Torrington Crier October 2020 by The Torrington Crier

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October 2020 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.

GREAT TORRINGTON TOWN & LANDS CHARITY 202801 25 South Street, Torrington, North Devon, EX38 8AA

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT CHANGES TO THE DISTRIBUTION OF VOUCHERS DECEMBER 2020 The Trustees wish to announce that the distribution of vouchers will be going ahead this year but not as we all know it! Due to the Coronavirus (Covid 19) pandemic and in order to keep everyone safe, it is not possible to hold a Distribution Day as in the past, therefore the Trustees wish to announce the following: If your household fulfils the terms and conditions set out below, then qualifying households MUST apply for the Distribution Vouchers by completing a Distribution Vouchers application form. The application forms will be available from Monday 5th October 2020 Please contact the office for an application form T: 01805 623517 • E: admin@townlands.org.uk • www.torringtontownlands.org IMPORTANT - TERMS AND CONDITIONS Only ONE claim per Household Qualifying households are entitled to receive vouchers to be spent within the town To qualify you must be living within the Great Torrington Parish boundary (and shown on the Electoral Roll for not less than one year before the date of the Distribution) AND be in receipt of any of the following benefits:* * * * * * * *

State Retirement Pension Attendance Allowance Constant Attendance Allowance Disability Living Allowance Employment and Support Allowance Incapacity Benefit Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit Personal Independence Payment

Suitable evidence of entitlement to these benefits must be produced (photocopies accepted) and attached to the completed distribution vouchers application form, and then posted/dropped off at the Great Torrington Town & Lands Charity office no later than Monday 23rd November 2020 NO APPLICATIONS WILL BE CONSIDERED AFTER THE DEADLINE DATE I M Newman – Steward to the Trustees

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.

Torrington & District Community News & Events

Contact us... Editorial Enquiries: Becky Huxtable, 01805 603152 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 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

About The Crier...

The Crier is produced 10 times a year by The Crier Community Interest Company, a social enterprise, and aims to support the local community and local businesses, by providing a publication in which news, events and information can be shared throughout Great Torrington and the rural district. Production costs are covered by advertising income. We would also like to thank Great Torrington Town Council for their support. We would be very grateful if you could please ensure you inform any advertiser of where you saw their advert.

Every Wednesday morning & evening 1646 Community Hall, South Street Appointment only Call/Text Lisa on 07515 256 965 4

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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.

Cavaliers’ Column Chapter 7

subdued report this month, following the sad and untimely passing of one of our ex-chairmen, Steve Young. This is a tribute to him from his fellow Cavaliers. The collective name for a group of Cavaliers is ‘a session’ and many times after particularly lively sessions when Steve left to go home, he was accompanied by a chorus of ‘There’s only one Steve Young’! Although he was a quiet man, never seeking the limelight and probably slightly embarrassed, we are sure he appreciated our words of respect. When Steve took over the chairmanship of The Cavaliers, we all knew that we were in safe hands. He had proved himself well; acting as vice chair

annual February Torchlight Procession and liaised closely with the 1646 centre, The Sealed Knot Group and Town Councillors, amid growing uncertainty that this event would be cancelled. He ensured that with the Cavalier’s involvement, this commemoration would continue, as it does to this day. Steve was a mild mannered and thoughtful Chairman, which earned him great respect throughout our ranks. His reasoned and generous contribution to all Cavalier matters held him in high regard, even after relinquishing his Chairmanship, having the ability to ‘cut to the chase’ and progress drawn out discussions (some controversial) with clear and decisive argument. His organisation of a number of ‘Jolly Boys’ outings for The Cavaliers is also well remembered, and he was always pleased to encourage and join in singing "So, our annual Christmas with the Cavaliers their theme song, tree in the square is a lasting ‘Pass Around the Grog’ at whichever memorial to him." venue we happened to be in at the time. for a number of years, during which time Of course, we mustn’t forget his he made a considerable contribution to contribution to our Trumpton Bonfire and the community. his interpretation of Windy Miller in the He enlisted onto a Christmas steering spoof film we made, which we broadcast group in 2000, representing The on the night of the fire. Nobody could Cavaliers, and through his persuasive have played it better! argument ensured that there would be He was a truly proud Cavalier, rarely a Christmas tree erected in the square seen out of his blue polo shirt on every year. The vote amongst this official engagements, and so proud group (including the Town Mayor and when we were awarded The Queen’s councillors at the time) was to not have Award for Voluntary Service, which he one for various reasons, but he managed was instrumental in getting for us. He to overturn that decision. So, our annual went through a series of interviews Christmas tree in the square is a lasting with The Lord High Sherriff of Devon’s memorial to him. representative, and pulled together our He took on the organisation of the application which resulted in such a

successful outcome. He was asked once whether he missed being Chairman and without hesitation totally agreed that he did. It is an enormous honour to hold that position as his predecessors would all confirm. Steve will be sorely missed for his friendship, good guidance, humour, reliability and quiet professionalism as well as his delicious hand- picked garden plums! ‘There’s only one Steve Young.’ Hopefully a more upbeat report next month, but in the meantime ‘All for one and one for all’. Ace

Steve Young - A Tribute from The Crier Team

he Crier Team would like to add to the Cavaliers’ moving words about Steve Young. In 2011, when The Crier moved from being totally run by volunteers to requiring paid editorial and advertising staff and a full committee working group, Steve became one of the first members and stayed part of the Crier team until his sad loss. He was instrumental in helping to make important decisions on the way forward for the Crier, and he made a huge contribution to its success over the next 9 years. We will miss his wry sense of humour at our meetings, and his quiet but decisive input. He will be very much missed by us all. The Crier Team

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Great Torrington Commons – 365 Supporters

he Great Torrington Commons 365 Supporters group has proved very popular and is growing by the day! Torrington is so very lucky to have such an incredible 365 acres of common land as an amenity for the town and it is an absolute gift to us all throughout the ongoing Covid 19 pandemic. The Conservators are incredibly grateful to all supporters of the 365 group, as every donation makes a huge difference. We have a list of projects that we would like to achieve. The first of the two bridges has been completed; we have called it Stoneman’s Bridge. It was recently officially opened by the Mayor. The Rangers are now preparing to start a new bridge; this one will be called Centenary Bridge. Hopefully you will have noticed the wooden finger posts around the Commons not only do they help you to know where you are, they also show you to places that you may not have been before, the signage project is half way through. We hope to raise the funds to complete it next year. Our employed rangers and volunteers continue to work hard every day maintaining and improving the Commons for us all. The 365 Supporters pay just a £2 per month donation, which can be increased with Gift Aid by 25% if you are a taxpayer - that’s an extra 50p added to your £2 donation! You can let us know at the application stage if this applies to you. You can pay £24 annually if you prefer. One off donations can also be made via our website www.torringtoncommons.org. Joining the 365 Supporters group is simple: Option 1: email Andrew Giles at vicechair@torringtoncommons.org with your name and address and he will send you an application form. His telephone number is 07956 366 390 if you would prefer to contact him directly. Option 2: visit the website www.torringtoncommons.org and navigate to the 365 Supporters page where you can apply online. 365 Supporters will receive a free Tree Trail map when they sign up. The Tree Trail starts and ends at the Old Bowling Green and is around 4km in length. As you proceed you will notice a numbered post by each example of tree or shrub. There are 55 different native specimens. There are also some non-native trees on the Commons such as the Monterey Pine and Spanish Chestnut. On the back of the map is a picture of their leaves, flowers and fruits if applicable. Some of the pathways are a bit steeper so always wear suitable footwear. Andrew Giles, Vice Chair Great Torrington Commons Conservators

