact Rosemary Turner 07866 488630 or talk2turners@ btinternet.com marking emails ‘Let’s Sing’ applications by May 1st, but preferably by April 24th.

Tuesday 7th May Tavistock Methodist Church 1.00pm: Lunchtime Organ Recital

by Dr Sean Sweeney. Tickets £5 (children free) on the door

Recital series sponsored by Alistair Kinsey

Thursday 25th April Princetown Library

7.30pm: Talk by David Lemon, writer, journalist, adventurer and ‘Elephant Man’ - ‘The African Elephant’.

Tickets £3 in advance from the Library, or princetownlibrary@ librariesunlimited.org.uk, Princetown Library Facebook page or on the door

Wednesday 8th May Tavistock Parish Church

7.30pm: Mount Kelly Concert Society present legendary a cappella group The King’s Singers. Tickets - £20 from www.ticketsource.co.uk/ mountkelly, Bookstop or on the door.

Sponsored by the Mount Kelly Foundation in association with the 2019 Tavistock Festival

ART DRAMA LITERATURE LECTURES WALKS APRIL/MAY

before and during the Festival

April 1st to May 4th The Wharf Arts Centre

An exhibition of art works by Anthony Arnold – open during the Wharf’s normal opening hours

APRIL Wednesday 24th April Tavistock Library

11.00am: Talk by David Lemon, writer, journalist, adventurer and ‘Elephant Man’ - ‘The African Elephant’. Tickets £3 in advance from the Library (01822 612218), Tavistock Library Facebook page or on the door.

www.tavistockmusic.co.uk See our community website www.dartmoorlinks.co.uk

Friday 26th April From Court Gate, Bedford Square

2.00pm: Tavistock Walk with Simon Dell. Tickets £5 collected by Festival Stewards at the start of the walk.

Monday 26th April The Wharf Arts Centre

2.00pm: Friends of the Wharf Talk Series. Talk by Barbie Thompson, ‘Horses in Art and War’. Tickets £5 (FOTW £4) on the door.

Tavistock Library

7.00pm: A screening of ‘Macbeth’ – Tickets £2.50 in advance from the Library (01822 612218), Tavistock Library Facebook page or on the door.

A stand-alone event or as a prelude to later talk and play reading.

Sponsored by the Friends of the Library

Tuesday 30th April Tavistock Library

30-45 minute drum-making workshops hosted by Scrapstore in the Library for schools attending the Children’s Concert; slots available from 10.30 am to 1.00 pm and 2.00 pm to 2.45 pm; booking essential by contacting the Library 01822612218 37

Tavistock ART DRAMA LITERATURE LECTURES WALKS 2019

FRIENDS OF THE FESTIVAL & PASS TICKETS

MAY Wednesday 1st May Tavistock Library

10.30am: Talk by Aaron Wilkins of Tavistock Library, ‘The Attribution of Blame within Macbeth’. Tickets £3 in advance from the Library (01822 612218), Tavistock Library Facebook page or on the door.

Thursday 2nd May Tavistock Library

11.00am: Kate Ryder meet the author and book signing. Kate writes romantic suspense set in the West Country, her novels are written in a true-to-life narrative and deal with darker subjects.

7.00pm: Reading of extracts from Shakespeare’s ‘Macbeth’ come along and join an informal reading of some of the play. Tickets £2.50 in advance from the Library (01822 612218), Tavistock Library Facebook page or on the door.

Friday 3rd May From Court Gate, Bedford Square

2.00pm: Tavistock Walk with Simon Dell. Tickets £5 collected by Festival Stewards at the start of the walk.

Saturday 4th May Butcher’s Hall

(alongside the Pannier Market) 9.00am to 4.00pm: Festival Artists’ Market in association with Tavistock Pannier Market. For details contact the Market Reeve, Duane Carruthers, on 01822 611003 or panniermarket@tavistock.gov.uk.

Wednesday 8th May Tavistock Library

10.00am to 12.00pm: Literary Workshop with Myfanwy (Vanni) Cook -‘Going Gothic’ a creative writing short fiction workshop focusing on Gothic fiction writing inspired by classical music with a Gothic edge’.

Tickets £3.50 in advance from the Library (01822 612218), Tavistock Library Facebook page or on the door.

2.00pm to 3.00pm: Talk by John Carter - ‘Fibs, Facts and Farces’ tales from the Arab World. John spent twenty years in Arabia and, as an Arabist, has been involved in political, military, commercial and industrial affairs. Tickets £3 in advance from the Library (01822 612218), Tavistock Library Facebook page or on the door.

FRIENDS OF THE FESTIVAL EVENTS April: Mon 1st, 8th & 15th May: Mon 13th & 20th The Wharf Arts Centre

2.00pm: Friends of the Wharf Talk Series (for details see What’s On Section of the relevant Links magazine). Tickets £5 (£4 Friends of the Wharf) on the door.

Sunday 7th April The Wharf Arts Centre

2.00pm: Recorded Broadcast Performace Verdi’s opera ‘La forza del destino’ from the Royal Opera House.

Tickets £12 (£10 children-Friends of the Wharf) from the Wharf Arts Centre Box Office. Call 01822 611166 www.tavistockwharf.com

FRIENDS OF THE FESTIVAL PASS TICKET

Again this year, we are offering members of the Friends of the Festival the chance to buy a Festival Pass; one of these passes enables you to obtain a discount on the price you pay for your tickets – minimum cost of Friends Membership is £30. Dependent on the class of Pass you purchase, you will qualify for varying discounts on your tickets – please contact Christopher Kirwin, Trustee responsible for the Friends on 01822 859477 or bridgemoorhouse@gmail.com for Friends Application Form and relevant pass request (cheques payable to Tavistock Festival) at Bridgemoor House, Yelverton, PL20 6EA. We are now a charity, so please request a gift aid tax reclaim form - any sum not used up by the end of the Festival will be viewed as a donation to the Friends.

BRONZE PASS: £50 SILVER PASS: £100 GOLD PASS: £200 PLATINUM PASS

DISCOUNT DUE £10 DISCOUNT DUE £30 DISCOUNT DUE £75

BY ARRANGEMENT

Please note that tickets purchased through Miller Town & Country will need to be paid for in cash or by cheque or through BACS – credit cards cannot be accepted.

www.tavistockmusic.co.uk

WHAT’S ON

REGULARS

all the eggs and earn yourself a goody bag.

Vote for your favourite and you could win it! www.visit-tavistock.co.uk

UNTIL 31 MAY SPRING SHOWCASE IN COTEHELE GALLERY Daily, 10am-4pm. The spring exhibition in Cotehele’s gallery features work from exciting new artists and craftspeople from the South West. Normal admission charges apply.

26 MAY – 07 SEPTEMBER TAVISTOCK SUMMER TRAIL Take ‘A walk in the park’ and decipher the floral clues, with the first of our children’s book-themed summer trails brought to you by Tavistock Community Gardeners and Tavistock BID. Collect your map from the Visitor Information Centre and I Love Candy. www.visit-tavistock.co.uk

7, 14, 21, 28 APRIL COSTUME SUNDAYS AT COTEHELE MILL

LAST TUESDAY IN MONTH

11am-4pm. The water wheel is turning and the team will be in Victorian costume milling flour the traditional way. There’s a free family trail and look out for baking and hands on activities too.

8 - 18 APRIL THE RHYMING RABBIT EASTER HOP ABOUT

PARKINSON’S SUPPORT GROUP Join us at the Anchorage Centre, Tavistock from 10.30am to noon. We also have monthly exercise classes and social coffee mornings. For more information please contact Pam on 01822 614204 or Val on 01822 613992.

Terry Flannery on 07891 614491, or email strictlysocialdanceclub@gmail.com EVERY WEDNESDAY THE CITY OF PLYMOUTH CREDIT UNION OFFICE Savers can obtain loans at 2% or less.

Children can save too. All savers are covered by a free life insurance. Call in for more information or ring 01752 201329.

11.00am - 1.00pm in the Princetown

AMBER & MALLOW

Lifestyle

FIRST SATURDAY OF MONTH

Find the Rhyming Rabbit on a hop about garden trail at RHS Rosemoor and enjoy craft activities based on the picture book

by Julia Donaldson and Lydia Monks. Every day, 10am - 6pm, drop-in craft workshops, weekdays (excluding bank holidays) 11am -1pm and 2pm – 4pm. Normal garden admission, free for RHS members.

TIDY TAVI LITTER PICK-UP Meet outside Meadowlands Leisure Centre. There’s no need to register or signup to take part - just turn up! 10:00am to midday. All necessary equipment provided, but please bring your own gloves and wear stout footwear.

