Torrington Crier April 2023

April 2023

The Crier is produced 10 times a year on behalf of the community, by The Crier Community Interest Company. 5900 copies are distributed throughout Great Torrington and the rural district.

TORRINGTON COMMONS CONSERVATORS

Please help us to raise £20,000 to renovate the Waterloo Monument

Upcoming fundraising events:

• Pub Quiz at the Royal Exchange in May, more details next month

• Big Al will be singing in the Pannier Market on Saturdays

Please visit torringtoncommons.org for the Just Giving page

Full details inside...

Easter Holiday Fun at Woollaton Equestrian Centre!

Tuesday 4th April - Mini Pony Day 10am-1pm for those aged 4-7yrs of any ability, £40

Wednesday 5th April - Pony Day 10am-3pm for those aged 8+ of any ability £60

Date tbc - Mounted Easter Bonnet Parade

Tuesday 11th April 10am- 12.30pm - Easter Egg Hunt & Pony Games suitable for all £45

Friday 14th April - Stream Ride - 10am-12pm suitable for all £40 (book early as this is very popular!)

Sunday 16th - Pole & Jump Clinic times tbc £40 (riders must ride happily off lead in walk & trot 1.5hr slots)

Lessons always available for all levels aged from 3+

Find us on Facebook @woollatonequestriancentre. All enquiries welcome.

Tel: 07950 733 628

Learn to ride the right way

Contact us...

Editorial Enquiries: Becky Huxtable, 07443 491 972

E: torrington.crier@gmail.com

Copy deadline: Second Thursday of each month, 12 noon. We prefer all submissions and enquiries to the email above but handwritten articles can still be handed in at the Library. All articles are subject to editing, particularly those over 300 words, it is not possible to inform contributors of this prior to publication. Submission does not guarantee publication.

Advertising/Accounts: Esther Williams, 01805 601964 (please note that this is a home number not an office)

E: torrington.crieradverts@gmail.com

Costs & sizes: Small advert: 9cm wide x 5cm deep, £26 per issue. Large advert: 19cm wide x 5cm deep, £51 per issue. 10% discount for a run of five adverts. All adverts are accepted in good faith. Single adverts to be paid in advance, please.

Postal address: The Crier, Castle Hill, Torrington, EX38 8AA. Website: www.great-torringtoncrier.co.uk

Town Distribution: The Joy family & Esther Williams

Rural Distribution: Sue Crane & the community

Printers: Hedgerow Print, Crediton

Read The Crier Online

If you don’t normally get the Crier delivered, you can now view the latest issue and back issues online, including all adverts, which can be clicked on to visit their websites.

Would you like the Crier delivered in your village?

Volunteers collect Criers from the Library each issue and drop them off in various villages. If your community doesn’t receive the Crier but would like to, and you can help, please contact Becky on 01805 603152, torrington.crier@gmail. com, or call in to Torrington Library.

Disclaimer:

The Crier does not warrant or assume any legal liability or responsibility for the quality, accuracy, legality or reliability of any information, product or service represented within our publication or on our web site. The information provided is for informational, educational or entertainment purposes only.

Anyone using the information provided by The Crier, does so at their own risk, and by using such information agrees to indemnify The Crier from any and all liability, loss, injury, damages, costs and expenses (including legal fees and expenses) arising from such use.

The Crier does not endorse or recommend any product, service or information found within said articles. The views and opinions of the authors who have submitted articles to The Crier belong to them alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Crier or its team.

Website links from The Crier or its website are provided for convenience only. The Crier is not responsible for the content or availability of any external or 3rd party sites and does not warrant or guarantee the products, services, or information found on these sites.

Torrington & District Community News & Events

All Shines Window & Exterior Cleaning

Windows • Guttters • Soffits

Gutter Clearance • Roof de-moss

Render & K Rend Soft Wash Conservatories • Patios • Block Paving Driveways

01805 938502 07711 079 577

Great Torrington Town & Community Hall

Good news! If you haven’t been before, you must try out our fortnightly Lunch Club (no membership) which is restarting from Thursday 13th April from 12-2pm. Sample new spring dishes or revisit some old favourites. Whatever the weather, the bar is open, it’s a warm welcome and in the summer you can sit outside!

Does the word ‘diet’ make you think about being controlled and restricted? At my Torrington group, we’ve ditched the diet mentality to focus on making enjoyable, sustainable lifestyle changes that work in the real world. It’s a switch from ‘I shouldn’t’ to ‘I want to’, because Food Optimising is all about choice –and it puts you back in control. Discover the difference at my supportive group on Wednesdays at Castle Community Centre, Torrington, at 5.30pm or 7pm or call Tracy on 07787 010 400.

N.D.W.C North Devon Widowed & Connected

Mix & Mingle Club. Our Monday Mix and Mingle Club has been a great success! A lovely safe and inclusive environment for people with care needs to create, play and have fun, or just hang out. Music, tea and biscuits are always on the go and we look forward to welcoming new people. Please phone Paula on 0779 324 155 or Rosie 07723 047 978.

League of Friends Charity Coffee Morning & Raffle. Please come along and support the local Hospital Hub and have a chat with the Committee on Saturday 15th April in the Undercroft from 9.30 to 12.30.

MAYFAIR- It will soon be time for this most important event in the Town’s calendar and the Trustees look forward to seeing everybody and celebrate this magical time. Plans are still in progress so please watch for further announcements!

We are thrilled when we get good feedback from someone who has hired the hall for a special event, in this case a special birthday. It was a huge success, a big party bash with a DJ, and our bar staff made some special cocktails for the occasion. We can do no better than quote some of the comments we had about the night. “You guys were amazing! The fact you did everything, and we could just go home at the end of the evening was great. Guests who hadn’t been to the Hall also thought it was a brilliant building. I’d recommend the Town Hall to anyone thinking about a party.”

Finally, we would like to thank Torrington Town Council for the funding they provided for the very successful ‘Taste of Torrington Food, Craft and Drink Fair’ again this year. We understand the car parks were full and how fabulous to promote our town. Our own raffle raised £76 and it was lovely to see the Town Hall full of stalls, showing the best of what our local suppliers can offer. Thank you also to Lucy Lowe and her team for the superb organisation of the event.

For further information please email us at admin@greattorrington-townhall.org

ALL PROCEEDS RAISED ARE USED FOR THE UPKEEP OF THE HALL PLEASE SUPPORT YOUR TOWN HALL TO PRESERVE THE PAST FOR THE FUTURE

North Devon Widowed & Connected was formed back in 2018, when we realised that there was no support in the North Devon area (with Exeter and Plymouth seeming a little too far to travel).

We decided to create our own support group and, as a result, it has grown significantly over the last few years and provides an exceptional amount of support to those who are bereaved within our locality.

During the pandemic, the group has been referred to as a ‘lifeline’ by our members, who were suffering with the loss of their loved ones and experiencing feelings of isolation.

The group is made up of men, women, those with and without children, and the age of our members varies from 18 to the over 70s.

We pride ourselves on providing an incredibly supportive group to those within the North Devon locality, through monthly coffee mornings and also via our private Facebook group.

For more information please either search for N.D.W.C on Facebook and answer the membership questions in order to join, or contact Kirsty on 07934 249 427.

Attic Gems Antiques

We buy & sell old items

Wanted: Clocks, Books, Wrist & Pocket Watches, Paintings, Furniture, Swords, Coins, Medals, Jewellery etc Gold & Silver in ANY condition

13 Fore Street, Torrington, EX38 8HQ Next to The Plough!

07706 092 006 / 07593 299 604

Library News

Meet up Mondays

Our extended opening hours sessions have now sadly ended; these sessions were made possible by National Grid funding. It was a wonderful opportunity for us to offer something a little bit different, along with our usual warm welcome.

Local Professional Qualified Counsellor

Face-to-face or online sessions available Contact for more information

07467 702 605

www.birds-willowcounselling.com

Local Baby & Toddler Groups

Thank you to all our volunteers and Friends of Great Torrington Library for their support, and to everyone who used the library for these extra Monday sessions.

We will return to our usual opening hours in April: Tuesday 1-6pm; Thursday 10am-5pm; Friday 10am-1pm; Saturday 10am-1pm. We look forward to seeing you! Bounce & Rhyme Storytime – Stay & Chat

Tuesdays (term-time only) 10.30-11am followed by Baby Self Weigh Tuesdays 11.30am-4pm.

Created for children aged four to eight and their families, Storm in a Teapot is the latest exciting show from multi-award-winning Boo to a Goose Theatre, which will appeal to the whole family.

Torrington Library Friday 14th April 2.30pm, £2.50 per single child or £2 per sibling. Donation welcomed from parent/carer – only one please due to limited space. Booking essential bootoagoose@yahoo.com.

Children’s Crafting with Chris Saturday 15th April 10.30am-12pm. Drop in, donation welcome.

Coronation Crafting with Chris 29th April 10.30am-12pm. Topical creativity, drop by and join in.

One 2 One IT support

If you have a tablet, laptop or smartphone you are struggling with, our volunteer Perry is here to offer support on every other Thursday morning (by appointment only). Please call on 01805 622107 to book.

@TorringtonLibraryDevon

Follow us on Facebook to find out the latest information about library events and information. We post on our page regularly, so it is a good place to find out what’s going on.

Donate in your library

Look out for the donations box in the local library. If every time someone visits a library they give 1p, we would raise £15,000 per year… and 10p would mean £150,000!

Play our Lottery!

We’ve launched our own weekly lottery. Playing the weekly lottery will give you the chance to support your libraries to stay open and help support everyone, particularly through the cost-of-living crisis.

Tickets for the lottery cost just £1 per week, with a top prize of £25,000 each week. There will also be regular additional lotteries such as shopping vouchers, food subscriptions, Christmas hampers. We will receive 50% of every ticket bought, with all proceeds going back into providing and expanding these critical services. To sign up, visit www.librariesunlimited.org.uk/support-us/

Supporters must be aged 16 or over. Please play responsibly, and good luck!

Please refer to our website: www.librariesunlimited.org.uk for up-to-date information on all our services.

For assistance with any queries please contact us by emailing torrington.library@ librariesunlimited.org.uk or via our general telephone enquiries line is 0345 155001.

Buckland Brewer 'Time Together' Toddler and Baby Group meets Mondays during term time at Buckland Brewer Methodist Church from 9.30am to 12noon. £1.50 per family. Dave Watson 07484 223 515

Coldridge Village Hall, 9.45-11.45am every Friday (except 1st Friday of the month) £2 per family. High Bickington playgroup runs on Mondays 9.30-11am at High Bickington Community Centre. Cost: suggested £2 for families, £1 for singletons under 6 months.

Petrockstowe Community Church Tea and Tots coffee morning, for mums, dads, grandparents, carers, babies and toddlers together for a drink and a chat. Every Monday 9.15-11am in the school room of the Chapel. Kate Cutter entertains with songs and stories. All welcome.

St Giles in the Wood ‘Cubs in the Wood’ playgroup for 0-4 year olds on Thursdays 9.30-11am at the Parish Hall £2.50.

Torrington Babies and Toddler Group at the Baptist Church, Thursday mornings term time only, 9.30-11.30am. £2 per family, which includes a cuppa for the parents/carers and a healthy snack for the children.

Torrington Children’s Centre, ‘Noah’s Ark’ Fridays 9.15-10.45am, run by Grosvenor Church Tim Gilbert 07798 670 754.

Torridge Walk & Talk

Anice way to get fit, make friends and enjoy yourself!

Every Tuesday and Wednesday, with a variety of walks for all levels. Just turn up and join in for free.

Full details on our website torridgewalkandtalk.co.uk or call Steve 01273 421528.

Current Issues in the Town

Torrington Neighbourhood Team would like to highlight a few issues that have come to our attention recently, and give details on how to report them if needed.