Town Treasure Trail

he afternoon of the Torrington Town Treasure Trail on Bank Holiday Sunday was bright and sunny, just the weather to encourage families to get out and about and discover the delights of our town, which seems to have been under wraps for so long now. Seventeen families in all set out from the Town Hall including mums, dads, children and grandparents, totalling seventy three folk in all. We had a clear winner at the end of the day with Team Turner scoring 38 points out of a possible 40, thus securing the first prize, being the staggering sum of £20. Team Ferry were runners up with 35, but it was a close-run thing. Team Wafforne in third place achieved 34.5 points, then two teams had 34 and three had 31, with the rest of the field not far behind. Holmes and Watson would like to thank everyone who took part and entered into the spirit of things, thus finding some of the more obscure ‘landmarks’ in the town as well as discovering some hidden historical references, which might well escape notice on a more ordinary day. A couple of teams did not complete the course, but as long as they enjoyed a leisurely stroll on a sunny afternoon then that’s all that matters. Donations had been invited to go towards Town Hall funds and £60 was raised. Our thanks also go to Anne Tattersall, Sue Mills and Sue and Maria of the Town Hall Titans for their help with the event.

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Re-opening Thursday 16th july 2020!

Rolle Canal Volunteer Work Parties Underway Again!

ith the slight easing of Covid restrictions in the summer, our stalwart volunteers have been able to recommence work on restoring the Canal Basin at Rosemoor, excavating the remains of the Tucking Mill and stabilising the stonework of the five Lime Kilns on the site. RHS Rosemoor has been most accommodating in allowing this fascinating (but often strenuous) work to continue, although the ways of working have had to be adjusted to comply with the Covid-related health and safety regulations. Fresh muscles and brains will always be welcome, but it is essential to make arrangements with the organiser, Ian Harrison, at halehillfarm@gmail.com or by phone on 01237 475707. The Rolle Canal Society website www.rollecanalsociety.org/latest-news always carries the latest reports and photographs of the restorations being carried out at Rosemoor and at Sealock (Annery Kiln) at the Bideford end of the canal. We are sorry this year’s programme of guided walks had to be abandoned, but we will try again next season and although the old Walks Leader is still alive and well, next year we look forward to a fresh outlook on the canal history with a new leader on each walk! Chris Hassall (old Walks Leader). Rolle Canal & Northern Devon Waterways Society

OneGreatTorrington.uk

he new website for the town was launched in June and has had an excellent response. Shops, traders, clubs, leisure and accommodation providers have already created their listings. Add yours today at www.onegreattorrington. uk and click the button in the top-right. If you're having technical issues then get in touch - gt.futuregroup@gmail.com and we'll help out. We are looking for people to help with maintaining the content of the website, find/add new photos and review/approve new listings. Full training will be given, and it's easier than you think! If you'd like more information then please email us gt.futuregroup@gmail.com. Perhaps you are in need of a project at school/college, or interested to know how a website works behind the scenes, or you might want to dip-in when there is something to do - get involved! Stay safe, shop local, use #OneGreatTorrington! Great Torrington Futures Group - gt.futuregroup@gmail.com

Tarka Valley Railway News

utumn has just arrived with the onset of unpredictable weather on our working day, which is most disappointing as we have now been able to resume full socially distanced working across the site, with up to 18 volunteers attending on most Thursdays. Following the delivery of the point, just prior to lockdown, the per way team have installed the rails for the ‘main line’ as far as we are going, and have connected up the first panel of the siding. Much levelling is required and more stone will be needed to complete this task. A great deal of ‘jackin and packin’ is now required. Work has continued on our two locos; both having been started up post lockdown. The signal box site clearance is ongoing and major renovation work on the brake van has commenced, with a small group of volunteers tasked with taking on this project. Our tank wagon has now had the platform side fully painted, and general site tidying has taken place including weed clearance and planting of flower beds. A most satisfactory few weeks’ work by our dedicated team of volunteers. Please visit our Facebook page for latest news and photographs. Rob Martin Tarka Valley Railway

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Traditional Indian Cuisine Sonu’s Kitchen provides an exclusive service, whereby I come to your home and cater for your party or alternatively just deliver to you. Dinner parties, birthdays and other special occasions catered for. I specialise in traditional homecooked Indian food freshly prepared from local produce. My authentic Indian recipes have been handed down through generations of my family. I also specialise in Indo-Chinese cuisine with recipes that reflect the influence of Chinese cuisine in my home city of Kolkata. Services Offered * Customised menu – choose a menu bespoke to your taste. * Full catering service in your own home, all table and serving ware provided, food served and post dinner tidy-up. * Delivery of food only – serve yourself. Party Food boxes – delicious finger food for buffets. So why not celebrate your special occasion with a stress free delicious meal! For menus, prices and more information please call Jayshree on 07298 182 659 or email kitchensonu@ gmail.com.

e are a family owned business providing Hog Roasts with a difference in North Devon and throughout the South West. If you need good, honest, delicious, home-cooked food served with a smile contact North Devon Hog Roast today. Our meat is either home-produced or sourced locally, so you can be assured of the highest quality welfare values and great taste. Our aim is to provide customers with a top-quality catering experience, without the big costs! A hog roast is a great choice for parties, weddings and other special occasions as your guests will enjoy quality, locally reared meat that has been expertly roasted. We have also seen an increase in garden parties or smaller gatherings of late, especially with your small bubble of loved ones and close friends. Entertain in style with the help of North Devon Hog Roast and our unbeatable taste sensation! As all of our clients have different thoughts, ideas and themes for their events, we always endeavour to offer a completely bespoke service, tailored to individual requirements. So, if you want to add or make changes to any of the packages we offer, just call us on 01805 603909 or take a look at our website – www. northdevonhogroast.co.uk. Our services will give you the freedom to enjoy your event to the full. You will feel confident that everything is taken care of and delivered to the highest standard. We are both passionate about our business and like nothing more than giving you peace of mind. We look forward to discussing your event requirements. We are also pleased to announce that we now offer a local hog roast takeaway service on the first Tuesday of every month from 5pm through to 8:30pm, at Roborough Village Hall Carpark (next to the new village Tennis Court) EX19 8TB, a short drive from Great Torrington. ** ** Please note this is a takeaway service only. Social distancing measures will be in place, please stay safe and abide by them. Cash only payment, unless you preorder and make bank transfer, please send us a message through Facebook - www. facebook.com/northdevonhogroast with your order and telephone number. We provide all our customers with the quality of service we would expect to receive ourselves. Please do get in touch to discuss your requirements. We love what we do and we hope that you enjoy it too. Sam & Andy Hastings Lower Whitsleigh Farm, Roborough, Winkleigh, North Devon EX19 8TU Tel: 01805 603909 Mob: 07932 657 572 info@northdevonhogroast.co.uk, www.northdevonhogroast.co.uk WIN A HOG ROAST TAKEAWAY FOR 2! CROSSWORD COMPETITION PG 28!

