Issuu

Ogwell Parish Magazine

February / March 2024

Contents 4-5

Ogwild Events

Community Hub Launch

Help for Carers

10 Memorial Hall Update 12

Parish Council Report

14-15 Canada Hill School 16

Garden Society

Church News

D-Day Anniversary

Luncheon Club / Tennis Club

24-25 Tales of a Long Life 26

Ogwell Events

28-29

Ogwell Rambler

Book Review

Wines to Try

Church Message

Free Trees & Seeds

Nadsa Concerts

Water Problems/ Quiz Date

Ogwell Online

Recycling Dates

Index of Advertisers

Contacts

It’s always good to get past January! Once we’re in February, I start looking forward to daffodils, catkins, bluebells, apple blossom, not to mention longer days and a bit of warmth! Wassailiing with the children of Canada Hill School will be a great way to start February. See pages 4 and 5 for information on where and when. And start work on decorating your wassail hat! You can also read on page 6 about the progress being made on bringing back a local shop, not to mention a local pub! Both projects will need strong community support to succeed but will give Ogwell’s social life a big boost if they come to fruition. Speaking of social life, the residents of Sunny Hollow threw a surprise party in January at the Memorial Hall for Ray Gregory, who was celebrating his 100th birthday. It’s fascinating to read of his experiences through his long life on pages 24-25. Ray is still sound in body and mind, and lives an independent life. Sadly, others are not so lucky. On page 8, Ogwell resident Jean Fowler has news of an online tool that may be helpful for anyone caring for a loved one with dementia, potentially improving quality of life for both carer and the person they care for. These are just a few of the stories in this issue, along with the regular features about what’s happening in the village. If you have an interesting story to tell for a future issue, or are keen to share your love of a book, hobby, walk, place, or anything else, please get in touch. Pauline Wynter, Editor, opmeditorial@gmail.com

FRONT COVER Sheep with lambs In a local field

Come Join The Wassail! Wassailing, or blessing of the fruit trees, is an ancient tradition dating back to the 8th Century. It involves drinking and singing in the hope of ensuring a good harvest in the autumn. On Saturday February 3rd you can come and experience the Wassail tradition in Ogwell as the children from Canada Hill School process from the school up to the young fruit trees next to the Daws Close play area. Enjoy the ceremony, music and songs as the children perform the ritual to awaken the trees and scare away evil spirits. Then try some mulled local apple juice and cake. See next page for details. Remember to wrap up warm and wear sturdy footwear, as the fruit tree area can be muddy. Feel the part by decorating a hat with some natural foliage, and bring your own mug to sample the juice.

Talks at the Memorial Hall We have two local specialists coming along to the Memorial Hall in February to give talks, the first on the wildlife of Teignbridge, the second more specifically on dormice. See next page for details. Free wildflower seeds Ogwild is offering free annual wildflower seed to anyone in the village who would like to create a small patch of Poppy (Red), Cornflower, (Blue), Corn Chamomile (White), Corn Marigold (Yellow) and Corncockle (Pinky Purple). The mixture should grow well on most soil types including fertile soils, although different soils and sowing dates will produce different results. Small packets containing 10g of seed - enough to cover 5 square metres - are available and come with ground preparation and sowing instructions. Please contact ogwild4@gmail.com if you are interested. The Ogwild Team email: ogwild4@gmail.com or info@ogwild.org and visit www.ogwild.org

Ogwild Events Here We Come A Wassailing! Saturday 3rd February, 3-5pm Join the procession from Canada Hill School to and around our community apple trees near Dawes Close. Help us revive this old tradition with singing and ceremony to bring good health to our apple trees and each other for 2024. With Ogwell mulled apple juice and cake! An Ogwild Community Project in partnership with Canada Hill School Funded by the Summer Fair Committee

The Treasured Wildlife of Teignbridge A Talk by Dave Smallshire Ogwell Memorial Hall, Tuesday 13th February, 7.30pm Join us for a talk on some of the species and habitats in our area and what we can do to protect them. Dave Smallshire is a well-known ecologist and an expert on our local wildlife. He leads wildlife tours both abroad and in the UK, including the birdwatching boat trips on the Exe estuary. Free entry ◊ Donations welcome ◊ Refreshments available

Dartmoor’s Dormice And Their Habitats A Talk by Matt Parkins Ogwell Memorial Hall, Tuesday 27th February, 7.30pm Dormice are undeniably cute, but they’re in trouble due to habitat loss and climate change. Join us to hear how they are doing locally. Matt Parkins is a woodland conservationist who works on habitat restoration in the wooded valleys around Dartmoor. Free entry ◊ Donations welcome ◊ Refreshments

Ogwell Community Hub Project Launches Exciting plans are afoot to revitalise the and see the profits generated by the business invested back into the community. social and business life of our village, and you’re invited to take an active part. Future for Jolly Sailor?

