Issue 135
Harvest 2019
Editorial – Your Chronicle Still Needs You! Thank you to everyone who gave us feedback on our last issue, and an even bigger thank you to all who have sent us contributions for this one! Remember, we need your input to make the Chronicle what you want it to be. You can do this in lots of ways:
• Give us your news – what has happened since the last issue, and what will be happening in the next few months. We want to hear about special birthdays, anniversaries, new arrivals and departures, forthcoming events - anything and everything that is of interest to you • Send us a contribution. We don’t want your money! We do want interesting articles, photographs, drawings, cartoons, jokes, puzzles, poems, and stories – anything that will help to make the Chronicle a “good read”. We accept contributions on paper, electronically, or even verbally! • Write a regular column. We would love to hear from anyone who would like to write a regular column on a hobby such as gardening or cooking, or country diary notes, or observations on village life, or anything else which will give our readers practical advice, or just bring a smile to their faces. • Give us your feedback. For years the Chronicle has been something we’ve all looked forward to receiving and reading, and we want to keep it that way, and make it even better. We can only do that if you tell us what you think of it, and give us your ideas. We will both be delighted to hear from you. Our contact details are just below, so please get in touch.
The Cover Pictures The picture on our front cover was created by Helen Crossley. The poster for the Sheepwash Shindig on the back cover was designed by Jo Driver. As always, please send us your pictures - we always need more!
Contents of this issue: Coronavirus Update
3
Notices
18
What’s Been Happening?
4
High Summer Thoughts
20
What’s Coming Up?
8
A Body of Work - the 1960s, Part Two
22
Recipe: Gooseberry and Orange Drizzle Tray Bake 13
Reforge Retreat
24
Talking Shop
14
Small Nuclear Reactors - an Opinion Piece 28
Recipe: Nectarine and Blueberry Gallette
15
Useful Contacts
46
Your Letters
16
Bus Timetables
47
Deadline for the next issue (but the earlier the better!)
Please get all your news and contributions to one of us by 17th September, to ensure it is included in the October (Autumn) issue of the Chronicle.
• •
Just tell us your news when you see us out and about. Send or drop off news and contributions on paper to Alison at The Glebe in West Road
• •
Telephone - Call Alison on 01409 231196 or Chris on 01409 231341. Email - We are very pleased to receive contributions or messages in electronic form. Email Alison at alisonansell2@gmail.com or Chris at chris11egg@aol.com
or Chris at Larcombe House in North Street.
2
Sheepwash Support Network We believe we are all good neighbours in Sheepwash parish, and we look out for each other in good times and bad. So, we want you to be aware of the extra support available during the current Coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis, especially for Sheepwash parishioners who are older or who have underlying medical conditions.
Local shopping The Community Shop in the Square will be open Monday to Saturday from 9.00 a.m. to 1.00 p.m. and on Sunday from 10.00 a.m. to 12.00 noon, as usual. However, the shop will also be open for two late afternoons a week, on Tuesdays and Fridays, from
3.30 p.m. to 5.30 p.m.
The village Post Office The Post Office will be open every weekday from 10.00 a.m. to 12.00 noon, closed weekends. As it’s such a small space, it’s important to observe safe distances, so only one or two people at a time should come into the shop and Post Office. Please wear a mask if you wish to.
Parcel deliveries If you have a parcel or package sent to you that needs a signature, Beth, our postie, or the courier driver, will knock, leave the parcel on the doorstep, and step back two metres while they wait for you to come to the door. You can check the parcel is for you, give them your spoken approval, and they will write COVID19 on the signature machine in place of your signature.
Collecting prescriptions Pete Hayward will collect your prescriptions for you - give him a call on 231 884.
Other help If there are other things that you need help with, call Alison Ansell (231 196) or Mike Ritson (231 680) in the first instance – we have a team of volunteers who will help out.
Sheepwash Parish Council 23rd July 2021
Sheepwash Telephone Box Book Swap The Sheepwash Telephone Box Book Swap near the Village Hall is still open, but please be sure to use the hand sanitiser and/or wear gloves when using this facility. If you are putting books into the telephone box, please “quarantine” them beforehand - leave them untouched for a couple of days. When taking a book from the telephone box, to be doubly sure it is COVID-free, you might want to take a carrier bag and place any book you select in the bag. Then “quarantine” the bag and book at home before you read it.
Jan Hayward 3
Welcome to Sheepwash! There are yet more new arrivals who have taken up residence in the village lately. Welcome to Peter and Christine Clark, who have moved into Laburnum Cottage in South Street. And to Jorge and Polly Lopez and their four children, who have moved into Damson Cottage in South Street. And to Haydn, Kimberley, and Lily Beynon, who have bought the Half Moon and moved into accommodation behind it.
We hope you’ll all enjoy living here, and will join in with all the upcoming community activities in Sheepwash as we all (hopefully) get back to enjoying a more normal life again over the coming months.
New Owners at the Half Moon The Half Moon lies physically at the centre of our village, and also lies at the centre of much of the social life of the villagers, so it’s always a major interest when the ownership changes. The sale came as a surprise to many villagers, and many more will be interested in what will happen next, especially as lockdown is currently easing, so we have a couple of articles about the Half Moon in this issue of the Chronicle. Just above, you will see we have welcomed Haydn and Kimberley Beynon and their daughter Lily to the village. They have written an article to introduce themselves, which is on page 7. And Pearl has sent us an update on how the pub and restaurant will be operating in the post-lockdown period, so customers will know what to expect as everyone tries to stay safe. That is on page 10. The new owners are keen to get involved and ensure the Half Moon remains at the heart of village life, so we look forward to many good times ahead!
Chronicle Christmas Cover Competition On page 11 of this issue, you will see that Helen Crossley is looking for your designs for Sheepwash Christmas cards, so we thought we’d piggyback on that to get your designs for the cover of our Christmas issue. It is hard to get into the Christmas spirit in the sweltering heat we are experiencing while putting this issue together, but if you manage it, why not design a cover for us as well as a Christmas card? The Christmas card design has to be square, but the Chronicle cover design should be rectangular, in the same proportions as the magazine. The image should fill the whole page, but remember that the title will go over roughly the top fifth, so don’t have important detail in that area. You can enter photographs, drawings, paintings, collages - any artwork. We’re happy to get digital files, or send us a physical copy and we’ll take a digital image of it and return the original to you. Like the Christmas card designs, you’ve got until the end of September to send us your entries.
The winning design will be used as our Christmas cover, and the designer will be rewarded with a selection of Christmas goodies. So, get your imagination fired up, or trawl through your archives, and send us your best efforts!
Don’t forget to visit our website - www.sheepwashchronicle.org/wp 4
Village Hall Update The Village hall team have enjoyed making use of the Jubilee Park during lockdown, and we hope to continue to incorporate this space in future whenever the British weather obliges!
Bacon Butties and Table Top Sales We have been very lucky with the weather and have managed to hold two more outdoor bacon butty events. Both have been very well supported. We have had a charity cake stall at both events, and people have been very generous in their donations of cakes. Thank you bakers!
In June we made £101.80 for Children’s Hospice South West. In July we made £100 for the Action for Children Charity. On both occasions we have also made a small profit to go towards the upkeep of the hall. In the future we hope to have a few more tables with goods for sale. Anything goes - well, nearly anything! - so why not try selling something yourself? We only charge £5 to hire a table. Just get in touch with Anne Gray if you are interested.
Volunteers We are delighted that more volunteers have come forward with offers of help, but we will always welcome more help! Volunteering need not be too onerous - please don’t worry that if you put your hand up you are committed for life! Our view is that every little helps, so whatever you can do will be appreciated.
Hiring the Village Hall The Village Hall is back to full use again, so it is available to hire. Observance of any COVID restrictions will be the responsibility of the hirer. The new hire charges are as follows: 1 to 3 hours - £10 More than 3 hours - £30 Set up overnight, then an event next day - £50 Full use of the kitchen is available for an additional £5. Please contact Anne Gray on 231231 or Jan Hayward on 231884 with your enquiries.