EVERY WEDNESDAY

UNTIL 22 APRIL

BALLROOM DANCE CLASSES

TAVISTOCK EASTER EGG HUNT Another egg-citing and free trail brought to you by Visit-Tavistock and Tavistock BID. Collect your clue sheet from I Love Candy and The Visitor Information Centre to find

Aqua Tech Water Services

’Strictly Social’ dance club ballroom dance classes for beginners at Nicholls Hall, Lydford - every Wednesday at 7.25pm, £5 per person for one-hour lesson. Contact

Wells • Boreholes Servicing • Breakdowns Control systems pumps • Filtration

Private Water Engineers www.aquatechwaterservices.co.uk

Tel: 01409 241312 Mob: 07825748720 Email: aquatechwaterservices@gmail.com See our community website www.dartmoorlinks.co.uk

An inspirational new lifestyle store in the heart of Tavistock • Well Considered Gifts • Interior Accessories • Interior Styling & Design • Extensive Fabric Library

The Barn, 5 Market Rd Tavistock 01822 617853 Open Tuesday to Friday 10.00 to 16.00 Saturday 10.00 to 17.00 39

WHAT’S ON

APRIL

Cricketers’ Copse’ by Richard Coleman.

A tale of intrigue and double cross in the village of Fritton-upon-Sewer. Brentor Village Hall, doors open at 7.00pm, curtain up at 7:30pm. Tickets £5.00, available on 01822 810412.

4, 5 & 6 APRIL

5 APRIL

Community Centre, Tavistock Road, Princetown, PL20 6QE

THE CAPERS AT CRICKETERS’ COPSE The Brentorians present ‘The Capers at

WHAT’S ON Jazz Sunday Lunch JazzSunday Sunday Lunch 3rd March Sun 5thSunday May &7th Sun 2nd June April

A delicious 3-course Sunday A delicious 3-course Lunch, with a generous helping Sunday Lunch, a generous of livewith jazz. helping £25 of live jazz.

£25

Traditional Afternoon Tea Valentine’s Dinner Dainty sandwiches, tempting Thursday 14th February

cakes, warm scones and plenty Five coursesevery of tea orsuperb coffee, served afternoon 3pm-5pm. by candlelight. £14 £55

Mother’s Day Day Lunch Father’s Lunch

Sunday 31st Sunday 16thMarch June 3A delicious courses, in the (and stylisha 3-course lunch bottle of of Jail AleBedford for Dad Hotel. to take setting The home £26 and enjoy) £25 (children £16)

01822-613221 bedford-hotel.co.uk

along with craft stalls, cakes and books for sale, a tombola and much more. 12.00 3.00pm. For info contact Wilma Miners 01822 810040.

14 APRIL DARTMOOR BORDER MORRIS MUMMERS’ PLAY

MURDER MYSTERY DINNER High intrigue, dark secrets, and supersleuthing at The Bedford Hotel. Enjoy a delicious dinner, while a dastardly plot unfolds. 4-course Murder Mystery Dinner: £44. Call 01822 613221 to book

The Mummers’ play at 1:00pm in the Great Barn of Buckland Abbey explains how good overcomes evil, based on an original medieval story, with some adaptations!

- followed by Morris dancing. Usual National Trust entry charges apply. For more info www.dartmoorbordermorris.com

6 APRIL FAMILY WILD KITCHEN

14 APRIL

Forage at Lydford Gorge for wild garlic then make your own pasta and pesto lunch on the camp fire. 11am-2pm, £5 per adult, £3 per child, booking essential, normal admission applies

EMPTY BOX COMPANY OPEN DAY

12 APRIL DEVONSHIRE ASSOCIATION Annual General Meeting, followed by an illustrated talk by Richard Finamore on the work of the Devon Rural Skills Trust at 7.30 pm at the Tavistock Parish Centre, Plymouth Road. For further details contact Barbara Edwards edwardsbobbarbara@ btinternet.com, 01822 852 636 or visit www.devonassoc.org.uk

The Empty Box Company hand makes beautiful boxes, for storing special items and has made numerous boxes for film and television. All proceeds from refreshments and raffle in aid of Devon charity, Chicks, 10am-4pm at Tuell Farm, Milton Abbot PL19 8PY. 14 APRIL PLYMOUTH PHILHARMONIC CHOIR

13 APRIL

Bach: St Matthew Passion at 7pm at Plymouth Guildhall. Tickets £19 on the door, £17 in advance from www. plymouthphilchoir.org or Mainly Stationery, Tavistock - students and children £5

MARY TAVY KNIT AND NATTER EASTER FAIR

27 APRIL

Join us for lunch at our Easter Fair - enjoy home-made soup & crusty bread or bacon rolls. Other refreshments will be available

TIN MINING COMMUNITY DAY The event will explore the rich legacy of copper, lead and tin mining in the

ANTIQUES VALUATIONS TAVISTOCK

The

Bedford otel

H

Tavistock

www.bedford-hotel.co.uk 01822 613221 1 Plymouth Road, Tavistock, PL19 8BB

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11th April & 13th June The Bedford Hotel Plymouth Road 10.00am - 1.00pm

A 20th century diamond solitaire ring Recently sold for £5,100

St. Edmund’s Court, Okehampton Street, Exeter EX4 1DU T: 01392 413100 W: www.bhandl.co.uk E: enquiries@bhandl.co.uk

To promote your business to 20,700* readers - call 01822 615627

editorial@tavylinks.co.uk

WHAT’S ON Mary Tavy parish area, with two talks, a walk, exhibitions, bookstalls. Free with donations for morning tea and coffee; afternoon tea £4.50 per head. 10am-5pm at the Coronation Hall, Mary Tavy. To attend email secretary@dtrg.org.uk 27 & 28 APRIL RHS NATIONAL RHODODENDRON SHOW This national show at RHS Rosemoor has over 60 classes of rhododendrons, as well as trade and advice stands, plus magnolias and camellias. Entry forms are available from georginabarter@rhs.org.uk. Open Saturday 11:30 to 4pm; Sunday 10am to 4pm - normal garden admission, free for RHS members 27 & 28 APRIL PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOPS WITH GOING DIGITAL Improve your technical photography skills and get to know all the features of your camera with these day-long courses at Cotehele. Booking essential. For details and to book visit www.goingdigital.co.uk.

30 APRIL BURRATOR DISCOVERY CENTRE EVENING TALK ‘Dartmoor is renowned for its beautiful and diverse lichens with names such as tree lungwort and string-of-sausages – talk by Alison Smith, Lead Community Scientist, Plantlife. Burrator Discovery Centre, 7:30pm-8:30pm, £4 per person (including refreshments). Please book your place on 01822 855700 or heritage@swlakestrust. org.uk

MAY

11 MAY REMEMBRANCE SERVICE

1 MAY AN ENGLISHMAN IN MOSCOW A talk by Godfrey Weldhen at the Bedford Hotel, Tavistock - 6.45pm for 7.00pm (the talk will last approx. an hour). Tickets £5, available at www.bedford-hotel.co.uk/ moscow or at hotel reception.

75th Anniversary of the Battle of Monte Cassino at 11:00am at the Town War Memorial in the Guildhall Car Park, Tavistock.

11 MAY TAVISTOCK SCHOOL REUNION The Tavistock School Reunion Association will be holding its annual reunion at The

1 MAY DARTMOOR BORDER MORRIS Morris dancing at sunrise around 5.30am in the car park of Leaden Tor (just below Sharpitor) on B2312. Breakfast in Fox Tor Cafe from 6am (by prior arrangement).

At 8pm, traditional Morris dance outside the Royal Oak Inn, in Meavy with Tavistock based Lodestone Border Morris. www. dartmoorbordermorris.com

WHAT’S ON Wine Tasting Dinner Thursday 2nd May

4 – 6 MAY

Sample a selection of seasonal wines, partnered with a superb dinner menu using the finest local, seasonal ingredients. £59 including dinner and wines

ART & CRAFT EXHIBITION & SALE

Sunday 9th June from 12 noon

Buckland Monachorum Village Hall 10am5pm each day. View original paintings and craft work by local artists whilst enjoying tea and cakes.

SPRING GARDEN FETE More than 40 exhibitors with a range of artisan & gift products, plus workshops, entertainment for children and dog show.

10:30am-4:00pm at the Moorland Garden Hotel, Yelverton. Entry costs £2:50, under5s enter free.

Fun, Self Defence, Discipline, Health, Fitness, Strength, Balance & So Much More.

FREE MONTH TRIAL!

WWW.TAVISTOCKTAEKWONDO.COM

tavistocktagb@gmail.com f

See our community website www.dartmoorlinks.co.uk

Until 30th June

Stay from £80 per person, per night, including dinner and breakfast. (Minimum 2 nights)

Two

Bridges otel

H

Training times: Monday only:5.30-6.30pm Junior/Family Beginner session.

Mondays and Thursdays: 6-7pm Junior/Family Session 7-8pm Mixed; 8-9pm Adult and Senior Belts All at Tavistock College Gymnasium, Crowndale Road, Tavistock Pl19 8DD

Call Dan Hunt 07779253719

View our stunning wedding venue, and meet a host of suppliers who can help create your perfect wedding day.