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What is Mindful Meditation & How Can it Help You?

indfulness is the basic human ability to be fully present, aware of where we are and what weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re doing, and not to be overly reactive or overwhelmed by whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s going on around us. This 8-week course follows the gold standard Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) programme, which explicitly addresses the negative thought patterns that can perpetuate stress and lead to depression and anxiety. Through the course we will explore the essential mindfulness meditation techniques and cultivate new skilful ways of dealing with what goes on in our bodies, minds and daily lives. As a course participant you will receive a comprehensive course handbook and a set of audio files in CD or mp3 format, which will guide you through the core meditation practices. Ongoing support is always available during and after the course. This course is ideal for those who wish to learn to meditate, or those who are seeking to reduce the effects of stress or address the negative thought patterns that can lead to anxiety and depression. I am a trained MBSR teacher with over 30 years of meditation practice and am committed to helping individuals find a gentle and compassionate pathway to negotiate the stresses, anxieties and expectations of this often emotional rollercoaster that is twenty first century life. There is still time to book a place and join me at The River Rooms, Bideford, for the October/November course and prepare to banish the winter blues. Please visit www.gentlemind.uk or MindfulMeditation on Facebook for more information; complete an online application or lodge an expression of interest. Alternatively, you can email me, James Murray at info@gentlemind.uk or phone me directly on 01769 302007 or alternatively 07866 545 978.

ould you like to reset your limiting beliefs, recharge your energy, restore joy and reconnect with yourself and improve your self-worth? Then let me tell you a little bit about myself. My name is Samantha Hardwick and I am a Positive Empowerment and Well-being coach, Raise Your Vibration, Munay Ki and Reiki Master Teacher, helping you to bring joy back into your life one step at a time. I am passionate about empowering you to live the life you love and help you to let go of past situations and patterns that are holding you back. Having worked in the complementary therapy field for over 15 years, and through my own experiences and working with clients, I started to notice the connection between physical pain and our emotions. I went on to learn about how our energy and our environment affect us. I studied Reiki and energy balancing techniques and learnt about Chakras and how they affect our everyday life. I have studied various complementary therapies including massage, Reflexology, Reiki, the various tools I have learnt along the Raise Your Vibration, Munay Ki and way. Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT)/ See the advert on this page to find out Matrix Reimprinting. It was whilst more and details of how to contact me. attending the EFT course I realised how some of the situations I had experienced as a child were still affecting my life now, Please help our local businesses and and have worked on releasing them. 'Think Local' whenever possible. I am now passionate about working Think Local editorial is free for with people to transform their lives and advertisers! Please contact Esther run self-development courses including Williams on 01805 601964 for more Raise Your Vibration and Munay Ki, Reiki information. or working 1-1 coaching/mentoring using

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Great Torrington Town and Community Hall

Torrington Rotary

e hope everyone had a lovely summer and that you are all continuing to keep safe. As a club we have been continuing with our Zoom meetings, now every two weeks. On 15th August we held a charity golf day at Holsworthy Golf Club, alongside Holsworthy Rotary Club. It was obviously very different to our usual event to make sure we adhered to regulations, but it was a successful day and added £2280 to our charity account. We want to thank Mike Bridgeman and everyone who made the day happen. A big part of our meetings has always been a speaker, and we are continuing to hear from different people. Recently we have heard from Rebecca from

"Whilst we look forward to a time when we can return to the Golf Club for our weekly meetings, we would welcome any member of the public to join us via Zoom." Woodland Vale and their fundraising efforts for a Magic Table for their residents and families. The club was extremely impressed with the work they had done to raise almost half of their target – well done to everyone involved! We were also delighted to welcome back past member and President Denis Tracey and his wife Janet. They ran

Christmas Lunch It is with regret that Trustees of the Great Torrington Town and Community Hall have made the decision not to host a Christmas Day lunch for the elderly and those on their own this year. With the uncertainty surrounding Covid, and taking into consideration most of our guests would be in the vulnerable group, together with the restriction on numbers with social distancing, we feel we cannot accommodate this year’s lunch. I am sure everybody will also understand we must think about the safety of all the volunteers needed for such an event. We feel sure many residents will be disappointed, but will understand why we have had to make this decision. There will be a Christmas lunch and dinner served from 12pm to 2pm and from 6pm to 9pm on Sunday 20th December at the Town Hall, by the Best of Bev’s catering. Those in receipt of Christmas vouchers from the Townlands can use their voucher to pay for their meal, if they wish. The Trustees - Gt Torrington Town and Community Hall Town Hall Pop up Shop Thanks to everyone who has donated to our regular Pop-up Shops, and to those who have come along as a customer. With the loss of income during Covid, the income we have generated from our Pop-up Shops has helped enormously towards the running costs of YOUR Town Hall. Our next shop will be on Friday 2nd and Saturday 3rd October from 10am to 2pm. Come along and grab a bargain. Anne Tattersall Tracey’s restaurant for many years before moving to Lanzarote. Members were so pleased to re-connect with old friends and it was a great opportunity to share memories of years gone by. Whilst we look forward to a time when we can return to the Golf Club for our weekly meetings, we would welcome any member of the public to join us via Zoom. We will be keeping our Facebook page

updated with information on speakers, so please feel free to contact us via Facebook or the email below to get any details – you will always receive a very warm welcome! For any enquiries regarding membership, please also use the email address below to get more information. Keeley Allin, President Elect E: secretary@torrington.rotary1175.org

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Torrington Library News

Monthly Pop-Up Restaurant at the Town Hall

he Trustees of Great Torrington Town and Community Hall are delighted to announce that we will be working in partnership with the ‘Best of Bev’s Catering’ and will be hosting a monthly evening Pop-up restaurant and monthly Sunday roasts. Bookings are now being taken for the following event at Torrington Town and Community Hall and booking early is advisable, as we quickly sold out when we ran our first Sunday roast at the hall on Sunday 23rd August. For booking and more information on any events below, ring Bev on 07964 141 660 or Anne Tattersall at the Town Hall on 07971 696 192.