Turning our attention to the other side of Canada Hill, there is a second phase to the Ogwell regeneration plan taking shape. For many months now, rumours have been circulating about the future of the Jolly Sailor, the East Ogwell pub that burned down nearly three years ago. Will the ruins be flattened to make way for new housing? Is there a possibility a new Jolly Sailor will rise from the ashes? Discussions between the current owner, Heavitree Brewery, and the Ogwell Community Hub are underway, and there is a clear indication that a recovery plan may potentially deliver not just a much-needed pub at the heart of our community, but also a village shop-cum-café and two new character cottages. Good news indeed if the plans can be brought to fruition, in which case there may well be a further ‘Phase 2’ issue of shares down the line to support this next development. Taking ownership All in all, this community hub plan will not only help breathe new life into a number of key local businesses, but it will also offer every Ogwell resident the opportunity to take pride and own a stake in the future success of our community. Look out for further news on every aspect of the Ogwell project as developments occur.

Abbotsridge shop There may be good news in the pipeline for the vacant corner shop at the junction of Margaret Road and Abbotsridge Drive. The business closed its doors many years ago, much to the disappointment not only of its Ogwell neighbours but also the generations of incoming Canada Hill Primary schoolchildren and parents who made use of it. Now unused, the physical property is in need of some repair. However, the Ogwell Community Hub committee is currently in the process of bidding for a government grant to secure its regeneration and relaunch it as a fullyfledged community shop offering a wide range of products. Broader project This represents the first phase of a broader project set to actively involve all of us in the village. A recent Facebook poll confirmed widespread support for the return of a new and enhanced ‘Abbotsridge Shop’, with residents expressing keen interest in supporting, staffing and co-funding the initiative. To qualify for a government grant of around £80,000, the village needs to ‘match-fund’ the development to the tune of 20% of that sum. So the Ogwell Community Hub will shortly be issuing a ‘Phase 1’ share prospectus inviting residents to not only help raise the required £16,000, but also to co-own the shop as shareholders

The OCH Team

Dealing With Dementia: Help For Carers Jean Fowler There are a lot of unpaid carers out there who are working really hard to care for and support their loved ones with a diagnosis of dementia. But it can be challenging and exhausting. I know, as I cared for my mother. I spent so much time persuading her to cooperate with washing, dressing, feeding, taking medication, helping her manage her anxiety, liaising with health professionals, taking her out, shopping, cleaning, and the rest that in the end ‘managing’ her was all I did. My quality of life suffered, as did my mother’s. If this sounds familiar, help may be at hand. As an occupational therapist I have become involved with a pilot project introducing an assessment to care homes aimed at improving quality of life for residents with dementia. I believe it may also have something to offer those caring for someone with dementia at home. Dementia negatively affects the person’s perception about what is happening to them, to those around them and to their environment, resulting in a huge challenge to themselves and those caring for them. Faced with this each day, carers can feel frustrated and stressed, which is not good for the carer or the cared for. Designed by Jackie Pool, an occupational therapist dementia specialist, the Pool Activity Instrument (PAL) is a quick yet reliable checklist that determines the activity level at which a dementia sufferer is functioning. There are four levels: Planned, Exploratory, Sensory and Reflex, and once the level has been identified, an activity plan is automatically generated. The plan includes lots of really helpful advice and suggestions as to how best the carer can support the person in areas of washing, dressing, dining, engaging with others and with leisure activities. Understanding the activity level can help a carer make sure any demands made on the person with dementia are at the level identified by PAL (the ‘just right’ challenge). It is suggested this could have a positive effect, helping to improve quality of life. PAL is available free online at qcs.co.uk/pal-instrument/PAL-Checklist-version.html If you don’t use a computer or struggle to download and print off documents I have paper copies I’m happy to share, talk you through, or help you complete. If you have questions, I’ll do my best to help. Finally, The Daily Sparkle is a reminiscence newspaper published specifically for care homes to support their residents with dementia. However, a lot of their content is freely available online. If you Google Daily Sparkle you will find links to ideas for all sorts of activities for anyone with dementia, including a PAL guide for activity coordinators, which is really informative. Jean Fowler, 07414554577 aj.f@hotmail.co.uk

Ramblers Wellbeing Walks

Contact: Lionel Wheeler (club secretary) on 07940 569117 or the club house on 01626 355224

What’s On at the Memorial Hall Our regular programme All of our regular programme has restarted after the Christmas/New Year break, and if you want to blow away some cobwebs why not give one or more of them a try. In addition to our weekday Pre School, we have:

Other activities include regular Quiz Nights; U3A History and Armchair Travel groups, ‘Social’ Table Tennis, Garden Society, Luncheon Club, and public meetings of our Parish Council each month; as well as Wine Tastings, and other one-off events.

• Keep Fit: Tuesday, 4pm • Table Tennis: Wednesday, 7pm • Yoga: Thursday, 7pm

Further details about our programme events appear elsewhere in the magazine, or call Peter on 01626 369478.

Please note there is no monthly social table tennis on 7th February. It will resume on 7th March, and take place on the first Wednesday of the month thereafter. Thank you! Many thanks to all the Committee Members, groups, and volunteers who help us maintain and extend our programme, and to the local businesses and organisations that help us continue to make improvements at the premises and pay for them.

