Torrington Crier June 2021 by The Torrington Crier

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June 2021 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.

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?

Contact us... Editorial Enquiries: Becky Huxtable, 01805 603152 (please note that this is a home number not an office) 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, £24 per issue. Large advert: 19cm wide x 5cm deep, £48 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: Matt Joy Rural Distribution: Sue Crane & the community Printers: Hedgerow Print, Crediton

Crier Deliveries Back to Normal

We are now back to our usual Crier deliveries: door-to-door in Torrington and by our volunteer network in the rural community. If you got used to receiving a copy via Royal Mail and would like to volunteer to collect copies from Torrington Library and deliver in your community then please email torrington.crier@gmail.com or call 01805 603152. We are also very grateful to Lidl in Torrington for allowing us to leave copies on their packing bench for shoppers to pick up. They will be there for collection from the last week of each month.

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. Thank you!

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 ARMS Open daily from 11am Wednesday Curry Night *6-9pm* Takeaway available Sunday Roast *12-2pm* Takeaway available For bookings please contact: 01805 622280 or via Facebook

Cavaliers Column Chapter 13

t was such a shame that Covid put paid to another May Fair this year and was sorely missed: certainly by The Cavaliers as well as our townsfolk. At least we were able to get the summer bunting erected, which brightened up the town square and made it welcoming to visitors. The weather has hit hard too and the “Us Be Plaised To See Ee” banner was unable to go up because of high winds. However, we shall still all be “plaised to see ee” over the summer months! We must give thanks to Stuart West of WM Ironworks for making and donating the bracing steels needed to secure the final top masts on The Mayflower. These will probably go up now in the latter part of July and will really add to the look of the ship. Work has continued at pace on the quayside, with shop, church and the obligatory pub fronts now nearing completion. Another friend and supporter, Toby Rose, a local thatcher, will be working on the lychgate and other roofs to also add to the visual effect of the bonfire. We are most grateful for all this volunteered help. It is heart-warming that so many local businesses and individuals support the Cavaliers throughout the year in so many ways. It has been suggested that this major bonfire will possibly be the last, and will

be our bonfire swansong. None of us are getting any younger and to commit over three years to another major event is likely to be difficult. We have the skills – but not the years! However, the Cavaliers will continue with the other events we are involved with, like the annual November family bonfire and firework displays, May Fair (of course!), the torchlight procession and all the other stuff we have in our usual calendar. We would also welcome some younger blood to our ranks, so if anyone out there would like to get involved with what we get up to then please do get in touch. We are pleased to see that The Torrington Arms has re-opened under new ownership and we wish Annie and her team well for the future. This gives us another venue in which to hold our meetings, along with all the other watering holes in town. We wish Roger and Sally a long and happy retirement from The Arms, with our love and thanks

for all their help and support over the years. Please don’t forget that The Mayflower Bonfire will be a ticket only event, so please get your orders in either via our website or through Mark Duffy in the square. All for one and one for all! Ace

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Commons Car Boot Sales

he car boot sales will be run on every Sunday morning until the end of September. Hockings ice cream van and Greedy’s refreshments van will of course be there as usual. Some Sundays we will have live music to help promote local musicians. Please check our Facebook page for details. Cars are £7 and vans are £12. Please let me know if you are fundraising for a charity so that we can offer a different rate. All the proceeds will be used to help the Conservators to maintain, improve and protect the Commons. The Torrington Commons Conservators are volunteers and run the Commons as a charity. They are responsible for raising all the necessary funds to look after the Commons on behalf of the Great Torrington residents and all the people that enjoy the 365 acres of countryside. To book a pitch you will need to email vicechair@torringtoncommons.org or telephone or text 07956 366 390. This is being done so that we don’t get too many sellers and to enable us to space the cars out to aid social distancing. Sellers can arrive from 7am to welcome the buyers from 8am. We will have a stall at the sales selling books, dvds, cds and other bits as space allows. We will also have a tombola with a prize every time you enter. We have been accepting donations of books, dvds and cds for over a year and we are still looking for more donations, please get in touch if you can help. You can bring your donations along on a Sunday morning if you wish. Andrew Giles, Vice Chair

Great Torrington Commons 365 Supporters Group

orrington Commons 365 Supporters membership is growing daily and I would like to say thank you all for joining. This month Fork ‘n’ Feast at 1646 have joined the list of partners that will offer a discount to the 365 Supporters. They are at Castle Hill and have spent the last few weeks getting ready for their opening. Luckily, it fits in well with the lockdown restrictions ending. The volunteers at Castle Hill have been working extremely hard as usual getting the gardens ready for visitors. The views of the Commons are spectacular from their walls. The 365 Supporters card can be used to get a discount or other benefit from the 38 different partners participating in our shop local campaign. We would like to invite more shops and businesses to join the scheme, the offer you make is entirely up to you and you can change it whenever you want to. We would also like to hear from tourist accommodation businesses, we would like to introduce a short-term membership for the period of the visitors stay. This would encourage tourists to shop in Great Torrington. We have had great feedback from the shops that are open, to say that the existing 365 Supporters have been using their cards. Please ask instore about their current offer before you start shopping. The aims of the project are to increase the trade in Torrington and raise funds to maintain, improve and protect the Commons. Hopefully, more and more people will apply to be a 365 Supporter and go shopping in Great Torrington.

The Conservators are volunteers and we are a registered charity. Our car boot sales will start in May so please come and visit our stand to ask us about our work. To make it as easy as possible to join the 365 Supporters, we have been able to print an application form in this edition so that you can cut it out and post to me. The 365 Supporters just pay a £2 per month donation which can be increased with Gift Aid by 25% if you are a taxpayer. You can let us know at the application stage if this applies to you. Joining the 365 Supporters group is simple: Option 1. Cut out or photocopy the application form in the Crier and post it to the address on the form. You can pay by Standing Order or by sending a cheque for £24. Option 2 visit the website www. torringtoncommons.org and navigate to the 365 Supporters page where you can apply online. Here you have the option of paying by PayPal or Standing Order annually or monthly. You can also print an Application form to post in with a cheque. Option 3. You can email me at vicechair@torringtoncommons.org or phone or text me on 07956 366390 and I will get an application form to you. You can also collect an application form from the Post Office or the Tourist Information Office. Some of the shops in town also have spare application forms.

Participants as of April 8th 2021 AHJ Builders 07977 668164 A Place For Everything @no. 11 in the Pannier Market Fork ‘n’ Feast at 1646 Collectability in the High Street Computer Works Crafty Needles in the Pannier Market Dafforn and Sons New Street Dartington Crystal Duane’s Carvings and Gallery in the Pannier Market Everest Indian Takeaway in South Street Fine Floral Design in South Street Hair We Are in South Street Hogwash Soap Castle Street and online Inside 11a South Street Java Gifts Cornmarket Street Jayne Poole Photography Kitch ‘n’ Cupboard in the Pannier Market Lillian Rose Interiors Well Street Little Leaf Pregnancy No. 37 Café in South Street No. 5 Hair and Beauty in South Street Not Just Travel Gillian Farr Proseprints online and craft fairs R&S Ware Butchers in South Street Samantha Hardwick Lifestyle Coach Second Nature Beauty Studio at No.5 Cornmarket Street Squires Electrical in the High Street Steve Gladwin Family Butchers Fore St Tanya’s Beauty Studio Fore Street The Puffing Billy Torrington Framing Torrington Golf Club Torrington Museum Bookshop, High St Torrington Refill Shop Toy Swap in the Pannier Market Unique Boutique Cornmarket Street Whiskers Pet Centre South Street Xanadu (in-store discount only) South St

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Torrington Library News

Commons News

have just read the article I wrote for the Crier this time last year, when the play parks were all locked up and we had no idea when we would be able to start the car boot sales. Thankfully we are all in a much better situation this year! The car boot sales started in May and will be continuing every Sunday as weather permits. We will also be running one on Monday 31st May (Spring Bank Holiday). We have our own stall selling books, cds and dvds to help raise funds for the management of the Commons, so please come along and say hello. We are very grateful for the wonderful Friends of the Commons, who have continued their litter picking throughout this last year. Most of the Commons is clean and litter free thanks to their efforts. It is very disheartening to see a selfish minority of people continue to throw their rubbish down on Castle Hill, as well as committing vandalism. We will be liaising with the police to see what can be done. This cool spring has meant some wonderful displays of blossom on the apple trees and wild plum trees. The May blossom is just starting to flower and by the time you read this it should be in full bloom. Reed’s field always looks wonderful in June too, with its huge number of marsh orchids. As always, if you would like to involved in the running of the Commons in any capacity, please get in touch, either via our Facebook page, or email Chair@Torringtoncommons.org. Mandy Harrison, Chair GTCC

Open for Browsing! e are now open for browsing in a Covid secure way and still offer a Choose & Collect service alongside. We have extended our opening hours to: Tuesday and Thursday 10am-1pm and 2-5pm, and Friday and Saturday 10am-1pm. We very much look forward to welcoming everyone back and hope this extension of hours will offer more opportunity for visiting. Mobile libraries are also back on the road. If you need reminding of the time and date for a visit to your community, schedules can be found at www.devonlibraries.org.uk/web/arena/ mobilelibraries New Walking Group for Torrington Our new walking group for beginners from will launch Thursday 1st July. Walk and Talk in Torrington will start and finish at Torrington Library, Castle Hill. It will be a friendly walk exploring routes around Torrington, approximately 30 minutes in length, followed by a cuppa if wished at the newly reopened cafe. A great way to make new friends and appreciate the beautiful area all around us. All welcome. Please get in touch with us for further details 01805 622107. Booking is essential. Follow us on our Facebook: #TorringtonLibraryDevon for information on our online services and regular updates and activities run by us and other libraries. Our Facebook page also offers the popular Book Talk group so why not check it out?

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Please refer to our website: www. devonlibraries.org.uk for up-to-date information on all our services and how they are currently being delivered. Are you interested in starting a reading group? Reading groups are a wonderful way of sharing your love of reading and inspiring you to try something a bit different. Devon Libraries has a range of resources to support reading groups through our Choices reading group service: * A group library card * Nearly 600 reading group book sets to choose from * Extended borrowing of up to 8 weeks To take advantage of these resources, your reading group will need to join Devon Libraries. Simply speak to a member of staff and explain you are joining as a reading group to get your group ticket. Book sets normally contain 10 books of the same title and groups can choose a selection of titles for the year ahead. The sets will be sent to your local library for collection. As with book requests made by individual library members, there is a charge for requesting reading sets through the Choices service. Further information is available at www. devonlibraries.org.uk/web/arena/ discover-readinggroups New Service - Reading Friends Are you a new parent or an adult with childcare responsibilities? Do you enjoy reading or want to get back into it? Would you like to have a chat informally to someone who loves reading too?