Dog-on-dog attacks

Serious physical dog-on-dog attacks are unfortunately increasing. They often lead to injured/stressed dogs and hefty vet bills. Each incident will be different, and how we can deal will vary, but if your dog has suffered an injury then you should try and take note of the owner ’s details and report the incident. If your dog is aggressive or can be reactive to other dogs, please ensure you have FULL control and if necessary, use a muzzle. To report: Police - beta.devon-cornwall.police.uk/ro/report/ocr/af/how-to-report-a-crime/ or call 101 and Torridge District Council www.torridge.gov.uk/article/20414/Dangerousdogs or email: environmental.protection@torridge.gov.uk.

Prank door knocking

There have been reports that this has been happening when young people are walking to and from Great Torrington School. This is causing residents a great deal of alarm and distress. This type of behaviour is unacceptable and could constitute harassment. Anti-social behaviour of this nature needs to be tackled collectively, and we are working with the school to address these issues and will be visiting to speak to the pupils through assemblies. Parents also need to take responsibility and speak to their children regarding their behaviour during these times. Please report any incidents via 101.

Dog fouling

It is an offence for a person in charge of a dog not to clean up immediately after the dog has fouled on public land. We all want a cleaner town to live in, and dogs’ mess is a nuisance, an eyesore and poses a risk to humans and, in particular, to children who are more likely to come into contact with it. Torridge District Council are authorised to issue a fixed penalty notice and can also prosecute with a court issued fine of up to £1,000, if they witness a dog fouling offence. Dog fouling can be reported to Torridge District Council on their website www.torridge.gov.uk/ article/20399/Fouling.

Torrington Baptist Church

Services on Sunday mornings at 10.30am followed by refreshments. Everyone is welcome to join our friendly, growing fellowship, as we seek to glorify God in our worship.

BESPOKE PICTURE FRAMERS

BLENDING CONTEMPORARY STYLES WITH TRADITIONAL FRAMING METHODS

CALL US FOR A FREE QUOTE OR VISIT US AT OUR WORKSHOP

STIBB HOLLOW FARM, LANGTREE, TORRINGTON, EX38 8LP TEL: 01805 601777

Visit: www.blackdogframing.co.uk

Castle Hill Creatives

Great Torrington’s Artisanal hub Spring Arts & Craft Fair

Our next event takes place on Saturday 13th May from 10am until 4pm at Castle Hill Community Centre, Great Torrington, EX38 8AA.

Since its formation in 2020, Castle Hill Creatives (CHC) have blossomed into Great Torrington’s premier creative community hub and a fully-fledged arts and makers organisation, with upwards of 30 members and several exhibitions/ events already curated.

The group of members and guest artists bring a very wide and diverse palette of artistic and creative skills to the mix, including paint, ceramics, sculpture, jewellery, pottery, textiles, photography, carpentry, print, knitwear, glassware, etc.

The upcoming fair on Saturday 13th May at Castle Hill Community Centre features stalls selling handcrafted and original creations and gifts made by the CHC members. Entry is free and the onsite Fork and Feast Café will be open for refreshments.

Come along, support your local makers and buy some unique gifts! Call for professional and unique artists to join us for this event.

For more information please contact the team at chctorrington@gmail.com.

Torrington Neighbourhood Policing Team

Dig the Castle Open Day

Saturday 22nd April - Heritage Museum

The ‘Dig the Castle’ community archaeological excavation project is ramping up, and on course for an exciting and interesting two weeks in September and October.

The project is set to excavate parts of the castle area sited by the town’s Barley Grove carpark – an area that has never been touched by archaeologists - and see if there are any ‘finds’ that will give us more information on the history of the town’s castle.

On Saturday 22nd April, Dig the Castle members will be holding an open day for the public at the Heritage Museum in Gt. Torrington, 10am–2pm. We will have photos and plans for the dig, and will be able to answer any questions you may have; you can also find out how you can get involved! Please come along and see what is planned.

In March, two members of the group were very pleased to be invited to give a talk and answer questions on the dig at the monthly Rotary of Torrington meeting. There was a sense of great enthusiasm for the project!

Our brilliant education officer, Bill O’ Donnell, has already lined up 80 children from five of our local primary schools to come and join us over the dig period, and we are anticipating further interest. If you have children that you think would like to be involved, please do approach your school and make them aware.

We are currently waiting for the signing off of the WSI (written scheme of investigation) by Devon County Council, but the trench plan has been finalised and this important planning and legal stage is almost concluded. This confirms that we are officially allowed to do an archaeological excavation on a specific site.

Moving forward, much work still needs to be done, but we are feeling very enthused by the support the community has been giving us. In turn, we hope that you, the community, will happily get involved when we put a spade in the ground!

Question: Are we using mechanical diggers to dig the ground?

Answer: No! – just spades and trowels.

For more information www.onegreattorrington.uk/digthecastle and our Instagram and Facebook pages @digthecastle.

Harris Helping Hands

Torri Youth

Young people have been so busy raising funding for the shelter project: thank you to those in Endurance House GTS, and to the six young people who undertook a sponsored bike ride to Bideford and back in February half term.

Here are some of the activities we have planned for Summer Term, we look forward to being able to run our projects back in the park as the weather warms up.

Arts in Nature project

Learn how to do face painting

Skern Lodge - team building Graffiti workshop

Laser tag trip Survival

If you’re aged between 10-17, registering with us to participate in our activities is easy now, just scan the QR code and complete our online membership form.

We also welcome adult volunteers that might be interested in joining our committed staff team.

Do you have skills or experience of working with young people?

Would you like to gain new skills, training in youth work?

For enquiries email sec.torriyouth@ gmail.com paula.ftorriyouth@gmail.com

Torrington Men’s Shed Needs New Members!

With spring just about here, the members of Torrington’s Men’s Shed are in full flow. We have stored the unsold wooden Christmas trees and now have lots of new projects lined up for this year.

The recycle box storage towers have been going very well, and will make a big difference to the people who bought them, stopping their recycling boxes blowing around the town and depositing their contents in the hedgerows.

Welly boot storage holders are going particularly well, as dog walkers struggle to find a place for their exceedingly muddy wellington boots after a long walk on the Commons.

Now is the time to site bird nesting boxes on fences and trees. Ours are available for blue tits and coal tits but the hole can be widened, just ask us, for other birds. Also, they are plain wood so can be treated or painted as you wish. Bird tables can be made to order if you have a particular design you fancy, within our skill limits obviously.

We are always on the lookout for donations of timber, unused hand tools and machinery or just packs of screws. So please get in touch if you have anything that you would like to donate.

Torrington Men’s Shed is looking for new members to join us at The Vicarage Gardens on Tuesday and Thursday mornings 9am-12pm. No membership fee and no commitment to do anything other than drink tea and have a chat, but of course you are also very welcome to join us making stuff for the local community.

See what we are up to on our Facebook page - Great Torrington Men's Shed; just drop in and have a look, or contact Colin 07950 595 136 or Tony 07758 672 441.

Torringtonwriters

Torringtonwriters, who meet monthly, has been in existence for over 30 years. Originally known as Torrington First Thursday Writers' Group, it reinvented itself about five years ago when the group ceased to meet on the evening of the first Thursday of the month, and moved to the afternoon of the last Tuesday.

However, following the pandemic many new and aspiring writers have found their feet and the number of members has now reached 14, which is the maximum that our current meeting room can hold and who can reasonably take an active part in the meeting within the time slot we have available. Therefore, for the time being, we are unable to welcome any new members.

However if you are interested in learning more about torringtonwriters, for future reference or for help with your future writing projects, then please contact Stephanie Easton on 01805 622688.

Christian Aid Lent Lunches

The final Lent Lunch will be held on Friday 31st March at the Baptist Church between 12 noon and 1.45pm with a choice of homemade soup, rolls, butter, cheese, chutney, and a cup of tea or coffee for £3.50. This lunch will be hosted by the Baptist, Holy Family, Church of England and Methodist Churches. All are welcome, so please come along and help support the work of Christian Aid.

The Shedders

Torrington Christian Aid Committee

Do You Need a Helping Hand?

Are you looking for a caring person to provide help around your home; to go for a walk or just to have a chat?

My name is Tracey Reed. I have lived in Torrington for 38 years. My family are now all grown up and the time has come for me to start out on my own. I have a passion for helping and looking after people and I have a few years’ experience of providing care to loved ones. As many of you will know, I lost my husband Graham to cancer in 2020 and I cared for him right until the very end. I also provided care for my father-in-law and currently help to look after my mother-in-law. My business is called The Helping Hand and I can provide the following services:

* Help in the home

* Meal Preparation

* Light Housework

* Walks into Town

* Companionship

* Respite for families experiencing end of life care of a loved one

Please feel free to get in touch if you have any questions. You can contact me either by email: pinkdevonlady@icloud.com or by phone on 07403 439 039. I am fully insured and hold a valid DBS check. I am also a member of the National Association of Care and Support Workers.

Think Local for Your Home & Office Furniture!

Based in Roundswell, Barnstaple, Lifestyle Office & Home Furniture is a well-established family run business offering delivery and installation of our great range of household and office furniture, throughout Devon.

Established in 2005 and having moved to our new two-floor showroom in 2021, Alan and Steve would be delighted to welcome you where we can show you our amazing products,

New office furniture

We work with a large number of main suppliers throughout the UK, to supply quality new office furniture for your home

or office, and have just added project work to our portfolio - meaning we can now undertake full office refits.

Used office furniture

We are extremely proud to be North Devon’s main supplier of quality used and refurbished office furniture, including desks, chairs, storage, tables and screens.

Office supplies

We’ve just added a fantastic 1.3 million products to our range, through our new partnership under our additional brand of Orange Business Supplies.

Beds & mattresses

We have a full range in all sizes of

Please help our local businesses and 'Think Local' whenever possible.

Think Local editorial is free for advertisers! Please contact Esther Williams on 01805 601964 for more information.

divans, wooden and metal bed frames, mattresses and toppers – all hand made in the UK and available for immediate delivery or factory order in any size within around two weeks.

Home furniture & electrical appliances

We have access to a huge rangefrom imported to UK made solid wood products, including dining, bedroom, lounge and kitchen items, and electrical appliances.

We are open all week 9-5, and weekends by appointment, give us a call any time: Alan 07432 654 450, Steve 07788 534 195.

TORRINGTON ARMS

Open daily from 11am

Wednesday Curry Night 6-8pm • Sunday Roast 12-2pm

Takeaways Available

Function Room available for all occasions

SKY SPORTS • BT SPORT • RACING CHANNELS • POOL DARTS • LIVE MUSIC • QUIZ NIGHTS

For bookings please contact: 01805 622280 or via Facebook

From Your County Councillor…

Iam hoping by the time you read this article, spring and warmer weather will have finally arrived! At the time of writing, in early March, we are going through yet another period of freezing weather and DCC’s gritters have been out throughout the day and night salting the primary road network.

The continued inclement weather has meant the road network locally, and across Devon, has taken a severe battering. Potholes are the bane of my life, as much as they are for the readers of this magazine! Highways are continuing to put more teams out to clear the backlog, and we have seen the Dragon Patcher out and about in Torrington Rural, where it has been repairing potholes in Winkleigh, Ashriegney. Langtree and other places besides.

Nonetheless, at the time of writing (8th March) we are still looking at 2,000 pothole defects needing repair across the whole of Devon. From the anecdotal evidence I have seen, the normal pothole repairs are being caught up on, however there is still a backlog on patching (resurfacing type repairs) and this has been the cause of a lot of frustration for me and residents alike. Nonetheless, the Council does seem to be slowly catching up and where I have had issues with long waits for repairs, I have been taking these matters up with Highways officials. While I would dearly love to live in a pothole free world, money, I am afraid, remains a factor. Since I was elected as your County Councillor, more funding has been put into the service in successive budgets including, giving two examples: a £6.5 million increase in drainage funding one year, and the purchase and introduction of the Dragon Patchers. But there is still more funding needed, especially when the road network is so vulnerable to bad weather and seasonable events. Though in

some (hopefully) good news, a further £2 million for drainage works has also been put into the Highways Budget for 2023-24, and this again should help in the more medium to long term to stop potholes forming.