Contact details If you are interested in holding a family event at the Hall, or piloting a new group, in either of our bookable spaces, please contact our Booking Clerk for further details and/or a preliminary visit to the premises: Carla Glanville, tel: 07977 281335 or email: carlaglanvilleomh23@gmail.com

Peter Farrell, Secretary, Ogwell Hall Committee

Potholes, Budget, Anniversary Parish Council Report for December 2023 and January 2024 Well, the old year has rolled away and a new year is upon us, but the Parish Council continues on the same path. I was actually looking for an item in the Minutes dating back to 1994 and glancing through the old Minute Books, came across a request for the Clerk to write a stern letter to Devon County Council complaining about the potholes in Ogwell, the year in question, 1981! So, nothing has changed, except that the potholes are now more widespread, although I should add that I, for one, am grateful for the patching that has recently been done. The Parish Council has been trying to set a budget for the new financial year which starts on 1st April 2024. However, having worked out an amount to cover Paul highlights the pothole problem obligations and allow for some expenditure on Parish activities, we now have to budget for bin emptying on the Dawes Close Play Area, previously covered by Teignbridge District Council. They are obviously looking for ways to save money and passing obligations down to the Parish Council is one way of achieving this. So, in advance, I am sorry if the Parish Council Precept is higher than we all may like, speaking as a ratepayer, but we do want to keep what few services we have in Ogwell. Don’t worry, we haven’t gone mad, but there will be an increase of £5,000 on last year bringing the Precept to £50,000. Enough of finances, we can look forward to a Wassailing event in February supported by the Fair Committee, which is, in turn, supported by the Parish Council. And, further ahead, there are the 80th Anniversary D Day Celebrations in June. Dry weather for both events would be nice. On the subject of weather, the recent dry spell has been a bonus and Councillors have checked the grit bins around the parish, all presently full in readiness for possible icy conditions ahead. If anyone is wondering about the shop in Abbotsridge Drive, closed for many years and the fate of the remains of the Jolly Sailor, these matters are not forgotten, but are being discussed as to possible ways forward. Unfortunately, every possible project costs a lot of money and while there are grants to apply for, funds from our community will need to be found as contributions if we are to have a shop in the parish again. The next Parish Council Meeting will take place in the Memorial Hall on Monday 12th February at 7pm and as always, we welcome parishioners to our meetings. Rita Hannaford, Clerk, ritahannaford@btinternet.com

Shows, Fundraiser, Wassail Delphine Knott, Headteacher, Canada Hill School At the end of last term we were treated to fabulous Christmas performances from our Reception & Key Stage 1 children and the children in Year 3/4. The infants performed a wonderful Christmas show called Manger Mouse, telling the story of the Nativity from the perspective of the local mice. Our reception children bravely joined the show as angels and stars and sang everyone a song. Then Year 3/4 performed Lights, Camel, Action! three times, again telling the story of the Nativity but this time through the lens of Strictly Come Dancing. The children knew their lines, song words and dances and projected their voices brilliantly in each performance. Quite a few children conquered their stage fright and managed to get up on stage in front of more than 140 people each night. These performances made a wonderful start to Christmas. The school singing group, led by Mrs Henderson-Leer, spread the Christmas cheer in school and beyond with lovely performances at the Ogwell Lights Switch On, by the Clocktower in town, at local residential homes and then they were joined by more children for the Ogwell Carol Concert. Christmas fundraising Our newly restructured School Parliament was asked to find a way to raise money to get one of our large adventurous play towers repaired. One of the children in Year 2 suggested the Year 1 and 2 children make decorations out of pine cones in Woodland School. So that is what we did. The children worked really hard to make lots of lovely decorations which we sold at the school gates, and from the school office. The children’s efforts raised £200 and along with money donated by the Ogwell Summer Fair Committee, we now have enough to fix the play tower ready for the warmer weather. This is fantastic news.

Wassailing in the new year We were back in school on 3rd January and straight back into our learning. This year we have teamed up with Ogwild to brighten up our winter with a Wassailing event. Our Key Stage 2 children are learning traditional wassailing songs with the artist Rosa Rebecka and our very own Mrs HendersonLeer, and our younger children are making lanterns in Woodland School. We will then be inviting people to process from school to Dawes Close on Saturday 3rd February, 3-5pm. Once at the play area in Dawes Close, we will be wassailing a small group of apple trees to make sure they fruit well this year. Historically, Ogwell has been a farming area with fruit orchards, and some of the trees still exist in the grounds of residential properties. Fruit trees continue to be planted in gardens, the Nature Reserve, Primary school, Rectory Field and public areas around the village. It has been a cultural tradition to perform a Wassail at the start of the year to encourage the trees to fruit well and we hope this event will become an annual event in our school and community calendar.

Ogwell Garden Society Report for December / January Our Christmas meeting in December featured mulled wine, mince pies and Robert Hesketh, our speaker for the evening. Robert, a local historian and photographer, presented a lovely Christmas picture quiz. Fortunately for us, he provided a choice of four answers, but that did not always help us select the right answer! We did learn a lot about the Devon area, though, from haunted inns to lighthouses and headlands. A most enjoyable evening. The stem of the month was won by Beatie Brooking with a lovely stem of Holly. Our annual New Year Lunch was celebrated at Dainton Golf Course Restaurant on 10th January. Despite the cold weather, 27 guests enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere and meeting up with friends. We look forward to seeing all our members old and new at our first meeting of the year on 14th February. This will start with a short AGM followed by the return of our speaker Tom Sharples (ex-buyer for Sutton Seeds) who will be discussing ‘What’s new in Flower Gardening’, so if you want some new ideas come along and join us. See below for the full year programme. Annual Membership will be £5pp. Monthly entrance fee will be £3.50pp or £5pp nonmembers. Price includes refreshments. Christine Ashton, Secretary Date