Sheepwash Village Hall Committee
The Sheepwash Drug Runner is Still Running! Several folk have asked me how much longer I will keep up the prescription deliveries. Well, the answer is an easy one - I will continue until this virus is no longer a threat, our surgery is no longer so stretched and, most importantly, as long as there is still a need here in our village. On that note I can report that well over 500 prescriptions have been collected and delivered. That's hundreds fewer visitors to the surgery reception window, something that I know helps them enormously. It also follows that hundreds fewer car trips have been made, a saving of over 1000 miles between the people on my list! If you haven't yet used this free service, please just ask me (phone 231884), so you too can start saving fuel, thus doing your bit for the surgery staff and helping the planet at the same time - a real win-win!
Pete Hayward 5
Sheepwash Book Group Review Number One Chinese Restaurant by Lillian Li This book centres around the popular Beijing Duck House in Rockville, Maryland, which has been serving devoted regulars for decades. This successful business requires a huge amount of hard graft on the part of the staff, which has caused tensions, heartaches, and grudges. The author writes in a style that manages to convey the frantic pace of restaurant life, but in doing so I found it became quite disjointed. There are complex relationships, both within the owner Jimmy Han’s family and those of the long-time employees, but I found that many of the characters are not very likeable, although AhJack and Annie were engaging. Our book group choose books each year from the Devon library book group list, and I chose this book to be included on our list because I had previously read and enjoyed books by Amy Tan and thought this might be in a similar vein. I should add that it came highly rated and was nominated for the Women’s Prize for Fiction in 2019. However, I was personally disappointed, and it also got a thumbs-down from the rest of the group.
Jan Hayward
Sheepwash Rainfall Rainfall in inches
May
June
Yearly total
Charles, East Street
7.2
1.5
23.4
Graham, Middlecott
7.42
1.81
24.15
Charles, East Street
0.3
7.1
28.7
Graham, Middlecott
0.51
6.33
26.28
2021
2020
If ever evidence was needed that as far as the weather is concerned no two years are the same, the last two months have proved the point. After the driest April on record, May was one of the wettest. This was followed by another dry spell, with warm, sunny weather for the first three weeks of June, then more unsettled weather with showers towards the end of the month. This unsettled spell has continued into July, with several heavy thundery showers. As I write this in mid-July, the forecast is for a hot, sunny fortnight, so the gardeners among you will need to be ready to start watering again!
Charles Inniss
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A New Era Begins at the Half Moon
As the new custodians of the Half Moon Inn, we would like to take this opportunity to introduce ourselves as Haydn, Kimberley, and Lily. From the moment of arrival, we have been captivated by the charm of Sheepwash and the idyllic village square, which was further heightened as we entered the inn, imagining the welcoming fireplace roaring during the winter months. After having the privilege of reading former Half Moon Inn owner Charles Innes’s book Torridge Reflections, which is described as, “covering nearly half a century of change and development on Devon's Torridge river -- all stemming from one family's ownership of an exceptionally well-run fisherman's inn at Sheepwash”, the realisation of the privilege and responsibility of running this historical establishment and associated fishing location dawned on us. Thankfully, we have a fabulous team to guide and support us, whom many of you have known for years. In time, we hope to get to know you in the same familiar way as locals, regulars, returning visitors, and friends alike. Sheepwash is to become our home and we plan to live and integrate fully into village life. This new chapter for the Inn will involve retaining all the character and authenticity whilst upgrading and enhancing some facilities. As we are in the middle of summer, we aim to ensure the outside space can be fully maximised, and that you are able to sit comfortably whilst taking in the atmosphere of the village square over a morning coffee, a light lunch, a leisurely dinner, or just partaking in your favourite beverage. We are working with the kitchen team to ensure firm favourites remain on the menus and also present new offerings such as sharing platters and charcutier boards. Wherever possible, we hope to source local produce, and to offer wines and spirits from the local distillers and vineyards. We anticipate and hope that we will be very busy over the coming weeks and months, with planned events to get to know one another and to support the local community which we serve. We shall endeavour to extend you a warm welcome, and ask that you please pop by to say hello!
Haydn, Kimberley, and Lily Beynon
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Sheepwash Summer Shindig! In the Jubilee Park on Saturday 14th August. Gates open 6.30 p.m. Now that we are enjoying our freedom, if cautiously, we are excited that the Shindig can go ahead, and we can’t wait to see you all in the park on the 14th for what is probably the first knees up we’ve all had in quite some time!
We can promise a fun evening of great music, opening with DJ Ragged Claw leading us into the brilliant rock music of our live band Almost Alice, guaranteed to get everyone on their feet! A delicious hog roast, plus our bar serving real ale from Holsworthy Ales, wines, Prosecco, lager and soft drinks, accompanied by Gotland Gin, who will run their own special bar. What we cannot promise however, is the sunshine. Fear not, we’ve got it covered - quite literally, with our marquees - so please don’t let a spot of rain put you off! Whilst the band take a mid-way break, we will have a raffle. If you are able to bring along a prize, all raffle prize donations will be gratefully received. We would ask that everyone respects others’ wishes as far as social distancing is concerned. There will be hand sanitisers at various stations in the park. Please note that is is a CASH ONLY event, so please ensure you have enough cash with you to pay for your drinks and food, etc. All of the proceeds will be donated to and split between village causes and Devon Air Ambulance. The Shindig is not a business, and it is run entirely by volunteers. We would love to have some extra help, so if you would like to volunteer please get in touch . We need help with erecting and dismantling the marquees, doing a stint behind the bar or on the gate, and so on. Thank you!
To get in touch, contact Jo Driver: Tel: 07734 510245 Email: joannadriver@btinternet.com Let’s have fun!
The Shindig Team 8
Meet Up Monday 10.00 a.m. to 12.00 noon on Monday 16th August and Monday 13th September Why not pop into the village hall so you can catch up with your fellow villagers? With a bit of luck there will be homemade cake as well as lots of good company. A warm welcome to anyone who has moved into Sheepwash recently. We would love to get to know you!
Everyone is welcome. N.B. Some restrictions will still apply to seating arrangements.
Tea on Tuesday 1.30 p.m. to 2.30 p.m. on Tuesday 3rd August and Tuesday 31st August To coincide with the visit from the mobile library, the village hall will be open so that you can pop in for a cuppa. Don’t worry – everyone is welcome whether or not you use the library service. The mobile library is in the Square every four weeks on a Tuesday from 1.20 p.m. to 2.05 p.m.
But it is a great opportunity to combine a visit to the mobile library with a bit of a natter!
Jan Hayward
Tuesday Ecumenical Fellowship th
On Sunday July 25 we will celebrate the official end of lockdown by coming together as a Christian community in the Village Hall. Still being mindful of the virus, we will have room to enjoy lots of singing songs of praise, as that is something we have all missed, and like all good celebrations there will be plenty of food involved! Our village may have three separate churches with differing traditions, but we are all part of one Christian family and enjoy coming together and supporting each other.
Our Tuesday fellowship is very informal and is open to everyone. Even though restrictions have now eased, we often meet in a garden, providing the weather is good. So that as many people as possible can join in, there is a meeting on Tuesday morning at 11.00 a.m. or Tuesday evening at 7.30 p.m. Anyone can join us, so if you want to come along or know more about us, just give me a ring on 231884.
Jan Hayward
Food Banks During lockdown, it is especially important to support our local food banks.
Holsworthy Food Bank accepts non-perishable donations on Wednesdays at 2.00 p.m., at the Manor Suite, Memorial Hall. There is also a collection box in Waitrose in Holsworthy - in fact, most supermarkets now have collection boxes for food banks. 9
First Aid Course - Update It's great to see so many folks signed up for the First Aid courses in July and September, and both are now full. However, I know a couple of people who would still like to do this course, so if there is anyone else, please let me know. We only need a few more folks in order to run another. This is a day-long emergency first aid course which deals with resuscitation, anaphylaxis, choking, bleeding, burns, fractures, heart attack, and stroke. Participants who successfully complete the course receive a certificate. As we think it's a good idea for as many of us as possible to have some confidence when dealing with an emergency, the cost of the course is being subsidised by the Parish Council and, hopefully, the Bridgeland Trust.