However, as the Local Authority with responsibility for Social Services, the County Council also has to balance the needs of the Highway Network with those of the young, the elderly and the vulnerable. Of a £696 million revenue budget for 2023, just over three quarters of that is allocated for Adult Social Care and Children’s Services. Ultimately, when we have a situation of having to keep a vulnerable child or adult safe, their needs do come first. It is easy to see a pothole in the road, it is not always so easy to spot a vulnerable person.

So that is why it often takes much longer than we may like to, for example, have a road resurfaced. But I remain persistent! Over the last six years, I have had a number of successes in getting many roads in Torrington Rural (from our main A roads down to rural lanes) either resurfaced, patched, or surface dressed. But, as ever, there is more still to do and I will keep on fighting for as many improvements in our area as I can get.

On the subject of budgets, this has been something dominating my work at County Hall for the past year. As I have previously written in The Crier, in the summer of last year with the onset of inflation, the energy crisis and the war in Ukraine, it became apparent that unless action was taken, the County Council was facing a potential overspend of up to £45 million. I am pleased to report that this overspend has now been reduced to £3.5 million, and I am hopeful it can be reduced further as we approach the financial year end.

This has been done without having to introduce cuts to front line services, but a lot of the savings achieved have been through stopping projects, recruitment freezes, one-off initiatives and reviewing contracts (for example a renegotiation of DCC’s mobile phone contract produced a substantial saving without downgrading

the service). This work continues and has fed into the budget setting process for 2023-24.

The Government has also recognised the pressure both Devon County Council and other local authorities across the country have been under, and we have benefited from increased Adult and Children’s Social Care funding from the Autumn Statement, and also a more generous than expected Local Government Settlement at Christmas.

This has meant the overall revenue budget for 2023 sees a 10.5% increase in funding up to £696 million. There is an 9% (£27m) increase for Adult Social Care and 18% (£32m) for Children’s Services, where our top priority is to improve the Special Educational Needs Service. There is a more modest 4% increase for the Environment Directorate which includes Highways, however as I mentioned previously a further £2m will be added on top of this for drainage issues.

The funding increases also take into account the inflationary pressures which the services experienced last year, so I am hopeful, with inflation now starting to fall, that the pressures we saw in 2022 won’t be repeated this year.

Nonetheless, the room for manoeuvre remains tight. These funding increases also come at a price – a 4.99% increase in the DCC Council Tax precept, of which 2% is dedicated specifically for Adult Social Care. I know increases are not welcome, but this increase raises £23 million of funding for the Council, without which there would be no increases in the Highways budget and our ability to absorb the inflationary and demand pressures in Adult’s and Children’s Services would be severely limited.

I hope the coming of spring brings better weather, less potholes and the start of better times ahead. As ever, if there are any DCC issues you’d like to raise you can contact me on Facebook facebook.com/cllrsaywell, ring 07886 446 560 or email andrew.saywell@devon. gov.uk.

Appeal to Save Waterloo Monument

The Waterloo Monument is a local landmarkan obelisk standing on Torrington Commons to the north side of the Torridge valley, on the upper slopes of Castle Hill. Raised in 1818, the Monument is Grade II Listed.

As a memorial, the monument is unusual in that it was raised through subscription by the ‘Ladies of Torrington’ to broadly honour and celebrate the victory of the ‘heroes’ at Waterloo in 1815. However, it does not name any specific soldiers. The plaque attached states: “Erected June 1818 To commemorate The Battle of Waterloo June 1815. Peace to the Souls of the HEROES!!!”

The motivation of the ‘Ladies’ is not clear as we do not know whether any men from the town were directly involved in the Battle of Waterloo. A North Devon Yeomanry company was raised in the period by John Rolle, 1st Baron Rolle, who was also associated with the South Devon Militia and Royal 1st Devon Yeomanry. Local folklore has it that the Ladies “incorporated pins, needles, bodkins and other articles of Ladies fair” as fitting emblems of the feminine patriots who erected it. Another rumour is that the monument is the entrance to a tunnel.

The Commons Conservators are grateful to local archaeologist Emily Wapshott, who drew attention to the monument’s poor condition and its historical importance. Cracks have appeared, and some movement has taken place at the top of the obelisk. A survey commissioned by the Commons Conservators in 2022, financed by local donations and the Waterloo Society, recommended extensive repairs to prevent it from collapsing. Despite local folklore and rumours, the interior was found to filled by rubble which, with rainwater penetrating through the cracks, was expanding and pushing out the walls.

To make it sound, it is necessary to rake out and repoint all the joints in lime mortar and reconstruct the stonework where it is blown or cracked. The Commons Conservators are appealing for donations to raise £20,000 towards the repairs and to safeguard the monument for future generations. To start the fundraising Frazer Moore has agreed to run one of his very entertaining pub quizzes. Please come along and join us! Saturday 20th May, 7pm for an 8pm start. The Royal Exchange, New Street, Great Torrington. Please ring 01805 622875 to book your table. Teams of up to six people, £5 a head.

You can also make a donation via Just Giving https://tinyurl.com/bde3z7su

Bringing the Battle of Hastings to Life at Bluecoat

At the end of February, pupils from the Bluecoat Group enjoyed a memorable visit from Bill O'Donnell who worked with them to bring the invasion of William the Conqueror and the Battle of Hastings to life. Through an epic role play session, that charted the timeline from the death bed of Edward the Confessor through to William's triumphant defeat of Harold Godwinson, killed by an arrow to his eye, the children were able to get to grips with this historic event in a fun and interactive way.

Pupils acted out key aspects of the battle and discovered clever battle tactics the Normans employed to trick the Anglo Saxons into a muddled and gruesome defeat.

Following the role play everyone sat down to a fine banquet that pupils had baked and prepared the previous day: including pies, vegetable stew and roasted meats all served on Trencher loaves which would have been used as edible plates in medieval times. Lots of fun was had by all with plenty of experiential learning, bringing to life this famous and important battle from our history.

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Growbaby Torrington

Here at Grosvenor Church

Torrington we are very excited to announce the launch of Growbaby Torrington after Easter. Growbaby is a service that provides quality second hand and new clothes and equipment, plus other needed support, for babies and children aged 0-5. It is available for parents who need the support, regardless of income, faith or background. Growbaby has been established since 2003 and has over 40 centres across the world.

Since hearing so much in the news and seeing around us the everyday struggle of families to make ends meet with the cost of living crisis, as a church we knew we had to act somehow. One of the ways we are doing this is by trying to help prevent and relieve child poverty for those in our community. Over the years we have developed relationships with so many families in Torrington: through our Sunday Brunch that ran for seven years; leading school assemblies; Christian Union in the secondary school; Noah’s Ark Parent and Toddler group; plus the families that come to our Sunday services. So families and children are a big part of our mission as a church. We had read about the wonderful work of Growbaby International around the UK and beyond, and requested to meet with the couple who founded it. Following this meeting we were inspired and excited and felt it was something we could bring to our lovely town!

After putting out a request for donations on Facebook at the end

Mayor’s Diary

of February, the wonderful people of Torrington and surrounding areas have donated clothes, sterilisers, shoes and money to enable us to buy nappies and baby wipes. We have been blown away by your generosity, and are currently in the process of washing, ironing, cleaning, sorting and buying, ready to launch after Easter.

When we are contacted we will find out what items are needed and provide what we can, or try and buy what we don’t have. We hope to provide Growbaskets for referrals of emergency birth situations, providing a Moses basket containing all the items a new baby will need for the first week. As the service grows and becomes known, we hope to also provide wider support to the families we work with: from stay and play sessions, antenatal classes and mental health support, to cooking meals and generally coming alongside each family in a loving and non-judgemental way. A recent statistic revealed that only 2% of teenage mums-to-be access antenatal classes provided by official services, but when Growbaby launched the very first centre and started an antenatal class, 90% of teenage mums-to-be attended. Its success stories are numerous, and we are proud to be connecting with them to bring this to Torrington.

Another hectic month has passed. Helen and I have represented the Town at many civic events, including church services for the Chairs of North Devon District Council and Torridge District Council. We enjoyed a trip to Bideford to watch their Regatta and on 10th September watched the spectacular Bideford Massed Pipes and Drums, with visiting bands coming from all over the UK.

Referrals will be easy, parents or parents-to-be can self-refer by simply getting in touch, and one of our friendly team will find out what items are needed and arrange collection. When collected we aim to provide a warm welcome, with a cup of tea and a piece of cake, and hope to find out more about each person and what other support may be needed. We have the support of the local Children’s Centre who have kindly offered us their building to use in Torrington, and hope to refer parents to us.

Barnstaple Fair is always a wellsupported day, with all the “Chain Gang” out in force to celebrate the tradition of the Fair. The weather was kind as we walked around town, whilst the declaration of the opening of the Fair was read. Immediately after the formal part of the proceedings had finished, we dashed down to Newquay. It was time for Helen to put on a ‘posh frock’ for a reception celebrating the ‘South West in Bloom’ competition. We still had to wait until the following day to hear the results, and were proud and delighted when it was announced that the Torrington in Bloom team had won a Silver Gilt (last year it was silver). Thank you to the committee, traders and individuals who work so hard to enhance our surroundings in Great Torrington. We will soon have the opportunity of meeting the judges to find out how we can do even better – our next challenge is GOLD!!

was at Hatherleigh Community to see many of their residents Community Awards. This is similar the awards we have in Torrington, which recognise people who made a difference to their town.

It was lovely to at last welcome, be involved with, the Induction Father Lawrence MacLean. We he and his family will be very our town, and the Church Fete Vicarage was a good opportunity all to meet them.

The Co-op and Town arranged a Harvest Festival Pannier Market on the 11th September. This was the first one organised and I think it will become a regular event on the Torrington calendar.

So how can you help? If you would like to support us financially so we can buy nappies and other items, or perhaps sponsor a Growbasket, please get in touch. If you have good quality clothes for 0-5 years or equipment such as stair gates, sterilisers, bouncy chairs, play mats, baby baths etc. to donate, please contact us on the number below and we will arrange collection.

Are you a parent or a parent-to-be that needs support from this service? We hope to launch Growbaby Torrington after Easter, but please do contact us before and we can prepare what you need. You will be so welcome and we will do all we can to support you.

Finally, we tried to attend Macmillan coffee mornings as and in fact ended up going This is a wonderful charity and surprising that it’s so well supported. After all those coffees we went Soap Kitchen shop to see Lesley Richard Phillips who celebrated years of business on 30th September. Congratulations to you both.

I look forward to hearing from you have an event or anniversary want to tell me about – just 01805 625662, or our secretary, Pauline at the Council offices on 626135.

Thank you for your support of what, we hope, will be a valuable resource for our great town.

Councillor Richard

Rachel Gilbert 07769 815 340

Our last out-of-town engagement

Northern

Are You Passionate about Adult Literacy?

Volunteers needed!

Ayear ago, ‘Repair Shop’ presenter Jay Blades took part in the BBC documentary ‘Learning to Read at 51’. This followed his journey as he faced up to the challenge of learning to read as an adult, with the charity Read Easy UK, founded in 2010 to help the estimated 2.4 million adults in England who can barely read, or are unable to read at all.

Thanks to this documentary, in the last year Read Easy has more than doubled the number of adults it is supporting to learn to read across England. In Devon, over 50,000 adults are estimated to struggle with reading. Adults who can’t read confidently may find it challenging to do their food shopping, use cash points, read timetables or understand health warnings. Going to the doctor, filling in forms or engaging with the benefits system can all be overwhelmingly challenging. Finding work can also be very difficult if you can’t read well.

Read Easy provides free, confidential, one-to-one reading coaching for adults, from trained volunteers. Our volunteer reading coaches and readers meet once or twice a week, in person at local venues or sometimes online, to work for just half an hour at a time, working through a structured, phonics-based reading programme.