Speaker

Subject

February 14

Tom Sharples

What’s new in flower gardening

March 13

Saul Walker

The plant family Proteaceae

April 10

Caradoc Doy

Plants behaving badly

May 8

Talk by Hutchhouse Plants of Exeter

June 12

Elizabeth Holman

July 3, 2pm

Visit to the Walled Garden at Staverton (self drive)

August 14

Mini show and Dutch supper

Sept 11, 2pm

Visit to Stone Lane Gardens near Drewsteignton (self drive)

October 9

Dartmoor Tea Estates

Trials of growing tea on Dartmoor

November 13

Roger Avery

Alien invaders in Devon

December 11

Sara Ritterhouse

The wonderful world of orchids

52 weeks of colour

Church News We have heat! I am delighted to report that pew heaters were installed in part of the Church just in time for most of the Christmas services and the cold snap. We were able to secure some grant funding to cover the cost. Whilst they do not cover all pews, due to the limitations of the electricity supply, they are a welcome addition. We have now applied to the Summer Fair Committee fund to potentially fund heated seat cushions for use in other areas including the Choir. Christmas delight I hope you had an opportunity to catch one of our services over the Christmas period. They were all wonderful, but my highlights were the Canada Hill Primary Carol service and a joyful Christingle service with the scratch nativity told in the style of ‘We’re Going on a Bear Hunt’. This was led by Reverend Ben Maynard and enjoyed by lots of enthusiastic members of the congregation of all ages! I would like to thank everyone involved in the behind the scenes preparation and tidy up. We held our village Christmas dinner on 9th December in the village hall. We had a full house sitting down to the beautifully decorated tables. That was the work of Beki, who also supervised the enthusiastic and hardworking waiters and waitresses. A vast army of helpers were assembled and ably led by Louise, our head chef. A big thank you to all for your hard work. Thanks also to all who attended and made the evening such a success. See you at our next one! New Year - new opportunities! A new year brings hope and opportunity, and a few challenges. We hope to do some spring cleaning to tidy up inside and out once the weather is a little warmer. If you are able to help in some capacity, please get in touch. Samantha Simmons: stbartsogwell@gmail.com Michael Gillibrand: ogwellwarden@newtonabbotparishes.co.uk Newton Abbot and Ogwell PCC

Send Your Ideas and Stories for this Special Celebration Next year the UK will commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Normandy Landings on 6th June 1944 with a series of major commemorations and events across the UK and in France. The government has asked villages, towns, cities and organisations of all sizes to mark the anniversary by lighting a beacon at 9.15pm on Thursday 6th June, followed by an event to commemorate this momentous event in our nation’s history. Ogwell will be joining in, and as part of the event the organisers would like to produce a display of local connections to the D-Day Landings. Do you have any connections, whether

family members were living in Ogwell at the time or elsewhere? If so we would like to hear from you. A short or longer account of the person’s involvement along with a photo or two would be perfect. We would not want to have original copies of anything and hopefully you would be able to take a good quality photo of a document or photo, or we could call round and take one for you. Whatever ideas you have please get in touch. Thank you

Ogwell Parish Council ogwellcommunityhubltd@gmail.com

Luncheon Club We look forward to welcoming our regular diners to our monthly Luncheon Club in the Memorial Hall. Our next lunches are on:

Ogwell Parish Magazine is published and distributed by Ogwell Parish Council and printed by Wotton Printers in Newton Abbot

• Wednesday 21st February • Wednesday 20th March • Wednesday 17th April

The charge is £6 each for a 3-course meal, with coffee included. If you wish to bring your own wine, glasses will be provided.

Please send editorial enquiries and contributions to Pauline Wynter at opmeditorial@gmail.com by the 18th of the month

Arrive from 12 noon, we start serving at 12.45pm. Please phone for further details, or to let us know you’re coming.

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The Team: Val Rhodes 366980, Vivien Roberts 437734

Tennis Club First I have to apologise to Julia and her partner for reporting that they came second in our annual tournament. In fact, they beat Anthony and Gill in an exciting final. Tennis is still being played on the court, although lately with gloves and hats being worn! Looking forward, we will be holding our AGM in March where hopefully we will discuss our future social events. Following the successful junior coaching last summer we will be holding a session this year. Announcements will be made later in the year. We are always looking for new members, so if you are looking for fresh air and fun please come and join us. Membership is £25pa for Ogwell residents, £30 for others. Contact Julia Barton, secretary, for more information or for a membership form, tel: 01803 813363.