Initial consultation with Meg Palmer, Solution Focused Hypnotherapist

You might like Libraries Unlimited Reading Friends! While reading is the focus, the 1-2-1 phone appointments with trained library staff are informal, no reading preparation is required and chatting together socially is encouraged. You can find out more from our press release: bit.ly/Reading-Friends Anyone wanting to join Reading Friends or find out more can email readingfriendsgroup@librariesunlimited. org.uk Join the Digital Library You can join the library online by visiting www.devonlibraries.org.uk Once you have completed the online joining form, you will be given a temporary library card number, which will enable you to access our digital library immediately. When our libraries re-open we will process all temporary memberships registered during the closure period and we will issue a library card to you. If you already have a library card but require the PIN for your account you can click on the 'Forgot PIN' option to get a PIN reset sent to your registered email address. Access our Digital Library www.devon.libraries.org.uk For assistance with any queries please contact us by emailing torrington. library@librariesunlimited.org.uk or our general telephone enquiries line is 0345 155001. Stay safe. Kate G, Kate C, Becky & Michelle Your local library in Devon is managed by Libraries Unlimited

What Mask Are You Wearing Today?

Slimming World Is Back

Life after Lockdown

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.

urrently we are wearing masks to avoid spreading/catching Covid 19. Other times we might wear masks to hide our faces, like when we dress up in a costume. Or we could be wearing “imaginary masks” – the kind that other people cannot see. Imaginary masks hide our feelings from other people and can help us pretend to feel something that you are not really feeling. * Are you acting like everything is fine when it isn’t? * Are you saying you don’t care about something when you really do? * Do you pretend to be nice when you are really angry inside? * Are you acting angry when in fact you are feeling really hurt? What negative emotion are you trying to conceal – sadness, frustration, anger, overwhelm? Want to learn more about how I can help free you from these feelings then head over to www.samanthahardwick.com to book a discovery session.

Meditation can help support you through the current climate s the country emerges from lockdown, it’s a very different landscape for many people and businesses. During this time, many people have taught themselves new skills and got involved in new hobbies. However, lockdown has also been a very difficult and lonely time for many. Nuffield Health reported that around 80% of British people working from home now feel lockdown has had a negative impact on their mental health, while a quarter of those said they were finding it difficult to cope with the emotional challenges of isolation. Stress and anxiety have been the main mental health issues, troubling many who had not encountered them before, and a great number of people dealing with anxiety and stress have turned to meditation to help them feel calmer and relax. Being mindful makes it easier to savour the pleasures in life as they occur and creates a greater capacity to deal with adverse events. Many people who practice mindfulness, find that they are less likely to get caught up in worries about the future, or regrets over the past, and become more receptive to change. A trained practitioner with over 30 years of meditation practice, registered and listed with The Mindfulness Teachers Register, I am committed to helping you find a way to negotiate the pressures and expectations of these difficult times. Small group classes have now resumed at The River rooms in Bideford. For more information, follow the link in my advert or email me, James Murray, at info@gentlemind.uk or phone 01769 302007/07866 545 978.

e are now back in our real life groups at long last, and it's so exciting to be together again. If you would love to lose those extra 'lockdown pounds' then come and join our friendly, supportive group and discover a way of eating where you'll never go hungry and learn how to keep the weight off for life. We meet every Wednesday at 1646 Community Hall, which is on South Street car park. Please feel free to give me a ring or text to find out more details. 07515 256 965.

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Sandford’s Celebrates 40 Years Trading

n 22nd June 2021 it will be exactly 40 years since Sandford’s Bakery first opened its doors to a queue of hungry customers. When my parents found out they ‘had a bun in the oven’, they decided it was time to leave their lives in London behind, to move back to Mum’s home town of Torrington. My father Nick, who grew up in London, was a head pastry chef at age just twenty, and my mother was a catering manager, so it made perfect sense to combine their talents

to flour! It took six months of work, including building a completely new extension for the bakery kitchen, and Grandad put his woodwork skills in action fitting out the shop with new cabinets and shelves for the bread and cakes. In February 1981 my eldest sister Amy was born, and by June that year the bakery was ready to open. On the opening day Dad started work at 3:30am and, along with the help of Grandad and Mum’s sister Sue, the bakery shelves and window were stocked with fresh bread, rolls, pasties, doughnuts and Viennese Whirls. They sold out by lunchtime! It quickly became apparent that the people of Torrington were enjoying the freshly baked goods and, over time, my parents employed more staff and gradually increased production. My parents worked six days a week for the first sixteen years and, over this time, had my sister Charlotte in 1984 and finally me (Katie) in 1986. Dad often and open a food business of their own. remarked over the years that he had to My grandparents, Owen and Joyce work so hard to pay for all his daughters! Warne, had been running the shop for We had a very happy childhood growing years - as Sandford’s Greengrocers up above the bakery, our friends always and Florists. My grandfather, who we said we smelt of bread, and we loved sadly lost this year at age 89, was from helping out whenever we were allowed the Sandford’s family who were known into the bakery or to play ‘shops’ after the locally for producing and selling all kinds shop had closed for the day. My mother of fruits, vegetables and flowers. By 1980 worked long hours in the shop and my grandparents were ready for a new behind the scenes doing the staff wages, challenge, and so the flowers changed rotas, ordering and paying for all the

ingredients and not forgetting the mountains of laundry produced by the bakery and us three girls! Mum was ably assisted in the house by Mrs Mary Palmer, who was reluctantly allowed to retire after twenty-five years’ service. In 2009 my eldest sister Amy joined the bakery team, where she is still happily starting work at the crack of dawn making many of the cakes. The bakery has gone from producing a small amount of goods all those years ago, to a large array with everything from bread, pasties, pizza, and all manner of cakes. Last year I joined the family business, having completed a degree and worked different jobs over the past fourteen years, always with the bakery as my end goal in mind. I’m now busy learning the ropes from Mum as I gradually take over her role. My sister and I have many future plans for the bakery. We are grateful and proud of what our parents, wider family, and staff (past and present) have achieved. We hope we can do our parents proud when they eventually hang up their aprons and pass the baton to the third generation at Sandford’s. Thank you to all our customers over the past 40 years! Katie Belcher & all at Sandford's Bakery Pictured: Mary & Nick with their daughter Amy outside the bakery. Grandad Owen Warne working in the bakery.

From Your County Councillor…

am delighted to have the opportunity to write in The Crier again, as the County Councillor for Torrington Rural, and I would like to start by thanking everyone who supported me in the Elections on May 6th. It is an amazing privilege to represent Torrington Rural at County Hall, and to be returned with an increased majority and 55% of the vote is a great honour. I will do all that I can over the next four years to repay that vote of confidence in me and represent everyone, however they voted. With large majorities come large responsibilities. The overriding priority for me, and for the administration at County Hall lead by Cllr John Hart, is recovery. Recovery from the pandemic. Recovery for our local economy. Recovery for our regular health services. The County Council has already set aside a large amount of funding to invest in skills and re-training, and I want to see the opportunities from this benefit our communities in Torrington Rural. DCC has also been investing in new ‘work hubs’, which provide flexible office space and good broadband for home workers, freelancers and businesspeople. We have secured funding for two of these new hubs in

Great Torrington and Winkleigh, and I would like to see more hubs opened in our rural communities. I do not want to see initiatives like this limited to just Barnstaple or Exeter, or other large towns, at the expense of our more rural areas like ours. Ensuring that we continue to protect our older residents, young people and those in need, is also a priority. I will be keeping a watching brief on DCC’s social care services and will continue to push for more services to be delivered locally. As a volunteer youth worker in Torrington, I am also keen to ensure our young people are supported. I will continue to work with local groups and the Town and District Councils to support initiatives that will help our younger residents. Finally, the state of our local highway network is never far from my mind. There is a big job to do but I will fight for every penny that I can get for more funding for drainage and for local resurfacing schemes. I will keep readers of The Crier updated as the work of the new Council begins. However, one development that has happened lately is that Devon County Council is now providing free community testing for Covid-19 in Great Torrington. Community testing uses the rapid Lateral Flow tests and anyone can have a test if they have no symptoms, as this form of testing is designed to pick up asymptomatic cases. It is particularly ideal for key workers or anyone who cannot work from home. No appointments are necessary and the DCC Mobile Testing Van will be in

Torrington at Sydney House Car Park on Tuesdays, 3:30-7pm, and Fridays, 11am2:30pm. These times can be subject to change so please visit devon.cc/testing to see the latest timings and other testing sites. My thanks again to the people of Torrington Rural for re-electing me. If there are any DCC issues you’d like to contact me about you can contact me on Facebook on facebook.com/cllrsaywell, ring 07886 446 560 or email andrew. saywell@devon.gov.uk.

Torrington Foodbank

hankfully things are beginning to improve and at the Foodbank all has gone well - we have been able to remain open thanks to all our wonderful volunteers and being able to use the Baptist Church. We are very grateful for all the wonderful support everyone has shown during the pandemic, it is very much appreciated. We would like to remind you that we are at the Baptist Church, New Street, on Tuesday and Saturday mornings 10am-12noon. Please, if you are finding it difficult to manage do come along, all information you give us is confidential. You do not have to be on benefits, maybe you have had extra bills or are on low wages or one parent has become unemployed. Please do not struggle we are there to give short or long term support. From all at the Torrington Foodbank

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Great Torrington Town & Community Hall