By helping people to improve their reading, Read Easy also helps them to enhance their employment opportunities

Drain

Septic

Alternative Walking Pavement Carnival, Saturday 6th May

Septic

Come and join in and have some fun in the ‘Alternative Walking Pavement Carnival’, as the real carnival cannot happen this year due to financial reasons. You just need to put on some fancy dress, join in and have some fun. There is no age limit.

Registration at the Torrington Arms between 4-6pm, £1 per person with all going to the May Fair and Carnival Committee for next year. You will be given a card to get stamped at each establishment on the route, which will start at the Torrington Arms, via The Royal Exchange, Football Club, Cavalier Inn, Conservative Club, Torridge Vale Club and the Black Horse. You do not have to have a drink, and free sweets will be available for children, just get your card stamped.

Judging will take place in the square at 7.30pm with entrants having to be on the pavement. There are two cups and special badges for all those who have completed cards. This is a community event so come out and join in or support outside your houses as normal. Everyone is asked to keep to the pavements, as there are no road closures, and all are fully responsible for themselves, as this is not an insured event, just a bit of fun to keep things going until next year.

This event is very generously being supported by Great Torrington Cavaliers, Whiskers Pet Shop and Honeywood Distillery.

‘Us’ll be plaised to zee ee’ on May 6th 2023, in fancy dress.

Dazzy Nudds & Chris Tat

as well as their ability to support their families. It also enables parents (and grandparents) to read to their children and support their education, breaking the inter-generational cycle of literacy difficulties. In addition, learning to read hugely increases an individual’s confidence and they then play a more active part in their communities. Read Easy Exeter has grown significantly over the last twelve months, but we would like to reach out to many more people and are expanding our coverage across a wider area of Devon, to include Torridge and North Devon, as well as continuing to develop our network

in Central, West and East Devon. We now urgently need to recruit more volunteer team members to make this development a success. Specifically, we are seeking a Team Leader, a Treasurer, a Publicity Organiser, Coordinators and Literacy Specialists. Additionally, we have opportunities for volunteers to help with networking and coaching.

To find out more about volunteering in Devon please call 07486 858 012 or email exeterrecruiter@readeasy.org.uk.

Visit www.readeasy.org.uk/groups/Exeter

Torrington-Roscoff Exchange Group (TREG)

The TREG group has had a great start to the year with meetings every month, one for business and the rest for socialising. As a group we enjoy and encourage any activity which has a French theme. In February, a number of us watched the two French films at The Plough, one a classic and the other a very modern courtroom drama that has already won awards. The use of subtitles gives us a chance to exercise our knowledge of the French language, although La Haine’s Parisian street language was very challenging. Our thanks to The Plough for these films and please schedule some more French films in the future.

We also held a ‘Bring and Share’ evening in the Taddiport Village Hall in February. The event was very well attended by 21 of our members. After sharing the many delicious French dishes, and much socialising in a warm and friendly setting, we were challenged to a quiz by Steve and Chris Cocks – most interesting. The evening was a tremendous success, and I would strongly recommend this very well appointed venue for similar events; we will be returning there for our next ‘Bring and Share’.

Roscoff Visit (by Jay and Di Nicholson). Some of the group are crossing to Roscoff at the end of August to attend the Onion Festival. One of the features of the ‘Fête de L’Oignon’ in Roscoff, is the presence of ‘Onion Johnnies’. These are the onion sellers who dress in a uniform of a Breton-

striped tee-shirt and a black beret. They typically hang their strings of onions on a bicycle, and were once a common sight in Southern English towns in the autumn. Onion Johnnies typically brought their harvest across the channel and stored it in rented barns while they went out on their bikes to sell direct to the public. The golden age of Johnnies appears to have been the 1920s and in 1929, for example, 1400 Johnnies sold 9,000 tons of onions. I can certainly remember seeing Johnnies in Torrington in the noughties, but I fear that, here in England at least, they are now consigned to history. Quel dommage!

You do not need to speak French (or even Breton) to join our group. Currently we have members with a range of ability, from none at all to fluent speakers. We are looking for someone to run French conversation classes for beginners, to moderately able speakers. Ideally this should be a native French speaker, who could give a group of about ten adults an hour each week for ten weeks in the first instance. We would, of course, pay for the tuition and the tutor does not have to be a qualified teacher. If you feel able to do this, please contact us through the numbers at the end of this article.

Have you ever played petanque (boule)? This is a game for all ages and physical abilities. It is played on rough ground in every part of France. Our group has been encouraging locals to play with us over the last few years at garden fetes etc. We are now aiming to play regularly in the Castle Community

Centre Garden, in South Street car park. Please join us on the following dates, no previous experience is needed and all equipment is provided at a cost of £3 per person, to play only. £6 per person, to include tea/coffee and cake and play. Under 16s to play for free, but £4.50 for tea/coffee and cake.

Saturday 29th April; Saturday 20th May; Saturday 17th June and Saturday 12th August 12-4pm; Saturday 15th July 11am3pm.

For any enquiries, please contact Chris Cocks (Secretary) 01805 623068, or Nick Roberts (Chairman) 07779 118 690.

Nick Roberts

Beaford Village Hall Market & Café

Beaford Village Hall Market & Café is held on the second Saturday of the month 10am12pm. Come along and grab yourself a coffee and a bacon roll, then have a look around at what the market has to offer. The stalls vary, but we regularly have: The Body Shop, Usborne Books, Linda's handmade cards, Beaford Ladies Group, local honey, Spencer's Glass, Sam's Household and Stuff and others. We also have a large free car park!

We look forward to seeing you! The next dates are 8th April, 13th May, 10th June.

Look for Beaford Village Hall on Facebook, and follow us to keep up to date with all of our events!

The Bickford Centre

Torrington residents will have noticed that the Bickford Centre, 23 South Street, has been undergoing refurbishment. Building work was delayed for a while by the discovery of a section of wall believed to date from medieval times. This was found underneath some Tudor panelling on the wall between the front and inner rooms. An archaeologist, who was on site during the moving of this panelling, called a halt until English Heritage came from Bristol to document the find.

The building has a Grade II listing and is situated within the medieval core of the town and the Conservation Area. Prior to gaining planning permission for the proposed alterations, a report was commissioned by South West Archaeology Ltd., to undertake historic building recording for the Bickford Centre. The authors think the building is ‘an amalgamation of two historic buildings which appear to have been joined and reconfigured in the nineteenth century, forming a mixed-use building, a characteristic which it retains to this day’. There is evidence of building fabric dating from the seventeenth century and successive styles of panelling up to the nineteenth century, much of it recycled from other local buildings. Search records indicate that the property has been occupied continuously since 1689.

The freehold was purchased by J. B. Reed from J. E. and J. A. Lake in April 1893 and records indicate that the ground floor was originally used as an office for the family business, where

customers could order and pay for coal, beer and other goods for domestic consumption. The 1891 Census records show that William Hartnoll lived and had a butcher’s shop on the premises and paid £13 rent per year between 1920 and 1930. After the Second World War, one room on the ground floor was rented out as an office for Devon County Council work and the other room was used by Frank Musson (who had lost an arm in the war) as a bicycle shop in the 1940s and 50s.

Following the closure of the shop in 1968, the premises were leased to Torrington Borough Council who established the ‘Bickford Rest Centre’, as a self-funding registered charity, on the ground floor and found tenants for the flats. Dr Bickford, a much loved local GP in the 1930s and 40s, had campaigned for many years to set up a meeting place and social centre for the over 60s and, when this was finally achieved, it was named after him. Sadly, he had died in 1964.

In June 1976 the freehold of 23 South Street was purchased by the Bickford Trust (financed by the Rotary Club of Torrington) for £4,000. The Bickford Centre is sustained by the rents of the two flats above and donations from the Town Lands and other organisations in the town. The centre is run by a dedicated team of volunteers and provides a vital community venue for older people to meet their peers and seek help and support, if needed.

Plans for renovation include opening

up the area between the meeting room which faces the street and the back rooms, allowing for better use of the community space but losing some historic fabric, including a section of the re-set panelling. The work is also expected to renovate and modernise other aspects of the building (new kitchen, toilets, wider front door etc.) making it more user-friendly, particularly for disabled members of the community. The medieval section of wall has now been hidden away, once again, plastered over alongside the newly-made archway between the rooms.

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GREAT TORRINGTON TOWN Your Council, Working for YOU

From Your Mayor…

It is always a highlight of the year to be invited to Great Torrington C of E Bluecoat Primary School to participate in the process of choosing the May Fair entourage. We congratulate those chosen, and we look forward to seeing them in all their finery on the big day.

The 1646 march with the Sealed Knot and the Cavaliers is always a fabulous community event, and this year was no exception. The weather was kind to the parade, which had attracted a large following by the time they arrived in the town square to hear my town greeting and proclamation. We all moved on to St Michael’s Church, where Father Steve Turner blessed the gathering, before we marched back through the square and up to Sydney House car park for the brilliant firework display by Two Tigers. The long-

awaited re-opening of The Black Horse was just in time to allow the celebrations to continue later into the evening. It was marvellous to see the doors open and see it full of customers; it was almost as if it had never been closed. We wish the new owners every success with running this historic pub in our town square.

The works at the Bickford Centre are nearing completion. The work has taken longer than anticipated due to unexpected discoveries along the way; it will be good to see them welcoming people in for a cup of tea and a catch up once again.

I attended the Bideford Mayor’s Charity ’Tartan’ dinner where I was invited to represent Great Torrington, and an enjoyable evening was had by all.

Cllr Doug Smith Mayor of Great Torrington

A Taste of Torrington Food & Craft Fair

Sponsored by Great Torrington Town Council

It was great to see so many people out and about, on a very chilly day in March, for ‘A Taste of Torrington’. The town was buzzing and the car parks were full, and everyone seemed to be enjoying the wonderful variety of stalls available across the town.

Many thanks to Lucy Lowe for organising the event, and to Torrington Pannier Market, the Town and Community Hall and the Castle Community Hall for hosting. We would also like to thank everyone who came out to enjoy the event, it was an example of the Great Torrington community at its best.

Responsible Dog Ownership

Unfortunately, over the past few weeks we have been made aware of several issues with dog owners in Great Torrington. We have had people contacting us about dirty pavements as a result of people not picking up after their dogs, and of out of control off-lead dogs leading to aggressive dog behaviour on Torrington Commons. Mandi Farinacci from Torridge District Council has produced a very helpful guide to ‘Better Behaved Dogs and Owners’. The full article is available on our website, (www.greattorringtontowncouncil.gov.uk); a printed copy is available in Torrington Library or on request from Great Torrington Town Council offices (01805 626315).

Dangerous dogs of specified breeds or those that have attacked a person or worried livestock, should be reported to the Police and the District Council will assist them in their investigation.

Incidents can be reported to Devon & Cornwall Police by dialling 101.

In an emergency situation, dial 999.

Dog-on-dog attacks can be reported to Torridge District Council by emailing them at environmental.protection@ torridge.gov.uk

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TOWN COUNCIL NEWS

Coronation 2023

We are all looking forward to celebrating the Coronation of King Charles III on May 6th.

Coronation Cream Tea

Great Torrington Town Council is planning a Coronation Cream Tea at Great Torrington Town & Community Hall on Sunday May 7th to mark the occasion. As many people come together to celebrate, we would like to invite anyone who may be on their own during this historic weekend to come along and enjoy some food, some music and some company.

This will be a free event, but it will be by invitation only, as spaces are limited in the hall. If you, or someone you know, would like to attend and spend a couple of hours enjoying some entertainment in good company, then please get in touch. Contact Jennie, Charlotte, or Kate on 01805 626135 or email admin@greattorringtontowncouncil.gov.uk.

Also, if through your work you are aware of people who may be interested in this event, we would like to hear from you.

Portrait of the King

As part of our Coronation celebrations, we would like to invite local young people to submit entries to a ‘Portrait of the King’ competition. Young artists can use any materials and any style to produce their own unique portraits of our new

Elections 2023

2023 is an election year for District, Town, and Parish Councils. Polling day will be on Thursday 4th May. We would like to encourage new people to become Great Torrington Town Councillors and ask anyone interested in joining to get in touch, either by phone 01805 626135 or admin@great-torringtontowncouncil.gov.uk. Or pop into the office (upstairs at Castle Hill – above the library) for further information on what the role involves, and to pick up a nomination paper.