FREE Entry

Spring Breaks

6 MAY

Instructors are Enhanced DBS,Safeguarding & First aid qualified. BTC& TAGB Insured instructors.

Wedding Fair

ALL AGES WELCOME!

Dartmoor

www.twobridges.co.uk 01822 892300 Two Bridges, Dartmoor, PL20 6SW

41

WHAT’S ON Bedford Hotel, Gallery 26 on Saturday 11th May at 7pm. Open to all pupils, staff, and partners, who attended the school prior to 2009. Admission £3 (membership of association: single £7, couples £10).

For further information please contact Christine Jones 01208 873356 or Elizabeth Cole 01822 614292.

11 MAY ANNUAL SPRING PLANT FAIR

YOU DIDN’T KNOW WE WERE HERE ?

Kilworthy

Kapers

HEALTHFOODS & SUPPLEMENTS IN TAVISTOCK SINCE 1977 DRIED FRUIT/ NUTS /SEEDS/PULSES CHILLED: TOFU/YOGHURTS/PIES FREEZER:G/F PIES/BURGERS/NUGGETS VITAMINS MINERALS SUPPLEMENTS PURE ESSENTIAL OILS & CARRIER OILS HOMOEOPATHIC REMEDIES LOCAL HONEY ORGANIC FREE RANGE EGGS AND MORE...

COME AND HAVE A LOOK!

11 KING STREET TAVISTOCK 01822 615039

Mary Tavy & Peter Tavy W.I. plant fair from 2.00pm, plus cakes, books and bric-a-brac for sale too. Refreshments available. For info contact Jill Lamerton 01822 810421

12 MAY ST LUKE’S OPEN GARDENS

11 MAY

Thorn Cottage, Burn Lane, Brentor PL19 0ND – with 360-degree views, formal borders and stunning wild bluebell wood.

Open 12 - 5pm; free parking; refreshments including ploughman’s lunches; plant sales.

VOCAL HAREM ANNUAL GALA CONCERT

12 MAY

Vocal Harem Choir presents its 12th Annual Gala Concert at St Eustachius’ Church, Tavistock at 7.30 pm, with special guests Leslie and Mary Mazur-Park playing oboe and piano. Tickets: £7:00 for adults, free to under-18s, and are available from Book Stop, choir members and on the door.

TEA TASTING & COCKTAIL MAKING How about tea tasting and tea-based cocktail making? 2:00pm at Moorland Garden Hotel, canapes, talk about tea, tea-tasting, cocktails. £30 per person, book on 01822 852245.

FRIENDS OF WHARF LUNCHTIME LECTURES ORGANISED BY DR ANN PULSFORD, 2PM TAVISTOCK WHARF​

APRIL

MAY

1st April David Tovey Marine painting in Cornwall from Turner to Alfred Wallis

13th May Tommy Hatwell Photography: around the world and back again

8th April Pam Kemp The splendour of Antarctica 15th April Peter Marsden Who sank the Mary Rose in 1545?

25th May Peter Brinsden Nelson’s three great battles: The Nile, Copenhagen and Trafalgar

29th April Barbie Thompson Horses in art and war

New in Tavistock!

Lizzy ‘O

a range of locally made luxury organic skincare products

07377 637994

42

To promote your business to 20,700* readers - call 01822 615627

editorial@tavylinks.co.uk

WHAT’S ON 15 MAY ST LUKE’S OPEN GARDENS Lewtrenchard Manor, Lewdown EX20 4PN – with gardens of several acres including streams, a sunken garden, a huge rustic dovecote. Open 12 - 4pm; free parking; refreshments available in hotel.

A great family day out from 10.00am to 4.00pm with local exhibitors and lots of water activities, plus Entertainingly Different and Screech Owl Sanctuary. £5 per car and small charges for some activities. www.southwestlakes.co.uk

and refreshments. 10:00am to 5:00pm at The Wharf, Canal Road, Tavistock, Devon, PL19 8AT

27 MAY

75th Anniversary of Operation Overlord, D-Day at 11:00am at the Town War Memorial in the Guildhall Car Park, Tavistock.

18 MAY

MARY TAVY VILLAGE FAYRE

MOZART’S REQUIEM

Join us for our annual fayre, 12.00 4.00pm. Bring your canine friends to our popular dog show or bring your pre-loved items and have a car boot pitch. Stannary Brass Training Band, plus local musicians, beer tent, BBQ, other refreshments, stalls, games and prize draw. For info contact Bev Ross 01822 811019

University of Plymouth Choral Society and Sinfonia present Mozart: Requiem, Eine Kleine Nacht Musik, Ave Verum Corpus & Bruckner: Locus Iste at 7.30 pm at The Minster Church of St. Andrew Plymouth.

Tickets £16 (u26 £6) from theartsinstitute@ plymouth.ac.uk or 01752 585050 19 MAY ST LUKE’S OPEN GARDENS Sandhill House, Sandhill, Gunnislake, Cornwall PL18 9DR - commanding views, mature trees and shrubs, lawns and water features. Open 2 - 5pm; refreshments available; plant sales.

22 MAY HOTEL ENDSLEIGH GARDENS OPEN DAY, MILTON ABBOT Explore this wonderful garden, with its follies, grottos and super views, quality craft stalls, plant sales and a grand draw.

Proceeds to Milton Abbot Church. Entry £5.00 to include tea/coffee and biscuits.

11am – 4pm. matreasurer@southtamar. church 26 MAY ROADFORD LAKE OPEN DAY

JUNE

6 JUNE REMEMBRANCE SERVICE

WE ARE NOW CATALOGUING OUR SPRING AUCTION CALENDAR ANTIQUES, WORKS OF ART, SILVER & JEWELLERY

1 JUNE USAATO FASHION AND ARTS SHOW Sustainable fashion event combining music, Japanese dancers and Usaato clothes – plus pop-up shop selling Usaato clothes. 5:00-7:00pm at The House, Drake Circus, Plymouth, PL4 8AA, doors open at 4:00pm. Tickets: £20 at www.eventbrite. co.uk 2 JUNE TAVISTOCK STEAM FAIR

R.O. Lenkiewicz

Diamond Bracelet EST £8,000 - £10,000

ANTIQUES & ART, SILVER & JEWELLERY

Robey Trust’s steam fair with Robey engines, tractors, commercial vehicles, vintage and classic cars, motorcycles, military vehicles, trailer rides, children’s entertainment, trade stands, a licensed bar Pink sapphire & diamond Omega “Chronometre” necklace & earrings c1950’s SOLD £15,000 SOLD £1,800

Please contact our Roborough office for free valuations to consign items for these sales

Valuations for auction, probate and insurance purposes Regular specialist auctions with live online Internet bidding

For professional advice and valuations, please call 01752 721199 email: enquiries@eldreds.net

www.eldreds.net

1 Belliver Way, Roborough, Plymouth PL6 7BP See our community website www.dartmoorlinks.co.uk

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The heart of Three great venues at the heart of our beautiful bustling market town

TAVISTOCK TOWN HALL Whether you’re holding a gala dinner, a wedding, sales fayre, or even an exercise class, our facilities and friendly and experienced staff make our elegant Gothic building the ideal place for your event.

01822 617232

townhall@tavistock.gov.uk

VOTED AS ONE OF THE ‘BEST TOWN WEDDING VENUES’ IN THE SOUTH WEST

UPCOMING EVENTS April 6th Tavistock Arts Market 19th Chocolate & Coffee Festival (Miss Ivy Events) 20th Tavistock Arts Market

May 4th Tavistock Arts Market 6th Dartmoor Radio Rally 18th The Artisan Food & Gift Market (Miss Ivy Events) 25th Artisan Food and Drink Market 26th – 27th – Garden Festival

01822 616134 Looking for a unique venue with lots character? Butchers’ Hall is available to hire for private functions and events OPEN TUESDAY - SATURDAY 9am - 4:30pm OPEN TUESDAY - SATURDAY 9am - 4:30pm OPEN •TUESDAY - SATURDAY ‘Shopping heaven in the heart of Tavistock’ ‘Shopping heaven in the heart of9am Tavistock’ - 4:30pm

Tavistock Pannier Market

What’s On WHAT’S ON

‘Shopping heaven in the heart of Tavistock’

What’s On

OCTOBER

Tavistock Goose Fair, 10th OCTOBER Open 9am - 6pm Garden Goose Fair, 10th DECEMBER Festival Open 9am - 6pm

Dickensian Sun 26th – Evening, 7th 9am May - 9pm MonOpen 27th

DECEMBER

Traders in Dickensian Victorian costume Evening, 7thThe Pannier Open 9amMarket - 9pm will remain For more details Traders in visit our website open throughout Victorian costume

www.tavistock.gov.uk 01822 611003 www.tavistock.gov.uk 01822 611003

www.tavistock.gov.uk • 01822 611003 44

the duration of TavistockMarket

For more details the perimeter TavistockPannierMarket visit our website

improvements (February – TavistockPannierMarket April 2019) TavistockMarket

Follow us on Social Media

To promote your business to 20,700* readers - call 01822 615627

TavistockMarket TavistockPannierMarket

editorial@tavylinks.co.uk

WHAT’S ON EXTRA

Sunday 14th April

Empty Box Company Open Day The Empty Box Company in Milton Abbot hand makes and specialises in beautiful boxes, for storing special items such as wedding dresses, hats, gifts and keepsakes – it has also made numerous boxes for film and television, including Downton Abbey, Mr Selfridge, Eastenders and Killing Eve. The Empty Box Company opened its doors to the public two years ago and the event proved so popular with everyone from families to artists that the company is now holding a second open day at the Devon workshop. Doors will be opened exclusively for one day to see how the boxes are made, and all are welcome.