Parishioners only pay £5 each. Non-residents are also welcome, but will have to pay £30 - still excellent value for this type of course.
Helen Crossley Tel: 231757
Email: helen@crossleyoffice.co.uk
Post-Lockdown Rules at the Half Moon The long-awaited announcement by the Government means that the Half Moon Inn customers and staff have the freedom to decide how to protect themselves from virus transfer from Monday 19th July. Social distancing rules allow standing within the bar area, and we shall return to the internal layout that was in place before the pandemic. Some things will and may never return to the “good old days”, such as hand sanitising, respect for personal space, and cleaning regimes, as this has become best practice for everyone. However, measures such as track and trace and masks will be a choice for all our customers and staff.
The Half Moon team respect each side of the argument, so we will allow each individual to decide how they wish to protect themselves and others when using our facilities. Our bar may not be suitable for those who wish to stay socially distanced, so we will keep a small number of tables in our restaurant for those who do. (These are limited, and will be available on a “first come, first served” basis.) Freedom of choice and personal responsibility towards one another has never been so important, so we ask you to be mindful of others who may not have the same perspective as you. We thank all of our customers who have supported us over this difficult time, and look forward to the future together, along with new and returning customers who may have been sadly affected by the pandemic. This news is positive for our establishment, and we welcome the opportunity to be your host in a friendly, safe, and clean environment.
Pearl Walters 10
Wednesday Walkers There used to be a “Walk and Talk” group in the village that met once a month. I just wondered if there was anyone now wanting a bit of exercise, but not keen on walking on their own. Of course it doesn't have to be a Wednesday-- that name just fits in with Meet on Monday and Tea on Tuesday! Perhaps we could come up with short/medium/long walk options to suit a range of people, as I recall from the earlier group that the best bit was always the refreshments at the end! If you are interested, please get in touch - phone 231884, or email jan.hayward.home@gmail.com, or just call in at Oaklands, at the top of West Road.
Jan Hayward
Calling all Sheepwash Creatives! It's that time of year again. The sun's out, the beaches and flies are buzzing, and the Devon landscape looks lush and lovely. So, naturally, it's time to start thinking about Christmas! If you are interested in contributing a design for this year's Sheepwash Christmas card, here are the details. It can be any media, but should be square in format, and able to be reproduced at 148 x 148mm (approx 6x6"). That means, if you can create a piece of artwork bigger than this, it should reproduce pretty well. Artwork will be scanned or photographed to create a digital file.
So whether you like to paint, sew, collage, felt, sculpt, take photos, or make prints, this is a great opportunity to see your work in print and on sale - and to send it to all your friends and family. If it has a Sheepwash or Devon theme, that's ideal. If it's more of a general Christmas theme, I add a Sheepwash Christmas greeting just to keep it unique and special to us, so please bear that in mind. The cards are blank inside, but you'll be credited on the back. Designs are professionally printed on good quality card stock, and will be for sale in the shop. Last year they cost 45p each - a great price for a unique card - and raised valuable funds for the shop.
Last year’s designs
Disclaimer: There may be some reason why your design can't be used, but I will let you know if that's the case. Sometimes it can be down to copyright issues. Unless you have express permission from the original creator or copyright owner, the shop is not permitted to sell any artwork copied from or based on other people's work. If you have any questions, please let me know. Designs should be submitted to me by the end of September, which should then give me plenty of time to create the digital files, organise the printing, and get them into the shop well before Christmas. I look forward to seeing all your masterpieces!
Helen Crossley Tel: 231757
Email: helen@crossleyoffice.co.uk
11
Celebrate Our Children’s Hospice’s 30th Anniversary Enjoy a cream tea in aid of our local children’s hospice - and raise some money The Big South West Cream Tea takes place over the August Bank Holiday weekend, and organiser Children’s Hospice South West (CHSW) is asking supporters to join in by holding their own cream tea fundraiser with friends and family. “Just grab some scones, a spoonful of strawberry jam, and a dollop of clotted cream - not necessarily in that order! - and join the party,” said CHSW area fundraiser Bernadette Chambers. “You can enjoy a great British classic at home, in the park, or even virtually, and help raise vital funds for local families. “It’s a lovely way to help celebrate CHSW’s 30th anniversary, and if you are able to raise £30 or more we’ll send you a special CHSW 30th anniversary medal.” The charity, which runs three children’s hospices across the South West, including Little Bridge House near Barnstaple, has everything you need to hold your own cream tea fundraiser. Register your event on the website to receive your free fundraising pack, which includes invites, recipe, “#JamFirst” and “#CreamFirst” signs, a donation form, bunting, thank-you cards, and more. You’ll also find links to businesses that can deliver a cream tea straight to your front door, with a donation going to CHSW.
If you’d prefer to hold your cream tea before or after the August Bank Holiday that’s absolutely fine. However and whenever you plan to take part in the Big South West Cream Tea, every penny you’re able to raise will make a real difference to children with life-limiting conditions and their families. To register your cream tea event, or for more information, visit www.chsw.org.uk/creamtea Join The Big South West Cream Tea Facebook event here:
https://www.facebook.com/events/2998303993722242
War Horse 10 th
War Horse 10K will take place on Sunday 19 September in Iddesleigh Village, starting at 11.00 a.m.
The race starts and finishes in the beautiful village of Iddesleigh, and will include some private land. This is a scenic run, 90% of which will be on the road.
Entry is £17, which includes a T-shirt. All money raised will be going to the North Devon Hospice. For more information and how to enter, see our Facebook page War Horse 10 - or phone 01805 804347.
Susan Folland
Deadline for the next issue Please get all your news and contributions to one of us by 17th September, to ensure it is included in the October (Autumn) issue of the Chronicle. 12
Gooseberry and Orange Drizzle Tray Bake For fans of lemon drizzle this tray bake makes a delicious and seasonal change. The bonus is that it works well with frozen gooseberries too.
Ingredients: For the cake:
For the topping:
225g butter
140g sugar
225g caster sugar
Juice from one orange
225g SR flour 4 large eggs Zest from one orange 225g gooseberries
Method: Pre-heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Butter and line a 20 x 30cm traybake tin with baking parchment. Put the butter, caster sugar, flour, eggs, and orange zest in a bowl. Beat thoroughly with an electric whisk until creamy and smooth. Stir in the gooseberries, then spoon into the tin and level the surface. Bake for 35 mins until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean. Stir the orange juice and granulated sugar together, then spoon the mixture over the surface of the warm cake and leave it to cool and set. Cut into squares.
Jan Hayward
Not a Lot of People Know That … About Eyes The eyes are the second most complex organ, after the brain. New-born babies do not produce tears. They make crying sounds, but tears do not begin to flow until between four and thirteen weeks of age. A new-born baby's eyes are approximately 65% the size of an adult's. While the other organs develop more than 90% as a person grows, the eyes grow only about 35%. All blue-eyed people can be traced back to a person who lived near the Black Sea almost ten thousand years ago. That person had a genetic mutation that gave him blue eyes. Some people are born with two differently coloured eyes. This condition is called heterochromia. The eyes heal quickly. With proper care, it only takes about 48 hours for the eye to repair a scratch on the cornea. Night vision goggles make everything green, because green is the colour in which the human eye can differentiate more shades. 80% of our memories are determined by what we see.
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The Post Office is open every weekday from 10.00 a.m. to 12 noon, closed weekends.
All bets are off So the so called “Covid Freedom Day” has been passed. “Yes, but,” you may say. Yes indeed, and we are with you on this. We are taking the step of allowing more people into the shop at any one time. We thought that two would be practicable, and maybe even three, if it is raining. We are a community shop, and want to respect people’s choices, so we will be continuing with our plastic serving area screen. Vaccination is not quite 100% effective, and there will be some villagers who may fall into a high risk category, so they will continue wearing masks. Others may just prefer to for the time being. So although masks are not mandatory now, please, if you see someone in the shop who is wearing one, and you aren’t, please give them a bit of personal space.