Goodbye & Thank You

t was with great sadness and a heavy heart that Neil and I reluctantly agreed not to renew the licence on the Black Horse, and the business we worked so hard on over the years to build into a great community pub and restaurant. We want to take this opportunity to thank you all for your tremendous custom and support over the years, my team and I will miss you all greatly. Bev & Neil Hayler (and team)

ibrary staff continued to work from home during lockdown supported by Libraries Unlimited. We Zoomed, What’s Apped, Trelloed and kept in touch on a local and countywide level, and planning and training for the ‘new’ normal. Now we are back and extend a warm welcome to our wonderful public as they start to re-use the service. Going to press we are open for shorter periods on Tuesdays and Thursdays: from 10am-12pm and 2-4pm and on Fridays and Saturdays from 10am-12pm. We are observing two metre social distancing and masks are mandatory. We are reducing numbers in the Library to two people at a time, with the children’s library being treated as a separate space for a small family group, maintaining safe practice for the benefit of staff and public. We are encouraging browsing with eyes rather than fingers, as all touched items not taken out on loan need be quarantined for 72 hours. We have one public access PC in action so would recommend booking in advance. The Summer Reading Challenge has all been online this year; Devon Libraries offered special events shared through every library’s Facebook page. Torrington’s own Kim Insull and Really Wild Learning featured frequently, with special online events offering fun and interest. If you have feedback to share with us we would love to hear from you. Congratulations to our young volunteers Zuzanna and Daisy on their success this summer, both are heading off to university; we wish them every success for the future. Kate G, Kate C, Becky & Michelle

Little Torrington Annual Parochial Church Meeting

he Annual Meeting for St. Giles Little Torrington PCC will be held on Thursday 22nd October at 11.30am in St. Giles Church. Everyone is welcome and safeguarding measures will be in place, so please wear a face mask. The agenda, reports and annual accounts for 2019 can be found on our website www.stmichaelstorrington.org.uk/little-torrington-church.html but if you would like a printed copy, please contact Pat Grimwood-Taylor on 01805 625598 or email pat@grimwood-taylor.com. If you would like to vote for the Churchwardens, voting forms will be available in the church before the meeting or can be downloaded from the website. We look forward to seeing you.

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Torrington RFC

hope you have all had a safe and as enjoyable as possible summer, in these extraordinary times. The prospects of rugby returning soon are a realistic possibility. In the 6-point Return to Rugby schedule, which has been formulated between The Government and the RFU, we have reached level 4. This enables training to take place with restricted numbers, and safe training aspects with social distancing and equipment cleansing still being a top priority. Junior players will have started training too. Details in their article elsewhere in this edition. Off the field we were able to have our long overdue AGM. This was held outdoors and online for those who were not able to be physically there. Our committee was agreed, with outgoing chairman Ollie Webb being replaced by Phil Hearn, who many of you may not have heard of before. Phil is a local businessman who has been on the committee for several years as our sponsorship developer. He brings an excellent record of success in his own sphere and hopes to extend that towards the club in his new role. Freddie Ware has stepped up to the post of Vice Chairman. She will bring a young and enthusiastic vibrancy to many of the off-field activities as she will be taking over the running of the clubhouse activities and the bar management.

Clare Turner is another new member to the committee as Club Secretary, taking over from Anna Whybrow. We thank Anna for her excellent services in the role and look forward to seeing her back soon. Other positions on the committee remain with the previous incumbents. Treasurer: Rob North. Fixtures Secretary: Mark Waterson. Membership Secretary: Carlton Cockwill & Charlene Hoare Safeguarding Officer: Charlene Hoare President: Maurice Cockwill Obviously the Clubhouse remains closed for the time being. However screens, sanitising stations and other necessary equipment are being purchased to enable us to safely open up in due course. Here’s hoping that by the time you read this the Clubhouse will be able to open for social activities, and for organisations to use for their particular activities. You can keep up to speed with what’s going on by visiting our Facebook page, Torrington RFC. If you wish to contact us about Clubhouse availability email trfc1985@outlook.com. We look forward to the next stage of our Return to Rugby, and welcoming you to Donnacroft once more. C’mon Torrie! Mark Waterson Respect, Discipline, Sportsmanship, Teamwork and Enjoyment

Can Anyone Remember Barney?

Dear Editor, I wonder if you can help me. I am a former steeplejack and my friends and I are trying to write our recollections about where we worked and stayed during our working days. We are all in our 70s and 80s now. In my case I worked at the Unigate Dairy in Torrington. I cannot remember where I lodged, but I think it may have been the Black Horse? This would have been in the mid-sixties. The only clues I have is that the landlords were a middle aged couple and may have come from London, I don't recall them having a Devon accent. The only other clue I have is that the pub had a regular who was a bit of a character, his name was Barney and I believe he could have been a farm worker; he seemed to be very knowledgeable about cattle and horses. I know this is not much to go on, but perhaps your senior readers can remember Barney, and if they could place the pub he used this would be the pub we lodged in those many years ago. It was a lovely place to work. We erected a steel chimney at the dairy. Thank you very much for any help you can give me. Tom Benfield, London

Notable Buildings in Torrington

Health Service Cuts

Dear Editor Moira Brewer's article in the July issue, ‘Notable Buildings in Torrington’ brought back a host of memories for both me and my two brothers and sister, as the Corner House she describes was our childhood home! She is of course correct in saying the Searle family lived there for over fifty years; but it was their predecessor, Dr Glyn West (our father) who purchased the house from Miss Davies(?) in 1946/7 and converted it from a school to a surgery. We lived there until September 1960, and indeed, the two youngest children were born in the house. The oak panelling which now lines the walls of the upstairs living room was rescued from the demolition of the former Rolle family seat, Stevenstone House, when Dad spotted it as he was driving past one day! In those days there was a pub next door, which I think was called The Black Swan; and a little further along Potacre St an off-licence run by the Weeks family. In about 1957, if memory serves me, we sold a small strip of land at the bottom of our garden to create access to their business. The long garden we played in as children is long gone, built over by a row of houses, under which archaeologists of later years may find remnants of the sunken rose garden, the pond, the wisteria, and even the ash tree we carved our initials on when we had climbed to the top! Happy Days! Colin West (and on behalf of Nicholas, David, and Priscilla West)

Dear Editor STITCH categorically rejects Cllr. Saywell’s statement that no cuts are planned for Devon’s health service this year. STITCH stands by its original statement that £400 million of cuts to health services are planned over the next four years. Our full response to Cllr. Saywell can be seen on the STITCH Facebook page. STITCH

Dear Editor After reading Moira Brewer’s article about this house in the last issue, I thought I would get in touch with a story about it. When a new owner (cannot recall her name) bought this house in the mid-90s, I worked there revamping and installing plumbing and heating. On the ground floor there was a very large walk-in cupboard, ideal for disguising the pipework to upstairs. There were shelves in there on three sides, which held various objects including boxes of gas mantels. The cupboard had a lower ceiling than the surrounding rooms (10 feet high) so we decided to remove the false ceiling. Lo and behold, in the space there - approximately 30 inches - were more shelves crammed full of paperback Penguin books! Prices varied from 1/3d to 1/6d, just left there! In the roof loft I also found two slim attaché cases, inside were military maps of East Anglia. When we unfolded them, inside were telegrams from some girls wishing the soldiers well etc. The owner said she would pass these to a museum, whether that happened I cannot say. In the garden there was a building which still had the old gas lights (not sure if they worked) and the original boiler and circulating pipes. It was an interesting job! Eddy Levett