A selection of boxes will be on sale, plus ‘Bespoke Boxes’ can be made if you bring your own wallpaper. All visitors will get a free craft bag to take home. There will also be tea, coffee and cake available to buy, with all proceeds raised from refreshments and a raffle in aid of the local Devon charity, Chicks. 10am-4pm at Tuell Farm, Milton Abbot PL19 8PY. Email giselle@emptybox.co.uk to request a map, or for further information.

Wednesday 22nd May

Hotel Endsleigh Gardens Open Day Come along and explore this wonderful garden, with its follies, grottos and superb views, created by Humphry Repton for John Russell, Sixth Duke of Bedford. This year we are excited to welcome the St Austell Strummers Ukulele Band who will be playing for visitors. There will also be quality craft stalls, plant sales and a grand draw. Event proceeds in aid of Milton Abbot Church maintenance and its £60,000 Bell repair project.

Pre-booked lunches and teas will also be available by booking directly with the hotel. Entry £5.00 to include tea, coffee and biscuits. Hotel Endsleigh, Milton Abbot, 11am – 4pm. For more information contact: matreasurer@southtamar.church

Antiques • Collectables • Jewellery Quality Furniture Architectural Salvage Garden Furniture & Ornaments • Tools & Machinery We offer house clearance and valuation services, and accept goods at our office weekly, please contact us for more information.

For more information call: 01822 616992

www.drakesauctions.co.uk cdf

Unit 6 Parade Business Park, Pixon Lane, Tavistock PL19 9RQ

See our community website www.dartmoorlinks.co.uk

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WHAT’S ON EXTRA

Sunday 26th May

Roadford Lake Open Day Enjoy a fantastic day out for the whole family at Roadford Lake’s annual open day, which runs from 10.00am to 4.00pm and includes a variety of local exhibitors and a wide range of activities suitable for all ages. Have a go at kayaking, canoeing, paddleboarding, water zorbing, windsurfing, sailing, high ropes, archery, nature crafts and fishing taster sessions. Face painting will also be available as well as giant games, a bouncy castle, soft play, family fun with Entertainingly Different and much more! Screech Owl Sanctuary will be at the event with three of their beautiful owls and there will also be the opportunity to meet some of Hendra Farm’s resident critters!

Pre-book windsurfing and sailing Windsurfing and sailing sessions will be available to prebook from 22 April on the website at www.southwestlakes. co.uk/events-upcoming-list Entry to the event will be £5 per car with 50% going towards the Roadford Lake play area project. There will also be small charges for some activities.

For more information visit www.southwestlakes.co.uk, email. info@swlakestrust.org.uk or call 01566 771930.

46

To promote your business to 20,700* readers - call 01822 615627

editorial@tavylinks.co.uk

WHAT’S ON EXTRA

Saturday 27th April

Mary Tavy Tin Mining Community Day Dartmoor Tinworking Research Group presents this special day on Tinworking, Mining and Miners in Mary Tavy. Open to all, the event will explore the rich legacy of copper, lead and tin mining in the Mary Tavy parish area. Two talks, a walk, exhibitions, bookstalls and afternoon tea will provide excellent stimulation for discovery and discussion. The event is free of charge but donations are requested for morning tea and coffee, plus afternoon tea will be available at £4.50 per head.

10am-5pm at the Coronation Hall, Mary Tavy - please email secretary@dtrg.org.uk if you would like to attend the event.

10:00 DTRG: The Tinworks and Tin Mines of Mary Tavy 11:45 Chris Wordingham: The Mine and Miners of Wheal Friendship 14:00 3-mile walk from Zoar (SX 523 807) to look at Wheal Jewell, Hilltown Consols and medieval tinworks and mill near Creason led by the DTRG – a chance to look at littleknown tinworks including a 19th century wheel house, a mine tramway and a medieval mill. Warm, waterproof clothing and sturdy footwear are essential.

Sunday 2nd June

29th Annual Tavistock Steam Fair The Robey Trust holds the world’s largest collection of steam vehicles and engineering artefacts built by one manufacturer Robey & Co Ltd of Lincoln. The charity will be holding its 29th annual Tavistock Steam Fair this year and everyone is invited to come along and enjoy a day of nostalgia and engineering heritage. At the steam fair will be five working Robey engines on show, plus a very early Robey portable steam engine, along with a number of visiting engines. There will also be a host of miniature engines, tractors, commercial vehicles, vintage and classic cars, motorcycles, military vehicles and a fairground organ. As usual, there will be trailer rides around the centre of Tavistock pulled by various full-size steam engines and a steam car, as well as children’s entertainment, trade stands, a licensed bar and refreshments. Baby changing facilities and disabled toilets will also be available on site. 10:00am to 5:00pm at The Wharf, Canal Road, Tavistock, Devon, PL19 8AT

easter family adventures

easter egg trail café family walks archery canoeing tree surfing 10 minutes from Tavistock

tamartrails.co.uk 01822 833409 See our community website www.dartmoorlinks.co.uk

47

This set s i r e t s a E ger to be bigr than e and bett fore‌ ever be

Open every day over the Easter holidays

Try out ou climbi r 44th Ascen ng line, an epi dor, which is c2 one of 6ft tall and excitin our most g challen vertical ges ye t

Check out our website: plymouth.clipnclimb.co.uk Call us on: 01752 717567 Booking in advance is recommended to avoid disappointment!

48

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editorial@tavylinks.co.uk

MUSIC & ART

Saturday 4th May

Haydn’s Creation Mount Kelly Choral Society is delighted to present Haydn’s great choral masterpiece, The Creation.

As well as the ninety strong chorus, musical director Julian Jensen will be conducting a professional orchestra and a team of talented soloists. There is a welcome return for

tenor William Wallace, whose career is going from strength to strength and who delighted audiences two years ago as the soloist in The Messiah. The Creation follows the biblical story, but with added commentary from a trio of ‘angels’ and vivid scene-setting by the orchestra and chorus, and featuring some of Haydn’s best music. 7.30pm at St Eustachius’ Church, Tavistock PL19 8AU. Tickets: £12 for adults and to encourage our audiences of the future, tickets for under 18s are free.

Tickets available from www.ticketsource.co.uk/mountkelly and Bookstop in Tavistock. For info contact music@mountkelly

Saturday 20th April

Friday 26th April

Art Exhibition

Police Choir & Devon Close Harmony Quartet

Local artist Peter Blake will be exhibiting original Dartmoor watercolours, limited edition signed prints and a selection of cards at the Tavistock Arts Market. He is a member of the West Dartmoor Art Group and Whitchurch Group and has recently exhibited at Penlee Gallery in Penzance. His work can also be viewed at Café Gallerie in Plymouth, Greenhill Art Gallery in Moretonhampstead and Salar Gallery in Hatherleigh. His cards are sold in various outlets across the county including the Dartmoor National Park Visitor Centres.

Arts Market, Butchers’ Hall, Tavistock from 9:00am to 4:30pm; Peter’s full range of paintings can be viewed on www. dartmoorwatercolours.co.uk and he can be contacted on 01822 610396.

ART EXHIBITION Framed original watercolours of Dartmoor scenes, limited edition signed prints and cards

by Peter Blake

One of the South West’s premier male voice choirs, the Plymouth Area Police Choir, makes a welcome return, performing numbers from its wide selection of sacred and secular items, including songs from popular shows. It was the first choir ever to win the gold cup at the Cheltenham Music Festival two years running and is led by acclaimed musical director Brian Gerry, who received the Chief Constable’s Commendation for his dedication and leadership of the choir.

Sharing the double bill is the Newton Abbot a cappella group, Devon Close Harmony Quartet, which started singing as a foursome in 2012 and now has a repertoire of some 30 pieces, covering a wide range of genres. Tickets: £8, available from the Parish Church Office, 5a Plymouth Road, Tavistock or on 01822 616673, or £10 on the door.