It ain’t half hot mum - can I have a lolly? We do have a fine selection of good ol’ Farmer Tom’s ice creams from just down the road at Dunstaple Farm near Holsworthy Beacon. These are available in small individual tubs and in 1 litre family boxes. From a splendid and not-so-plain Dairy Vanilla, via Clotted Cream and Honeycomb, all the way through to Tutti Fruitti, there has to be the one for you! Look for your favourite flavour at https://dunstaple.co.uk/ ice-cream/ and then have a word with us at the shop, and we’ll add it to our next order. We also have a selection of popular ice lollies for those who prefer to shake a stick!
More tea vicar? It’s lovely to see both new residents and visitors enjoying themselves in the village. Whilst you’re here, it’s imperative you try a Devon cream tea! The Half Moon will serve you one, or we can kit you out at the shop. Scones are usually available - if not, just ask and they will be there the next day. Then we have clotted cream and jam. As for the tea bit, we’ve a fine selection of local and national brands, in both bags and loose leaf form. Oh, and if you don’t want to stand out or be pilloried and ridiculed, then it’s got to be cream before the jam round these parts! We could also start a discussion about what to drink the tea out of, but that’s a mug’s game.
Deadline for the next issue Please get all your news and contributions to one of us by 17th September, to ensure it is included in the October (Autumn) issue of the Chronicle. 14
Corporate look We’ve been musing over the idea that we might introduce a more corporate image to our dear volunteers and Post Office staff - maybe a natty jumper or shirt with a slogan that harks back to our gallant early COVID days, like, “Sheepwash Stores – The Shop That Never Shut”. But with all of those S’s, H’s, and T’s, we might run into trouble if the material starts to crease up a bit! Then Tony Jones gave me one of his spare lawn-mower-repair-outfits to try out. What do you think? It might just catch on, but we might have to open all more hours.
Simon Crossley
Nectarine and Blueberry Galette From Nigella Express. Makes 6 - 8 pieces.
Ingredients: 125g blueberries 2 teaspoons Demerara sugar 1 nectarine, cut into 16 segments 2 x 15ml tablespoons double cream 2 x 15ml tablespoons apricot conserve, or low-sugar jam 1 x approx. 375g sheet (40x23cm) shop bought, all butter, ready-rolled puff pastry, defrosted if frozen
Method: Pre-heat the oven to 220degreesC/gas mark 7. Lay out the puff pastry sheet on a lined baking sheet. Using the point of a sharp knife, score a frame around the edge, about 2cm in from the edge. In a small bowl, mix together the apricot conserve and cream, and spread this on the pastry within the frame. Arrange the nectarine pieces and blueberries on top, and sprinkle with Demerara sugar. Bake for 15 minutes. Cut into slices, and eat while still warm.
Alison Ansell
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Mumbles As requested in the winter edition of the Chronicle, here is a photo of Mumbles, who is an English Bull Terrier crossed with a Staffordshire Terrier. We adopted Mumbles in 2008 from the Dog’s Trust in Ilfracombe. He was born there, and came to us as a very naughty two-year-old - they had been unable to find a home for Mumbles, due to his destructive behaviour! When we got him he chewed up the post, the television and telephone wires, the Venetian blinds in the sitting room window, corners of carpets, wallpaper off the wall leading up the stairs, and - the final straw - he ate my photo album of a holiday Bob and I took with my step daughter and her husband, to South Africa! I had a word with our collie cross Jess, and told her to have a talk with Mumbles or else he was going back to Dog’s Trust! She did, he stopped, and he has become a wonderful friend and companion who we love to bits. He’s now getting on a bit - 13 years old - but he still enjoys his walks, hobbling along with his dad.
Kind regards,
Bob and Tammy Pettifer 1 Council Bungalows, West Road
Sheepwash Churches St. Lawrence's Church is now having a regular service in the building once a month at least, alongside services in neighbouring churches. Please see the notice boards for details. In addition the church is open on a daily basis. Please do use it for your personal prayer.
The Methodist Chapel is not currently in a position to re-open. The Baptist Chapel plans to re-open very soon. Please see their notice board for details.
Submission deadlines for the Chronicle in 2021/22 Here are all the deadline dates for 2021 – obviously, submitting before these cut-off dates is preferred, but these are the latest dates when we can guarantee that content will be included. For the Autumn edition (covering October/November): 17th September For the Christmas edition (covering December/January): 19th November For the Winter 2022 edition (covering February/March): 21st January For the Spring 2022 edition (covering April/May): 18th March For the Summer 2022 edition (covering June/July): 20th May For the Harvest 2022 edition (covering August/September): 22nd July
For the Autumn 2022 edition (covering October/November): 16th September For the Christmas 2022 edition (covering December/January): 18th November 16
The Pump in the Square Being a faraway Sheepwash native, I occasionally remind myself to read the Sheepwash Chronicle. I recently found the Spring 2021 edition with its article by David Moyes and Alison about the well in the Square. It prompted some memories that I had thought were long forgotten. Following the death of my grandfather in 1956, my family were evicted from their tenant farm (Hayne Barton in Black Torrington), and rented Lake Cottage in South Street, Sheepwash. At that time, it had no mains water, nor a pump or well of its own, as it opened directly onto the cobbles at the side of South Street, so my parents had to collect all their water from the pump in the Square. My mother always told me what an arduous task that was, in particular because my grandmother, who lived with my parents, was an invalid. My parents had no worries as to the source of the water – primarily the churchyard, although given the volume of water, a wider source is likely for a deep spring - and my mother had spent her life living on farms where all water had to come from a pump. However, apparently one of the concerns at the time was whether there was contamination from the fuel pumps that were then in the Square. I attach two photos from what I believe to be 1958. The first shows my mother (Freda Newcombe) standing beside the front door of Lake cottage with two buckets of water from the pump. The second shows her (visiting) cousin by the pump. My imminent birth in 1963 required the landlord of Lake Cottage to have mains water provided in the house, so my family stopped using the pump as a water source in the early autumn of that year. I am not sure if anyone used it as their only source of water after that. Then, in the summer of 1976, as you reported, the well was reopened and a pump installed. As you will see from the 1958 picture the “new” pump is much more elegant than the old one. The new pump was given to the village by the Lithgow family. Previously, it was the pump at the vicarage (where they had moved to in 1975), which is now Alison’s house, The Glebe, hence its quality.
Stephen Newcombe
Can You Contribute Content to the Chronicle? We are always looking for new content for the Chronicle. Do you have a story you would like to share? Is there a hobby or interest you have which you can tell us about? Have you taken any photographs or made a drawing or painting or sculpture you think other people would like to see? Do you know any good jokes (suitable for a family audience!)? Or is there something else you’d like to see in the Chronicle? We want to see as many villagers as possible in the Chronicle. Please get in touch with your ideas – see our contact details on page 2. 17
Notes from the Parish Council A meeting was held on Wednesday 14th July. All Parish Councillors attended, plus our District Councillor and seven members of the public. The minutes of the meeting will now be on the noticeboard and the Parish Council website (www.sheepwashparishcouncil.co.uk). We welcomed Hadyn Beynon, the new proprietor of the Half Moon, who introduced himself and told us about some of his plans for the pub. He gave the background of how he became the new landlord of the Half Moon. He is aware that a lot of people were surprised that the pub was for sale.