Dear Editor I was present at the Devon County Council’s Health and Adult Care Scrutiny Committee meeting on March 12th this year. There was a proposal put forward by the Clinical Commissioning Group to cut £400 million from Devon’s health budget over the next four years. Dame Philippa Slinger, Chief Executive of the STP gave a presentation on this proposal, giving notice of plans to make the £400 million cuts, using the words ‘reducing, reduction, fewer, and capping’ among others. Were these words used to make the cuts more palatable to our communities? I’m sure they were. Why can’t they be open, honest and transparent and not try to fool the public instead of using engineered smoke and mirrors? To me and many others ‘reducing, reduction, fewer and capping’ are just plain and simple CUTS, no matter how they’re dressed. Di Davey

GREAT TORRINGTON TOW From Your Mayor…

hope you have all had an enjoyable summer. Although times may be different at present, it has been lovely to see more of you out and about and also to see visitors enjoying our town. I am thankful to have finally been able to do some official duties. On Saturday 15th August I was proud to lead a small group in commemorating the 75th anniversary of VJ Day. It is extremely important that we continue to remember and pay thanks to those who gave so much for us. My thanks go to Nick Megson from Torrington Silver Band and everyone else who was able to join us, albeit we were restricted to how many could be there due to Covid-19 restrictions. I was finally able to hand over the Town Council’s Howe Plate award for Community Service to Pauline Baker, for all she has done for the Great Torrington May Fair and Carnival Committee. Pauline humbly reinforced that she was accepting the award on behalf of the whole committee, and for the joint effort in all of the hard work that goes into organising our special day – it really is a team effort but I know all members will agree that we would be lost without Pauline and all she does.

On 19th August I was delighted to unveil the new gate at Jubilee Wood, and the new bridge just below. Cutting the ribbon with a pair of shears was a first for me! These are two projects that have been progressing for quite a while and it was lovely to see them come to fruition. Thank you to all those who have worked so hard, with special thanks to Alan Williams and volunteers working on Jubilee Wood and to Al Mitchel and the Commons Conservators for the fantastic new bridge. We are very lucky to live in such a beautiful area and be surrounded by people who care so much about keeping it safe, protected and looking its best. It feels like so long ago, but I am pleased to report that I completed my charity tandem skydive at Skydive Buzz Dunkeswell on Sunday 19th July. The event was made even more special as it coincided with my lovely Nan’s birthday! It was one of the most incredible experiences of my life and I want to thank everyone who sponsored me. Since the event took place, I have received an additional £700, which will be divided between both of my charities from last year. This now takes the total funds raised for 19/20 to £5,200. I cannot thank you all enough for your support. Whilst we continue to adjust to the ‘new normal’, I have been really pleased to see so many people shopping locally

and supporting our independent traders; including shops in our Pannier Market on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. We have so much to offer and I am excited about progressing with our new Marketing Working Group, so that we can begin to really shout about what we have here in Great Torrington! Please do not hesitate to get in contact with me if you need anything or would like my support. Keeley Allin – Mayor of Great Torrington

Working Groups

ollowing the recent difficult months the Town Council recently reinstated a meeting between members of the Transport and Environment Working Group (held on 16th September), held remotely via Zoom. The Town Council will also hold its first meeting of a Marketing Working Group on the 30th September. This Working Group will consider ways to promote various aspects of Great Torrington covering the heritage, cultural, environmental, the large number of independent shops as well as sport and leisure opportunities. This will be a large project covering a number of specialised areas. If anyone would like to be involved in any of this work, which also includes a general need for marketing skills, please contact the Town Council.

WN COUNCIL NEWS Your Council, Working for YOU Co-Option of Town Councillor

ollowing the resignation of Cllr Miller, we currently have a vacancy for one Co-Opted Councillor to join the other Council Members of Great Torrington Town Council. This role will give you an opportunity to get involved with a number of exciting projects and interests within the community of Great Torrington. If you are passionate about the town, prepared to roll your sleeves up and get involved, have at least one of the qualifications below we would invite you to submit a written application outlining why you are interested in becoming a Town Councillor and what you believe you can bring to the role for consideration. a) I am registered as a local government elector for the parish; or b) I have, during the whole of the twelve months preceding the date of my cooption, occupied as owner or tenant, land or other premises in the parish; or c) My principal or only place of work during those 12 months has been in the parish; or d) I have during the whole of the twelve months preceding the date of my cooption resided in the parish or within three miles of it. Applications should be no more than one side of A4 paper. For further information please see the Town Council’s website www.greattorrintontowncouncil.gov.uk. Please forward applications to Great Torrington Town Council, Castle Hill, Great Torrington, EX38 8AA or by email to admin@great-torringtontowncouncil.gov.uk to be received no later than Thursday 5th November 2020. Karen Chapman, Town Clerk

Remembering VJ Day on 15th August 2020

n Saturday 15th August the Mayor of Great Torrington, Cllr Keeley Allin, was joined by Deputy Mayor Cllr Doug Smith, Town Beadle Andy Griffiths and Nick Megson from the Torrington Silver Band at the War Memorial in Great Torrington Cemetery to commemorate the 75th Anniversary of VJ Day. Nick Megson played the Last Post and following a two minutes silence, the Mayor laid a wreath on behalf of the Town Council and read a ‘Tribute to The Millions’. The Town Beadle completed the small, socially distanced ceremony by reciting the Kohima Epitaph and all present joined together with ‘We Will Remember Them’. The Mayor thanked the small group who were present at the War Memorial for ensuring those who selflessly gave their lives for us are always remembered.

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Remembrance Sunday 2020

sually at this time of year the Town Council, along with the local branch of the Royal British Legion, begin preparations for the annual Remembrance Sunday Parade and Service at the War Memorial in Great Torrington Cemetery. At the time of writing this article for The Crier (10 September 2020), we do not know yet whether the usual Remembrance Parade and Service will go ahead due to restrictions on mass "...we do not know yet whether the usual Remembrance Parade and Service will go ahead..." gatherings as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Town Council is waiting for guidance from the Royal British Legion as to whether Remembrance services across the whole country can take place, and we will ensure the community is kept informed about plans for Great Torrington as more information and guidance is released. Please keep an eye out on our Facebook page and website for further updates. www.great-torringtontowncouncil.gov.uk