Chapel Lane Horrabridge Yelverton Pl20 7SP

DARTMOOR’S ART GALLERY Representing the region’s finest artists Saturday 20th April 9am – 4.30pm

at the Arts Market Butchers Hall, Tavistock

www.dartmoorwatercolours.co.uk 01822 610396

See our community website www.dartmoorlinks.co.uk

www.wildwoodartsdartmoor.co.uk email: info@wildwoodartsdartmoor.co.uk 01822 258529

Art, felting, jewellery, embroidery workshops & classes

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Recycling & Refuse collections over the Easter and May Bank Holidays

Box 1

BOX

Clever

plastic bottles

  & food tins drink cans

empty aerosols



only.

Empty aerosols cans, Empty rinsed squash wash and plastic bottles. tubs, pots Sorry, no or trays.

the sticker to Apply this Box 1. front of

all paper

books & books catalogues

card

no staples or tape

l each materia Please sort in Box 2. type

by

the sticker to Apply this Box 2. front of

Collection Day

New collection day

Friday 19 April

Saturday 20 April

Week beginning 22 April

1 day late

Week beginning 6 May

1 day late

Week beginning 27 May

1 day late

Friday collections during the 3 weeks above will now be collected on the Saturday. These changes also apply for Garden Waste customers.

Box 2

BOX

Clever

Normal Collection day

Please put your waste out before 7.30am on your collection day

For more information and to check your collection week online

www.westdevon.gov.uk westdevonboroughcouncil

£40

@WestDevon_BC

Blooming great deal!

Join our Garden Waste Club today and let us take away your garden waste all year round!

For only £40 we'll collect 4 large sacks every other week* Existing subscriber? Great news – as a bonus for being a valued customer, we are extending your service to 31 March 2020 at no extra cost!

Service does not operate over Christmas and New Year

To sign up and for full terms and conditions visit

www.westdevon.gov.uk/gardenwaste

West Devon 50

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MUSIC & ART

Saturday 1st June

Usaato in Plymouth - sustainable fashion meets the arts Following a very successful career in haute couture in Brussels and Japan, Usaburo Sato founded Usaato in 1996, when he moved to Chiang Mai in Thailand and discovered communities using traditional ways of making and dyeing cotton. Usaburo believes that we should be able to wear clothes that are not only beautiful, but also feel good and are made in an ethical and sustainable manner. His clothes are all hand-dyed and hand-woven by communities in Thailand and Laos and created according to the principles of circular manufacture, centred around the well-being of the worker and the environment. Although synthetic dyes are cheaper and easily available, they have a significant impact on the environment and the workers’ health, so only natural dyes are used; cotton is grown in mixed fields

containing a variety of plants, reducing the need for the pesticides used when growing cotton as a solo crop. Workers are paid a good living wage and enjoy being able to continue to practise their traditional crafts.

Usaburo regularly travels the world with a small group of Japanese dancers and musicians, who work with local communities to produce an event combining music, dance and Usaato clothes – much more than just a fashion show. This year’s collaboration in Plymouth between local and Japanese artists, choreographed by local dance expert Adam Benjamin, features two dancers from Japan, taiko drummer Gaishi Ishizaka, a flautist, a didgeridoo

player, local Taiko group ‘Taiko Journey’ and a host of local volunteer models.

After the show there will be a popup shop selling the beautiful clothes modelled by the performers. With care, the clothes will last a lifetime and have minimal impact on the environment.

Disposable fashion is one of the largest global polluters and by supporting these traditional textile communities, we get to wear beautiful clothes that don’t cost the ‘earth’.

5:00-7:00pm at The House, Drake Circus, Plymouth, PL4 8AA - doors open at 4:00pm so come early and browse through the beautiful clothes. Tickets: £20 at www.eventbrite.co.uk.

Check Facebook for details: www.facebook. com/events/2135609876518164/

Helping business fly...

Helping youryour business to to fly...

Traditional values but with a fresh modern approach

We are a firm of Chartered Accountants and aim to be flexible for our clients so that they can focus on their business.

Can’t meet during office hours? No problem, just give us a call and we’ll arrange a convenient time for you.

Tax, VAT, accounts or bookkeeping. Whatever your needs, get in touch.

Chartered Accountants

Andrew Wing LLB FCA 01822 669001/07849 747703 admin@wingsaccountants.co.uk • www.wingsaccountants.co.uk f @wingsaccountants • t @wingsaccounts

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51

MUSIC & ART

26th to 29th June

THT Open Art Exhibition As part of the Guildhall Gateway Centre project, Tavistock Heritage Trust and Tavistock Town Council are delighted to present an Open Art Exhibition this spring. This distinctive opportunity encourages artists of all ages to delve deep into Tavistock’s world heritage for inspiration, and is open to interested artists, skilled craftspeople and anyone who would like to share their work with a wider public. The exhibition has two categories. The first is for 11 to 18-year-olds and the second for anyone over the age of 18. All participants will need to offer artwork on the theme of Tavistock’s status as a World Heritage Site Gateway. The Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape World Heritage Site is a striking subject that artists can draw upon. Participants might want to explore the metals that were mined, the machinery used, or the geographical reach of the mining technology. West Devon and Cornwall also offer a rich and varied landscape which we encourage participants to explore. In short, the event committee will consider all kinds of imaginative approaches.

Participants are invited to put forward an entry in any medium - print, painting, drawings and sculpture will all be considered as will installation artworks. Groups are welcome to enter collaborative works.

52

The resulting exhibition of chosen works will be the first of many activities to celebrate the Guildhall Gateway Centre project. With the support of the Heritage Lottery Fund, Tavistock Town Council is leading this exciting project to repair, restore and convert Tavistock’s historic Guildhall and Magistrate’s Court, bringing them back into active use as a heritage interpretation centre. The deadline for artwork submissions is 10th May and the exhibition will take place 26th to 29th June. The chosen works will be displayed alongside entries from Tavistock Rotary Club’s annual Exhibition of Art by Year 5 students of Tavistock Schools.

For more information on how to enter please visit www. heritageintavistock.org/artexhibition or pick up an entry form in the Tavistock Visitor Information Centre.

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NATIONAL TRUST

Step into spring at Buckland Abbey A carpet of flowers, newborn lambs and walks in the countryside; where better to enjoy a day out than at Buckland Abbey? From frothy blossom to delicate wild flowers, the gardens at Buckland burst into colour in the spring sunshine.

With plenty of seats where you can stop to admire the view and enjoy the sound of birdsong, it’s the perfect place to escape the bustle of everyday life.

As you head out onto the wider estate, you’ll be following the footsteps of the monks as you wander through farm and woodland. Pause to take in the views across the valley, down to the river and to Cornwall beyond, and you’ll find it easy to understand why the Cistercians chose this special place for their home all those centuries ago. Following the red trail will give the best views of the bluebell displays, which tend to be at their best in early May.

‘COMING HOME’ EXHIBITION. Apprentice portrait trail Sat 27 April - Sun 1 Sep, 11am-4.30pm Collect your trail booklet from reception and find all the animals hidden around the abbey. But in order for you to become the master painter, you’ll also need to complete the outdoor trail too.

MAY HALF-TERM FUN Saturday 25th May – Sunday 2nd June, 11am – 4:30pm Join us for one of our crafting sessions as you make your very own pine cone spring flower to take home. Or visit Naturemake, and let your imagination run wild to create spectacular pieces of art. With something on every day this half-term, you won’t want to miss it.

COMING HOME - DRAKE AT BUCKLAND ABBEY Saturday 27th April – Sunday 22nd September, 11am-4:40pm Take the opportunity to see an original portrait of Sir Francis Drake on loan from the National Portrait Gallery, in our

Step into Spring Add some colouratto Buckland Abbey your weekend this

A carpet of flowers, newborn lambs and walks in the countryside; where better to enjoy a day out than at Buckland Abbey?

autumn at Gibside

Or why notthrough comefallen along and ouranew Go crunching leaves andsee discover forest teeming with wildlife with walking exhibition fromand theautumn 27th colours, April, 'Coming routes for all ages and abilities.

Home - Drake at Buckland Abbey'.

nationaltrust.org.uk/gibside

nationaltrust.org.uk/buckland-abbey When you visit, donate, volunteer join the National When you visit, donate, volunteer or join theor National Trust, your support your helps us to look after special places <inafter the region> <like Trust, support helps us to look special places property X, property Y and Proeprty Z> in for ever, for everyone.

South West/Buckland Abbey for ever, for everyone. © National Trust 2019. The National Trust is an © National Trust 2016. The National Trust is an independent independent registered charity, number 205846. © National Trust registered charity, 205846.

Photography ©number National TrustPhotography Images\Buckland Abbey Images. images.

#nationaltrust #nationaltrust

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53

NATIONAL TRUST

Spring highlights at Cotehele The garden at Cotehele is a rainbow of spring colour, with magnolias, tulips, rhododendrons and camellias joining our later-flowering daffodil varieties to lift the mood and energise the spirit. There’s lots of fun to be had too, with our Cadbury Easter Egg Hunt running over three weeks this year, not just Easter weekend, so families have more choice over when to follow the trail. We’ll have a new trail and family activities in May half-term as well.