Haydn invited the villagers to engage with him on ideas they have and what they would like to see at the pub. He explained he would like to change the outside tables, and maybe have patio heaters outside the front of the pub. He has plans to update parts of the pub, but stressed that it will still remain a country sports pub. He plans to bring back the quizzes later in the year, and to have longer opening hours at weekend lunchtimes. He has booked the Hummingbirds for August and hopes to hold an “open house, get to know st us BBQ” on 31 July for the parishioners of Sheepwash. Haydn would also like to work with the Parish Council to organise celebrating the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee on 4th June 2022. The Parish Council have spent a lot of time preparing comments on the Luke’s Farm Reserved Matters Planning Application. The comments can be found on the Torridge District Council website. Thanks to the intervention of Councillor James Morrish, our new Devon County Councillor, Devon Highways will be placing flood warning signs near the bridge. This work will take place in the autumn. Two first aid courses are taking place, the first on 28th July, the second on 1st September. Both are fully booked, but if others would like to attend a course, please let me know, as we can organise a third one as long as we have a minimum of four people. The Bridgeland Trust and the Parish Council are funding the major part of the cost of the courses, with a nominal £5 contribution from each person attending. The courses are open to anyone living or working in the parish. The footpath finger signs have been replaced, bar one, at Old Court, which will be done. The missing finger sign in the Square (pointing to North Street) has been reported. With the cost of timber going through the roof, we decided not to repair the gazebo in the Jubilee Park, as it was considered sound for now. We will review this in the autumn. The floor mats have been turned over and pinned down to reduce the tripping hazard. We continue to research installing an Electric Vehicle (EV) charging point somewhere in the village, maybe on the premises of one of the businesses in the village, if this is beneficial to them. We think an EV charging point would encourage visitors to the village. The next Parish Council meeting will be on Wednesday 8th September, starting at 7.00 p.m.
Alison Ansell
Power Cuts To report an issue with your power, call Western Power Distribution on 0800 365 900. If you have a general enquiry, call 0845 724 0240 or email info@westernpower.co.uk.
Deadline for the next issue Please get all your news and contributions to one of us by 17th September, to ensure it is included in the October (Autumn) issue of the Chronicle. 18
Holsworthy Rural Policing Update 1/11/20 – 31/12/20 The following crimes have been reported:
ASHWATER: BLACK TORRINGTON:
Use of threatening/abusive/insulting words or behaviour
BRADFORD: BRADWORTHY: BRIDGERULE: BROADWOODWIDGER:
Indecent exposure
CLAWTON: HALWILL: PYWORTHY:
Communications offence
THORNBURY:
Theft of a wild creature
Person in charge of a dog dangerously out of control Committing an act with intent to pervert the course of justice Communications offence Person in charge of a dog dangerously out of control Use of threatening/abusive/insulting words or behaviour X 3 Criminal damage to a road sign Burglary from a shed X 2 Stalking Arson Criminal damage to a vehicle X 2 Theft of signs X 2
There were also 14 domestic-related crimes reported during this period.
Are you concerned about vehicle speed in your community? Community Speed Watch (CSW) is a scheme that empowers communities to help the police in our quest to drive down the speeds of vehicles in your area, where the speed limit is 30 or 40 mph. CSW aims to engage and educate drivers using a staged warning system. CSW sees teams of police volunteers positioned at the roadside, in designated risk-assessed locations, monitoring traffic. Details of speeding vehicles are recorded, and warning letters are then sent to the registered keeper, together with educational information. The data gathered by the teams also helps to inform enforcement activity. We already have teams working in Halwill, Holsworthy, Holsworthy Hamlets, and St. Giles, and would welcome more volunteers to join them or to start new teams in your area. For more information please visit our website:
www.devon-cornwall.police.uk/advice/on-the-road/speed-watch or contact PCSO Mark James via the Torridge email address below.
If you have an incident to report, don’t hesitate to ring the Police on 101, or email 101@dc.police.uk for non-emergencies.
Always call 999 if you see a crime taking place. Crimes can also be reported via our website:
https://services.devon-cornwall.police.uk/crimereporting/ and information can be passed using this link: https://www.devon-cornwall.police.uk/contact/contact-forms/report-something/ or by calling Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
PC Amanda Brown & PCSO Mark James Holsworthy Police Station torridge@devonandcornwall.pnn.police.uk 19
High Summer Thoughts The weather! What does one make of it? It can't do things in a pleasant gradual way, slowly warming up to a nice ambient temperature - no, it has to go the whole hog at one go and become ridiculously hot! It can't last and then what will happen? Bl**dy great thunderstorms, I guess, which do nobody any good, and scare the living daylights out of our dog Polly! But let's hope, if it happens, it won't be as calamitous as what’s gone on in Western Europe, which is truly a disaster. One thing this weather should be good for is our summer visitors, who, after an awful start with the cold, wet spring, should now be enjoying life. But where are they? There are very few swallows - normally, we are woken each morning by their twittering above our bedroom window, but not this year. Not many martins either, and as for swifts, I saw one small group over the village about a month ago, but no sign since, when they should be screaming round the rooftops of the village. (As an aside, swifts are remarkable birds. Once they leave the nest they will not land again for up to four years, by which time they are mature, feeding, sleeping, and mating on the wing. Incredible or what?) I think a lot have legged it back towards their other lands or, more depressingly, have died of starvation due to the lack of insect life. I've mentioned this before, but there is a distinct lack of flying invertebrate life about. For instance, when did you last have to clean your windscreen of "fly squash"? I rest my case. It is also a fact that I haven't seen any bats about of an evening. More casualties of the lack of flying insects? On a brighter note, there seems to be a resurgence in the population of hedgehogs, as I have had reports of quite a few sightings this summer, so stop using slug pellets! And definitely check any piles of garden rubbish before burning. Which brings us in a somewhat roundabout way to writing about gardening! We're heading towards harvest time in the vegetable garden, picking peas and broad beans, lifting new potatoes, and cutting summer cabbage. Watch out for blight starting on the potatoes, indicated by yellowish brown patches on the leaves, with possibly white fungal strands on the undersides. Cut off and destroy the haulm by burning - do not put it in the compost heap, as the spores will carry over to next year. The same symptoms may be seen on tomatoes. If this happens, you will probably have to destroy the whole plant! Pinch out the growing tip of runner beans once they reach the top of their climbing frame. This will promote lateral shoots to develop, thus hopefully producing more flower heads and then more beans. Onions, shallots and garlic should all be ready for lifting and laying out to dry by now. Keep a keen eye open for cabbage white butterflies laying eggs on the winter greens, and rub these off as soon as you see them. I do virtually a daily inspection, as the eggs will hatch in no time, and then you have a bunch of voracious caterpillars to deal with. Also watch out for black aphids on broad beans. They gather in the soft growing tip, which can be pinched out, aphids and all, and disposed of.
There's still just about time to sow a last row of beetroot and radish, and you could also sow a row of spring cabbage for planting out later.
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Should this hot, dry weather continue it will probably be necessary to water the runner bean row, and any courgette and marrow plants. In the flower garden, keep dead heading all flowering plants as they go over, to encourage continuous flowering - if you don't, the plant will think it has completed its annual cycle and stop flowering in order to produce seed heads. Pick sweet peas every two or three days, again to promote lots more flowers. And feed both indoor and outdoor pot plants weekly, to encourage profuse flowering. Pestwise, keep a sharp eye out for lily beetle. The adults are bright orange, and the larvae are orangebrown and generally covered in black frass (insect larval poo). Pick them off and destroy them. Cut back the fruiting stems of summer raspberries to ground level, and tie in new stems to the frame. Cut back and rake off all strawberry growth and straw. This can be put in the compost heap. Look out for runners you may wish to root to make new plants, otherwise cut them off. Hedges can be trimmed to shape, as can spring and early summer flowering shrubs. Be sure to prune any prunus species soon - if pruning is left until winter it can encourage a problem called silver leaf, which I believe is a fungal disease. Well, I think that's about it! I repeat, don't forget to check any piles of rubbish for hedgehogs prior to burning, and stop using slug pellets to avoid harming what seems to be our increased population of same!