Wakes and Celebrations of life e offer our deep condolences to those who lost loved ones during the pandemic and were unable to celebrate their passing with friends and family due to Covid restrictions. If you would like us to organise a postfuneral reception/end of life celebration, please call Anne on 07971 696 192 or email townandcommunityhall.com. Just let us know what you would like to make the occasion reflect your wishes and we will do all we can to organise everything for you. Job Club We are open again every Monday morning from 10am to 1pm. We are here to support job seekers find employment and we also offer advice on training. Come in for a friendly and informal chat with our job club co-ordinator Iain Harris or call him on 07377 557 916. Street Deals – Torrington’s BIGGEST Table Top Sale Sunday 28th August 8am til late How would you like to earn some extra cash and at the same time have a good old spring clean? Street Deals is the brain child of local lady Linda Smithson, and sponsored by our local councillors, Cheryl Cottle-Hunkin, Margaret Brown and Chris Bright. We are inviting the townsfolk to hold their own table top sale outside their homes. If you are interested in taking part you will need to complete a booking form no later than Monday 5th July. (Booking forms will be distributed to households in Torrington in the next

few weeks or can be collected from the Town Hall.) Participants will be expected to pay a £5 subscription fee and this will include your table being advertised on the Street Deals map, which will be widely publicised across the South West and in local, regional press and social media platforms. We are hoping that this event will be a huge success and run as an annual event for years to come. Are you thinking about getting married? It is lovely that we are able to welcome our wedding couples back to hold their ceremonies at the Town Hall after waiting such a long time to tie the knot!! We can offer bespoke packages for all our bridal couples, from intimate ceremonies in our historical oak room to catering for up to 100 guests in our Great Hall so let us plan your perfect day! Our wedding team can arrange everything from a great menu choice to

personalised décor. For details of the full range of wedding packages available please visit our website www.greattorrington-townhall.org or call Anne Tattersall on 07971 696 192. Knit & Natter’s May Fair Presentation! We hope you all enjoyed the wonderful knitted May Fair presentation that was created by our hugely talented Knit and Natter group. This was a real group effort and bought so many smiles and joy to our local residents and visitors to the town. Thank you ladies, you are all superstars. I am always on the lookout for Town Hall Titans (volunteers) to help with our various events. If you’d like to get involved in any way (you can do as little or as much as you like) give Anne a ring on 07971 696 192 for a friendly chat. Anne Tattersall

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e want everyone to feel safe when they leave their home, whilst taking the necessary precautions when out and about. That’s why we’re encouraging adults in Devon to include regular rapid lateral flow testing as part of their weekly routine. It’s free, painless and results are back within the hour. Devon County Council has mobile vans which move around the county offering testing to people without symptoms of COVID-19. This service is available for anyone 18 and over that doesn’t have access to workplace testing and we are offering two tests per week in line with the government recommendations. You can also collect packs of home testing kits from our friendly staff. One of our community testing vans will be in Great Torrington every Tuesday between 3.30-7pm, also every Friday between 11am-2.30pm. Lateral flow tests are only for people who do not have symptoms. Anyone displaying any of the main COVID-19 symptoms must still book a PCR test at www. gov.uk. Any changes to times or days for our testing vans will be updated on our website: devon.cc/flow. Case rates throughout Devon remain low, but with restrictions lifting and socialising returning, now is the time to take regular tests as a part of your routine to help break the chain of transmission.

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Thanks to Torrington Boxing Club

y name is Celine and I work in Windsor for a seafood company. I came down to stay for a number of weeks with my social bubble: the amazing Anne and Chris Tattersall. How, you ask? My auntie in Roscoff met Anne during a twinning event, they became friends and have kept in contact ever since. Thanks to this amazing friendship, I had the opportunity to come to Great Torrington in 2009, for a placement at the Big Sheep with Anne. The rest is history: my family now extends to Devon. Coming back to the present time... our friend Ewa knew I loved working out – and needed an extra boost of confidence after some upsetting personal events. She brought me to the Torrington Boxing Club and coach Wayne Hill, for outside training. I can only recommend Wayne for the quality of his sessions, along with a strong sense of community and encouragement. The work out group has been nothing but welcoming and kind. But this isn’t about the group - the only person you are racing against is yourself. If you are ready for a change, to improve your physical and mental health, join the Boxing Club. In any weather - we all had a memorable run in the rain - you can be sure to feel the burn at the end of the session. And, feel amazing afterwards. As Wayne would say: ‘Brilliant, keep going. To the last one, we finish together’.

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countless litigation, our town is in the project, which would havehall included

A Roborough Diamond Jubilee Club has been formed to raise funds for

the future position of Christmas tree, th

JAMES WASTE COLLECTION

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Recommended Reads

ummer is here at last and we can just imagine we are by a pool in Spain and what we need is a lovely, romantic story for holiday reading. Let me introduce “The Authenticity Project “written by Clare Pooley, which I came across in the library. This is about a group of people who had never met before, but all met by coming across a green exercise book entitled “The Authenticity Project”. The initial entry is written by Julian Jessop, a 79 year old formerly well-known portrait painter, who led a very stylish and colourful life in the ‘swinging sixties’. He writes “how well do you know your neighbours? Would you realise if they were in trouble or hadn’t left their house in days?” He does not put his name to this entry in the green book, but he leaves the book on a table in a friendly little coffee house owned by Monica (the next writer in the little green book). She feels moved enough to search out Julian, and since her coffee shop needs customers, persuades him to run an art class in the shop one evening a week. Hopefully this will get him out of his house and her some new customers. Then along comes Hazard (aptly named) who crashes into Monica in the street whilst tugging along a glamourous and giggly blonde called Blanche. He is a city trader on the Stock Exchange, with a drink and drug problem and a very short fuse. He would describe himself as “my head is wired and

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Conservation Communities

he Conservation Communities project is hosted by Devon Wildlife Trust and is working with the residents from 11 parishes between Great Torrington and Hatherleigh, to record as much about the natural environment as we can. Plenty of exciting species can no doubt be found in this area, but little has formally been recorded with the Devon Biodiversity Records Centre, about what and where these species are, and how they are doing. We are encouraging everyone to get involved by telling us what wildlife you have seen. This can be something you think is common or an exciting, rare sighting that you have experienced. We are interested in old or new records of wildlife from these parishes, to tell us what you’ve seen go to www.dbrc.org and follow the Wildlife Records link. To improve our wildlife knowledge and identification skills this project is providing training opportunities and other events that will allow people to explore, record and help protect wildlife. We have a programme of face-to-face events lined up for the summer, with activities such as bee identification workshops, family activities and schools sessions. During lockdown many of our events have taken place online, these have proved popular so will continue thorough this two-year project. If you would like to find out more about our events, volunteer to help deliver the project, or want to share knowledge on the local environment, please contact Jo Pullin at conservationcommunties@devonwildlifetrust.org or call 07721 757 173.

my body bone tired”, he would be handsome except for the perpetual sneer on his face. The green book had been taken into a nearby wine bar by Monica, while she added her contribution. She felt time was slipping away, in her thirties with no ‘significant other’ she left the book in the bar where it was picked up by Hazard, who popped it into his pocket and decided to go to Thailand to try and break

his addiction, and so the story goes on. This little green book proceeds to change the lives of all the people who write in it. This book was written well before the Covid crisis, but in the same way makes you think about other people and what you REALLY want from life. A real ‘feel good’ book, ideal for a sunny day in the deckchair. Bookworm

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GREAT TORRINGTON T From Your New Mayor…

ow the time has flown and summer is almost upon us. There have been many changes, including my recent appointment as Mayor of Great Torrington. It is often said that all good things come to an end… well, I hope that some things will continue to be good as I take over the reins from my predecessor, Cllr Keeley Allin, who has done a fabulous job of representing the town for the past two years. The first part of the year hasn’t been normal at all, starting with the awful news that we had to cancel May Fair for a second time. This was absolutely the hardest decision we as a committee could have been called on to make, knowing the heartache it would bring to those youngsters who were so looking forward to this once-in-a-lifetime event. A lot of sleep was lost prior to making the call, but in the end we had absolutely no option bearing in mind the overarching responsibility we all have to each other and our children. As we all know, Great Torrington has been voted the “healthiest place to live”. During the pandemic, we did

not consistently provide the country’s lowest infection statistics without effort and sacrifice. Torridge as a District had consistently lowest infection figures nationally, and within Torridge we as a town shone out, but we must carry on our Covid awareness and not relax our guard too quickly. This is not to say we mustn’t get back to ‘normality’ as soon as we can, but emerging from lockdown needs to be accomplished with some caution and common sense so as not to undo all the gains for which we have all paid such a high price. Our ongoing thanks to our local and regional NHS staff, and to our extraordinary volunteers who have been instrumental in making all this achievable by their tireless work. One of my passions is raising awareness of our fragile environment. As someone with a love of scuba diving, I have seen to my sadness coral bleaching and plastic rubbish in the worlds’ oceans where you’d least expect it. Closer to home, I have been collaborating with SAS (Surfers Against Sewage) and Plastic Free North Devon, both of whom have been extremely active locally with beach cleans and other similar events. For some time now Great Torrington has been chasing Plastic Free Status. The newly opened Torrington Refill Store will go a long way to support this by raising awareness and opportunity in the town, so please support Bruce and Mike in

their endeavours. The town’s Transport and Environment Working Group hasn’t been meeting through the lockdown, but watch this space as we will be looking for people interested in our planet to get more involved. Many of you will be aware that we have changed our grass cutting policy. This is designed to support and encourage our ever-diminishing army of pollinators, on whom we rely so heavily. I am excited to have been involved with the Fiware4Water initiative from its inception (there are more details in this edition of the Crier, so I’ll not repeat). Because of our unique geography amongst other things, Great Torrington was selected by Exeter University to represent the UK in an EU and UN Water awareness initiative so please do grasp this chance to participate. If you have concerns or ideas, please feed back to me or any of your councillors. We’d be glad to hear your ideas. We are here FOR YOU. Finally, I would like to confirm that my two charities this year will be the North Devon Hospice and the Tarka Valley Railway. I am also very pleased to invite Reverend Robert Blackhall as the Town Council’s Chaplain. Cllr Doug Smith Mayor of Great Torrington cllr.smith@great-torringtontowncouncil. gov.uk 07970 636 199

TOWN COUNCIL NEWS Your Council, Working for YOU

The Mayor’s Good Citizen Award 2020

Town Council Awards 2021

llr Miss Keeley Allin has awarded her Good Citizen Award for 2021 to two people! The two Heads of our Primary and Secondary schools; Angela Fleming and Andy Bloodworth. Keeley wrote, “I am conscious that all staff members at both schools have worked incredibly hard over this past year, working in extremely difficult situations and unchartered waters, needing to react to changes in guidance and rules, often with very little notice. The school Heads have worked tirelessly; leading staff members, children and young people and families endeavouring to ensure the right balance between meeting educational, psychological and safety needs are met. I am very grateful for all that they have done for the children and young people of our community and hope that this award also goes some way to express gratitude from the community at large”. Great Torrington Town Council

his year the Town Council has awarded the Howe Plate to Peter and Val Morris, in recognition of their remarkable efforts over several decades in keeping the Museum going and in doing so, contributing to preserving the town’s heritage for future generations. Peter and Val stepped down from the Museum last September and members considered the presentation of the Howe Plate to be a fitting tribute for all that they have both done for the community. Great Torrington Town Council

Great Torrington Neighbourhood Plan (2014-2031)