After exploring outdoors, you could refuel in the Edgcumbe tea-room or Barn restaurant. Both are open daily, 10am-4pm and well-behaved dogs on leads are welcome in both. During the school holidays we’ll also open the Piggery by the house, where you can pick up drinks and snacks, including Cornish pasties, for easy eats on-the-go.

See our website for more info on Cotehele and all our events: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/cotehele

CADBURY EASTER EGG HUNT AT COTEHELE Saturday 6 – Sunday 28 April, 10am-4pm.

Join Bunny as he looks around Cotehele garden to find which items on his shopping list used to be grown in the market

gardens of the Tamar Valley, and enjoy a Cadbury chocolate prize at the end. £2 per trail, usual admission applies.

PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOPS WITH GOING DIGITAL Saturday 27 and Sunday 28 April Improve your technical photography skills and get to know all the features of your camera in these day-long courses run by a partner in the beautiful surroundings at Cotehele. Booking essential. For more details and to book visit www.goingdigital. co.uk.

GARDEN FLOWERS WREATH MAKING WORKSHOP Wednesday 1 May, 10.30am-12.30pm.

Join artisan florist Miranda Hackett in the Long Room at the Edgcumbe tea-room on Cotehele Quay for a morning of creativity. Miranda will show you how to pick seasonal flowers to make beautiful decorative wreaths, which she’ll demonstrate and then help you create your own. £60pp, includes all materials. Booking is essential on 01579 351346.

Moments to remember made at Cotehele Visit Cotehele in spring for flowers galore, mindful walks in the garden and the Cadbury Easter Egg Hunt.

These are the places that make us. nationaltrust.org.uk/cotehele 54

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NATIONAL TRUST

A riot of colour at Lydford Gorge There’s so much to see in spring, as wild flowers change the usually green gorge to a riot of colour, and their scents fill the air. The finale in May is a carpet of bluebells, dotted with white wild garlic and pink purslane, down to the river.

Plan a day of adventure; combine a walk in the gorge with one of the many family activities running this Easter. For more information visit the website or call 01822 820320. Normal admission charges apply to all events.

CADBURY EASTER EGG HUNT

MAKE A LYDFORD PIXIE DOOR Sat 13 Apr, 12-3pm Doors for other magical creatures are also encouraged. £4 per door

MAKING WOODLAND BUNNY FACES Tues 16 Apr, 11am-3.30pm Create your own bunny face sculpture using local wood and basic hand tools. £3 per sculpture, booking advisable

Sat 6 to Mon 22 Apr, 10am-4.30pm

SPRING FLOWER SURVEY

How do wild animals make their homes? What are they like to live in? Find out by following the trail through the orchard. £3 per trail with chocolate prize

Sat 11 May, 11am-1pm

FAMILY WILD KITCHEN

Join the ranger for a guided walk to Whitelady Waterfall to survey the wild flowers that flourish at this colourful time of year. Booking essential

Sat 6 Apr, 11am-2pm

BASIC GREEN WOODWORKING

Forage for wild garlic then make your own pasta and pesto lunch on the camp fire. £5 per adult, £3 per child, booking essential

Thurs 30 May, 1.30-3.30pm Learn how to safely use bushcraft knives and tools to make your own wooden mallet. £3 per mallet, booking advisable

Bluebells, adventure Add crashing some colour to and water your weekend this await autumnatatLydford Gibside Gorge this spring Go crunching through fallen leaves and discover a forest Open daycolours, 10am-5pm teeming withevery wildlife and autumn with walking routes for all ages and abilities.

nationaltrust.org.uk/gibside Call 01822 820320 for details nationaltrust.org.uk/lydford-gorge When you visit, donate, volunteer or join the National Trust, your

helps usTrust to look 2019. after special places <in the region> <like ©support National The National property property Y and Proeprty Z> in for ever, for everyone.

Trust isX,an independent registered charity, number 205846. © National Trust 2016. The National Trust is an independent registered charity, number 205846. Photography © National Trust #nationaltrust Photography © National Trust Images. #nationaltrust Images\Mel Peters.

See our community website www.dartmoorlinks.co.uk

55

Promotional Feature

Local Heating & Plumbing Engineer wins place on UK Training Programme Local Heating and Plumbing company DB Heating Ltd continue to drive the knowledge of their engineers forward and now one of their employees has been selected to attend a ten month “money can’t buy” training programme provided by the UK’s leading boiler manufacturer.

Will Muncey, a 22-year-old engineer from Tavistock, was put forward amongst other applicants from various companies across the UK. 3900 of which were invited to present their very best rising stars to be considered. Will was successfully selected to be amongst the privileged final 40 contestants for the much coveted “Apprentice of the Year” title.

Worcester Boilers, part of the Bosch Group and based in the Midlands, facilitates the Worcester Apprentice Support Programme. This ten-month programme is only available to Platinum Worcester Approved Dealers like DB Heating Ltd.

Incredible opportunity

Will has been working at DB Heating Ltd as an apprentice heating engineer for four and a half years and has just qualified.

Will says “I was already very happy to have just qualified,

Will Muncey at DB Heating Ltd

so when I found out that I had been selected for such an incredible and rare opportunity, I was over the moon! I have a unique opportunity to learn in much more detail about the boilers we are fitting every day. We get to see the boiler in every stage, from the production line right through to working in a customer home. It’s real, hands on, money can’t buy experience.”

The programme is 15 days, completed over ten months and includes; 3 days specifically on Gas and Oil boilers, at least 4 days in the field with a Worcester engineer. Not to mention the other days intensive training on renewables, electrics, water and system treatments, customer handover and how to provide the very best experience for the customer.

Worcester Bosch are the market leading boiler in the UK and more than 40% of all boilers installed in the UK are Worcester boilers. They have also been awarded “WHICH Best Buy” status for eight years running and have a Five Star rating on Trust Pilot.

Lawrence Barnes, Director of DB Heating Ltd says “Given the volume of applicants put forward by proud business owners across the UK, for Will to be one of the few selected is down to sheer hard work, tenacity and talent. When Will has completed the programme he will be one of the most experienced engineers in the region, we are all very proud of him”. It doesn’t stop there for Will, once the course is completed he will then only have a few weeks before he finds out if he has won Apprentice of the Year, so watch this space!

01822 611300 reception@dbheating.com www.dbheating.com W T

E

Unit 10, Atlas House • West Devon Business Park • Brook Lane • Tavistock • Devon • PL19 9DP

Customers benefit

“When I was starting in the industry this kind of opportunity just did not exist” says Lawrence “after this course Will will know everything there is to know about the Worcester boiler system and that can only be a benefit to our customers and our business. We are providing our customers with local, home-grown and well trained engineers that know what they are doing and can therefore save the customer money in the long run”.

DB Heating Ltd has been operating for more than 30 years in West Devon and employ fifteen local people at their branch in Tavistock. They clearly know how to train, motivate and retain their staff through quality training and knowledge.

Our Price Promise Did You Know?

DB Heating Ltd is happy to match and will endeavour to beat any like-for-like written quotation.

We pride ourselves on offering our customers a high quality and competitive service. If you feel that another company has offered a more competitive quotation, please do not hesitate to get in touch

£££££££££££.£ Terms and conditions apply

We fit the best!

The latest LPG, oil and natural gas boilers from the UK’s most trusted brand.

Accredited Installer

ENDORSED BY THE UK’S LEADING CONSUMER ORGANISATION

FOOD & WINE

Saturday 13th April

Gin & Rum Festival Miss Ivy’s second Gin & Rum Festival will be held in the historic heart of Tavistock - The Town Hall - and will feature a fantastic array of tipples to taste. Some 40 different gins and rums will be available at the gin & rum bar - and in addition, local distillers will be attending the event and providing samples of their wonderful products. If gin isn’t your thing, what about rum? To accompany such a splendid selection of beverages, a wide variety of street food sellers will be on hand to tempt the palate - many local producers have already been booked for the festival, with more lining up to attend, so you’re sure to find your ideal snack. And it wouldn’t be a festival without music - live performances featuring a mixture of jazz

and modern music will be taking place throughout the day. The fantastic Gin & Rum Festival opens at 13:00 and runs until 18:00. Tickets start from just £6 plus an online booking fee at www.missivyevents.co.uk or £9 on the door.

18th May, 15th June, 13th July, 14th September

Artisan Food and Gift Markets The events in Butchers’ Hall, Tavistock will feature locallyproduced food and a number of artisan producers selling items such as pies, honeys, sauces, cakes, jewellery, glassware and much more. Visitors can enjoy socialising in the coffee and cake bar and the Make-Space – a comfy area with taster workshops to learn craft skills such as crocheting, cross stitching, making jewellery and needle felting or bring your own crafts along. Entry is free – there will be a small charge for materials used in the Make-Space. (Organised by Miss Ivy Events & Tavistock BID)

enjoy live music. 16:00-20:00 at Bedford Square in Tavistock, entry is free of charge. (Organised by Miss Ivy Events & Tavistock BID)

25th May, 29th June, 27th July

Tavistock Street Food Festivals With an array of street foods including Cuban dishes, woodfired pizzas, Mediterranean cuisine and artisan burgers, there will be plenty of taste sensations for everyone to savour.