Jeremy Burden
Just For Fun! People in Dubai don't watch The Flintstones, but Abu Dhabi do. My sister is always saying, “Forty is the new thirty.” She's just lost her driving licence. “I dig, You dig, We dig, He digs, She digs, They dig.” It's not a beautiful poem, but it's very deep. Don't let people tell you the sky is the limit, when there's a footprint on the moon. If at first you don't succeed, you should never try skydiving. I have written a book called Reverse Psychology. Do not read it. As I suspected, someone has been adding soil to my garden. The plot thickens. Imagine a world where YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook merge, to become known as YouTwitFace. A pun does not completely mature until it is fully groan.
The World Origami Championships were televised last week. But they were only on paper view. I've been diagnosed with a chronic fear of giants. It's called feefiphobia. Has anyone else noticed that “National Rail Timetables” is an anagram of “All trains aim to be late in”? “Stressed” spelled backwards is “desserts”. Coincidence? I think not. “I before E, except after C”. Disproved by science. Why is there a “d” in “fridge”, but not in “refrigerator”? I bet that the person who put the first “r” in February also decided the spelling for Wednesday. This morning, I watched a dog chase his tail. My first thought was that dogs are easily amused. My second thought was that I was watching a dog chase his tail.
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A Body of Work - the 1960s, Part Two I returned from France in May 1962, and was pleased to be back in many ways. I wasn’t going to miss the days of starvation experienced when our agent in Paris failed to telegraph our weekly pay for entertaining the American troops in the officers' club at the Chalons-sur-Marne army base. Or the time when we risked arrest for smuggling out GIs in the back of our van for a night out jolly on the town! Blighty beckoned, with the welcoming white cliffs of Dover now in clear view, but it was just for the three of us, and our small white van - the fourth, our female singer, opted to stay in France with her newfound American army boyfriend. Dick, our lead guitarist, then separated from the group at Dover to go his own way, leaving our bass player Keith to accompany me back to my parental home in Croydon. Mum and Dad were pleased to see their seventeen-year-old son return safely from the continent, and were happy to feed both of us, at least for the time being. Merseybeat was all the rage, and after a day of recovery, then seeing the Stones live in south London (following their debut on BBC TV the night before), we set off for Liverpool to take in the scene. Keith then went home to take up his normal life again, and I have never seen him since. Back home, and two weeks later, my parents started saying things to me like, “Job?” and, “When?” In answer to that, I took advantage of the great Youth Employment scheme (Y.E.S) set up by the Macmillan government and operated through the local authority. I was invited to go to their offices for interview, and was asked what kind of work I was seeking. It had to be technical, I said. The interviewer paused, peered over his glasses with a considered look, and glided his chair over to the filing cabinet, where he retrieved a box card index. He pulled out six cards, said, “You have a choice here”, and proceeded to read out each vacancy in sequence. I switched off after the third, and asked him which, in his opinion, was the most technical. “Why, this one”, he said. The company was called The Hatcham Rubber Company Limited. “That’s the one then. Can I formally apply?” I asked. The process was started, and this single decision was to set me off on a course of work that defined my life for the next two decades. Rubber? Elastic bands, car tyres, and bath plugs. That was about the limit of my knowledge of the stuff back then, but that was soon to change. Hatcham Rubber was kind enough to give me a chance, finding me a place in their testing laboratory with a Chief Chemist. The factory was far removed from the pristine, clinically clean Wellcome Laboratories where I worked before, in Beckenham. Located on the edge of Croydon close to the old airport in Purley, the Hatcham factory consisted of two single low-rise pre-war buildings, in parallel. On one side was the open mill mixing and calendaring department, using mainly non-black fillers, like whiting and calcium silicates, and on the other was the dark, satanic, internal mixing area designated to carbon black fillers. My laboratory was on the white side, and my job was to test every single batch of rubber that each of the two sides produced every day. I checked the specific gravity, and the hardness and resilience after curing. The rubber compounds, in addition to the reinforcing and bulking fillers that were added, also contained chemicals like sulphur, and accelerators to speed up the curing process when subjected to high temperatures. There is one name of an accelerator that I have never forgotten - cyclohexyl benz thiazyl sulphenamide!
Rubber rolling mill compound 22
For the mill workers, it was a hard, dusty, and dirty job, requiring face masks - a bit like coalmining above ground. On many occasions, as part of my own job, I used to supervise mixing procedures for development purposes, and this was often at close quarters in the carbon black internal mixing process. At the end of the day, as soon as I got back home, the first thing I did was have a bath. When I removed my clothes it was clear that the nano-sized carbon black particles had passed through the weave of the cloth, blackening my knees, legs, and arms. Rubbing my face produced greasy black streaks that were difficult to wash away. Hatcham was basically a trade compounding company, and much of the compounded rubber was sent to other companies like Dunlop who, in addition to car tyres, produced neoprene conveyor belting for the coalmines in the north of England and elsewhere. However, we also made natural and synthetic rubber compounds for shoe soles. It was the Chief Chemist’s job to formulate recipes for each rubber compound to meet the customer requirement. Nomenclature for the various recipes was fairly simple and non-technical back in those days.
Encased internal mixer rollers for black rubber compounding
With shoe soling we started with the letter “A” followed by the word “soles” and moved on down through the alphabet for reference purposes - A soles, B soles, and so on.. You can imagine the fun we all had when we reached the letter “R”, and we could safely go around quoting that sole compound name in full, without redress! My time at Hatcham ended with a degree in Polymer Technology, which was presented to me by Lord Robens. Then it was time to move on, as I had just married, and it was obvious for many reasons that this job was a dead end in terms of any future progression. Next…..Up T’North!
Paul Wheeler
Making Money From Used Stamps Even in this electronic era of emails and texts, we all still receive letters, many of which have stamps on the envelope. These stamps are still valuable, even though you can’t re-use them to post another letter – philatelists all over the world are keen to collect them. There is a box in the community shop where you can deposit your used stamps. All stamps deposited there will help raise funds for the Children’s Hospice South West. So please save all your used stamps, and drop them into the box next time you’re in the shop. All contributions will be very gratefully received, and this simple act can achieve a lot of good!
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Reforge Retreat
I suspect that many Sheepwashers, like me, have driven out of Black Torrington towards the main A386 road, and have been intrigued by the Reforge Retreat sign halfway up Bonfire Hill. I have often thought, “I must investigate that sometime” when I’ve driven past, and I finally got round to doing just that this summer. What I discovered was a quite lovely, quirky little gem, hidden away in plain sight in our local landscape.
The history of the estate Reforge Retreat is owned by Faith Warner, and has been in the Warner family for three generations. The twenty-acres of land which comprises the estate was originally bought in 1964 by Peter and Pauline Warner. Parisian seamstress Pauline was initially horrified to find herself surrounded by countryside which was completely devoid of the bustling metropolitan culture in which she had grown up, but she gradually warmed to the estate as it took shape, and transformed herself from a seamstress to a sheep farmer! Peter, on the other hand, was in his element from day one. An engineer by profession, he created a plan to transform the landscape to match his vision of a rural haven, and methodically set about turning his dream into reality. An old aerial photograph taken shortly after the Warners bought the land shows that it was just open fields and a few buildings. It is unrecognisable compared to what is there now. Peter planted trees and lots of other plants, creating shaded pathways around the meadows. He also dug out two lakes which are surrounded by lush, flowering greenery, and are partly covered with copious numbers of water-lilies. They provide a home for fish and other wildlife, including the dragonflies which have become the iconic symbol of Reforge Retreat. Almost sixty years after it was first planned, with all the trees and exotic plants fully grown, the estate now looks and feels like it has been there for centuries, an unspoiled haven where you can stroll about feeling like you have stepped into a painting by Monet. Peter and Pauline’s son Paul shared his father’s passion for the estate, 24
Pauline and Peter Warner (wearing a suit on the beach!)
and continued shaping and growing it. He was perfectly happy there, and never really wanted to be anywhere else. Paul died in 2010, and the estate passed to Faith and her mother. Faith had the same passion for the estate as her father and grandfather, but her mother wanted to sell up and move away, so in 2015 they split the property between them and in 2016 Faith started her new business there, which she called Reforge Retreat.