Stella Healy, Chairman

Tales From A Long Life On 10th January 2024, Ray Gregory, a 40+ year resident of Sunny Hollow, East Ogwell, reached the amazing age of 100 – an event that was duly marked by a lovely card and personal signed message from the King and Queen. The event is all the more amazing since Ray continues to live independently, cooking for himself, taking exercise with daily walks around his bungalow, and even driving down to Newton Abbot for a bit of shopping. People who meet him find it difficult to believe he is 20 years older than he appears to be! War time experience When the war broke out in 1939, Ray was 15 and living in Bristol. Within a few months he was fire watching at Portishead Docks on a weekly basis. Air raids had begun and near misses at the docks and at home, together with rationing and blackouts, brought the war very close to him. It led him to think about what he should do, resulting in a decision to join the RAF. Besides the glamour of being a fighter pilot, he thought combat from a remote cockpit was preferable to fighting from a trench, or a ship that might sink in the sea, if just as risky. He was finally permitted to join up in 1943, aged 19, the youngest age he was permitted to fly. During his four years service he flew Spitfires and Mustangs, learning to do so in Stratford, Wolverhampton, Manchester, South Africa, Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), Egypt, and Italy. Ray was demobbed in 1947. That he never had to face the dangers of combat was a fortunate accident of timing, both for him, and of course, his children to be! When he was 85, Ray wrote his memoirs of his RAF experiences. The result was a fascinating account of four momentous years in the mid 20th Century and of the sometimes astonishing tales of life, learning and survival of a young man embracing a world of challenge, uncertainty and strange new lands. Those four years also crystalised the values and principles Ray has since relied on for his whole life. Ray ends his memoirs with these words about his demob: “It was all over. I was 23, in good health and had all the rest of my life to look forward to.”

Love and loss And what a life it has been! In 1951, he married the love of his life, Jean, when both were in their 20s. They met in Dursley, Gloucestershire, where Ray was posted to the local branch of Lloyds Bank. Once they had met, their future together was fairly inevitable. And so it was, through thick and thin, for the next 70 years until Jean passed in 2020. Having entered the bank, Ray led a distinguished career within it, and eventually retired as the manager of the Newton Abbot Branch of Lloyds. Through his successful career, Ray and Jean raised a family of four children. Their daughter, Liz, has become an accomplished genealogist and dancing expert, while their surviving son, Richard, made his way in the world as a chartered psychologist. Sadly, Ray’s other two sons passed well before their time. But it is wonderful that Ray has lived long enough to come to be known well by all of his grandchildren and his eight great-grandchildren, in whom he continues to take enormous pleasure. Ray is one of those rare individuals who, despite his great age, is blessed with both astonishingly good physical health and mental sharpness. He is also blessed to be living in a locality with such good and supportive neighbours, many of whom sprang a surprise 100th birthday party. He is now well on his way to his 101st. All bets are off that he stops there!

A Winter War Graves Walk Did you know that a First World War flying ace is buried in Ipplepen churchyard? This is just one of the fascinating stories that came out on a recent walk via three local churches under the guidance of Mark Bailey, a volunteer from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Overseeing 23,000 locations worldwide, 12,734 in the UK and 375 in Devon alone, the CWGC exists to commemorate members of the armed forces who died in both world wars. A decision was made early on not to repatriate the bodies of those that had died so they were buried and commemorated where they had fallen. This is separate from and independent of the many community based war memorials we see in every village and town throughout the UK. But back to our flying ace. Norman Channing Spratt qualified as a pilot before the First World War and was employed as a test pilot, and in that role set a new air speed record of 134.5mph in 1914, bringing the record to the UK for the first time. He also set an altitude record of 18,900ft in the same year. His main claim to fame is that he is credited with the first aerial dogfight on 28th August 1914, when he forced down a German 'Albatros' plane. Amazing as his plane wasn't even armed! He served throughout this war and was called up again in the second, serving as a Group Captain until his death in 1944. Our walk began in the churchyard of St Mary's in Denbury which has one war grave (as does St Bart’s in East Ogwell). After an introduction about the work of the CWGC we walked along South Street past the Union Inn and turned right at Newton Cross and again forked right at Ipplepen Cross. Then over a further crossroads into Ipplepen itself where we shortly turned right into Paternoster Row and into the churchyard of St Andrew’s church. Here we found the final resting place of our air ace, along with six other CWGC graves. We sheltered from the cold inside the church where we discovered an excellent written guide to these war graves. We exited via the Wellington Inn and turned left along the main street in Ipplepen before turning left again at the Methodist Chapel (now a thriving community centre) walking to the end of the village before spotting a footpath sign on our right. Following this we found ourselves at Fermoys garden centre so no shortage of opportunities for refreshments on this walk!

After carefully crossing the main road we went left until we could turn right down the lane opposite the Two Mile Oak. Partway down the lane we turned left along a rather wet footpath that took us over the fields and down a steep path into Abbotskerswell. We could see our third church, St Mary's, and walked through the car park of the Court Farm Inn to get there. Feeling cold again we sought refuge inside the church after viewing other graves. Exiting the church we walked past the cafe, turned right up hill then left at the junction to take us back up to the main road. Crossing straight over we walked up the green lane opposite, passing the Cat Cafe until we reached the Ogwell to Denbury road. Left here for us to return to our cars parked in Denbury. If you want more information about the Commonwealth War Graves Commission they have an excellent website www.cwgc.org that includes a range of search options if you were looking for somebody in particular. Our thanks to Mark for such an informative day out. The Ogwell Rambler