Prospective Candidates Evening Monday 20th March 2023, 6-8pm Bideford Town Hall

The briefing will be open to all prospective candidates thinking of standing for election for the District, Town, or Parish elections.

Details on the election timetable will be given, together with a guide on the ‘dos and don’ts’ of completing a nomination paper. Nomination papers will be available to take away on the evening or available from the election’s office from 20th March. Nomination Paper

Please allow enough time for your nomination paper to be informally checked before formal submission.

The deadline for nomination papers is 4pm April 4th, please do not leave it until the last minute.

King. Portraits should be no bigger than A3, and will need to be submitted for judging by Friday April 21st. We will be arranging to have them exhibited locally for everyone to enjoy. The Mayor and the Deputy Mayor will be judging the competition.

The age categories will be as follows, school years:

Reception – Year 2

Years 3-6

Years 7-9

service

Years 10-11

Please put your NAME and AGE CATEGORY on your entry. You will be asked to complete a contact form when you drop it off, so we can contact the winners.

Please drop off your entries in one of the following places: Great Torrington Town Council offices; Great Torrington Bluecoat Primary School; Torrington Library.

Torrington RFC

Atrip to league flyers Exeter Athletic was a much-anticipated game. Sadly, this was not to be our day as the toll of our injuries, yet again, proved to be our undoing. Athletic were, without doubt, the stronger side on the day, coming out winners by 45 points to 12.

Away again the following week to another strong side, Tiverton 2nds. Again, despite our best efforts, the result of 24-10 was quite respectable.

A week’s rest was much needed after all our battle injuries, and the trip to near league rivals New Cross was made with spirits and anticipation high.

New Cross quickly got the scoreboard rolling with a try, but were unable to convert it. Torrington came rapidly back, with Liam Ellis crossing the whitewash and Adie Guppy getting the extras. New Cross came back fighting though, with two quick tries and only one being converted. Torrie scored on the stroke of half time, with Skipper Blaine Quinlan getting over the line, but unfortunately no conversion was to be had. 17-12 at half time.

The second half started with another score from New Cross but it was answered rapidly with Callum Lavery crossing the line. Another try from New Cross left Torrie behind as they piled on the pressure, scoring twice more with one conversion leaving an enthralling game 41-17 at the whistle. A shout out

must go to players Henry Jones who was rendered unconscious, and Ben Harper who sustained a knock to the head. Both then unable to take any further part in the game. They both now face a three week layoff to observe the RFU head injury protocols.

Our last game of the league season is another away game to fellow strugglers Buckfastleigh, in what will be a double header, combining The Devon Junior Shield with a League game. Hopefully Bucks will be able to get a side together, as they are also struggling with injuries sustained in a tough season for everybody.

A much appreciated game with South Molton will provide opposition for a home game to coincide with our Ladies Day fixture. Proposed opponents Devonshire High School Old Boys have withdrawn from all competition.

That pretty well wraps up our season, unless progress is made in the Shield games. Our players have given it their all this season, with the injury count outrageously high. Sadly, a couple of those have meant that players have had to hang up their boots. Although one has shown interest in becoming a referee.

Our profound thanks go to ALL the volunteers that keep the club running, and the supporters that turn up week in week out to cheer the boys on, both home and away. As well as the players themselves, who put their bodies, literally, on the line for the game we all

love.

Thanks must also go to The Balsdon Trust, who have generously gifted the club with £1,000. This will go straight into the new build project.

Our end of season presentation night is on 29th April. This will be held in the clubhouse with a Black Tie theme. The winners and also-rans will be listed in future reports.

Fun Day at Donnacroft 15th July

Notices will be posted around town and beyond inviting adult mixed teams to a 7s tag rugby tournament.

More details to follow. Keep your eye out for posters and further info on our Facebook page.

As always, the clubhouse is available for hire for parties, weddings, etc. Please email: TRFC1985@outlook.com

C’MON Torrie! One last push at the season end.

Respect, Discipline, Teamwork, Sportsmanship & Enjoyment

Mark Waterson

Langtree Parish Hall Big Breakfast!

Big Breakfast is back, with all proceeds to North Devon Hospice. Next date, Sunday 23rd April 9.30am-12.30pm, to include juice, cereal, fruit, full English, toast, tea or coffee. Suggested donations for full works £10 or £7.50 for small. Why not book a table?

Tel Sue 01805601602 or email hall@ langtreeparishhall.co.uk.

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Our aim has always been to make OWBG as accessible and user friendly as possible and we're proud to say we've put a video on our website, showing exactly how to complete the order form and search the catalogue for items you'd like to order. When I say 'we', the idea was Tracey's and the implementation solely Richard's – I take no credit! In the video Richard talks us through every step, with clear screenshots at every stage, so anyone with or without IT skills will be able to complete their order form.

However, we're still in great need of back office help, as we're now in the precarious position of relying solely upon Richard to input all the orders, collate shares on the group order form and answer technical enquiries; Brian to do the collation and me to field other enquiries, write the newsletter, place the order, communicate with suppliers, devise events/new projects, pay the bills and anything else that may crop up! Our greatest need is simply for a couple of people to become familiar with the system and to volunteer just an hour or two each month or every other month, to enter data on to the group order.

Wellbeing Tip: Carob

Carob powder, or carob chips, come from the bean pods of the carob tree, which grows in the eastern Mediterranean.

It's used both in foods and medicinally and you may well have heard of it as a substitute for cocoa. Whilst there are similarities in flavour between cocoa and carob, it's important to appreciate each for their own qualities, and use them accordingly to support our individual health. Cocoa is naturally bitter, carob has natural sweetness. Cocoa as in chocolate, is high in fat, carob has no fat. Cocoa contains caffeine, whereas carob does not. Cocoa contains oxalic acid which blocks the absorption of calcium, whereas carob has no oxalic acid and is nutritionally high in minerals. Carob also has higher levels of fibre than cocoa. Carob has good levels of antioxidants and unlike cocoa, doesn't contain tyramine which can trigger migraine headaches. If you're a migraine sufferer, carob is a good alternative to chocolate for more than one reason. So from all this, you'll not be surprised to hear that carob is helpful for lowering high cholesterol and high blood pressure, combatting obesity, managing blood sugar and provides good levels of the major electrolytes. It's also very useful for the relief of diarrhoea and it improves digestion.

So how do we use carob? We use it in cookies and muffins – with its natural sweetness no sugar is necessary, perhaps just a little fruit if you're transitioning from refined sugar. It's lovely in puddings, yoghurt, smoothies and balls. Of course you can also mix carob and cocoa in your own recipes too. Carob has a relaxing quality, so I like it in hot rice milk sometimes in the evening too. With Easter upon us, making some carob treats would allow everyone to try something new and you'd be easily catering for those sensitive to cocoa so they don't feel deprived or left out.

Happy Easter from all of us at OWBG!

Upcoming grocery final order dates: 13th April, 15th June

How do I join? Via our Facebook page or website, full info on the website!

What does membership cost? Free

What if I need advice or have questions? Ring 01805 623307/email mary@ marycrailwellbeing.co.uk

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Torrington in Bloom

Further work has taken place in Rack Park by the RHS Rosemoor apprentices and members of Torrington in Bloom, including planting lovely heather, very kindly donated by someone who often sees us working there! The donation is very much appreciated, thank you. Towards the end of March, some more work will be carried out, including planting the renovated flowerbed to the side of the semi-circle.

The removal of some trees is still ongoing, because they are not thriving. However, although a total of five trees will have been removed, we have replanted seven, the most recent being a Cercidiphyllum pendulum (a weeping Katsura) as part of the late Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee ‘Green Canopy’ plan. This is a particularly beautiful tree, its autumn leaves give off a smell of toffee apples, or burnt toffee!

Torridge District Council has also been helping, removing a lot of the undergrowth, brambles, etc., and detritus from the park, so a big thank you to the contractors, too.

The town entrance planters have also been repaired/replaced and we are hoping to get some signage made by the Men’s Shed, to better advertise our work.

Our Open Garden day, Sunday 2nd July, 10am-4pm now has five definite gardens, plus a few more which are yet to be confirmed. Not only that, but the Secret Memorial Garden and Castle Hill Garden will be open, as will the café ‘Fork ‘n Feast’. The Rotary Club of Torrington will be sorting out ticket sales, etc., and RHS Rosemoor will be advertising the day for us. Ticket sales will be donated to the renovation of the Bickford Centre, plant sales to Torrington in Bloom.

Cherry Hammon Torrington in Bloom

Fleur’s Gardening Forum A Garden of Herbs

Iam writing this article at the beginning of March; the weather is gloomy, cold and with a forecast of snow to come, hardly spring-like, even though the birds are starting to pair off and practice their singing. My thoughts turned to summer and the scents of herbs growing in the warm sunshine; of strolling down a path lined with lavender or rosemary and brushing past the stems, releasing the sweetly pungent perfume and listening to the bees humming happily amongst the flowers.

Herbs are easy to grow and propagate, from seed, cuttings, or division. They provide all-year interest with their foliage, flowers, perfume and, of course, their culinary usage. They are also beloved by bees, butterflies and other insects. They do not require too much attention apart from keeping them trimmed to shape and size, which you can do by picking sprigs for the kitchen.

To prepare a bed for growing herbs, you need a sunny, warm site, but some shade is tolerated. The soil should be free draining, so if your site is very heavy, you need to dig in plenty of sharp grit or sand. Remove any perennial weeds before planting and rake over, larger stones can be retained to aid drainage.

Some herbs, such as Lavendula angustifolia cultivars (English lavender) and Rosemarinus officinalis, make excellent low growing hedges. English lavender is best and ‘Hidcote’ or ‘ Munstead’ are two classic cultivars. Trim back once the main flowering has finished, this will keep them bushy and they won’t become leggy.

Thyme and Origanum are both excellent for edging and ground cover, some having variegated leaves and all have attractive flowers. Both species are easy to keep in shape and can be divided in spring. A favourite Origanum is O. laevigatum var. ‘Herrenhausen’ which is more ornamental than edible.

Salvia officinalis is an essential herb for the kitchen, but allow it to flower and you get beautiful blue blooms on which

Property Marketplace Musings

Traditional or Digital Advertising?

Without doubt there are merits to both, and the key to any estate agent listing a property for sale or rent is to understand the target audience, and then manage the marketing exposure accordingly.

Many will have heard of the Roy Brooks style of advertising back in the 50s and 60s, where agents were not constrained by the adverting standards authority, property misdescriptions act (as was) and so on, and wrote as they saw. Roy Brooks created a cult following for his adverts in and around London. For example, ‘Broken down Battersea Bargain… nature has fought back in the garden and won’, ‘Will anyone take pity on a nasty old house adj. Regent’s Pk. ter.’ and such like. For anyone who wants a good chuckle I can recommend ‘Mud, Straw and Insults: Confession of an Honest Estate Agent’ which highlights some of his great creations.

Nowadays we have to adhere to strict dos and don’ts, that in many ways have taken the fun and creativity out of promoting property in an individual way. Printed matter gives you a rate per column centimetre, so too much wordage leaves little space for the photograph. The rise of the internet, as a form of advertising, initially at advantageous rates compared to traditional print, allowed more expression and detail to be passed on to renters and buyers alike, but it took a lot of discussion and change of mind set to see this is a main stream way of advertising, compared to the local and national newspapers and magazines. For a while, as agents, we became reliant on these new ideas to promote property, but then the advent of a video camera and then a mobile phone with a video camera built in, changed the game yet again. All of a sudden, we were able to be more creative to adapt to this new medium which then allowed us to expose property on social media, reaching out to millions of people in seconds. No longer did buyers and renters have to wait for the property pages to be printed and distributed on a Wednesday or Thursday. Now they could have their fill daily and in seconds. Who would have thought a few years back that social media was the place that ‘new to the market’ property would be launched first? The rise of video and creative software has made property promotion fun again, and some of the statistics are just mind boggling, as to the views these videos get. One agent reportedly got over 1.4 million views and over 332 likes on one social media site alone.