The owner and staff When I first met Faith Warner, she introduced herself as, “a sort of mad cat lady”, but I soon discovered that was just her being self-deprecating. Yes, she does have four cats, and there are no dogs allowed on the estate, but is she “sort of mad”? Perhaps – but then, you have to be a bit mad to stay sane when you’re trying to build an accommodation and events business during a pandemic! A better description of Faith would have to include the words “eccentric”, “creative”, “determined” (though she would say “stubborn”!), and possibly “new age” or “alternative”. Academically gifted, she has an MSc in Primatology, and spent five months in the Congo studying bonobos (pigmy chimpanzees). She has also taught psychology, and was a research associate at Exeter University for several years. As well as running Reforge Retreat, she also works as a disability assessor – writing reports for a university on the facilities they need to provide to particular students, to help them make the most of their coursework and time at that university. She lives on the estate with her young teenage son Silas. However, although she does a lot of work herself, she obviously needs help to run the business and estate. So she has built up a small team of likeminded people, who all feel a special connection with the place – Rob, the groundsman; David, the gardener; the Ace of Maids cleaning team - Sue, Jess, and Nicola; Emma, who does whatever is needed; Dean, the handyman; and Jerome, master craftsman and builder, and his assistant Dave.
Reforge Retreat So what is the business, and why is it called Reforge Retreat? The easiest part of that question to answer is the name. From 2007 to 2016 Faith made and sold jewellery under the brand name Lustre Jewellery. She used metal salvaged from various places and machinery on the estate, “reforging beauty” from the previously forged metal.
So when she decided to find a way to use the estate to pay for its upkeep, she settled on “reforging” it to create a place to “retreat” from the rest of the world, and Reforge Retreat was born. The business can be logically divided into two streams – providing holiday accommodation, and putting on special events. The accommodation comprises a one bedroom apartment, a “writer’s cabin”, and a number of bell tents. The apartment is self-explanatory, but the “writer’s cabin” has to be seen to be fully appreciated – it is a small, wooden cabin tucked away in a secluded corner of the estate, in the woods and next to a stream. Once there, even though you are only a short walk away from the rest of the estate, you can experience real solitude and privacy. Although it is called the “writer’s cabin”, it is very popular with couples! The bell tents are also pitched in different locations 25
around the estate, each one on a purpose-built wooden platform to keep the floor warm and dry, whether the tent is next to a lake, in the orchard, or in one of the meadows. They provide a luxury “glamping” experience, with proper beds, outdoor furniture, solar lights, firepits, and barbeques. The bell tents are set up to suit different group sizes, so you could have one tent on its own or several together in the same area. Unusually for this type of glamping retreat, you can also bring your own tents if you like, to set up away from or next to a bell tent. There are four shower/toilet blocks, again spread around, so groups of guests can have their “own” facilities. In line with the “green” ethos, all the toilets are composting loos. And almost all the power used on site is provided by their own solar panels. Pathways have been cut around the estate, but the broader meadows are only cut once a year, so they look beautiful, but also provide a safe home for lots of wildlife. There is also a large, shared kitchen facility in a barn-like building, organised so that different groups can prepare, cook, and sit and eat their food separately – I noticed four double toasters spread out on different worktops round the walls. A unique feature of the estate is its own pub, called the Reforge Inn. The décor is probably best described as “quirky”, and has remained unchanged since Peter Warner’s time! Its opening hours are equally quirky – it only opens on Fridays and Saturdays when there are guests staying or when there is a special event on. Which brings us neatly to the other side of the business - running special events. Special events have been scarce so far this year, due to lockdown. I attended the most recent one – an outdoor performance of Shakespeare’s As You Like It, a magical comedy set in the Forest of Arden, so Reforge provided a perfect setting.
It was performed by Sun and Moon Theatre, who did a fabulous job, especially as there were only five of them, which meant they had to double-up on parts. It only added to the fun when one of the girls, who was playing three different parts, had to play a scene where all three characters were present, which involved some frantic hat-changing to identify who was talking! As life starts to open up again, Faith wants to put on more events at Reforge. The estate has been part of her life all her life, so she has inevitably been influenced by its very palpable natural energy, and would like to develop events which harmonise with that. She would like to hold events which mark the turning of the year, like wassailing the apple trees on Twelfth Night, maypole dancing on May Day, summer solstice celebrations, and so on. She wants to revive and preserve some of the folk traditions which used to be a normal part of country life. She would also like to put on other events in keeping with the intimate, peaceful nature of the estate, 26
such as a small festival of folk music and/or dance. (The Black Torrington choir already comes to Reforge Retreat to practice twice a month.) Of course, special events don’t come much more special than a wedding, and Reforge Retreat would be a perfect venue for a wedding or handfasting where the couple want to make it an occasion that is just that little bit different! The accommodation side of the business only operates from about April to October. To generate yearround income, Faith would like to run craft workshops in some of the buildings on the site – jewellery making, or sculpture, and so on. Most of the core staff team have a creative bent – for example, Jerome worked with Faith to craft the big metal dragonfly which adorns the main Reforge Retreat sign at the estate entrance – so she already has some willing workshop tutors available. However, the most important priority for Faith and her team is to preserve the natural, peaceful atmosphere of Reforge – it is a Retreat, after all. So they only want to put on events with limited numbers, so everyone attending can experience that feeling of entering a small, intimate bubble which exists outside “normal” life, letting them connect with each other and the natural world around them on a truly human level. We’ll try to keep you informed of all their upcoming events in future issues of the Chronicle, but meantime, if you or anyone you know would like to book into the glamping or other accommodation to experience the unique atmosphere at Reforge Retreat, please get in touch with them.
Chris Bell
CONTACT DETAILS: Reforge Retreat Bonfire Hill Black Torrington Beaworthy Devon EX21 5QH Tel: 07825 187746
Email: info@reforgeretreat.com
How to Store Herbs and Spices Herbs Dried or fresh? Fresh herbs are best added near the end of cooking, for example in a salad, or basil on a pizza, whereas dried herbs may be more convenient for day-to-day use. Generally, use one-and-a-half times the amount of fresh herbs as dried - the flavour of dried herbs is more intense. Dried leafy herbs usually last between one and three years when stored in an airtight container.
Fresh herbs can be stored in bunches, in a jar, with the stems submerged in water. Enclose the jar in a sealable plastic bag and change the water often. They should last around a week this way. Alternatively, rinse herbs in water, wrap them in a damp paper towel, and place in a plastic bag in the fridge. Supermarkets sell herb plants, or you could try growing your own from seed. Simply snip off as much as you need. Keep them on your windowsill or in a sheltered spot outside the kitchen door and they should last weeks or months – possibly even years in the case of perennials like thyme, mint, and rosemary.
Spices Once opened, whole spices can be kept for up to four years in an airtight container. Ground spices last for six months to two years stored in the same way. Fresh ginger and turmeric last around two weeks when kept in a perforated bag in the fridge. Spice racks can be a lovely decorative addition to a kitchen, but spices last longer stored in a cool, dark place, such as a cupboard or pantry area. Where possible, buy whole spices and grind them yourself, using a pestle and mortar or coffee grinder. 27
Small Modular Reactors - an Opinion Piece The Ultimate Low-Carbon Renewables Devon CPRE Member Julian Tippett has rightly identified Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) as a necessary part of the solution to our future electricity needs. If the government has its way, we will need much more electricity for heating, and for charging all those millions of electric vehicles. To meet these needs, the electricity supply will need to be expanded and become much more reliable. Commercial nuclear power stations have been operating for nearly seventy years. They have provided huge amounts of reliable, affordable, "clean", and almost infinitely renewable, electricity. Nuclear energy has the best safety record of any energy technology. All environmental concerns, such as waste disposal, have been solved. So why hasn't nuclear power been widely accepted?