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GREAT TORRINGTON TOWN COUNCIL NEWS Great Torrington's New Link to The Commons

collaboration between Great Torrington Town Council, the Commons Conservators, Men's Shed and Great Torrington School has seen a new link between town and Commons established. A new gateway and steps from the Council's Jubilee Wood and a restored bridge over Common Lake Stream have made the new route possible and it is already proving popular with walkers. The link was officially opened by Great Torrington's Mayor, Cllr Keeley Allin, on 19th August. The gate was built at Torrington's Men's Shed and the surrounding area has been planted up with trees and shrubs by the school. Al Mitchell, the Conservators' Head Ranger, led the team restoring the bridge. Jubilee Wood can be accessed from the bottom of School Lane and from Trafalgar Drive; the bridge is adjacent to Barmaid's Path on the Commons. Pictured from left: Mayor Cllr Keeley Allin, Ranger Al Mitchell, Conservators Andy Giles and Mandy Harrison, Great Torrington School's Suzanne Fawcitt, Gate builder Tony Warren of Men's Shed and Jonathan Roberts, Jubilee Wood volunteer

Using Public Footpaths – Some General Guidance (TC)

n and around Great Torrington we are very fortunate to have some wonderful areas of countryside for us all to enjoy. To ensure these areas can be appreciated by everyone, we have been asked by Devon County Council to remind folk of the following points. * Landowners should not crop public footpaths * Dog owners should pick up after their animals and keep them under control at all times * Households with hedges alongside public footpaths need to be aware of vegetation growth reducing the width of paths, especially at this time when we are being encouraged to socially distance ourselves * If you believe there to be a problem with a public right of way please report the issue to your Town or Parish Council * Devon Funding News is a useful source of information for communities looking for funding. Find out more here: www.devon.gov.uk/fundingnews/ * Please ensure care is taken when walking or running through a field of cattle, good advice on how to behave can be found online and on platforms such as YouTube.

North Devon Councillor Advocate Scheme: Devon & Cornwall Police

he Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner has approached the Town Council and asked for a Councillor to be nominated as a representative on their Councillor Advocate Scheme. The scheme currently has around 150 nominated advocates. The Councillor Advocate Scheme is just one element of the Police and Crime Commissioner’s (PCC) Police and Crime Plan and aims to better connect the police, the public and the commissioner. The advocate will receive regular updates and briefings as well as opportunities to have access to; * a quarterly meeting with the police at a local level, * councillor advocate themed seminars each year * a named contact within the commissioner’s office * police campaign materials (e.g. posters and leaflets) We hope this role will help increase communication between the Town Council and the Police Service and be of benefit to the wider community. The Town Council’s Advocate is Cllr Di Davey.

Lloyds Mobile Banking Update

(at 08.09.20) he Town Council has been advised that Lloyds Mobile Bank intends to resume sessions in Great Torrington on a trial basis to establish usage and demand. The bank will be in Great Torrington on Monday the 14th September and thereafter every other Monday, so the 28th September, 12th October, 26th October, 9th November and so on until further notice. The times of opening will be between 11am and 2pm – 3 hours with no break. At some point Lloyds Bank will evaluate usage and make ongoing decisions from this data. This approach is being undertaken nationally. It is imperative that people use this resource during this time to ensure securing an ongoing provision of this service.

Help our Hedgehogs

he much-loved hedgehog needs our help. There has been an estimated decline from three million to one million individuals in Britain since the 1950s, and they have recently been categorised as vulnerable (the third

highest threat category) by the Mammal Society, along with the hazel dormouse, serotine bat and Barbastelle bat, in the first official Red List for British Mammals. Anyone can help hedgehogs, whether at home, at school, at your workplace or on farms. The Pledge for Nature project (organised by the North Devon Biosphere) is currently promoting actions to help hedgehogs across northern Devon. This time of year is vital as

Donation to Woodland Vale’s Magic Table Fund

n 2015 and 2016, Gillian Saich and I organised Community Christmas Day lunches for people in the Great Torrington community who were spending Christmas Day alone. The lunches were a great success and by the end of the second meal, we had funds left over totalling £441.50. Gillian and I thought long and hard about where these funds should go, and decided to ‘hold’ them until an appropriate time: since then they have been kept in trust by the Town Council. Following the sad passing of Gillian earlier this year, I have revisited this matter and have been looking for a worthy cause to donate the left-over funds to: I decided upon Woodland Vale’s Magic Table Fund. Woodland Vale Care Home in Great Torrington is raising funds to install a piece of interactive technology comprising a table with overhead projection, which responds and changes to the movement of the people using it. By touching the table with their hands, paintbrushes or wands, users are able to transform the display projected. The technology can also be used for more complex quiz and identification games, hand football or simply painting colours, sweeping away leaves or opening flowers that bloom with the touch of a hand. The projection can also be used on flooring for dancing and fitness games. This ‘Magic Table’ has been shown to improve the emotional stability, overall mood/outlook, social involvement/interaction and physical energy levels of people living with dementia. I have no doubt my friend Gillian would be delighted that these funds are going to support such an important project. Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, I was not able to personally present the cheque to the team at Woodland Vale but we did have photographs taken of Rebecca Stone and Patricia Branch accepting the cheque on behalf of Woodland Vale on 25th August. I would like to wish them well with their continued fundraising efforts for this important piece of technology. Margaret Brown hoglets will be starting to emerge, and it’s important that hedgehogs gain the fat reserves necessary for hibernation in October/November. The following simple actions can make a real difference: Access: Ensure your hedgehogs can travel from garden to garden. Making a simple CD-sized hole in a fence or boundary is one of the best things you can do to help. Water: Leave a shallow dish of fresh water out in your garden every evening and please make sure your ponds have gradual slopes or ramps. Food: Their diet includes worms, beetles, slugs, caterpillars and earwigs. You can leave out specific hedgehog food or cat or puppy biscuits and cat or dog tinned food for hedgehogs - but please do NOT feed them mealworms, sunflower hearts, peanuts, bread or milk. Gardening and shelter: Wild patches in your garden as well as a log piles or pre-made hedgehog homes are great ways to offer shelter for hedgehogs

to nest, rest and hibernate in. Please check whether hedgehogs are hiding in your compost heap before forking over, and check areas of long grass or under hedges before using strimmers or mowers. Finally, of course, don’t forget to check log piles before lighting bonfires. Try natural alternatives to slug pellets such as spreading coffee grounds. Citizen science: You can record your hedgehog sightings on the Big Hedgehog Map https://bighedgehogmap. org/ Please let us know what you can do/ or are doing to help hedgehogs in north Devon. You can log your pledge on our pledge map https://www.biosphere.org. uk/seasonal-activities/help-hedgehogs or inform us via our Pledge for Nature Facebook group, or send an e-mail to biosphere-mailbox@devon.gov.uk and we will enter this on the map. You could also become a ‘Hedgehog Champion’ and sign up on the Hedgehog Street Website for free resources.