The Integrated Care System & Healthcare Provision in Great Torrington

Great Torrington Town Council eighbourhood planning is a new way for communities to have a say in the future of the places where they live and work. It gives you the power to produce a plan with legal weight that can influence the form and location of development in the neighbourhood area. After six years of preparation and community engagement, undertaken by the Town Council, the Great Torrington Neighbourhood Plan has reached a significant milestone. Following a successful formal examination and agreement by Torridge District Council, a referendum on the Neighbourhood plan will take place on 17th June 2021. The Referendum will be managed by the District Council; all registered voters within the parish of Great Torrington will be able participate in the referendum. If you would like to look at the referendum Neighbourhood Plan, it can be found on the following links https://www.torridge.gov.uk/torringtonnp and https://www. greattorrington-neighbourhood-plan.org/. If you would like to see a hard copy of the Neighbourhood Plan, please contact the Town Council on 01805 626135 or email: admin@great-torringtontowncouncil. gov.uk.

t the Annual Council meeting on Thursday 6th May 2021 the Town Council voted to write to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, to ask for an assurance that the introduction of the Integrated Care System, along with budget savings, will not have an adverse effect on any aspect of provision of health care provided in Great Torrington. Members also requested that the Town Council raise its concerns in relation to scrutiny of the outcomes of these matters. Great Torrington Town Council

GREAT TORRINGTON TOWN COUNCIL NEWS Final Word…

would like to finish my term as Mayor of Great Torrington by saying how much I have enjoyed serving our town and leading the Town Council through the last two years, 12 months of which has seen such extraordinary circumstances. The whole community pulled together and I am proud of everyone who played their part. I will continue to champion my ‘shop local’ message and will always carry on encouraging local people to support their local traders. I feel the future of Great Torrington is very exciting, with our Marketing Working Group ensuring we really do shout about what we have to offer. I look forward to working with fellow committee members on this over the next 12 months. Of course, I will continue to be a councillor so please do not hesitate to contact me if you feel I am able to help you, I will always try my hardest to either help you myself or find someone who can. Finally, I want to express my pride of having been part of a long line of Mayors to serve in Great Torrington. It has been an experience of a lifetime and one I will never forget. Thank you for all your continued support and kind words; it means the world to me. Thanks also to all staff and volunteers at Great Torrington Town Council. We as councillors would not be able to do all our work without you supporting us every step of the way. I can now officially say I hand the role over to Cllr Doug Smith, who has been a tremendous support for me as my deputy and who I know will do the town proud in everything he does. Congratulations Doug, enjoy this amazing experience and you have my full support for your term in office. Cllr Keeley Allin

Mayor 2021/2022

t the Annual Business Meeting on the 6th May, Cllr Doug Smith was elected as Mayor for the following year. Cllr Smith has nominated Rev Rob Blackhall as the Mayor’s Chaplain and his two chosen charities this year are the North Devon Hospice and Tarka Valley Railway. Cllr Smith said, “Being nominated by my fellow councillors for the role of Mayor was a huge honour, for which I am grateful. I am following an illustrious succession in that office, and I will endeavour to maintain and build on the fine traditions set by them. I am sure everyone in Great Torrington will be working hard together to recover from this awful pandemic and get life back to the normality we have all been missing for some time”. Cllr Allin was also nominated as Deputy Mayor at the same meeting for 2021/2022. Great Torrington Town Council

Notice of Referendum

Great Torrington Neighbourhood Plan Area

1. A referendum will be held on Thursday, 17 June 2021 to decide on the question below: 'Do you want Torridge District Council to use the Neighbourhood Plan for Great Torrington to help it decide planning applications in the neighbourhood area?' 2. Applications to register must reach the Electoral Registration Officer at Riverbank House, Bideford, Devon, EX39 2QG by midnight on Thursday, 1 June 2021. Applications can be made online: www.gov. uk/register-to-vote. 3. Applications to vote by post, or to change or cancel an existing postal vote, proxy appointment or postal proxy arrangement must be received by the Electoral Registration Officer at Riverbank House, Bideford, Devon, EX39 2QG. They must arrive by 5 p.m. on Wednesday, 2 June 2021. 4. Applications to vote by proxy at this referendum must reach the Electoral Registration Officer at Riverbank House, Bideford, Devon, EX39 2QG by 5 p.m. on Wednesday,9 June 2021. 5. Applications to vote by emergency proxy at this referendum must reach the Electoral Registration Officer at Riverbank House, Bideford, Devon, EX39 2QG by 5 p.m. on Thursday, 17 June 2021. This service is available for anyone who 1. suffers an illness or disability after 5pm on Wednesday 9 June 2021; or 2. discovers after that deadline that they will be unable to go to the poll on the day of the election for occupational, employment or service reasons

Steve Hearse, Counting Officer

Property Market Place Musings

ended the last article with a paragraph on the question we, as agents, get asked most often. Is it a good time to sell? Yes, was the answer. The March lending figures have been released by the Bank of England and they make for extraordinary reading and back this sentiment up. According to the Bank of England, mortgage lending has shown the biggest net increase on record. Mortgage borrowing in March rose by a net £11.8 billion pounds, the strongest since Bank of England records began in April 1993. Lenders approved 82,735 mortgages in March - some 5,000 fewer than in February - but the March 2021 figure was 45% up on March 2020. I would not be surprised if when the Bank of England releases the April figures, we see an increase on these mind boggling figures, if the Torrington market is anything to go by. April has seen no let up to the demand that has been created by the Stamp Duty holiday periods, as well as the surge in staycations. Both lettings and sales have seen a continual increase in activity and now it is quite the norm to have multiple offers on a property, with the landlord or vendor being given a choice of tenant or buyer. Often this choice comes with would-be tenants and buyers going above and beyond the quoted price guides, in the hope that more money will secure the property for them. That is not always the case, however. Stock levels are taking a battering all over the industry within the UK. This is

being exasperated by the initial furore in getting property listed and through by the end of March, and thus forcing an exceedingly early market to this year. Secondly this was complemented by the market running right through to the end of last year. Many people were shielding due to Covid and have held off having their properties appraised and brought to the market but, now the vaccination roll out is in full swing, this is likely to lessen which should help to a moderate degree on stock levels. There is still a belief that it is better to find a property first, before instructing an agent to sell your own, but this is being turned on its head as many agents and home owners are working together to lessen the risk of Covid spreading; only allowing viewings to take place from buyers or tenants who are in a proceedable position. This means less viewings of a property, but the quality of those being introduced is far better, meaning that the transaction is likely to reach the end as everyone is more motivated to make it happen. With the easing of restrictions Torrington town has become a lot busier, and there is a marked increase of visitors and more varied accents being heard both on the streets, in the shops, along our myriad of pathways and open countryside. This, along with the television crew in the town recently, has got to be good news for us all, as they will spread the word as to why we are, Great Torrington! Adrian Hardwick, Webbers Local Director

Papering Over the Cracks or Carrie On Decorating

Oh when will they finish this decorating lark? It starts before dawn and ends after dark. They bring tins full of gloss and some of emulsion But at the sight of a paintbrush I now feel utter revulsion. There is sugar soap, masking tape, sandpaper as well, Though it’s turpentine that gets me with its most noxious smell. We’ve had samples of paint and contrasting papers But this whole idea now gives me a fit of the vapours! However this was my challenge, my personal creation, Oh but the doing has been a great revelation. I thought it would only cost Boris a “jot or a tittle” If I left the design to my friend Lulu Lytle. But now I see that things couldn’t be worse He might have to fund it from the Queen’s Privy Purse, It’s costing £200,000 and that’s just a starter, I can’t see my Boris being made a Knight of the Garter, But I’m not sorry we kept Teresa’s old curtains, because, I sort of liked Number Eleven just the way that it was! ©Stef Easton

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Fleur’s Gardening Forum House Plants

ummer is an excellent time to give your house plants a holiday in the fresh air. Many of the sub-tropical houseplants that we buy grow naturally under the tree canopy, where they flourish in the shady, humid shelter. You could create such an environment outdoors under the dappled shade of a tree, or even under a sunshade. It is also possible to recreate this indoors, especially if you live in a flat that receives a lot of hot sunshine during the day, by moving your plants to the bathroom or the shadiest corner of a room and give them plenty of air by keeping a window open if security allows. To keep humidity levels up, you can place soaked newspaper in the pot saucers and also spray more often with fine water (preferably rainwater). Obviously, if you cannot do this due to lack of space, try rigging up a sunshade using an old sheet or umbrella(s) just to keep the sun off the leaves as much as possible. For the sun lovers, such as cacti and succulents, they too will like being outdoors and won’t mind a drop of rain on them, either. Just ensure the pots aren’t sitting in water after any downpours. Placing plants outside can also give you an opportunity to tidy them up and check for pests, especially those which thrive in warm, dry environments, such as red spider mite and mealy bug. You cannot see red spider mite with the naked eye but a bad infestation will show itself by fine spiders’ webs which you will spot if you view the plant with the light shining through it. A really serious outbreak will cause leaves to take on a mottled appearance. Red spider mite doesn’t like wet conditions so a good soaking and a wash with rainwater, gently wiping the leaves of the plants will control it. Allowing the plant to be rained on will also help and don’t forget to wash down the pot, saucer and clean where the plant usually lives indoors. Mealy bug is more difficult to eradicate and often affects succulents. They are sap-sucking insects that cover themselves in a thick mealy substance that resists washing with water or spraying. One painstaking method to control them is to dip a cotton bud in a little white spirit and dab it on to the pests, getting down into the crevices of the plant, and you may be able to remove them. If the infestation is really bad, you may be saying goodbye to the plant, but it’s still worth trying to save it by leaving it outdoors over the summer. Fleur

Tarka Valley Railway News

momentous day for the railway happened on April 22nd, the first movement of our entire rolling stock took place. The first time in many years that there has been movement at Torrington! Our loco Torrington Cavalier propelled the tank wagon, brake van and the TSO carriage a short distance down the platform, so that the brake van has now joined the carriage in the garden of the Puffing Billy. This was the culmination of much work on Torrington Cavalier and the loco was well up to the task asked of it. After this excitement, work has continued on all fronts; brake van and carriage restoration and we hope that the rails from the main line to the siding should be in place by the time this article is published. Our shop in the carriage is now open every Thursday, and at weekends subject to volunteer availability, so do pop in to peruse our stock. As usual our Facebook page has weekly updates and photos - please take a look when you can. Robert Martin Tarka Valley Railway

The Box in the Loft

ue to the pandemic, logistics and more medical information, ‘The Box in The Loft’ by Suzy Tanton will now be published in August & not May as previously printed in the Crier.