Visitors can also sit back in the prosecco and ale bars and

Easter Sunday

Sunday 21st April - 12-2pm Enjoy a traditional Easter spring lunch served with all the trimmings. £37.50 per person for 3 courses.

Spring Jazz Event

Sunday 26th May - 12-2pm Join us for a fantastic lunch accompanied by live Jazz from the Dart Valley Stompers. £35 per person for 3 courses.

Always a popular event so book early to get a place!

A Family Run Hideaway in Devon 58

LEWDOWN, OKEHAMPTON, DEVON EX20 4PN TELEPHONE: +44 (0) 1566 783 222

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FOOD & WINE

Friday 19th April

Chocolate and Coffee Festival If it’s Easter it must mean chocolate - and a fabulous day out for all the family is guaranteed at a special event being held in the heart of Tavistock this Easter. The town’s first ever Chocolate and Coffee Festival hosted by Miss Ivy Events, will be staged in the beautifully restored Butchers’ Hall next to the Victorian pannier market on Good Friday between 10.30am and 4pm. Chocoholics be warned - attending the festival are producers offering every sort of chocolate you could wish for - from truffles, ice cream and cake, to milkshakes and even wine! For the caffeine fiends, a huge range of coffee specialists will be there to tempt the most discerning of tastebuds.

If you fancy getting creative, you can join in a chocolate workshop with specialist Nicola Brook, and anyone feeling that Lady Luck is smiling on them can try winning a prize in the chocolate tombola. A whole range of activities are on offer for the youngsters, with an Easter egg hunt, Easter egg decorating with Domea Favour, Easter egg painting and some cheeky appearances from Willy Wonka! A hot chocolate

and coffee bar will run throughout the day and the relaxed atmosphere will be accompanied by live contemporary music.

Tickets: £5 for adults; family tickets for 4 people are £14 - to include chocolate fondue sticks and an Easter egg hunt for the children. Under 5s free entry. Tickets available on www. missivyevents.co.uk

SPRING EVENTS Easter Day Lunch – 21st April

Celebrate Easter with your family, three course lunch is £24.95 per adult, children £15, available between 12.00 and 2.00pm

Wedding Open Day – Sunday 28th April, 12.00 to 3.00pm

If you have made the commitment to the next stage of your lives together come and visit to see how the Crystal Room looks and to discuss how we can help make your day.

Miss Ivy Events Spring Fete, Bank Holiday – Monday 6th May 10.30am – 4.00pm Miss Ivy Events will provide you with Artisan and Gift Exhibitors plus Live music from Samantha Montini.

Entry £2.50. Refreshments Available.

Tea Tasting and Afternoon Tea – Sunday 12th May,

2.00pm – 4.00pm

Hannah Ruth Tea will be providing a tea tasting, followed by the Hotel’s afternoon tea which will be accompanied by your new chosen favourite tea. £30 per person.

To book any of these do please call our Events Team on 01822 852245 or email events@moorlandgardenhotel.co.uk Full details of these and other offers are available on our website moorlandgardenhotel.co.uk Moorland Garden Hotel, Yelverton, Plymouth PL20 6DA

See our community website www.dartmoorlinks.co.uk

59

MUSIC & ART OUTDOORS AND ACTIVE

Out and About with Tavistock Ramblers An easy 4-mile walk with David Simkins of Tavistock Ramblers.

There are great views of Dartmoor and the Plym valley, two Bronze Age stone rows, a massive cairn known as the Giant’s Basin, the ancient farmhouse of Ditsworthy Warren and the ruins of Eylesbarrow tin mine. The walk is on stony tracks and open moorland but with two stream crossings. To get to the start, go over Burrator dam, through Sheepstor and take the lane signed to Nattor. There is a small parking area at the end of this lane. (SX578673).

1. Go back up the lane from the parking area to the cattle grid and turn sharp left on a good track alongside a post and wire fence. Follow this track, with Gutter Tor on the right, for just over half a mile. The River Plym gradually comes into view and as the track approaches Ditsworthy Warren House, notice the long, low mounds on both sides. These are “pillow mounds” and are the artificial buries for the rabbits. Warrening was an important business here and elsewhere on Dartmoor until well into the 20th century.

2. Pass to the left of the house which is several hundred years old. If the building seems familiar this may be because it appeared as the family home in Steven Spielberg’s film of ‘War Horse’. Behind the house is the pound in which the dogs were kept that were used to flush the rabbits out of the pillow mounds. You can see several kennels built into the wall.

3. The track crosses a small stream and then a wider one with stepping stones. Go slightly left on the grassy path towards the huge standing stones ahead. As you walk up the stone row

The West Devon Club An ideal venue for celebrations, parties and special events such as weddings and wakes Our friendly, welcoming club has a light and airy lounge, a dance floor, good food with separte dining area.

Two bars, cosy cellar bar with great function area, and meeting rooms, large screen TVs for viewing the sporting events like Six Nations Rugby and Premiership Football Matches. We have two Snooker tables, pool room and a wonderful beer garden.

Interested in becoming a member? Please see our friendly bar staff.

FORTHCOMING EVENTS FOR MEMBERS AND THEIR GUESTS ONLY 6 April Abba Tribute Band • 15 April Tavistock Heritage Myth and Legend Talk by Simon Dell 3 May Rod Stewart Tribute • 10 May Lineup • Also, great entertainment planned for the rest of the year Get online and checkout the website and facebook, look at the notice boards to see the latest events at the club.

3 Abbey Place, Tavistock, PL19 0AB • 01822 613025

thewestdevonclub.com

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OUTDOORS AND ACTIVE

the Giantâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Basin is on the right and a second stone row is on the left. They are almost parallel and the path passes between two cairns, one at the end of each stone row. The path then heads gently upwards towards the prehistoric settlements further up the hillside with a third, smaller, stone row.

Continue uphill to go through the broken-down walls of one of the Bronze Age settlements with several hut circles on either side. Carry on to reach Higher Hartor Tor. The views from here are magnificent with Plymouth Sound and the Cornish hills on Bodmin Moor in the distance.

4. From Higher Hartor Tor, take the grassy path half left, ie north, towards Eylesbarrow to reach another stony track. The track to the right leads to Plym Ford which was once on a route across the moor from the abbeys of Buckfast and Tavistock.

5. However, turn left instead, away from the river, and pass the ruins of several old mine buildings on the right and wall field enclosures on the left.

6. Go left at a fork to walk downhill past the ruins of more old buildings on both sides of the track. On the right is a striking skyline of Dartmoor tors. Pass several marker stones inscribed PCWW 1917 denoting the catchment area of Burrator Reservoir.

Whoever you are, wherever you are on your journey, you are welcome here!

Cross an old bridge over the Longstone Leat, pass the Scout Hut in the trees and back to the parking area.

David will be leading this walk for Tavistock Ramblers in the summer and also several other similar walks. Watch a video of this walk and other short walks in West Devon and on Dartmoor on the Tavistock Ramblers website www. tavistockramblers.org.uk Have a look on the website for lots more walks - there are short strolls and all day treks and everything in between.

You are welcome to join us!

Worship at 10.00am every Sunday Halls available for hire Russell Street Tavistock PL19 8BD tavistockurc.org.uk 07982 622949

Minister: Revd Robert Weston tavistockurcminister@gmail.com

See our community website www.dartmoorlinks.co.uk

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HISTORY

‘The Dartmoor Conchies’ The story of Dartmoor Prison’s conscientious objectors of the Great War...

11th November 2018 saw the culmination of commemorations relating to the Great War 1914-1918. As thousands of people attended services on Remembrance Day around our county, here in Tavistock record numbers came along on a poignant sunny day to draw to a close, a year of events reflecting upon the final year of the Great War, a century before. Many were aware that for some men and women, the Great War did not suddenly end on 11th November 1918. Those scarred in mind and body bore those scars for decades and indeed until their death many years later – such is the reality and toll of war. It was not until 1919 that the treaty between Germany and its former enemies was signed – the Treaty of Versailles. Many also would not be aware of the hundreds of conscientious objectors (COs) who were kept in work centres and prisons until 1919 and some even until 1920; these were the men who had refused to kill or fight during the war.