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From Your County Councillor…

hope Crier readers were able to enjoy a good summer break. Again, I want to start by thanking everyone for the part you are playing to help overcome the coronavirus and I pay tribute to our schools for all their hard work to enable a full reopening this autumn. We have had a successful summer in Devon, with a safe reopening and no coronavirus outbreaks traced back to tourist visitors. However, as we now enter the autumn, we are going into a critical period in this pandemic. The recent Government announcement restricting social gatherings underlines this message. For while we have had a good summer, the number of positive coronavirus infections in Devon has started to rise. At the time of writing (9 September) we are now seeing on average around 50 new cases in the County being recorded per week. While these numbers are still low, there has been an increase since July and August. The source of these new infections has been picked up by NHS Test and Trace as coming from returning residents from foreign holidays. We saw in the local news a case of returning holiday makers from Zante causing a spike in Plymouth, while in Devon we saw a spike in Exeter and East Devon from a group

07795 073966 for appointments or enquiries of returning travellers from Croatia. However, even though we have seen this increase, at the time of writing there are around 6,400 tests a week being carried out in Devon, so our positivity rate is still less than 1%. The Test and Trace service has also been working well in Devon, and Public Health officials from the County Council have been seconded to the service, meaning that there is close cooperation and sharing of key data between the two organisations. Nevertheless, our infections are up and while we should not panic, it is vital more than ever that we follow the very

"...at the time of writing there are around 6,400 tests a week being carried out in Devon, so our positivity rate is still less than 1%." clear messages on hand washing, face coverings and social distancing. We have seen good observance of the guidelines so far in Torrington Rural but let’s keep the basics up – remember ‘Hands, Face, Space’ – and when coming into close contact through socialising try to stick to your family and support ‘bubbles’ as much as possible. If we do this, we will keep our infection numbers low. I can assure readers though that the County Council is closely monitoring the situation and you can find out more information, including the latest statistics on cases on the County Council website - www.devon.gov.uk/coronavirus-advicein-devon/ Finally, I know these latest

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developments coincide with the full reopening of schools. I want to reassure readers that a huge amount of work has taken place both at the County Council and within all of Devon’s schools to keep the risks of an outbreak as low as possible, and to protect children and staff. While I know it is an anxious time, it is vital that we try to keep any disruption to children’s education as limited as possible. There has been a lot of planning around children testing positive, and according to the Council’s Head of Education a schools’ exercise has been carried out to test what would happen if more than one child tests positive in a school. If there is an outbreak the schools will work with Public Health officials to determine which bubble group needs to be sent home, and remote learning provisions will remain in place for those who need to be sent home. I hope this article has provided reassurance about our local situation with the coronavirus. Again I would urge you to visit the Devon County Council website if you need more information - www.devon.gov.uk/coronavirus-advicein-devon/ Please do remember to follow the basic guidelines – Hands, Face, Space – stay vigilant and alert and if there are any County Council issues you would like to contact me about you can ring me on 07886 446 560 or email andrew. saywell@devon.gov.uk.

From Your District Councillors…

e hope you all had an enjoyable summer (despite the Covid restrictions); quite a lot has been happening with the Council so we have lots of updates since the last crier addition! Firstly we have to say how pleased we are that TDC have finally granted £25,000 to The Plough Arts Centre (with no caveats) and the Council will also consider granting another £25,000 next year. This was proposed by Cllr Chris Bright and voted for unanimously by the C&R committee and is fantastic news for our community. Secondly, a free parking motion has been put forward and is currently making its way around the council in circles, we’re afraid to say. We thought we had good news to report when the C&R committee voted for free parking for two hours at any time of day in all of Torridge’s town centre car parks (Great Torrington, Holsworthy and Bideford) through October and November, in a bid to attract people to shop locally and help businesses get back on their feet. However this decision was ‘called-in’ by the chair of the Overview and Scrutiny committee, and so the debate continues. TDC’s Economic Development Officer Chris Fuller has submitted an expression of interest to Devon Work Hubs, for £45,000 to set up a hub in Great Torrington (location to be confirmed), with a potential plan of shifting it over to the Globe project later on. He has been working extremely hard on the Globe project which is looking very hopeful! The member’s Climate Emergency Working Group has finally been set up, and we had a long initial meeting discussing a large number of different ideas. A few first small steps included sending a letter to Geoffrey Cox, lobbying for renewable energy sources on all new builds and highest levels of energy efficiency, as originally supported by Great Torrington Town Council and TDC full council. Also, following some dissenting views on biodiversity which were made previously at full council, the group will provide a consultation response to the strategic

plan, recommending biodiversity be maintained in the plan, and will approach an expert from North Devon Biosphere to address the full council on biodiversity. At the External Overview and Scrutiny Committee we discussed the draft play and open space strategy, which is looking at all of Torridge’s parks and play areas, and how we can work to improve them in the best way. Cllr CottleHunkin talked about the success in Great Torrington in terms of Kingsmead/ Burwood/Calf St and now the Commons, and how community groups have been working hard and successfully raising money to transform their play areas. She told them she would like to see this replicated across the District. There is still work to be done on the strategy, but the fact we have one at all is progress in itself in our view, as when we joined "Firstly we have to say how pleased we are that TDC have finally granted £25,000 to The Plough Arts Centre (with no caveats) and the Council will also consider granting another £25,000 next year." a few years ago it felt like a massive battle trying to get across the importance of play areas, and now it has been recognised and made a clear priority. After years of hard work lobbying, campaigning and fundraising, together with members of Calf St Park Action Group, Calf St play area is almost complete! We are just waiting to install CCTV, and are hoping to get some picnic benches and plant a couple of fruit trees. Children and families seem to be enjoying the new space, which is amazing to see, and so rewarding. Everyone who has been a part of the effort should be feeling extremely proud! There have been a few complaints of teenagers swearing and smoking, so no-smoking signs have been put up and as a community group a few of us have approached them asking them to stop smoking, and they’ve been polite enough and gone outside of the park to smoke. Youth Genesis plan to have a youth worker in the park on Friday evenings, which is a great idea.

The planning application for nine houses adjacent to South St car park was supposed to go to Committee in August; however a late submission from Historic England meant that it is deferred. Our biggest concern is that five of the houses are sited on the very edge of the valley, they are houses not bungalows, and will dominate and diminish the historic townscape and the surrounding listed buildings, Caynton House in particular. This has also been commented on from Historic England, who are suggesting the plans would be more sympathetic if they were set back from the valley edge and singlestorey, which we think is a very sensible proposal. Finally, we have been receiving numerous phone calls, emails, and messages on social media regarding the current closure of the swimming pools. TDC have not closed the pools. They contract 1610 to run them and we are currently in discussions to work out the best way forward, as well as lobbying government for Covid funding for leisure (as this is one of the sectors which has been forgotten). Please be assured that this does not mean permanent closure and we will fight to have them open in the best way as soon as possible. Cllr Cheryl Cottle-Hunkin, Cllr.cottle-hunkin@torridge.gov.uk 07495 367 801 Cllr Chris Bright, Councillor.bright@torridge.gov.uk 07936 325 909