Two Women and a Lost Child Book Review: The Light Between Oceans, by ML Stedman (2012) From the first page, this book captures the attention and stirs the imagination. The writing is beautiful and the descriptions evoke the power of the sea and the isolation of living in a lighthouse off the coast of Western Australia. Based in the 1920s, it recalls the spirit of the time – the aftermath of the Great War, and the damage caused to humanity, particularly in terms of mental health, the dearth of young men and the prejudice towards the ‘foreign’. From the beginning, it is clear that Tom is a troubled man, carrying much unhappy baggage from the war. On the other hand, Isobel appears carefree, but carries the guilt of being the surviving child of her family and not a boy. The two meet, fall in love, and together take up residence in the lighthouse as Tom takes up his new role as lighthouse keeper. They settle down to a routine but happy life, blighted only by their inability to have a child. Isobel has several miscarriages and cannot accept that it is her fate not to have children. However, a small boat washes ashore and they find a young child in it alongside the body of a man, and this changes their lives forever as Isobel convinces Tom not to report the child in his records so that she can claim her for her own. Life takes on a whole new meaning for them and they have several years of great

happiness as a family. However, Tom suffers not only the guilt that there may be a woman somewhere grieving for a lost child, but about a dereliction of his duties as a lighthouse keeper. It is hard to know which weighs most heavily upon him. Meanwhile, there is indeed a grieving wife and mother in the nearest town and we learn how the disappearance of both her husband and child have affected her life. Tom’s moral dilemma is whether to do the right thing by the child’s birth mother, or his wife, the adoptive mother. And in being kind to one, ending up being cruel to the other. The book expects the reader to consider their own moral viewpoint and how they might have behaved in a similar situation. Cleverly, the author manipulates the reader so their sympathy and understanding shift between the parties involved. Needless to say, the implications of the choices made are felt by many people for a long time after. About the author ML Stedman was born and raised in Western Australia. The Light Between Oceans was her debut novel and was made into a film in 2016. The Ogwell Bookworm

It’s ‘Try January’ For Me! Dan Farrell Wright Who came up with the idea of New Year Resolutions? Probably a puritanical killjoy. As January begins, the festivities of Christmas are a distant memory, pay day is weeks away, and the worst of winter still lies ahead. Will abstaining from alcohol and dragging ourselves to the gym really elevate our mood? Surely not. Good food, good wine and good company, in my humble opinion, are the essentials of life. If I were to make resolutions (I don’t), then I would resolve to “eat and drink better”. That’s why for the past month I chose not ‘dry’ January but rather ‘try’ January. I took the opportunity to cook with unfamiliar ingredients, and to drink wines from unusual grapes and unexpected places. Visiting farm shops, local butchers and cellar doors had me chatting directly to the people involved (not something that ever happens in a supermarket). These interactions added to my sense of adventure, enjoyment and improving mood. The first wine I picked up was Orange Bear 2021 (from £15.30) from Huxbear Vineyard in Chudleigh. It’s an orange wine made from 100% Chardonnay. Orange wines (sometimes called skin-contact wines) are created using white grapes with their skins on. While the crushed grapes are fermenting they take on a more tannic quality from their skins and pips, and have a deeper colour. These qualities make them great food wines. I paired this with a risotto made from organic mushrooms grown by Forest Fungi in Paignton. For my next pairing I started with a shoulder of lamb from Ben’s Farm Shop in

Staverton. The butchers at Ben’s source all their meat locally. I cooked it low and slow and thus needed to find an equally languorous wine to go with it. Alo Jais Noir Carignan 2022 (from £12.15) is made from bush vines growing in the far south of France – the bit that thinks itself Catalan first and French second. These wild old vines were abandoned until winemaker Guillaume Letang chanced upon them. Their age and elevation makes the vines naturally low yielding. The resulting wine is concentrated, intense and complex. There is dark, rich fruit, delicate tannin, and a smooth mouth feel. Last of all came my favourite pairing. Most people will be familiar with Picpoul, a zingy, fresh white wine from Languedoc in France often served with oysters. A new style of Picpoul, labelled “Patience”, has recently been created. Florensac Picpoul de Pinet Selection “Patience” 2021 (from £17.99) retains Picpoul’s classic citrus and sea salt DNA, but has added depth and richness. A pair of fresh flounders, from Jacksons Fishmongers in Newton Abbot, would offer the ideal foil. I used them to prepare Mousselines de Poisson à la Maréchale. Delicious. January ended with raised spirits and raised glasses. Salut!

Sign Up For A Spiritual Health Check This January I’ve been bombarded by video adverts for fitness regimes promising to give me the body of a 25 year old with just five minutes exercise a day. It seems too good to be true, and it probably is! But I still feel a little guilty every time I scroll past! I suspect those adverts will die down as we pass from January to February, and away from the new year resolution window. But then we’ll hit Lent. I’d be hugely surprised if I spot anywhere near as many adverts pushing a spiritual health check, but that will be a major theme of our Christian worship over the weeks leading up to Easter. That’s why we’ll be looking at the book of Jonah on Sunday mornings, and why many of us will be studying a book called A Christian Manifesto, by Alistair Begg, over Lent. The book takes a good look at Jesus’ ‘Sermon on the Plain’ and asks us to examine ourselves to see if we are living it out. Even though I’ve avoided signing up to an internet get fit programme, I know I’d bene-

fit from doing more exercise. But I also know how easy it is to become a spiritual couch potato, someone happy talking about faith, keen to discuss Jesus’ teaching and who enjoys knowing others have a living faith, whilst doing little myself. The season of Lent gives us an opportunity to check that what we say we believe we are actually living out. A chance to examine our spiritual lives in the light of Jesus’ teaching, and see how healthy our souls really are. Physical fitness is of realWilson value. I’m sure we Archie all know that. But spiritual fitness is of even greater importance since our souls, unlike our bodies, last into eternity. So why not take the chance Lent brings and give your soul a health check too? Join us reading our Lent book, or read through one of the gospels. Or perhaps come along to church and meet with others who are giving themselves a Lent Health Check too. Your soul will thank you for it. Rev Dave Brown, Rector of the Parish of Newton Abbot and Ogwell