One reason is that, for many years, environmental activists have persuaded much of the public, many politicians, and the media, that nuclear is unsafe. However, some activists have recently changed their minds - for example, James Lovelock, author of The Gaia Theory, has said that, "nuclear power is the only green solution". Bryony (now Baroness) Worthington, a lead author of the Climate Change Act, who once said that she was "passionately opposed to nuclear power" has more recently said of nuclear power, "I urge you on moral, ethical, scientific, and environmental grounds, to rethink your opposition to it." One-time anti-nuclear campaigner, environmental activist, and author, Mark Lynas, who has said that he, "grew up hating nuclear power" has now said that, "continuing to oppose nuclear was a mistake … it's extraordinarily safe … and we must learn to love nuclear power". But given the facts, why do some environmental organisations still oppose it, preferring environmentally destructive wind and solar farms, coupled with batteries? The reason they continue to object to nuclear power is not that it doesn't produce abundant low-carbon energy, but that it does, and that conflicts with their overall aim to halt economic growth. Because of the anti-nuclear propaganda and campaigning, regulators require multiple, excessive layers of safety in nuclear plant design that needlessly boost costs. The regulatory process is over-complex, is very slow and cumbersome, and takes years to complete. Nuclear plants are thus unnecessarily complex, and take a long time to construct after all the regulations have been met. The long lead-time before operation adds to the expense, and political uncertainty is one reason why many recent proposals for nuclear power stations in the UK have been abandoned, leaving the twin power stations at Hinkley C in Somerset as the only ongoing project. To overcome some of these problems, the focus for future nuclear power stations has switched to Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), which have been in operation for over sixty years in submarines, aircraft carriers and ice-breakers, but only in the last few years has serous attention been paid to developing landbased SMRs for commercial electricity generation. The advantages SMRs have over current nuclear power stations are legion: •
They use relatively simple, proven technology.
•
They can be manufactured in factories and constructed on site very rapidly.
•
They are even safer than current nuclear power stations.
•
They occupy very little land and have little impact on the landscape. Some can even be constructed underground.
Compared to renewable energy generators such as wind and solar power: •
They provide generation that can be controlled to provide baseload and load-follow capability. Their output is not weather-dependent.
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• •
They are synchronous, and the large rotating generators provide inertia, which is a positive benefit to the reliability and stability of the grid. They use very high energy-density fuel and thus require a lot less land.
A 440MW SMR would require about 25 acres of land, and would produce about 3.5TWh of electricity per year (enough for about 1.2 million homes). To produce the same amount of electricity from solar farms would need about 13,000 acres (20 square miles) of land, and from wind farms about 32,000 acres (50 square miles) of land. There are about half a million homes in Devon, and on average each consumes about 1.5MWh of electricity per year. Thus, Devon's domestic electricity needs could easily be met by a single 440MW SMR occupying a small area of land. By contrast, a huge area of Devon's farmland would need to be covered in solar farms or wind turbines, to provide the same amount of electricity. Even then, alternative sources of electricity would be needed for when the wind doesn't blow or the sun doesn't shine. Several competing designs are being developed around the world, ranging in size from 10s of MWs to 500MW, and of many different design concepts. In the UK, a consortium led by RollsRoyce, which has built seven generations of SMRs for use in nuclear submarines, is the lead contender, with its design for a 440MW SMR. Another contender is NuScale, an American company. It has developed the NuScale Power ModuleTM, and last year it Schematic of a Rolls Royce SMR gained regulatory approval in the USA. It is envisaged that each SMR plant would be constructed in an array of up to twelve 70MW individual Power Modules, giving a maximum total capacity of up to 840MW. NuScale has an office in London, has been actively involved in the government's SMR studies, and is working with UK partners to license, manufacture, and build its SMRs in the UK and ultimately for export. In the UK it is envisaged that SMRs would be constructed on the redundant sites of closed nuclear and coal-fired power stations - that is, on brownfield land where grid connections are readily available. The big question is, why are several billion pounds a year wasted on subsidising intermittent renewable energy generators such as wind and solar power? Surely it Schematic of a NuScale SMR would be better for the government to invest a fraction of this money in developing SMRs for deployment in the UK. The electricity from SMRs would be considerably cheaper than that from intermittent offshore wind farms, which, for some inexplicable reason, seems to be the government's preferred option.
Dr Phillip Bratby, Devon CPRE
Deadline for the next issue Please get all your news and contributions to one of us by 17th September, to ensure it is included in the October (Autumn) issue of the Chronicle. 29
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Useful Contacts Description
Person
Telephone
Member of Parliament
Geoffrey Cox
01837 82000
County Councillor
James Morrish
07929 652939
james.morrish@devon.gov.uk
Ward Councillors
David Hurley
01805 601604
Councillor.hurley@torridge.gov.uk
Richard Wiseman
01805 601604
Councillor.wiseman@torridge.gov.uk
Parish Council Chair
Alison Ansell
01409 231196
alisonansell2@gmail.com
Parish Councillors
Helen Crossley
01409 231757
councillorcrossley@yahoo.co.uk
Nigel Hutchings
01409 231586
councilnh@gmail.com
Chris Mathews
01409 231779
chris@mathews.uk
David Moys
07967 274008
lymathandmoys@gmail.com
Mike Ritson
01409 231680
mike.ritson2@btinternet.com
Paul Wheeler
01409 231417
paulgwheeler@hotmail.com
Parish Clerk
Selina Woollacott
01409 281280
clerk@sheepwashparishcouncil.co.uk
Ladies Skittles
Sheila Fox
01409 231649
Sue Plummer
01409 231219
Sheepwash Community Shop Doctors’ surgery (Black Torrington)
Holsworthy Police
jsplummer321@gmail.com
01409 231531 Dr Kylan Stray Dr Finola O’Neill Dr Feisa Radford
01409 231628 or 01409 335830 Fax: 01409 231029
PC Amanda Brown
Call 101 for all non -urgent Police enquiries. Call 999 for emergencies.
Mobile Library Sheepwash Chronicle Editors
amanda.brown @devonandcornwall.pnn.police.uk
01409 253514 Alison Ansell
01409 231196
alisonansell2@gmail.com
Chris Bell
01409 231341
chris11egg@aol.com
Snooker Club Treasurer/ Secretary
Charles Inniss
01409 231237
charles.inniss@btinternet.com
Village Hall Bookings
Anne Gray
01409 231231
martin.gray421@btinternet.com
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Buses to and from Sheepwash Turner’s Tours of Chumleigh operate the following bus services to and from the village. All buses pick up and drop off at the bus shelter in the village square.
On Mondays (to Bideford): Bus number 642 leaves Sheepwash at 9.30 a.m. and arrives in Bideford at 10.35 a.m. Bus number 642 leaves Bideford at 1.30 p.m. and arrives in Sheepwash at 2.35 p.m.
On Wednesdays (to Holsworthy): Bus number 639 leaves Sheepwash at 9.52 a.m. and arrives in Holsworthy at 10.30 a.m.
Bus number 639 leaves Holsworthy at 1.30 p.m. and arrives in Sheepwash at 2.08 p.m.
On Saturdays (to Okehampton): Bus number 631 leaves Sheepwash at 10.00 a.m. and arrives in Okehampton at 10.37 a.m. Bus number 631 leaves Okehampton at 12.30 p.m. and arrives in Sheepwash at 1.07 p.m.
For further information about bus routes and timetables, call Turner’s Tours on
01769 580242
EXTRA COPIES OF THE CHRONICLE A copy of the Sheepwash Chronicle is delivered free to every house in Sheepwash. Extra copies are available in the community shop on a first come, first served basis, at a cost of £1.50 each. However, if you would like one or more extra copies of every issue in a year (perhaps to send to family or friends), please let us know and we will deliver them with your free copy. We only charge £7.50 a year for each extra copy, saving £1.50 on the shop price (so you get 6 copies for the price of 5). It also guarantees you will get your extra copy – the shop can sell out fast! The Sheepwash Chronicle is printed by Hedgerow Print Ltd 16 Marsh Lane Lords Meadow Crediton Devon EX17 1ES
Telephone: 01363 777595. Web: www.hedgerowprint.co.uk 47