Old Place Names in Torrington

ucksy Lane, Bastards Lane and Quiet Possession are just some of the colourful names to be found in and around Torrington. A lot of names have changed over the years. Warren Lane was known as Dedalls Lane at one time and, on a map of 1843, it is called Rack Park Lane - from Warren House down to where it meets Mill Street. I've been told that Rice Point was originally known as Rise Point. Some names have been lost, such as Popes Lane, a drangway between Mill Street and Castle Hill Path. Quiet Possession, also known by local people as the Dump Field or Clarke's Meadow, is to the right of School Lane, as you travel towards Weare Giffard, and is a favourite spot for dog walkers.

to the site of the medieval castle which was a ruin by the seventeenth century. In 1940 the land around the castle site was still known as 'Castle-garden Fields' (now Castle Hill Gardens). Barley Grove refers to the bailey of the castle, the outer wall and the court enclosed by it surrounding the keep (as in motte and bailey). Rolle Road along by the river was built on the bed of Lord Rolle's Canal. School Lane was the old road to Bideford and named after the school set up by John Lovering in 1671 in Weare Giffard. Limers Road was an old "The phrase 'quiet possession' pack road along which lime, refers to a system of rents coal and other supplies introduced in 1835 to be paid by were transported after being occupiers of the 'common fields' for unloaded at the shipyard at being allowed to cultivate them." Weare Giffard. The section of the road now known The phrase 'quiet possession' refers to a as Limers Hill was called system of rents introduced in 1835 to be Bidnawell Lane until the early twentieth paid by occupiers of the 'common fields' century, named after Bidnawell Farm for being allowed to cultivate them. which was at the bottom of Mill Street, Street and place names in Torrington prior to the milk factory and the canal reflect the activities that took place there basin. There was also a lime kiln, a grist in the past: Mill Street led down to the mill for corn etc. (known as Frog Mill) and ancient Manor Corn Mill. Rack Park, a tucking mill for cloth. Close to the site up on the south-facing hillside above was a public well called Bidna, the old Mill Street, is connected with cloth Devon name for a hollow place in a long, manufacture for which Devon was once deep valley. Limers Hill was the name famous. This is where the woollen cloth of the whole area, including Mill Street was hung out on racks to dry in the sun common and a former quarry. and the prevailing westerly wind. Castle The second half of the nineteenth Street marks the approach from the town century was a period of great

development (markets, town hall, waterworks, reservoir, etc.) and the gasworks in Gas Lane supplied the town with power and light. New Street is mentioned, as 'Nywystret', in a document as early as 1382 and New Road was built up into the town in the 1840s. Maybe it's time for a change of name for these roads to something more imaginative! Moira Brewer Pictured: Old images of New Street

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The Crier Prize Crossword The winner of this month’s crossword will receive a bottle of champagne from Not Just Travel. Please send completed crossword with contact details, to The Crier, Castle Hill, Torrington, EX38 8AA, or email to torrington.crier@gmail.com. The winner of last issue’s prize is Sue Turner. The winner for this issue will be picked at random from correct entries. Deadline for entries is Thursday 10th June and the solution and winner will be in the June issue.

Arranging Incredible Holidays for You!

I’ve arranged an incredible number of holidays and adventures for the fabulous folk of Torrington, but I still encounter people who didn’t realise that we have an award winning, independent, ABTA Travel Agent right here in town. This is mainly because I don’t operate from a shop, so I’d like to tell you a little more about me and my business. I moved to Torrington just over 13 years ago and started my career in travel in 1991, setting up my business here three years ago when I joined Not Just Travel, a Hays Independence Group member. I’m fully independent, but with the support of the Hays group – meaning financial security for you as a customer, and great value for money. When arranging a holiday, I like to have an initial chat to get to know you and understand your likes and dislikes. Some people prefer text or WhatsApp and this is fine too, but for that initial enquiry, a proper chat is a must. I then go away and put together your perfect holiday for you. No matter if its boating on the Norfolk Broads or a trip of a lifetime escorted tour to a far-flung destination, I am always delighted to offer help and advice, and my services are free, so please do get in touch for any help with your future holiday plans. My number is 01805 640110 and further contact details can be found on my advertisement on the front page. Gill Farr, Not Just Travel

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01805 938502 07711 079 577 The River Torridge from Source to Sea

An artistic journey he River Torridge from Source to Sea is a meditative artistic journey into the river and its surroundings, capturing the river during the changing seasons. The Greening The source of the River Torridge is at Brimford Bridge: the meeting of two headwaters below a crossroad near Meddon. In amongst the brambles and fallen trees adorned with overgrown ivy, it’s a surreptitious start for such a grand river. I started my exploration in January near the source, where the deer tracks follow the river in and out of the water and trees. This year there was no snow, but plenty of boggy ground. The brambles make walking difficult too, outstretched across the path like tripwires. Along this part of the river, sloe trees make the going even tougher. The sounds of a buzzard fill the air above me, mingled with robin and blackbird, these, and the deer prints are the only signs of wildlife, something unseen, but still present. I re-joined that part of the river in early April. Following deer paths through hazel and sloe trees, partway down I met a rabbit, the first I’d seen on my walks next to the river this year. The ground was strewn with empty hazelnut shells, another echo of an animal I hadn’t seen, until further into my walk I saw one bouncing through the trees above me. Each part of the river brings new surprises, a dancing butterfly, young primroses and stinging nettles rising from the ground, and a fleeting glimpse of a kingfisher. As the earth warms up, nature is opening her eyes and the greening has begun. Shiva King

1st Torrington Scout Group

ubs have had a great time meeting in person; meeting outdoors on Great Torrington Commons for map reading and navigation. The first week they had to learn how to read a map and walk around the Commons together. The second week they split into groups and with an adult had to navigate, finding Fleur de Lys flags hanging from trees marked on their maps. After both of these sessions a little time was spent playing in the park until parents arrived to collect them. The weather was kind to us when they had a history tour of Great Torrington. Learning about the castle, Roundheads, Cavaliers, 1646, etc. A game of themed monopoly will be played next to see what they've learnt. The Scouts have been enjoying using our refurbished scout hut as we return to normal scouting. First they enjoyed a blindfolded Easter egg hunt and they also made Bannock bread on our expedition Trangia stove; choosing a filling of their choice such as cheese or chocolate chip. To keep our navigation all in check, we spent an evening walking around Torrington practicing our compass and map work. Working towards our Circus Skills badge we had

the opportunity to try a wide range of skills such as the diablo, devil sticks spinning plates and a uni-cycle (only one Scout was brave enough). We will take these new skills away and practice them for our end of term BBQ. The Scouts have also up-cycled some old pallets by making them into wooden planters. This is in preparation for later on in the term when we will be working towards our smallholder badge, planting a range of items - from vegetables to flowers - in our own planters as well as in front of our scout hut.

Beaver Leaders Wanted We are looking to reopen our Beaver Colony. If you or anyone you know would be interested in running or helping run an exciting programme for 6-8 years please contact our Group Scout Leader Jordon. If you have a son or daughter who may be interested in joining Cubs aged 8-10 or Scouts aged 10-14, please contact Jordon GSL on email Jordon.whitear@ gmail.com.

TORRIDGE COMMUNITY MINIBUS SERVICES Run by Ilfracombe & District Community Transport

Ring and Ride services operate in the following areas: Mondays from Westward Ho! and Bideford Tuesdays Torrington Wednesdays from Hartland Thursdays High Bickington and south of the area. Fridays Bideford Further details from: Janice Banks on 01271 864258

Change to Healthcare Management

id anybody know that since 1st April, our health in Torrington has been managed by something called an ICS? An Integrated Care System. There are 42 of these ICSs which cover the whole of England. Our ICS covers the whole of Devon, and includes the four main hospital trusts and 130 GP practices. Its stated aim is to integrate health and social care services across Devon, something we would all like, but its real aim is to open up the NHS for big business to make profit. The new CEO of this massive body, now deciding on all aspects of Devon’s healthcare, is Jane Milligan. However, there is no new money to go with this bureaucratic change. Jane writes, “The funding for health services is increasing nationally, but is not keeping pace with the demand for services. The amount that councils are given for local services has effectively been halved since 2008. For the NHS in Devon to break even by 2023/24, we need annual savings of £99m every year.” https://www.icsdevon.co.uk/ In the middle of a pandemic, we now have a new health bureaucracy and have to suffer cuts to our health services of £99 million a year! Don’t forget we have had cuts to our health budget of £557 million over the last five years, which led to closing of community hospitals. But how does this affect us in Torrington? Well, you may already have seen cuts to health services. Ear syringing for those who are deaf is no longer provided. Along with 35 NHS medicines and treatments no longer available on NHS prescription.

Jane also provides us with the cheery news that, “Devon’s population will grow by 33,000 over the next five years, … by 2030 there will be 37% more people aged over 75 compared to today…w hilst our first priority is always to provide high quality and compassionate care, we have a duty to do this within the available budget.” https://www.icsdevon.co.uk/ Less money and a greater demand for health care in our town and county great!! ICSs have been brought in from the United States. They aim to spend less on care whilst, obviously, putting very large amounts of taxpayers' money into shareholders' pockets (thus leaving even less to be spent on patients). Some 83 corporations and businesses, including 22 from the US, are getting heavily involved in developing ICSs and may even sit on their boards, putting them in a prime position to make decisions for the NHS that actually serve them rather than the NHS. The government white paper on ICSs (google “government white paper ICS”) provides the powers for our Devon ICS to make sweeping changes that will mean more private contracts awarded without safeguards, more down-skilling and outsourcing of NHS jobs, deregulation of professional standards, reduced services (partially replaced by ‘digital’ options and volunteers), data-sharing to suit the system, and significant spending cuts. There will be a lack of accountability and the board’s plans will be binding. Were we consulted? The consultation period was reduced from the requisite 12 weeks to six, running from 26

Blackberry Farm Shop

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November 2020 to 8 January 2021, i.e. over Christmas and New Year, when most people’s attention would have been focussed on family and festivities, but also while the pandemic was raging. The NHS across England is being changed under the cover of COVID-19. There has been no real public consultation or the necessary legal Local Authority scrutiny on what are emergency measures being made permanent, as part of Integrated Care Systems (ICS) development. STITCH believes in democratic Local Authority scrutiny and public consultation, and a fully funded National Health Service free at the point of use and not for profit, opposing any cuts to health services in Torrington, and to keep our town alert to what changes are being attempted. We support the SOHS county wide campaign to oppose any cuts to Devon’s heath service provision. STITCH