Conscription started on 2nd March 1916, but many men refused to fight and so the issue of ‘conscientious objection’ raised its head and the ‘conchie’ was born. The most common ground for refusal, was a religious one, but the next largest group of COs were political activists, and in total there were approximately 16,000 conscientious objectors to armed service during the First World War. The usual procedure for a conscientious objector was to apply to his local tribunal for exemption from military service. Men whose hearing at a tribunal was unsuccessful, often found themselves in prison if they failed to comply with the directive to serve in the army. A number of prisons around the UK were emptied of convicts to make way for the COs. In all, more than 6,312 conscientious objectors were arrested; 5,970 were court-martialled and sent to prison, where they endured privations both mental and physical, and a number suffered long-term physical or mental illness as a result; 819 men spent over two years in prison and at least 73 COs died because of the harsh treatment. Some conscientious objectors - known as ‘absolutists’ - refused to do any war-related work or obey military orders, while ‘alternativist’ conscientious objectors were offered so-called ‘work of national importance’ in a scheme put forward by the Home Office - this was generally agriculture, forestry or unskilled manual labour.

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One such work centre was at Dartmoor Prison in Princetown.

During the Great War, it was emptied of its criminal inhabitants and handed over to the military authorities in 1917 to become the Princetown Work Centre. That year over a thousand conscientious objectors were moved into the prison and they remained there until 1919, engaged in work of ‘national importance’. Many of the objectors at Princetown were put to work outside on seemingly pointless work. A large tract of moorland was enclosed in a huge wall (now known as Conchies’ Wall) and the land was turned into a ploughed field, still to this day known as Conchies’ Field. The Mis Tor working party hiked up to the slopes of Great Mis Tor to the north of the village at Princetown and on land owned by the Duke of Cornwall they toiled day after day digging the most unbelievable drainage ditches, far in excess of what might be reasonably required to drain the land. Another Tor Royal party built a road, seemingly going nowhere across the open moors, known today as Conchies’ Road.

One of the men from the working party was Ted Ashby; when he was walking to work through Princetown Square one day, he called in at Bolt’s Store on the corner opposite the Railway Inn to buy some sweets. The shop assistant that day was Isobel Worth, the daughter of a prison officer - they fell in love but their feelings for each other had to be kept a secret from the villagers, lest her father found out. Ted and Isobel eloped in April 1919 when he was eventually released and they had five children, the youngest being Margaret, who in 2018, unveiled a memorial on the gate to Conchies’ Road to the conscientious objectors, including her father.

HISTORY

Conchies

Four men died at Princetown Work Centre, including Henry ‘Harry’ Firth and Henry Haston. In the February of 1918 Mark Hayler, a Quaker, nursed Henry Firth and recalled later: “I was working at the hospital at the time I attended him. I was a sort of orderly you know... and he was a local preacher with the Methodists, and his wife came down from Yorkshire, and I can see her now sitting not in the cell but on a chair outside the door. He had pneumonia. He’d been badly treated at Dartmoor, he should never have been sent out onto the moor in bad weather. He should have got an indoor job, and he got this cold and he got pneumonia. It was the only funeral from Dartmoor and the whole of the men attended the funeral, they insisted, they couldn’t have prevented them and they followed behind the coffin and down to the railway and it was put on the little train at Princetown and taken down to Plymouth... And some of the COs got hold of some fog signals and they put them on the line here and there. As the train went out of the little station at Princetown they went off, a sort of farewell. And I remember a thousand men sang a hymn ‘Abide with me’. He makes no mention of the villagers watching the funeral procession and throwing stones as it passed.

And so, what happened after the Armistice on 11th November 1918? It appeared that no-one, and certainly not the Government, was in any real hurry to release the conscientious objectors - certainly not until the surviving soldiers were brought back from the front, which took months. In Princetown

Dartmoor Work Centre

Ted Ashby playing the violin on a work break

Work Centre the release of the COs occurred in the April of 1919, some months after the war ended. Men found it almost impossible to obtain employment after release. Mark Hayler, who had been at Princetown Work Centre, later wrote, ‘It’s dogged me all my life. I don’t know what else I could have done. And when the whole war was over and I was looking for a job…and then I was interviewed by committees and so on and the last question was always ‘What did you do in the Great War?’. Soldiers returned to a hero’s welcome in the main, but the COs were generally shunned by society, carrying those scars for the rest of their lives.

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BOOK REVIEW

Recommendations for spring from Book Stop, Tavistock The Three-Body Problem by Liu Cixin Recently reprinted, this is modern science fiction at its best - and with a twist. The Three Body Problem portrays three worlds: that of modern-day China beginning with the excess and horrors of the Cultural Revolution; that of the alternative reality which can be experienced by players of the Three Body game; that of Trisolaris, the distant planet which the game portrays. Through its absorbing narrative this novel explores themes of history, philosophy and hard science in an accessible and engaging way,

whilst Ken Liu’s expert translation helps maintain the novel’s distinctly Chinese voice. A fascinating read and the first part of an epic trilogy. Published by Head of Zeus; £8.99

Transcription by Kate Atkinson The latest novel from a bestselling UK author, just out in paperback.

Transworld; £8.99

The Salt Path by Raynor Winn The moving story of one couple’s experience of the South West Coast Path. Penguin; £9.99

The Redeemed by Tim Pears Last part in Pears’ acclaimed West Country Trilogy. Bloomsbury; £16.99

Backtracking Around Plymouth, Tavistock South & Launceston

by Bernard Mills A new photographic ‘then and now’ journey along our local railway lines.

Pen & Ink; £16.95

Fing by David Walliams Another great new offering from the ever-popular Mr Walliams. £12.99; HarperCollins Simon Church, Book Stop

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BUSINESS

Tech tips from ChezvousPC Does your laptop randomly turn off? Believe it or not, we have had a couple of instances where users’ wrist devices – Fitbit and other makes - have been responsible for causing this to happen. Carol experienced this when her partner was able to use the computer all day long, but as soon as she used it – shazam – shut down! It seems the magnets used in Fitbit wristbands are capable of making a laptop shut down; there is a magnetic sensor in the lid that corresponds with a contact in the base to tell the machine the lid is closed and to go into standby. So if you wear devices on your wrist, watch out!

Windows 7 users: are you no longer getting Windows updates? Usually if you have some sort of antivirus software, then Windows Defender is turned off. If that is the case, the Windows update will not be working and your PC will be going out of date, which we all know is undesirable. Turn on Windows Defender and update it, then go to the Windows

update program, get it to check and then it WILL work. If you cannot do this, then we can do it while we check over your computer.

If you still have Windows 7, then you should start thinking about the fact that Microsoft is going to be withdrawing support for it on 14th January 2020. That means that after a while, things will no longer be updated and your computer will become less and less secure. There are ways of managing this obsolescence, but really it is just nature’s way of saying you’ll need a new computer. If you have Vista or XP, then you should really have changed a long time ago!

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TRADE SECRETS

Nick Rule TRADE: FARRIER AND BLACKSMITH

for a short time while he or she builds up their own customer base. There are expensive higher qualifications, but the four-year course offers full training in making a variety of horse shoes from scratch, fitting the shoe and detecting any underlying foot health problems that might require specialist shoes.

Where do you work?

Why did you become a farrier?

Essentially, I have always been interested in rural crafts and in my teens I considered becoming a blacksmith but didn’t want to be tied to the workshop so I combined it with my love of animals.

As a farrier I have the best of both worlds as I am also a blacksmith.

What training or qualifications are involved?

There is a four-year apprenticeship diploma course run by one of a handful of agricultural colleges. The nearest is Morten Morrel near Leamington Spa. Each apprentice must work alongside an approved training farrier for four years with occasional block release to the college. On successful completion the apprentice can join ‘The Worshipful Company of Farriers’. It’s not unusual for an apprentice to stay with his trainer

My time is split between making horse shoes at the forge and being out and about visiting yards and fitting shoes.

I work all over Devon and also visit some of my old customers in Wiltshire, such as Di Hayes the world champion carriage driver.

Who else works with you?

I am fortunate to have an apprentice, Ben Tanner, working alongside me at the moment. We have been working together for four years and I hope he will continue to work with me part-time when he graduates this summer. I also work closely with equine vets who often refer horses to me for specialist shoeing.

Part of the farrier’s role is to determine how best to alleviate lameness or foot disease through the application of a particular type of shoe.

How does your day usually unfold?

I try to arrange my diary so that I am in one area each day. Each horse will generally need a new set of shoes

every 5-6 weeks. Alongside my regular visits I am also called out to re-shoe horses that have lost a shoe or to see horses with foot health issues such as laminitis or a foot abscess. To fit all four shoes can take up to an hour and a half – each horseshoe must be individually shaped on site to fit perfectly. No two horseshoes are ever the same as each hoof is different. I have about 200 horses on the books so it keeps me busy.

What would you say to someone thinking about this as a career?

Think carefully! This is a very physically demanding job and you must of course be very comfortable around horses. I have had some near misses in my time, but injuries can happen. You also have to have good hand-eye coordination as the horse shoes are shaped by hand and measured by eye.

What is the best thing about your job?

I love my job as a whole. I really enjoy meeting interesting people – I have worked for the Queen, Prince Charles and Princess Anne. I am also farrier to Olympic eventer Mary King, and so helped to secure our team silver medal in 2012. I also enjoy expressing my creative side at the end of the day by working in the forge on various blacksmithing projects.

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