Church Services in Ogwell Services at St Bartholomew’s will be held on the first and third Sunday of the month at 9.30am. The February dates are 4th and 18th and the March ones are 3rd and 17th. The Parishes of Newton Abbot and Ogwell The Rectory, Coach Place, Coach Road, Newton Abbot Tel: 01626 335862 Please contact the Parish Office at St Paul’s Church on 01626 211346 or email: office@newtonabbotparishes.co.uk to arrange weddings, baptisms and funerals 34

Dealing With A Water Problem Stella Llewellyn I have been staying with my daughter in Kenya. Whilst in Nairobi we had a 48 hour power cut. An enormous tree had fallen on the line and three men with machetes took some considerable time to remove it. It was aggravating not having wifi and having to carry solar lights everywhere but the main problem was lack of water. This was because mains water is pumped into the house. Luckily it was the rainy season so we had every receptacle we could find colleting rain water to wash up, wash ourselves and flush toilets. A lot of hard work!! This made me think about rural Kenya where there is no running water available. The village women collect it from the local river or lake. The water carries various diseases including mosquito larvae (carrying malaria ) and cholera. In Kisumu I visited a local charity that has been researching this problem. Their solution is a ceramic filter (pictured) which filters out the nasties. It is cheap to produce and easy to transport and has revolutionised people’s lives. Next time you feel like complaining about South West Water just think how lucky we are! (Ignoring the nasty stuff SWW keep pumping into the local rivers and onto beaches, Ed).

Last Quiz Date for 2024 Friday March 22nd, In the Memorial Hall Fish ’n Chip supper optional Time: Food service from 6.30pm Quiz: 7.40pm for 8.00pm start, to end by 10.30pm Places are limited. Teams of four are best but five maximum. Refreshments: BYO drinks Fish & Chips: £12 1st time order, then £10 Must be preordered and paid for by the Tuesday before Entry fee: £2 pp payable on the night, to cover the hall hire and prizes Booking essential: email: ogwellcommunityhubltd@gmail.com 36

Top Quality Chamber Music on Your Doorstep Nadsa Concerts is a welcoming chamber concert society offering seven concerts from September to April each season at the Courtenay Centre in Newton Abbot. The society’s 77th Season (2023-24) offers a huge sweep over both the centuries and the globe. Composers range from Thomas Morley (16th century) and Scarlatti (17th) to the Beatles (20th), and Tom Vignieri (21st), while performers herald from as far afield as Germany, Romania, the Czech Republic, Japan and the US.

In February, the Barbican Quartet will render a captivating Viennese programme of Haydn, Berg, and Beethoven. A harmonious blend of international musicians, this quartet is acclaimed for its virtuosic ensemble playing and intimate performances. Celebrating their triumph at the 71st ARD International String Quartet Competition, the Barbican Quartet symbolises the rich heritage and future of string quartet music.

For further details and tickets for the 2024 concerts, visit the website: nadsa.co.uk

March features the London Myriad Ensemble Wind Quintet, who will enthrall you with a blend of classics and fresh adaptations, including works by Malcolm Arnold, Charles Koechlin, Dvorak, and Frank Bridge. The quintet, established since 2004, have played globally, won competitions, and support music education through workshops and their residency at the Whitgift School in Croydon.

Group Walks Solo Walks Home Visits Pet Sitting Custom Services Available Tailored Care, Unconditional Love & Adventure for your Beloved Pets Insured & DBS Checked

Newton Abbot & Surrounding Areas

Contact Hayleigh 07878 327003 ossieswalks@hotmail.com www.ossieswalks.wordpress.com

Ogwell Online Here are websites you can visit for information and news about what’s going on in Ogwell. Please get in touch if you think something is missing.

Facebook Pages You will need a Facebook account and nature thrive in our village login to access some of these pages. Once ellStayPlay Church run Stay and Play you are on facebook.com/ add the rest of Group the address as below: Ogwell-Pre-School-705584722868238 Groups/ogwell Open to anyone who is Ogwell Pre-School held in Memorial Hall interested in Ogwell Fchcanadahill Friends of Canada Hill Ogwellparishcouncil About Ogwell Parish Primary School Council Groups/486663211713078 For Friends of Groups/539717592783289 Group for Ogwell Youth FC people in Ogwell, Denbury and Newton Ogwell-Community-Shop-ProjectAbbot surrounding area who want to post 105121014405670/ Groups/2814848585418714 Ogwell items for sale Ogwellfair About Ogwell Summer Fair hedgehogs group Ogwild Wildlife group working to help