Great Torrington Senior Citizens Group

ur intention is to hold an AGM for current and new members when guidance allows. We do not anticipate this before the end of 2021. We are constantly monitoring the coach, travel and safety guidelines and how they will affect our future plans. We intend to be functioning in the future. Meanwhile we wish you a healthy and safe summer. Chris Payne (Chair), Beryl Oke (Vice Chair), Jax Hughes (Treasurer), John Pitts (Secretary)

Volunteering with the Rolle Canal Society

’was on a Wednesday morning, a soft drizzle, roads gleaming wet, we wait in the car park for the team to assemble from all over North Devon and walk down through the gardens to the Shippen at Rosemoor. We pass heaps of black earth, compost and bark all waiting for their bugs to do their work before being distributed over the acres of beds. But we are on our way to the old canal basin and lime kilns, abandoned in 1867, which were the original terminus of the Rolle Canal which, together with the two new mills on the entry drive to the Rolle Estate at Stevenstone, formed an industrial hub for Great Torrington in the middle of the 19th century. Fortunately, as it often does for us, it stops raining and we open up the trailer ready to manhandle the machinery to its operating position. Has anyone remembered the petrol? Have we sharpened the tools? Mended the mattocks? All is well and the morning's work begins. Five years ago this area was a wilderness, covered with free growing shrubs and dumps of unwanted rubbish and earth. Every time we look upon it after a week’s absence we marvel at the transformation taking place. The basin is now close to the original design, stone walls repaired, new copings cast and sluices replaced, and it now looks like the original canal, full of water. Our attention has now turned to the stabilising of the five monster lime kilns which, at a time of burgeoning population, provided our Victorian forebears with the means of enriching their acid soil to generate

great improvements in their crop yields. We have already rebuilt a stone archway on one of the kiln fire grates; thanks to the skills of one of the volunteers in constructing a wooden former to accept the voussoirs, which make up the arch. How the original navvies cut them, without the help of modern disc cutters to fit, still amazes us. Now we are repointing and, in some cases, rebuilding the decaying walls of the kilns which had, in many cases, been robbed of their precious stone, sometimes down to ground level. Eventually we hope that it will be secure enough for the RHS to open to the public and recall the industrial heritage of our area. To reach this stage we have struggled with ivy tentacles, tree roots the size of oil drums, mud and even the Torridge in flood! The site is not limited to the canal and lime kilns, as we discovered the hard way when one of our volunteers literally fell over the remains of a water wheel, which we later discovered was from an early tucking mill which had almost completely disappeared beneath the rampant vegetation. A decision was made to investigate further and we are in the process of digging out the outline of the mill. Every week some relic is found which requires an explanation which we cannot yet determine, but we keep on digging. Only pausing for a coffee break and half an hour of gossip. Besides the basin at Rosemoor, the Society looks after other sites on the

old canal, at Beam, where there is a kilometre of towpath given to the public as a permissible footpath by the Clinton Estate, and another at Ridd, where the canal was lifted through 42 feet by means of an inclined plane, powered by a subterranean water wheel - some forty feet in diameter. The starting point of the canal was at Annery kiln, where the owner has been restoring the lock which connected the River Torridge to the canal. The Society is helping to continue with this work and is actively seeking volunteers of all shapes and sizes who would like to work in the fresh air and will enjoy the company of like-minded people. Our present bunch is a cheerful collection of multiple disciplines, including engineers, accountants, civil servants, solicitors, teachers, builders and carpenters. If you would like to try us, please contact me on my mobile, 07960 119 982. You will be made very welcome. Pictured: Volunteers installing the control sluice

Time to Talk About Organ Donation

he NHS is launching a new campaign to urge families in Devon to talk about organ donation following research that less than half of adults in England have had the conversation. The ‘Leave Them Certain’ campaign aims to highlight the impact not knowing has on the families who are left behind and encourage people to talk about their decision. It follows the law change last year in England, which means that all adults are seen as willing to donate their organs, unless they opt out or are in one of the excluded groups. In Devon, 584,274 people are currently on the NHS Organ Donor Register, with 24 people becoming donors in the last year, but the NHS needs more people to talk with their families about their decision. Many still don’t realise that families will still be approached before any donation goes ahead. As part of the campaign, a new TV advert recently launched featuring the Kakkad family. Shivum’s father Bharat died from a cardiac arrest when he was 63 in May 2019, but the family had never spoken about organ donation. The advert features family footage and memories of Bharat but ends with another memory - when they asked Shivum if his father wanted to be an organ donor and he just didn’t know. Significantly, Shivum and his family did agree to organ donation, but it was a decision that could have been made easier if they’d had the conversation. Shivum said: “My father was a very giving person. He did charity work and was a strong believer in the Hindu act

of Sewa, of service to God. When the specialist nurse approached us about organ donation, we made our decision. We knew that helping others in need was what my father would have wanted. But I wish we had spoken about it to know for certain and I would urge others to take the opportunity while they still can.” Shivum hopes that by sharing their family’s story, they will encourage more families, to support and talk about organ donation. The numbers of donors are increasing, but more need to come forward as often the best transplant match will come from a donor of the same ethnicity. Bharat went on to help the lives of two other people. He donated a kidney to a woman in her 50s and a kidney to a man in his 60s. Research shows that the biggest barrier to talking about organ donation is that it’s never come up in conversation with 34% of people stating this as their reason. 27% say they are worried it will upset their family or make them feel uncomfortable, 24% feel they don’t need to tell anyone their decision, 22% don’t want to talk about their own death, 22% say they haven’t got round to it yet and 16% have never thought about organ donation before. Anthony Clarkson, Director of Organ and Tissue Donation and Transplantation for NHS Blood and Transplant, said: “People often tell us that they struggle to find the right time or words to talk about organ donation, unfortunately we see first-hand the impact not knowing has on families when the first time they consider their loved ones wishes around organ donation is when they are seriously ill or

have already died. Talk to your friends, talk to your family. Even though the law has changed, you can still sign up to the NHS Organ Donor Register to provide your family with added reassurance. Please don’t wait. Have the conversation today.” Find out more by visiting our dedicated pages at www.organdonation.nhs.uk. For more information on organ donation, and to register your decision, please visit: www.organdonation.nhs.uk or call 0300 123 23 23.

Writers’ Group

ue to Covid restrictions and other unforeseen circumstances, torringtonwriters will not be meeting formally for the foreseeable future. However, if you are interested in writing and want to meet up on an ad hoc basis with other writers, then please contact Stephanie Easton on 01805 622688.

Torrington RFC

ell, it seems we are heading for normality at long last! Any league game dates are being eagerly awaited, not only by the players but spectators too. Speaking to our most ardent supporters, I know how much being able to stand and yell at the ref has been missed! Club life has been ticking over in the background with meetings being held on Zoom. This has enabled me, personally, to take part, as my life on the road ordinarily prohibits me from attending. Much has been talked of when and how to reopen the clubhouse and bar. With a certain amount of caution being exercised as to restocking the bar cellar. A major outlay, as much stock was thrown out during the first lockdown. However, with dates being confirmed as to when we are allowed to reopen, things are looking up with social events being arranged. Two dates that are set, are: AGM: Torrington Rugby Club AGM will be Friday 25th June 7.30pm at Donnacroft. CLUB CLEAN UP DAY: Saturday 3rd July, from 9am Training under current guidelines continues on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 6.30pm for the time being, although the ‘season’ is coming to a close soon. Training proper will resume mid-July, with the league game dates yet to be received from Devon RFU. If you would like to join us as a new or returning player, feel free to just turn up

and get involved. We don’t bite! It’s great to see our Junior section in action with fantastic numbers turning up and enthusiastically having great times. The future of YOUR club looks to be in good shape. We can always be contacted on TRFC1985@ outlook.com. C’mon Torrie! Enjoyment, Respect, Discipline, Teamwork and Sportsmanship Mark Waterson Torrie Youth The last few weeks have seen a return to rugby for our youngsters and it’s been a joy to see! It’s not just about the rugby, but more importantly they have been able to burn off some of that built up tension from being at home so much over the last few months. The season technically ends on 31st May so we are looking to squeeze in one game before the deadline. After which we will be looking to have some summer training in preparation for next season. It will be nice to (hopefully!) have some warm and dry weather to develop their skills. I’d like to thank all the volunteers for the time they give up to make it such an enjoyable, friendly and safe place to be. Without them we just couldn’t do it and the youngsters would miss out on so much that this team sport offers. A big thanks also to the parents, for the patience and cooperation along the way. If there is anyone out there that would like to get involved with our youth section, please get in touch.

We have missed out on so many social activities this year, let’s hope we can get back to a ‘normal’ season from September! We will keep you updated along the way! Adrian Avery (Youth Chairman) 07780 665 378 agavery81@gmail.com

Little Torrington WI

e would like to welcome 2 new members: Ruth and Jan. Just think we shall soon be able to meet up! All being well our plan is for a picnic meet-up on Monday 5th July to help celebrate NHS Day. A new cake recipe has been devised by the WI for the occasion so we shall be sampling generously! Before then we shall be zooming as usual: in June our speaker will be from Barnstaple Bloomers WI as they sponsored last year’s resolution on the need for more people to be on the Stem Cell Register and we are interested in their experiences. Some of our members will be attending, virtually, the Devon Federation Spring Council Meeting and others the National Annual Meeting. All without moving from our living rooms. There is a lot to be said for this. Should you wish to join us you can always drop in on a Zoom meeting and look at our Facebook page. During any given month we also have book club and a coffee morning. So do contact our secretary Linda on 01805 603442. Sally Ramsden

Organic & Wholefood Buying Group News

nother busy month for us at OWBG - I've been rattling doors looking for a new venue for us to operate from on delivery / collection day with some slow responses as venues have only gradually been becoming operational again. And now suddenly from June, we have a venue! You'll find us at Torrington Rugby Club on our delivery/collection days, where the space and ease will mean members will be able