In a world of large numbers and statistics it is hard not to get swept up amongst all these, but never underestimate the power of matching a buyer and seller, a landlord and renter just like piecing a jigsaw together. The right fit creates the perfect picture!

Adrian Hardwick, Webbers Local Director

bees can get quite drunk! Again, remove old stems and keep trimmed to prolong the life of the plant.

Fennel is a tall hardy perennial once established, and makes a fine architectural plant. Flowers are beloved by hoverflies and it has lovely, finely cut foliage which dies back during winter.

Parsley is a biennial and is best grown from seed, which should be soaked overnight in warm water to aid germination. Prick out in clumps once the seeds can be handled easily and plant out after the frosts have gone.

Parsley will flower the following year and then becomes tatty and needs replacing.

Tanacetum vulgare (Feverfew), is not really edible but was once used as a remedy for headaches. It is a pretty herb with little daisy flowers all summer. The foliage has a very heady perfume.

Mint is a thug in the border because it will spread itself everywhere, so grow it in a large pot, so you can nip some shoots to chop and sprinkle over the first new potatoes of summer!

Fleur

Rolle Canal & Northern Devon Waterways Society Guided Walks Programme Summer 2023

The Rolle Canal walks take place on summer weekends starting at 2.30pm. They are guided by Rolle Canal Society members and, where on private ground, permission has kindly been granted by the land-owners. However, individuals take part at their own risk and must take responsibility for their own safety at all times. The distance is usually around two miles and the aim is to locate and identify surviving clues to the history of the Rolle Canal, and other transport links between Great Torrington and the Torridge estuary. The income, from the small charge of £2 per person, makes a valuable contribution to the society's work in improving access along the canal and providing interpretation of the major features.

No booking is required - all welcome. Please note that some walks include private land where dogs may not be permitted. Up to date details of each walk will normally be published in the local press and on our Facebook page and website: rollecanalsociety.com. If you need any further information, please email Ian Harrison at: halehillfarm@ gmail.com

Sunday 14th May 2.30pm: Annery Kiln to Ridd Inclined Plane. Starting from Annery Kiln by Halfpenny Bridge on the Bideford to Weare Giffard road, see the site where tub-boats were hauled up an incline from the river level to the canal summit level. Part of the underground water-wheel chamber is visible beside the Tarka Trail. In spring, orchids and other wild flowers abound in the dry

canal basin. Distance less than two miles. Please note that the route includes 100 metres walking over rough meadow grass which may be wet after rain. Meet at 2.30pm at Annery Kiln.

Sunday 18th June 2.30pm: Rosemoor: The Dark Weir, Canal Basin and Lime Kilns. Starting from the end of the new extended car park at RHS Rosemoor Gardens near Great Torrington, this is an opportunity to walk beyond the public gardens through attractive woodland to Darkham Weir on the River Torridge from where the waters to feed the Rolle Canal were taken.

Then follow the Mill Leat to the recently cleared canal basin, effectively the terminus of the Rolle Canal. Here the old lime kilns can be seen as well as the foundations of a Tucking Mill. (Rosemoor operates a strict no dogs policy). Length, about two and a half miles. Meet at 2.30pm at the far end of the RHS Rosemoor car park.

Sunday 9th July 2.30pm: Torrington Station to Beam Aqueduct. Start from the Puffing Billy (old Railway Station Inn) and follow the Tarka Trail (old railway line) to where the Rolle Canal skirts Furzebeam Hill. Here the towpath leads to the Roving Bridge behind Beam House and on to the iconic aqueduct over the River Torridge. The Tarka Trail then leads back via Beam Weir to the start point. Length a little over two miles. Meet at 2.30pm at the Puffing Billy car park.

Saturday 12th August 2.30pm: Sea Lock and Canal Museum. From the

temporary car park next to the Annery lime kilns walk along the canal to Sea Lock.

This is an opportunity to see the restoration work on the lock where in the nineteenth century river barges could enter the canal basin from the tidal Torridge estuary. A specially constructed traditional canal-side building houses an archive of photographs and canal artefacts. Distance less than two miles. Meet at 2.30pm at Annery Kiln.

A number of events centred around Sea Lock are being planned on the day to celebrate the bi-centenary of the commencement of The Rolle Canal and the 20th Anniversary of the formation of the Rolle Canal Society - see website for details in due course.

Sunday 3rd September 2.30pm: Taddiport/Torrington Common. The headquarters of the Rolle Canal Company was at Taddiport, and several associated buildings and structures can be seen here. From the entrance of the old milk factory, the route proceeds along the Rolle Road, a bridleway which is actually the fairly intact bed of the Rolle Canal, through Torrington Commons. Then, via the back street ‘ginnels’ off Mill Street, down to the beautiful Torridge-side meadows and back to Taddiport Bridge. A fascinating mixture of nature, past industrial sites, proposed developments and efforts to safeguard ecology. Length, about two miles. Meet at 2.30pm at the entrance to the old milk factory at Taddiport.

Bideford District Photography Group

Spring seems to have established itself well, as I write, and is providing lots of subjects for members to point their phones and cameras at. March saw the judging of the ‘Creative’ competition, and members certainly proved to be that, with some amazing submissions that were only constrained by the imagination and skills of the individual member.

Moving on to April, which has the usual full programme including:

4th April – judging of the ‘Master of Photography’ print competition.

11th April – members’ night with the usual mix of challenge images, members presentations and technical talks and advice plus the usual general banter.

17th April - we have to travel away from home for the annual ‘3 Bs’ competition between the clubs in Barnstaple, Bideford and Braunton.

25th April - the Annual General Meeting, we hope to quickly settle the formal part of the evening and move on to the fun photography part.

2nd May – members’ night.

Then we move into the summer programme of Tuesday evening walkabouts, and other day visits both near and far. The full programme should be finalised and on the website very soon.

Anyone wishing to come along to the Blue Lights Hall at Appledore at 7.30pm on Tuesday evening is most welcome, we really are a friendly bunch, so do come and have a chat. For further information, or if you need encouragement, email Tim sanderst99@gmail.com or enquiries@bidefordcameraclub.co.uk or see the website bidefordcameraclub.co.uk.

Torrington Historical Society

2023 got off to a great start, with evening talks and a delayed Christmas lunch at the Golf Club. Our next meeting is on Monday March 13th at the Methodist Hall. We are looking forward to welcoming Sharon Snell talking about the Braddick family from Bideford. More family secrets to share!

We are looking forward to a busy year ahead with a couple of community activities we are taking part in. During July, the History Alive day which was cancelled due to the death of Queen Elizabeth II. We are hosting a coffee morning with a particular focus on Torrington’s gloving history. If you have any stories to share, or artefacts of interest, we would love to hear from you. There will also be plenty of activities happening in the town, so keep an eye on the press and local Facebook pages. In the autumn an archaeological dig at Castle Hill is planned, and there are lots of ways that the whole community can become involved. Keep looking in the Crier.

If you are interested in attending the meeting on 13th March at 7pm for refreshments and chat, the talk begins at 7.30pm please contact Pauline on 01805 623089 or pallen123@btinternet.com. We look forward to meeting you.

Maggi Rogers

Bluecoat 'Explore' World Book Day

At Bluecoat C of E Primary, they love books and reading, so World Book Day is always a key event in their school calendar. This year their theme was 'Explorers' and children were invited to dress up as anything related to the theme - the possibilities were endless! They could have dressed as an explorer who finds new lands, planets or undersea regions, or something related to a topic they would like to explore like poisonous snakes or knights and castles. The children did not disappoint and the school was full of fantastic and imaginative costumes.

Pictured: Reception children explore the school site; Year 6 pupils dressed up!

1st Torrington Scouts

At the start of the February half term the Beavers got to have their first ever sleepover in the Scout HQ. For most members this was the first time they have ever stayed away from home! This was quite the challenge, but they all did really well and had lots of fun and watched a film in the evening. Beavers then returned for the second half of the term and had a jampacked meeting, completing two badges in one evening. Their Space badge, where they learnt about the planets and star constellations, and the Experiment badge which looked at the effects of vinegar and baking soda, and they made slime. They all had good fun and made lots of mess.

During half term the Scouts went to Air Extreme, where they had lots of fun bouncing around for an hour, and then demolished eight pizzas in record speed! It was great fun and they are looking forward to the next half term trip. After half term we met for the start of our 4-week extravaganza: the first week was all about planning. Part 1 was the Scouts ‘Come Dine with Me’ challenge, where they had to make two dishes for all the other Scouts to eat, on a 3-week rota. For this they had to choose what they wanted to cook and then write an

6th Dan For Wado-Ryu Member!

At the recent 2023 Wado-Ryu Karate-Do Academy International Winter Course in Surrey, a senior member of the Devon Wado-Ryu KarateDo Kai - Matthew Soanes from Torrington, was awarded 6th Dan from H. Otsuka III the current Grandmaster of Wado-Ryu Karate-Do, who had travelled from Tokyo, Japan especially to lead this prestigious event. This award to Matthew goes together with recently passing his European World Karate Federation Kumite Referee’s exam in Cyprus, in addition to his European Kata qualification. Chris Stamp, Michelle Daley and Kieran Beer also received their 1st Dan certificates from the Grandmaster, having passed in wonderful style at last year’s summer course.

At the end of the winter course seven members from Devon Wado-Ryu KarateDo Kai attempted examinations with the Grandmaster, and the Wado-Ryu KarateDo Academy Dan Grade Panel. At the end of the examinations the following Devon Wado-Ryu Karate-Do Kai were promoted: Gary Moore 4th Dan, Eric Prole 3rd Dan, Gillian Mackenzie 3rd Dan, Mark Vallei 3rd Dan, Bryan Smith 2nd Dan and John McPake 2nd Dan.

Devon Wado-Ryu Karate-Do Kai is based in Torrington, where it has its main private dojo at Function Fitness, and where all those mentioned in this report attend, and it was established in 1984 by the late T.Tamaizawa Kyoshi 7th Dan and local professional Karate-ka Peter Hill 7th Dan. In addition to its Torrington dojo, Devon Wado-Ryu Karate-Do Kai run dojo in Barnstaple, Crediton, Exeter, Cullompton, Exmoor and North Tawton. For further information visit: www. devonwadoryu.co.uk.

Image: Matthew Soanes being presented with his 6th Dan certificate from the present Grandmaster of Wado-Ryu Karate-Do H.Otsuka III.

exact shopping list of everything they needed, whilst sticking to a budget. Then the dishes were scored, to find the winner. Part 2 is a stop motion photography project, where they have to convey a message about environmental conservation through a short video. Both

are tricky challenges.

If you can spare an hour, or feel you could help/support within the hall committee and the groups, please contact the Group Scout Leader, Jordon via email on jordon.whitear@gmail.com.

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Citizen's Advice...

“I ordered a watch online with personalised engraving for my partner’s upcoming 40th birthday. The company has since gone out of business. I keep phoning and emailing them but can’t get through to anyone. I’m assuming they can’t fulfil my order but I’d paid for the watch upfront and can’t afford to buy another gift until I get my money back. Please help!”

This is frustrating, both in terms of potential loss of money, but also in terms of the time spent searching for a suitable gift. If you haven’t had a dispatch note yet, it suggests that the order is not on its way.

If the company has gone into administration it may still be able to fulfil outstanding orders, but if the company is already in liquidation, you’ll need to try to get your money back. If you’re unsure about what state the company is in the Citizens Advice website has information on how to find out. www.citizensadvice.org.uk

As it was an online purchase it seems unlikely that there is a shop or office that you can contact, so the next steps depend on whether it’s a limited company (with ‘ltd.’ or ‘plc’ after its title) or if it’s a sole trader or partnership.