Website Pages ogwellparishcouncil.gov.uk Parish council website ogwild.org Encouraging residents to improve biodiversity around our parish ogwellpreschool.org Ogwell Pre-School canadahill.devon.sch.uk Canada Hill Primary School countrybusdevon.co.uk/routes/ Local bus timetables ogwell.wixsite.com/newton-rovers Walks that use the bus to travel or are local

issuu.com/search?q=ogwell Past and current issues of the parish magazine ogwell.wixsite.com/report-it Report potholes, damaged pavements, poor road signs, fly tipping, badly maintained hedges and grass areas, weeds, overflowing bins, dog waste ogwell.wixsite.com/documents Phone directories, reports, plans, maps eathorvertonwebcam.org.uk/ Webcammenu/EAFrameset.html? Holbeam Dam webcam

Compiled by Alex Morrison

Recycling Days Mon/Tues/Wed/ Thursday

5th/ 6th/ 7th 8th February

Green Bin

Mon/Tues/Wed/ Thursday

12th/ 13th/ 14th 15th February

Black Bin

Mon/Tues/Wed/ Thursday

19th/ 20th/ 21st 22nd February

Green Bin

Wed/Thu/Fri/ Saturday

26th/ 27th/ 28th 29th February

Black Bin

Wed/Thu/Fri/ Saturday

4th/ 5th / 6th/ 7th March

Green Bin

Tues/Wed/Thu/ Friday

11th/ 12th/ 13th 14th March

Black Bin

Mon/Tues/Wed/ Thursday

18th/ 19th/ 20th 21st March

Green Bin

Mon/Tues/Wed/ Thursday

25th/ 26th/ 27th 28th March

Black Bin

Please visit www.teignbridge.gov.uk for more information

Index of Advertisers Advertiser

Page

Advertiser

Page

Amity Veterinary Care

Nicky T Mobile Hairdressing

Ashgrove Kitchens

Ogwell Dog Trainer

Austins

Ogwell Grange

Compucare / Pulse 8 Broadband

Ogwell Pottery Club

Devon Countryside Landscapes

Ossie Walks

Devon Countryside Gardens

OvenGleamers

Drive-in Auto Care

The Recreational Trust

Estuary View Window Company

Roy Davidson

Fox Scaffolding

Sample Mills

Glendinning

Saskia Harris, Gardener

JM Hewitt

Sharon L. Hart

Lemba Electrical

Saunders & Lingard

Mallands Care

Sharon Hart

Max Scott Domestic Electrician

Teign Locks

MD Wash

Wickhams Wine

Medical and General

Wignall’s

Morris Architectural Design

Magazine Contacts To advertise in Ogwell Parish Magazine, please contact Paul Wynter at ogpmadvertising@gmail.com To submit articles, please contact: Pauline Wynter at opmeditorial@gmail.com 45

CONTACTS Police

Ogwell Tennis Club

NewtonAbbot@devonandcornwall.pnn.police.uk Force Enquiry Centre/Non-emergency calls - 101

Chairman: Stella Healy - 01626 906814 Secretary: Julia Barton - 01803 813363

Ogwild

Ogwell Parish Council

Chair: Paul Martin Secretary: Linda Chapman Treasurer: Pauline Wynter ogwild4@gmail.com or info@ogwild.org

Chair: Steve Reynolds: 07852 568552 Deputy Chair: Tim Flower: 07818 210227 Clerk: Rita Hannaford: 01626 367313 clerk@ogwell.org Councillors Katy Farrell-Wright: 01626 438799 Michael Lant: 01626 337679 Paul Martin 01626 365624 Pauline Wynter 01626 324921 Tim Carey: 07533 600226

St. Bartholomew’s Church Samantha Simmons stbartsogwell@gmail.com Michael Gillibrand ogwellwarden@newtonabbotparishes.co.uk Parish Office: 01626 211346 office@newtonabbotparishes.co.uk

Canada Hill Primary School Head Teacher: Delphine Knott: 01626 335595 Office: 01626 335595 office@canadahhill.org

1st Ogwell & Denbury Brownies

Ogwell Memorial Hall

Admissions: Lisa Horne 01626 365894 ogwellpreschool@gmail.com

Maggie Lambourn: 01803 812717

Ogwell Pre-School & Toddlers

Bookings: Carla Glanville: 07977 281335 carlaglanvilleomh23@gmail.com

Member of Parliament Anne Marie Morris MP House of Commons, London SW1A 1AA 01626 368277 or 07712 004733

Ogwell Events Chair: Ruth Maker Secretary: Lucy Ash Treasurer: Catherine Flannery Brian Penfold, John Murch Louise Sessions, Tim Treeby Email: ogwellfair@gmail.com

Devon County Council Councillor: Sarah Parker-Kahn: 07920 003112

Teignbridge District Council

Ogwell Luncheon Club

Ambrook Ward Councillors: Paul Parker: 07951 562580 Richard Daws richard.daws@teignbridge.gov.uk

Val Rhodes: 01626 366980 Vivien Roberts: 01626 437734

devoncommunities.org.uk/services/devon-oil-collective

Ogwell Garden Society Secretary: Christine Ashton - 01626 364543

Editor Pauline Wynter Advertisement Manager Paul Wynter

Devon Oil Collective

Ogwell Parish Magazine

Circulation Manager Paul Martin Treasurer Ogwell Parish Council

Published and distributed by Ogwell Parish Council Editorial enquiries: opmeditorial@gmail.com Advertising enquiries: ogpmadvertising@gmail.com