"So members are now invited to offer their dishes and bakes in the newsletter, agreeing cost and dietary requirements between themselves. To get the ball rolling, my partner is offering a variety of organic, raw sauerkrauts, and these are turning out to be in quite some demand." to collect their orders and have a cup of tea and a chat with each other. If you're curious about what we do, of course you're very welcome to pop in and discover more. Since we first began six years ago, I've always thought it would be an excellent idea if members were able to share their special dishes with each other. Most of us prefer homemade food, but even the most enthusiastic of us finds it difficult to have the time to do all we would like. So members are now invited to offer their dishes and bakes in the newsletter, agreeing cost and dietary requirements between themselves. To get the ball rolling, my partner is offering a variety of organic, raw sauerkrauts, and these are turning out to be in quite some

demand. Previously I've been asked to bake celebration cakes – organic, vegan, sugar and gluten free and I’m quite sure that others in the group have all sorts of delicious wholesome foods that others would be delighted to have the opportunity of sharing. Wellbeing Tip: Harnessing Probiotic Power We all know that probiotic bacteria help us to digest our food efficiently and keep our bodies clean and healthy, but did you know that they perform the same function in our home and garden? Probiotics gobble up biofilm, dirt and dust, multiplying and crowding out undesirable bacteria! What’s more, they continue to do so for 72 hrs after you’ve sprayed them on a surface. By using probiotic cleaners, you enhance the health of your environment and the use of other cleaners, particularly chemical ones, becomes unnecessary and indeed counterproductive. Research demonstrates that chemical cleaners are only effective for a very short time and that probiotics actually work much better and for longer. My experience is that with regular probiotic spraying, surfaces brighten up and become and stay cleaner, even ones that have resisted previous scrubbing. I’m happy with that! It means I can spend less time cleaning and achieve cleaner brighter healthier surroundings. The spray bottles are well made and robust and the probiotics come in a sachet which you dilute with water. So once you’ve bought the starter kit, you only need the sachets for refills meaning no unnecessary transportation

of water and ongoing reuse of the bottles. Altogether a very practical, economical and sensible system! There is also a comprehensive range of probiotic products to enhance the health of your plants and soil - all chemical free of course. There's an extensive range of liquid probiotics with herbs for particular health issues and people. E.g. liver, sleep, gut reboot, women, kids, resilience, breathe and so on, brewed with 15 different strains of probiotics - I’ve not found a more comprehensive range. The inclusion of selected herbs in the fermentation increases the nutrients and bio availability of those herbs. In a nutshell, this radical range of products enhances the ecology of both our bodies and our environment, fortifying our immune system and the sustainability of the Earth. If you'd like to try for yourself, please do get in touch at owbg@protonmail.com. Next grocery final order date: 16th June Next body care final order date: 16th 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 623 307/email mary@marycrailwellbeing.co.uk OWBG Website: owbg.jimdofree.com Facebook: Organic & Wholefood Buying Group Email: owbg@protonmail.com Facebook: Mary Crail Biofeedback & Wellbeing www.marycrailwellbeing.co.uk

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Torrington AFC News

espite the lack of first team action at Vicarage Field there’s been plenty going on at the club. When we went back into lockdown we weren’t sure we’d see any football again this season, but it has been great to see both teams training at the club since restrictions were eased. It has been even more pleasing to see the reserve team putting on some brilliant displays in the league and cup since it restarted. After a tough defeat to Barnstaple Town Reserves in their first game back, they went all the way to penalties against Winkleigh in the Devon Cup. A battling performance saw skipper Jack Kirby put the Super Greens in front before the visitors responded, but neither side could find the goal that would win them the tie. Unfortunately, the lads weren’t able to go through on penalties but the performance set the tone for the next few performances. They secured local bragging rights in the first derby of the season, as they followed up the cup exit with victory over Torridgeside Reserves. Nathan Delaune and Luke Bewes the standout performers, with the latter saving a late penalty. This was then followed up with a hard fought draw against North Molton Reserves. Despite going down to ten men, a resolute defence stood firm to see out a 2-2 draw. A 1-0 victory over Shebbear before another tough defeat to table-topping Barnstaple saw the reserves enter the closing stages of

depending on the season, Torrington Methodist Church Devon 10.30am Rolle Canal & Northern Saturday 13th flowering at only thewith timeGeoffre of the Rev Stephen Hill 6.30pm Rev Kenexcellent progress Advice Surgery still made not Waterways Society Guided Walk The start of the walk Morgan for an appointment ring 01237i with programme their ability but interactions new season's of their The The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Kiln, on the Weare Giffa email to tellgeoffrey@geoffrey th with coaches players. Moving Sunday walks starts onand 26 otherHalfpenny Day Saintsafternoon meet @ Bideford College Bridge, at website www.geoffreycox.co.u the club would like to be th able to May with visit forward, to EX39 the site Abbotsham Rd,aBideford, 3AR of the Coffee Morning in aidThe of Wem dis Sunday 26 May. offer more younger age group Inclined Plane at Ridd. Thisfootball is theto Church Sunday Sacrament service at 11.50amChulmleigh Town over a@mile but with plenH this will be in the and very neardraw is place where the and Rollehope Canal 1pm cakes, produce, prizes a discuss likely was'Hitchcock' raised up(12A) aboutfuture. 43 feet Film 3pm @ The Major Walker MCofCeremony couple hours. A from the valley floor near Plough Please do get in touch with us if you’d Memorial 11am (see £2 to article) the R Weare to a level Film 'Argo'Giffard (15) 7pm @like ThetoPlough Taddiport Dance get involved with the clubTea and we Society's 2-4.30p fund Comedy 'Russell Kane' @ Devon in the side of the valley Doug 01805 622648 hope to beHall able to welcome you back to or Beryl 0a appreciated 8pm that could be maintained 624294 Vicarage Field very soon. enable the Soc all the way inland to the Film Expectations' 7.30 The team @ 'Great Torrington AFC work volunteer Monday High Bickington Cinema head weir 8th at Rosemoor. promote and maintai Historical & Talksseen 'Beam Music Coope Boyes & Simpso Many Society people AGM will have the Rolle Canal. Future wa House & Quay' & John Oatway The Plough th this site on previous walks but this year Events Supporting & June, 28th Ju will FIG be 16 Torrington Clockmaker 7 for 7.30pm @over there have been developments August. For further details Methodist Church Sunday 14th Overit well & Above the winter that will make worth a Charities email: hassallc@ymail.com Film 'Wreckvisit. it Ralph' 2pm @ The Torrington 19th June 2021 Charity Day Methodist Church repeat The(PG) Heritage Lottery 01237 you'llMr p Plough Rev Peter425357, Whattonbut 6.30pm funded ‘Life's Journey’ project has Silent Auction, many items to leavetoa bid message. Film 'Argo' (15) 5pm @ The Plough Sheriff produced a new pathway fromJustin the Rose & Tyrrell for including C Film 'Lincoln' (12A) 8pm @ The Plough St. Michael’s Church 10am S the season in a Tarka Trail down toHatton the bottom of the signed caps, golf vouchers, Ignatius Sunday Club in upper very competitive Inclined Plane where mealtwo andillustrated beauty vouchers. Open golf (15) Tuesday 9th Film Sessions' 3pm Our'The Hedgehogs Need Yo position. information boards have been installed competition enter via Libbaton Golf Film 'Lincoln' (12A) 5pm @ The Plough The Hedgehog Plough Awareness W Our girls’ to describe the saltmarsh habitat by Club@website. Film 'Hitchcock' (12A) 8pm The way but why wait until th the Torridge and the workings 30th and June 2021 teams have also Wednesday Plough Monday help? As 15th spring is here purpose of the Rolle Charity Canal. ItTable is now been keeping Top Sale Libbaton Singing for Fun 7.30-8.30pm and@hopefully the weathe possible to gain a far better on their toes, Wednesday 10thGolf Club from 10am.Bickington Community Centre improves our spiky friend of Said theMass lay-out and Mini Mover Dance Session despite their Stunderstanding Michael's Church 8.30am If you would like to book a table @ will be up and about agafo workings of the inclined plane boat lift campaigns in St James Chapel 9.30-10.30am Bickingtontou C £7 the please contact It’s been an@extremely than wasW.Ipreviously case. The bee.baker@hotmail. @ Methodist Hall 7pm Centre being cancelled due to Torrington the pandemic. co.uk the top of winter for them. T upper basin of 8pm the canal Film 'I Wish' (PG) @ TheatPlough Last year they managed to raise over

Outside of undercover supporting FIG changeable and&wet wea theAmbulance incline has been cleared scrub Tuesday 16th £3000 for North Devon Air has made it difficult for ma Over and Above Charities sufficiently to enable the outline of its 11th 'Hearing for You' Social grou and the teams. DespiteThursday the league and them to find food or hibern Wednesday 2021 10am to beChurch clearlySaid seen, and the7th wayJuly hard of hearing. Every 3rd Tue Stbanks Michael's Mass cup being cancelled, they’ve kept busy over the past months so m Coffee morning. cake stall: tombola; the railway subsequently cut through The Bickford Centre call 0127 10.30am in St James Chapel followed by on the pitch too as they look to furtherend, destroying weak and High needBickington help. If yo almost new; zeezofbeez; plants/shrubs; the northern the top Youth Club C Walsingham cell in vicarage their development. BothMemory sides secured you had a resident card & coffee. Cafe 10.30-12.30pm Theitems the incline. This craft canal&@ basin nowcake Centre for 11+ @ 5-7pmhedge area last year please don’t fantastic results, with the Under 12s Badminton Club 7pm Juniors Plough supports an increasing population of seating Outside undercover area. Entry a bowl of water and some enjoying a fantastic 8-1Theatre win over South Adults @ Bickington Commun Multi Storey: & The Early Purple OrchidBeauty and Twayblade (a free. them, placing it inside a fe Molton, whilst the Under 14s 2pm beat@ SAS Cribbage Beast The Ploughorchid) green flowered which, Book 9 holes golf £10 or 18 pairs holescompetition @ Film 'Cloud Atlas' (15) 7pm @ The Arms 8pm from Barnstaple 5-1. The girls have £15 via shop on 01769 560269. Film 'Cloud Atlas' (15) 7pm @ early start for long film come a long way sincePlough startingnote and, Bee Baker Plough note early start for long despite the pandemic interruptions, have CRIER COPY DEADLINE for Wednesday Professional Builder, Carpenter & Damp Specialist 17th ‘MAY 2013’ by 12noon St Michael's Church Said Ma today pleaseWorks  Damp Surveys & Remedial ee James Chapel inFrSt

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My Growing Potion

Take six spiders’ legs, Mix with nine rotten eggs… Head of an ox That rocks like a fox! Two mouldy socks That came from a dirty dog. One frog’s head That was found very dead. A boiling heart from an only child, A steel sharp tooth from a shark in the wild. Lilly Curley, Year 9

Hell-Broth

Serpent’s tongue and shell of tortoise, Feather of hawk and chunk of porpoise. Baby tooth of a crying toddler, Tortured souls involved in murder. Bright yellow beak of a brinded toucan, Cooked and fried in a silver can. Scale of snake and tears of a widow, Rotten rabbit carcass found in a meadow. Put in the cauldron, stir and fry, Mix in with a bleeding dragon’s eye. Brain of a cheetah and paw of a cat, Sing it ‘till it’s completely black. Ryan Bailey, Year 9

On a different theme, here is a poem by a Year 8 pupil, written during lockdown about nature and a common problem in our beautiful countryside: Fly-Tipping

The van drives along, down dark country lanes Headlights off, hoping not to be seen Finding the perfect place to dump their waste Fridges, chairs, pots and pans bulging from the back of the van, Some innocent people committing a crime without even knowing, The men come to a halt turning around, The back pushes up and the flap rushes opens, Everything falls out, like an avalanche on a mountain But instead of people getting killed, it's animals, Harmful chemicals......leaching into streams Then comes the locals clearing what they can, They don't get paid, but they do it because they care, The council clear the rest, Costing us more money that could be put to good causes 114 cases every hour, it's more like a pandemic!