If it’s a limited company, you will need to get details of the administrator or receiver – the person dealing with settling the trader’s debts. The names of those administrators will usually be on the website of the company that’s gone bust. You should register your claim as a creditor on the GOV.UK website. Fill out the form with the details of what you are owed and send it to the administrator dealing with the trader’s debts.

Unfortunately, there is only a small chance that any money will be refunded, as there will be a long list of creditors and individual small claims will be at the back of the queue.

More encouraging is to try and get a refund with a Section 75 claim or a chargeback on the credit card provider or bank. Again, check out the Citizens Advice website for details of making these claims. This is actually the best option if the seller was not a limited company, but a sole trader or partnership. Every case is different, but to establish specific rights in a given situation call the Citizens Advice consumer helpline on 0808 223 1133 or visit www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/somethingsgone-wrong-with-a-purchase/if-a-company-stops-trading-or-goes-out-of-business/ Alternatively, ring our free, local Advice Line number on 0808 27 87 999, or visit our local website on www.ruraldevoncab.org.uk and click on ‘get advice’.

Would you like to help people solve problems like this? Why not volunteer with us? You will meet new people, get full ongoing training and support and get the satisfaction of contributing to our local community. Take the first step and contact recruitment@ruraldevoncab.org.uk. We look forward to hearing from you!

Pause for Thought

Easter is upon us and for Christians buried under chocolate, bunnies and chicks there lies the true reason to celebrate this festival. Hope eternal, which surpasses anything ‘the world’ has to offer and which is in stark contrast to today’s ever changing, mixed up society tinged with apprehension. Chocolate and gifts give us a quick fix, but the Easter message brings hope for eternity. Jesus, fully man and fully God died on the cross just over 2,000 years ago, to pay the cost for our wrongdoings. He took our guilt and shame and all looked hopeless... But then on the 3rd day, He rose from the grave, defeating death and offering new life to all who choose to follow Him. These acts are the crux of the Christian faith. The Bible teaches that, “God so loved the world, that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life”. It doesn’t get much better! There will be many, who will dismiss this message; but please think carefully... the Lord loves you as an individual, you personally. If this does provoke a reaction within you and you would like to know more about God’s love and this hope, we, at the Door of Hope in Cornmarket Street (opposite the old Newmarket pub) would be very happy to chat with you over a coffee, no strings attached. Pop in or call Kath on 07702 589 799.

Do come down and see us at Victoria Sawmills, Merton EX20 3EG, 01805 603429 www.torridgegates.co.uk

The Crier Prize Crossword

The winner of this month’s crossword will receive one hour's free gardening from Matt. Please send completed crossword with contact details, to The Crier, Castle Hill, Torrington, EX38 8AA, or email to torrington.crier@gmail.com. There was no winner last month due to a print error with the crossword, so we are running the same one again. The winner for this issue will be picked at random from correct entries. Deadline for entries is Thursday 13th April and the solution and winner will be in the May issue.

April, in between the traditional rain showers, is a good time to get into the flower beds and remove weeds before they become established. Hoeing is the most effective method, and while the deep rooted perennial weeds will need to be dug out with a fork, the hoe will easily remove most of the shallow rooted varieties. Mulching with wood chip or bark to smother the weeds and prevent them from returning, works well and looks attractive. The mulch does need to be around 4 inches deep to be effective and may need topping up over the summer months. Avoiding the use of chemical weed killers, is generally regarded as best practice today.

April is also the time to feed roses and shrubs. A general purpose high nitrogen fertiliser is fine for shrubs, but roses need a mix of nitrogen, phosphate and potash. Look out for green fly, or aphids as things start to warm up. It's usually possible to remove most of them by hand if its a small infestation. Encouraging the aphids' natural predators, into your garden is the best solution. Ladybirds, lacewings and wasps in particular, will make short work of them.

It is also a great time for sowing new lawns and repairing worn patches. Laying new turf is expensive, but provides instant results. Grass seed is a relatively cheap and easy to sow. Choosing correct seed mix for the conditions will ensure best results, but it will take some months to get established.

Please contact Matt's Mowing and Garden Maintenance on 07808 056473 for all of you gardening needs.

Fabulous Freddie reporting in with all the news from March, and what a month that was here at the rescue.

Every month seems to get busier and busier, with requests to take in both stray and surrendered dogs. At the Parliamentary meeting to discuss the crisis in UK rescues in late February, it was established that almost all rescues are full to the brim with dogs – many of which need training prior to being rehomed, so homing is taking longer than normal. While it was a healthy discussion, sadly not much was resolved. Funding, as always, was a key topic and appeals were made to the ministers that joined the meeting, for more financial help for animal welfare.

Guess we will just have to keep campaigning and, in the meantime, continue to help as

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many dogs as we can. Not all doom and gloom though, as March saw the lovely Moose and Alfie, two Springer Spaniel brothers, go to their homes along with Rini and Poppy, the mother and daughter Pugs. Planning for our summer dog shows is well underway, and I am so excited to tell you that Torrington Commons have agreed to let us run a dog show there on 22nd July, which is lovely so close to home and will hopefully be a chance to meet all our local supporters. We are hoping to make it a big family event, with stalls, bouncy castles etc., fun for all the family but especially for us woofs. We will also be holding an online dog show, commencing 1st April and running until midnight on 22nd April, which will have a different sort of class – Happy Dog Biscuits! It will involve

sending photos of baking homemade dog biscuits, followed by a second photo showing how much your dog is enjoying them, get the family involved and no cheating! There will be doggy hampers for the three best entries and entrance fee is only £5, no matter how many photos you send in. Full details are on my Facebook page where entries can also be made, or if you are not on Facebook then you can email pictures to me at info@k9focus.co.uk.

Happy baking and see you next month. Woofs and licks, Fabulous Freddie

Abbeyfield

We were happy to greet members of the public on March 17th at our first fundraising, Easter Coffee morning since the start of the Covid 19 pandemic.

The residents would like to thank the staff for coping over the last few months when we were short of a cook in the kitchen. Everyone stepped in to make sure that residents were well fed during this difficult time. Thankfully we now have a new permanent member of the team. We are grateful for the help and attention we have had from all the staff and welcome Kay to the team.

We are still looking for people to join our bank staff, who might enjoy a few casual hours employment in the kitchen or as a cleaner to cover staff holidays or sickness. More information about this or living at Glen Tor can be found by contacting our House Manager on 01805 623605.

Contact James on 07714 819 415 Licensed Waste Carrier No: CBDU269392

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Tarka Valley Railway News

Spring has arrived, but as I write this there is a forecast of snow. Let’s hope the cold snap doesn’t last too long, as February’s dry weather has enabled us to make good progress.

The trolley shed site has now had rails laid. It now needs more digging out before we can build the shed.

We are also preparing the groundwork for electrical installation, which will enable us to run power to the shop and box van, so it can be used as a proper workshop.

Work continues on the refurbishment of the brake van and the stop block in the siding. Delivery of scaffold towers has also enabled us to examine the roof of the TSO carriage, to determine the work involved to bring it back into good order.

We had a stall at the Taste of Torrington event on March 4th and raised over £150. Many thanks to our team of volunteers who ran the stall.

Our ‘Naming Ceremony’ and ‘Open Day’ is on Saturday April 8th. It promises to be a great day, with something for everyone. Do try to come along.

Our Facebook page has weekly updates, and the website has much historical information including videos, photographs and news. It is well worth checking it out: wwwtarkavalleyrailway. org and we are now on Instagram tarkavalleyrailway. We are always looking for new volunteers and you can email us on tarkavalleyrailway@ gmail.com to find out how you can get involved.

Robert Martin, Tarka Valley Railway

april events at the plough

Thanks for supporting The Plough Arts Centre!

Although the challenges post-Covid are still with us all, we’re beginning to see our audiences returning; we hope this continues as we reconnect as a community. We’re here to serve our community as we strive to continue in our aim to deliver a programme that is both rich and diverse. Your suggestions are always welcome, so please make contact if you’d like us to hear them! Email richard@ theploughartscentre.org.uk.

We’re extremely grateful to all our customers for making The Plough Arts Centre their venue of choice, and we feel fortunate to welcome brilliant artists and performers.

We’re also thankful to have a number of Plough supporters who enjoy the benefits of reduced ticket prices (up to 25%) and priority booking to some high profile events, for a small annual fee. Plough Supporters play a vital role in the democratic structure of The Plough Arts Centre. If you’d like to find out more about becoming a Plough Supporter and enjoying the benefits it brings, go to www theploughartscentre.org.uk/plough-supporters-club or contact our Box Office team on 01805 624624.

Our Business Supporters play an important role in supporting The Plough, and we’d like to say how grateful we are for their support. We offer them as much profile as possible in return, including a colour advert in the programme that goes out to a readership of 18,000 in Torridge and North Devon. If you are a business that would like to support us, please email gerard@theploughartscentre.org.uk, and he will send you all the info you need. Our Business Supporters are listed here www.theploughartscentre.org.uk/business-supporters.

Without our team of volunteers (commonly known as ‘Vols’) we could not run such a wide range of events and activities. We have over 50 volunteers at present, who jointly clock up around 250 hours a month. At present the main job for Vols is as stewards for all our performances, but Vols can get involved in other areas too, such as projecting films, helping backstage, marketing and publicity, research and analysis, building maintenance, helping with Charlie's Cafe and with Gallery exhibitions. If you want to volunteer or are keen to find out more about the benefits of doing so, please email volunteers@theploughartscentre.org.uk.

Please note that from April 4th our Box Office opening hours will change to: Tuesday-Friday 10.30am-4pm, re-opening at 6pm, Saturday 10am-4pm, reopening at 6pm.

Charlies will open Tuesday-Saturday 10.30am-2.30pm. For evening opening hours, please see our website or call Charlies on 01805 625925.

Thank you all!

Still Moving

Still Moving is an artist collective that is process-oriented.

Founded by three artists, Laura Hopes, Martin Hampton and Léonie Hampton, who met when they were 13, and live in Devon.

Their show is called ‘In-tuition’, and they say that in order to learn we must develop a sensitivity to nature and be open to the way that it might speak through us. Embracing magic as a space of intuition, connection and possibility, is a way to liberate our constrained ways of experiencing the world and reorientate our attention back to the fundamental elements that sustain life - water, air, earth and fire.

The Common lands that surround Great Torrington escaped the early privatisation of the Enclosures and have been fiercely defended ever since, becoming central to the traditions and defiant identity of the town. The free access to the land they represent is vital to nurturing this magical, intuitive connection to nature. Through a series of walks and conversations with local people, ‘Still Moving’ will explore the boundary between the Commons and the private land that borders them, taking this ‘edge land’ as a starting point for installations/sculptures/artworks within the gallery space at the Plough.

Our intention is to transform the gallery into an expansive space, where the unbordered potential of found elements can be expressed.

Your Plough Arts Centre

Sill Moving will also create a live research space downstairs on the cafe wall, which connects to the exhibition ‘In-tuition’ and will reflect conversations and encounters in and around Torrington. Pease let us know if you have suggestions or additional offerings. https://stillmoving.org/about

april at the Plough

1 April

Exhibition COMPOST: Laura Porter (final day)

10.30am-4pm FREE

Workshop - Visual Arts: Watercolours techniques

ThePlough@StAnnes £50

Workshop - Visual Arts: Ceramic Bird Feeder & Bird Sculpture Workshop

ThePlough@StAnnes,10am £55, £15 for clay materials payable to the tutor on the day

Talk: Minted! A talk by Daisy Flora Pol 11am, full price: £5 Supporter: £3

Film: Marcel The Shell with Shoes On (PG)

11am & 1pm matinee £5, Kids Meal Deal £1 with adult meal (lunchtimes) Torrington residents £5

Music: Zoe Schwarz & Rob Koral ThePlough@

StAnnes 8pm, full price: £12 Supporter £10

Comedy: Zoe Lyons: Bald Ambition 8pm, £17.50

4 April

Film: Marcel The Shell with Shoes On (PG)

11am matinee £5, Kids Meal Deal £1 with adult meal (lunchtimes) Gt Torrington residents £5

Film: Enys Men (15) 4pm matinee £5 minestrone

matinee: seat, soup, toast, tea or coffee £10.

Gt Torrington residents £5

Gallery Preview: IN TUITION 4:30pm FREE

Bioform Dance Workshop 7pm £7/£5 Supporters

5 April

Women’s Singing Circle 11am drop in session

£10/£8 Supporter

Film: Marcel The Shell with Shoes On (PG)

11am matinee £5, Kids Meal Deal £1 with adult meal (lunchtimes) Gt Torrington residents £5

Film: Enys Men (15) 2pm matinee £5 minestrone

matinee: seat, soup, toast, tea or coffee £10.

Gt Torrington residents £5

Film: Till (12A) 7.30pm full price £7.50 Supporter

£6.50 Gt Torrington residents £5

6 April

Film: Marcel The Shell with Shoes On (PG)

11am matinee £5, Kids Meal Deal £1 with adult meal (lunchtimes) Gt Torrington residents £5

Film: Till (12A) 2pm & 7.30pm matinee £5

minestrone matinee: seat, soup, toast, tea or coffee £10. Gt Torrington residents £5

Plough Storytelling Circle ThePlough@StAnnes, Barnstaple, 7:30pm £2 inc refreshments.

Haunted History Tour: Barnstaple Town, Park & Prison Haunted History Tour ThePlough@ StAnnes 7:30pm £14.50 inc refreshments.

8 April

Film: A Man Called Otto (12A) 2pm matinee £5

minestrone matinee: seat, soup, toast and a tea or coffee £10. Gt Torrington residents £5

Film: Aftersun (12A) 7:30pm full price: £7.50 Supporter: £6.50 Gt Torrington residents £5

11 April

Film: A Man Called Otto (12A) 2pm matinee £5

minestrone matinee: seat, soup, toast and a tea or coffee £10. Gt Torrington residents £5

Film: The Banshees of Inisherin (15) 7.30pm full price: £7.50 Supporter: £6.50 Gt Torrington residents £5

12 April

Women’s Singing Circle 11am Drop in session

£10/£8 Supporter

Film: The Banshees of Inisherin (15) 2pm matinee £5 minestrone matinee: seat, soup, toast and a tea or coffee £10. Gt Torrington residents £5

Film: Tar (12A) 7.30pm full price: £7.50

Supporter: £6.50 Gt Torrington residents £5

13 April

Poetry/Spoken Word: Plough The Future! Youth Takeover Night 7pm all tickets £5 Haunted History Tour: Barnstaple Town & Workhouse ThePlough@StAnnes, 7:30pm £14.50 inc refreshments.

14 April

Film: Tar (12A) 2pm & 7.30pm matinee £5 minestrone matinee: seat, soup, toast and a tea or coffee £10. Gt Torrington residents £5

15 April

Plough Writers 10.30am £15

Workshop - Visual Arts: Plant Support Willow Weaving Workshop ThePlough@StAnnes, 2pm+ £38

Workshop - Visual Arts: Natural Cleaning Products Workshop ThePlough@StAnnes, 11am £40

Film: Tar (12A) 7.30pm full price: £7.50

Supporter: £6.50 Gt Torrington residents £5

Music: Speed The Plough 20! 8pm full price: £10 Supporter: £8

18 April

bookings (plus every 11th ticket free)

21 April

Theatre: Get Changed Theatre Co present… (Title tba!) 7:30pm Full price: £6 £6 all tickets

Music: Rakes Adrift ThePlough@StAnnes, 8pm full price: £10 Supporter: £8

22 April

Workshop - Visual Arts: Monoprinting Workshop

ThePlough@StAnnes,10:30am £60

Workshop - Visual Arts: Book Binding Workshop - Longstitch Variations

ThePlough@StAnnes,10:30am £50

Music - Live: Swimbridge Consort 'In the Stillness' ThePlough@StAnnes, 7:30pm £8

Music: The Unravelling Wilburys 8pm full price: £18 Supporter: £16

23 April

Live via Satellite: NTLive 'Good' by C.P.Taylor 3pm & 7pm full price: £15 Supporter: £12 £12 group bookings (plus every 11th ticket free)

25 April

Ploughcapella Community Choir 7.30pm £75/£65 Supporters (per term)

26 April

Women’s Singing Circle 11am drop in session £10/£8 Supporter

Live via Satellite: NTLive 'Good' by C.P.Taylor

2pm full price: £15 Supporter: £12, £12 group bookings (plus every 11th ticket free)

Film: The Whale (15) 7.30pm full price: £7.50 Supporter: £6.50 Gt Torrington residents £5

27 April

Live via Satellite: NTLive 'Good' by C.P.Taylor 2pm full price: £15 Supporter: £12, £12 group bookings (plus every 11th ticket free)

Film: The Whale (15) 7.30pm full price: £7.50 Supporter: £6.50 Gt Torrington residents £5 Haunted History Tour: Torrington Town Haunted History Tour The Gallery, Plough Arts Centre

7:30pm £12

28 April

Film: Alleluia (12A) 2pm & 7.30pm full price: £7.50 Supporter: £6.50

Plough

Prism/ Motion Dance for adults with additional needs 10.30am/1.30pm £3.50 per session every Tuesday

19 April

Women’s Singing Circle 11am drop in session £10/£8 Supporter

20 April

Live via Satellite: NTLive 'Good' by C.P.Taylor 7pm full price: £15 Supporter: £12, £12 group

Matinee £5. matinee £5 minestrone matinee: seat, soup, toast and a tea or coffee £10. Gt Torrington residents £5

29 April

Plough Writers 10.30am £15 Comedy: The Comedy Store 8pm £16.50 £14.25 per person for groups of 4+

Please note, a 5% fee will be applied to all bookings

Following their study of Noughts and Crosses and the themes of discrimination, Year 8 were shown this painting depicting six-year-old Ruby Bridges, one of the first black children to attend a previously ‘all white’ school in 1960. The painting shows Ruby being escorted to school by federal marshals to protect her from the racist protests of segregationists. Pupils wrote their account of Ruby’s experience that day:

First Day

I’m twenty feet away from the school but it feels more like a marathon in the Arctic. My elegant lily white dress radiates against the discriminated wall behind: I can smell rotting and it feels like it’s killing my sense of smell ever so slowly. I can hear a small gathering on the other side of the barricades – maybe they’re coming to get me? I think. My skin is burning because all eyes are on me.

The sky grumbles, clouds darken and swarm around the school just like the crowd. The US marshal’s formation around me tightens the same as a mother grasps her child. The scent now becomes clear as a dozen decaying tomatoes fill the air in a choreographed attack. The panic inside of me makes a tiny squirming noise like a mouse caught by a predator. The zombie red orbs hit the vandalized wall, their blood exploding across the arty battlefield and corpses drop to the dull pavement. Luckily none of the attackers have god accuracy and my delicate skin is met only with tomato juice. The crowd start chanting with every step we take. I knew it wouldn’t be long until the tidal wave of sound hit.

As we kept pacing towards the school, the crowd continued to curse racist language and the foul stench of rotting grew enough to make me lurch. We were fired on again with another round of tomatoes but these were vicious like an untamed pit bull. One of them hit Bill cane – one of the marshals – but he didn’t care and leaned down to tell me “I’ll die before I let them hurt you.” He was my knight in shining armour, but his voice was distorted through the rapid shouts. The tsunami kept growing until impact: it flooded my ear canal and the anxiety brought with it collided against my brain. Through the choice of pure fear, I run to the school and my legs ricochet against the solid pavement. The marshals try to catch up with me but the whole charade riles up the crowd and the stampeded against the police barricades; they push and shove against the police like in my favourite cartoon: but this wasn’t a cartoon and I wasn’t enjoying it. A man squeezes through and charges towards me but my knight in shining armor tackles him. I desperately try to go back and help him but I am ushered through the big varnished double doors

as I scream for them to help him.

At break I look out of the window and see blood gushing down the stairs and hear sirens echoing in the distance…

Jacob Marshall Year 8

Protecting Ruby

We were walking briskly to Ruby’s school. It was a bright day, and the sun was reflecting off everything in sight. The rebels stood over on one side of the fence, tearing anything in their way to torment for Ruby. They bared their chipped, yellow teeth and screamed revolting words. They reeked of sweat, smoke and an unknown brand of booze. Their chanting was unbearable for the little girl as she tugged at her ears and frantically shook her head. The chants were like bullets flying towards Ruby, probably causing more pain than an actual bullet could. They smiled and waved kitchen knives, exaggerating the blades. Ruby was dazed and exhausted. My colleagues and I shared a look of recognition that screamed ‘get her in the building’. Ruby's eyes flickered as her body

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grew limp. The sky raged with an incoming storm, washing the sky a chilling leather colour. Rain brewed as the mob scattered. The child was in my trembling arms now, her limp body was so cold, with anxiety, I could almost feel the frost peel off her hickory skin.

We got her inside of the building from stop her breathing was so heavy it choreographed the icy draught. She sat at her desk, her jewel seemed to be weighted as it fell open. The sky rumbled, spitting its last few drops before bleeding itself dry.

Me and my colleagues left Ruby and her tutor to work. All our hearts grabbed at our chests in unison. We talked breathlessly clawing in as much air as humanly possible after every word.

Seconds later, her teacher ran out of the building, arms flailing and inaudibly screeching. We ran after her, regardless. Approaching Ruby’s room slowly, not a single breath managed to escape my mouth. Tears welled up in my eyes, not just because of this eventful journey, but because I hadn't breathed properly since, what felt like, an hour ago.

My vision was blurred but I could tell one thing - Ruby was gone, missing, not present. Everything turned crimson red and steam poured out my ears, every inch of me was on fire. Everything fell silent. Where was Ruby?

Megan

Pallatt,

Year 8

Is This It?

Iwas being watched like a defenseless rabbit around vultures. The musty air, which smelt like sewage and rotten tomatoes, swirled around my nostrils as if they were a vacuum. A crowd nearby shrieked and bellowed at me, as though a rabid beast coming towards them. My mouth tasted like blood and I could feel eyes on me. I could hear gun threats and could see the forming of the angry mob.

Someone had started a racist chant and clouds rotated above. Rain poured and hammered at my face as the ground swelled crimson red, with blood from the riots. My stomach churned with the feeling of being unwanted and I felt tears accumulate in the glands of my eyes. My face sweated and my tawny skin dripped with tomato and rain. The tanginess of my tears clawed my eyes like crystals falling out of my sockets.

The crowd grew deafening and the mob bustled with racist words being hurled around like a hot potato. Insults ricocheted like a pebble on the ocean, hurtling me like a ferocious ball. I felt threatened and overcrowded.

The rain lashed and hit my skin like angry bees, swarming me and its icy cold touch piercing my skin. Clouds created a blanket of pity and shame as the insults worsened the closer the crowd got. The sky was a deep shade of slate grey and the sun did not show its warm, golden rays; I was surrounded by despair and sadness.

A body guard near me is shot in the foot and falls like a ruin. Molten red blood trickles out of him like a volcano and I stand – frozen in fear. I am terrified and want to run to safety. Another guard screams for a medic and the crowd starts closing in around us, sucking us into the endless void. The colour of purple deepens my mind as anxiety bottles up inside me.

Medics rush to the fallen man’s side and I am dragged away inside the school and pulled into a room. I feel somewhat relieved as I hear sirens trailing away and hear the crowd start to break down.

People continue to hit the windows and punch at the doors when I hear the locks of the room I’m in buckle. The door swings open and a man barges into the room holding a gun; I knew this wasn’t a teacher. My knees trembled, my mind turns to mush, and my thoughts go blank. My hearing gets muffled and I feel a lump of worry in my throat. The intruder raises his frail, dirty hand a raises a small gun to my limp body. He pulls the trigger and shoots.

Is this it?

Georgina Wheller, Year 8