Ben May, Year 8

Hell-Broth

Into a cauldron, dark and deep Add the bleating tongue of a sheep, Next, rotten chunks of a rat’s tail, escaping our spell would be an epic fail, Then, mashed up rabbit’s liver, it’s poison will soon deliver, Piranha’s flesh-eating teeth, raising the devil from beneath. Scrape off the scales of a crocodile, left rotting on the side of the river Nile. Last, make a paste of maggots: juicy and fat, Stir in the pot with the leg of a cat. Andrew Dawson, Year 9

This term, Year 9 have been getting a taste for Macbeth by exploring and analysing the role of witches in the play. After studying the witches’ gruesome ‘hell-broth’ in Act 4 Scene 1, pupils were asked to come up with their own revolting spells -and they didn’t disappoint! Be prepared to be horrified!

Year 10 continue to work on their creative writing skills. One class have been writing in the style of Charles Dickens in A Christmas Carol, where he introduces the sinister Grim Reaper figure of ‘The Last of The Spirits’… Fear Consumed Him…

e lay in the pallid room, peering at the silhouettes fashioned by the lantern sat on a wooded table, adjacent to his bed. The walls were patterned with stripes: black and yellow like a bee stood robustly around him as if trapping him. They shouted, becoming progressively louder as the burnt sienna, rugged carpet beneath him consumed him tightly. A piqued breeze crept in from the shattered window opposite his bed, the trees outside shrieked at him and the indistinct owl laughed. His ceiling was white, dripping with a glacial liquid onto his pail forehead. He hummed hoarsely, tears burning his nose and gurgling his voice. He bashed at his skull impotently and screamed until his tongue ripped in two. A migraine poisoned his head as he stared intently into his mirror. The blade looked cold, writhing between his skin as it dug into his ribcage. It thrust deeper and deeper as he glanced intensely at his door, his eye locking onto it as it creaked angrily, glaring back at him. He spluttered and his stomach flipped. He ceased to allow the thought to enter his mind, of his memories wading as they flowed expeditiously. She sat beside him. He tried to stay calm but she flinched at his touch. She shoved him away, arrogantly. A glimmer emerged from his eyes as his eyelids

A Spectre Lurked…

he streets of the city were engulfed in the darkness of the night; so much so you could barely make out the cobbles on which you were about to step. Despite it being long past the time most of the city's inhabitants had drifted off to sleep, there was an eerie soundtrack to the night that played long past the merchant's bedtime. An orchestra made up of gusting wind, clattering shop windows, the spitting of the single embers holding all the warmth of those resting upon the cobbles, next to which you could hear the grim chattering of a child's teeth as their body shivers compulsively beyond their control. Hidden in plain sight using the darkness as its camouflage, a spectre lurked in the streets. Shrouded in thick black material which you could barely separate from the night around it, it was impossible to tell what form was being concealed under the cloak worn by this creature of the night. A spectre guided more by feeling than sight, as it seems to reside in only the most solemn of places. Or was it that wherever the ghoul resided took on a feeling of sorrow which words could not explain? It wasn’t only a sense of solemn which seemed to follow this spectre, but an unnatural chill which might make you shiver on even the hottest of summer days. Gracie Avery, Year 10 began to collapse. Beads of sweat caked his neck and fear choked his through. He attempted to mumble but he was mute. The bloody orbs in his palms made him out to be a monster as he reached toward her, lacking affection. Realisation sank in his chest, making him heavy and distraught yet she remained ignorant. Fear consumed him; his eyes began to ripple, pain hacked at his chest, his skin began to cool, and his sight began to dim. Finally, she offered her hand to his colourless cheek, engulfed in liquid and cold to the touch.

She lay in the rosy room; the walls pattered mosaic, purple and white – enticingly beautiful. They beamed on her like sunlight, as the hazel, fragile carpet hugged her gently. No breeze affected her as the window opposite was shut tightly. Trees swayed gently, as if singing her to sleep. An owl sat carefully on the window ledge, protecting her from the outside. Her ceiling was white, a warm embrace emerging onto her rosy skin. Her perfect proportions contrasted his rough skin, as he laid there still, lifeless, barren. Laurence Fitzgerald, Year 10

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The Plough is Back!

fter enjoying only 20 days of being open in the last 12 months, trustees of The Plough Arts Centre have confirmed the longawaited good news that The Plough can begin to reopen its doors from Tuesday 22nd June. Hugh Wormington, Chair of the Trustees of the charity, announced: “Many arts and community venues across the country are facing permanent closure, following the events of the past year, so we are extremely grateful for the trust that has been placed in The Plough, by national and local funders, to enable us to survive. There was a time last summer when we were forced to make 80% of our long serving staff redundant and the immediate future was looking decidedly bleak, but we are now looking forward to gradually rebuilding the team and the dynamic arts and community programme that has been the hallmark of our programme for 46 years.” Director Richard Wolfenden-Brown added: “We intend to reopen cautiously from Tuesday 22nd June with The Plough open 10am-4pm TuesdaySaturday for Gallery exhibitions, workshops and a simple café. Meanwhile we will focus on our Open Air Theatre Festival, kindly sponsored by Bond Oxborough Phillips. This includes 52 performances by the cream of the country’s open air theatre companies, at fifteen North Devon venues including Castle Hill Gardens in Torrington, with tickets on sale now and all the details available on our website. The Plough is also promoting four open-air live music events at The Big Sheep with local and national artists. Live events, and possibly films, will then resume at The Plough from 1st September. It has been a long haul but we are delighted to be

looking to a brighter future. We have also made the most of the enforced closure to carry out some long-needed repairs and upgrading to our toilets, dressing rooms and firedoors.” The Plough’s satellite venue, ThePlough@StAnne’s in Barnstaple, re-opened on 17th May and Sharon Dixon, the Welcome Manager, is busy reinstating a programme of workshops, talks and walks, and private hirings, prior to other live events resuming from 1st September. The Plough has continued to offer an online arts programme during Covid, with regular workshops by Sophie Hatch for young people in Plough Youth Theatre, and for adults with additional needs in Plough Prism and Motion Dance. It also hosted online performances and live streamed events; Youth Take-Over Days, where youngsters got involved in a wide range of arts workshops; a Spring Listen music project with Becki Driscoll & Nick Wyke, and a ‘Plough The Future’ Photo competition for 8-18yr olds - with a theme of ‘Unmasked’ and prizes of £350 won by local young people. Meanwhile The Plough’s international poetry competition, The Plough Prize, broke all previous records, attracting 2,856 worldwide entries. Administrator, Gill Clayton said “we have received entries from all corners of the globe and our judge, Roger McGough, is standing by to

choose the winners and award £1,750 in prizemoney.” Roger McGough will hand out the prizes in person as part of his performance at the Plough on 28th October. Although Tuesday 22nd June is reopening day for the public, Plough volunteers and supporters are welcome to pop in on Freedom Day itself, Monday 21st June 11am-2pm, to meet staff and trustees and to have a coffee and a sneak ‘peeview’ of the new toilets. There will also be some special guests and entertainment during the day.

Can Roses Grow in Shade?

Plough Exhibitions

Tuesday 22 June to Saturday 17th July 2021 Bill Stewart ill Stewart studied at Goldsmiths and the RA Schools, winning the RAS Gold Medal for ‘excellence in painting’, the David Murray Landscape award and Edward Stott travel scholarship. He has exhibited his work regularly over the years since; in solo and group shows and now lives near Holsworthy. His paintings have been displayed multiple times in the RA's summer exhibition and he was selected to exhibit in John Moores’ 60 - in 2018 in Liverpool. To see a short video about Bill's work please visit the exhibitions section of Plough's website www. theploughartscentre.org.uk/exhibition We are also showing ‘Art on Friday’. Art on Friday is a group of local artists based at The Plough who have been meeting twice a month in The Gallery for many years, and will now be able to resume. They exhibit annually on the Artists’ Wall. Don’t miss this opportunity to buy an original piece of art at an affordable price and see what they have been up to over lockdown. For further info please call Hazel Montgomerie – 01805 623757. The exhibitions will be open Tuesday - Saturday 10am - 4pm.

ithout a doubt, the rose is the nation’s, if not the world’s favourite flower and we are often asked if shrub roses can be grown in shade. The short answer is that most prefer sunny situations that get the recommended 5-6 hours of sunshine, but some will do well in partial shade. However, no rose will be happy in full shade. The colour of a rose can influence the best planting position. In bright sunshine, paler varieties may look washed out, yet in a bit of shade, they shine. If grown exposed to full sun, deep red roses such as Rosa ‘Souvenir du Docteur Jamain’ or Rosa 'Capitaine John Ingram' (in the Shrub Rose Garden) go from a rich red to an almost burnt paper appearance. At Rosemoor we grow several varieties that do well in partial shade. In the Shrub Rose Garden we grow mildly scented R. 'Moonlight' the leaves of which tend to curl in full sun, added to which, the lemonywhite flowers positively glow in a more shaded spot. R. 'Félicité Parmentier' bears white, highly fragrant flowers and can successfully be used as a low hedge. R. ‘Buff Beauty’ AGM in the model gardens has large trusses of apricot-yellow fragrant flowers and has the added flexibility that it can be trained as a low climber, as can peachy-pink R. ‘A Shropshire Lad’ found on the Long Border. R. 'Gruss an Aachen' AGM has flowers that fade from pink to cream as they age. It is a good bedding rose that also does well in pots. If you would love to have roses in your garden but only have a shady spot, it is always worth giving roses a go but you need to choose carefully. Come along to the Rosemoor rose festival from 5 June to 18 July for more inspiration and our Plant Centre has a good selection in stock. Visit our advice pages for rose growing tips: rhs.org.uk/advice Sheila Dearing Pictured: Rosa 'A Shropshire lad' ©RHS/Sheila Dearing Shrub Rose Garden ©RHS/Clive Nichols

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