Local Police Updates

Crime Figures for the Torridge Sector Over 28 days, up to 3rd September 2020 Burglary dwelling 3 Burglary non-dwelling 5 Violence with injury 41 Violence without injury 61 Robbery 4 Shoplifting 8 Other Theft 19 Criminal damage 32 Public order 20 Vehicle offences 5 Do you care for someone who has dementia? Do you worry they may leave their home and go missing? The Herbert Protocol, a nationwide initiative developed in partnership between the police, Alzheimer’s Society and the NHS, may help find them quickly and get them home safe What is the Herbert Protocol? The Herbert Protocol encourages families, carers, friends or neighbours to hold information about a person with Dementia. This could help the emergency services find the person if they go missing. There is a specific form to record vital information

about the person, such as a description, photograph, their daily routine and significant places in their life. The form should be kept where it can be easily located any time of day or night, so it can be given to the emergency services at a moment’s notice to help in their search. Where can I get The Herbert Protocol form? You can download it and find out more at www.dc.police.uk/missingherbert You can also pick it up from your local memory café, Citizens Advice office, council office, health centre, hospital PALS office, library or police station. When should I complete it? The sooner the form is ready the sooner it can be used. What should I do with it? Leave it in a prominent place so it can be easily found by officers and rescue services who are members of the search team.

What will happen with the information on the form? You need to keep the form in a safe place. The only time it will be used is if the person goes missing. The information will only be shared as part of the missing person operation. Trick or Treating at Halloween Please bear in mind that given the year we have had, some members of our community may be feeling quite vulnerable and may not wish to take part in trick or treating activities. You should only go to houses of people that you know and who are happy for you to call. The poster on the inside back cover of this issue is for people to cut out and display if they don't want trick or treaters to visit this year. If you see it displayed in someone’s window, please be respectful and do not call at the property. Let’s look after our communities.

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Torrington-Roscoff Exchange Group

tâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been a couple of months since my last article and I thought it timely to bring you up to date with the group. It should have been this past August Bank Holiday weekend that our friends from Roscoff were visiting Torrington. We had plans in place for us all to attend the Cavaliers Mayflower Celebration Bonfire, amongst other things, including an official Mayor's reception. For obvious reasons, all this has been postponed until August Bank Holiday weekend next year, when we look forward to hosting our friends from Roscoff. Also, it is with great sadness that we have lost one of our most valued and loved members, Gillian Saich, who passed away suddenly in May this year. RIP dear Gillian. Town twinning, as an official relationship-builder, started in Europe after the Second World War. The idea was simple: repair damaged relationships between France, Germany and the UK. Find towns that suffered during the wars and pair them. Then encourage people from these areas to meet, mix and get along. Twinning is done by agreement between the local authorities of both places, and is largely informal. Schools may decide to do cultural exchanges with their twin towns so that children can get to experience the differences and similarities between places in another

country. Most town twinning has taken place in the post-WW2 period as a way to build cultural links and promote peace and understanding with former enemies. For example, Coventry is twinned with Dresden in Germany, as both cities were heavily bombed during the war by each otherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s air forces. The earliest known town twinning in Europe was between Paderborn, Germany, and Le Mans, France, in 836. In 1905, Keighley in West Yorkshire had a twinning arrangement with French communities Suresnes and Puteaux. Not sure why Great-Torrington was twinned with Roscoff following the UK joining the European Economic Community (EEC) in 1973, but we couldn't have been paired with a better

area, with such hospitable and warm hearted people. Maybe the geography of the two locations had a bearing, offering such diversity between Market Town and Coastal Port. Whatever the reason, Torrington has certainly benefited. Although the group has postponed all events and gatherings until it is safe to continue, we welcome new members and currently have over 40. Age is no barrier, as we have members ranging from 10 years and upwards; you also don't have to be able to speak French. If you are interested in joining us, please contact: Antony Jefferies (Secretary) 01271 549454, or Nick Roberts (Chairman) 01805 625765. Nick Roberts

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Dear Princes Anastasia Sparrasnikov, I’ve heard that you’re looking for a fun and unforgettable place to visit. Well I think that Earth is the place for you! Unlike most planets, we have the perfect atmosphere to sustain life and the planet is packed with all kinds from large, lumbering whales to slithering snakes sliding from tree to tree. Our planet is made up from all sorts of climates, for example: tropical, dry and temperate are all found on Earth. The tropics are hot and humid, a great environment for plants to grow in such as palms and orchids. These beautiful creations are sure to catch your attention. In contrast to the lush rainforest there are vast areas of desert. Deserts are often thought of as hot, arid lands covered with sand and barely any vegetation, but there are also cold, desolate deserts that are covered in snow instead of sand and temperatures can drop below freezing! And then there’s the temperate climate, which is where I live. This causes all sorts of weather: sunny weather, cold weather, windy weather but most of all rainy weather! But rain isn’t always bad because the rain waters the flowers, creating beautiful bursts of colour and life. The Earth isn’t just made up of snakes, whales and other animals, most of the population is dominated by us humans. Humans can be described by many words such as: kind, stupid, destructive, creative, inventive, loving, crazy, strange, inquisitive, caring and unique but ultimately humans are a likeable species. Humans have made a big impact on this planet, sometimes for bad reasons like fighting in terrible wars, destroying nature

During Lockdown, Mrs Sparrow set this task for her Big History Future World project: ‘Good evening, earthlings. I am Princess Anastasia Sparrasnikov and I am speaking to you from the planet Zog, a beautiful place where I have lived the majority of my 2554 years. I am currently considering where to spend my 2020 holiday and am in a bit of a quandary. I am tempted by Saturn , with all of those interesting moons, but a friend has also suggested earth, with its temperate climate and interesting cultures. I have previously travelled to Venus (far too hot) and Uranus (uncomfortably cold) so the thought of earth appeals somewhat. I simply cannot decide! Please can you email my minion, Mrs Sparrow, with a piece of persuasive writing to encourage me to visit you. Remember to include interesting vocabulary, accurate spelling and punctuation, varied sentence lengths and information about some of the physical delights of your planet. I would also be interested to know why you think that your earthling society is worthy of my presence (you are, after all, a fairly nondescript little planet in terms of our vast universe). Thank you junior earthlings. I look forward to hearing from you. ‘ Here are some of the fantastic responses she received. and polluting the planet. But, although we have done terrible things, there are also many good deeds we have done like: creating beautiful art and music, making hundreds of languages, planting trees and protecting nature. We have helped humans, animals and the planet through science and medicine and we are always curious to explore more, including space but I don’t think we’ve found your planet yet. All in all, I think you’d find a holiday on Earth unforgettable for all these reasons and more. We’d love to have you here, just remember to pack hand sanitizer! All the best, Earthling Emily Emily Fenton Year 8

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Greetings Anastasia Sparrasnikov, I am earthling 94612 also known as Lucas. I have seen your video and have been told to persuade you to visit earth realm C-147. Earth is full of lots of different places and people unlike all the other species on the other planets. We have a balanced climate most of the time, but in the summer it is hot and winter cold, but not extreme temperatures like Mars and Uranus. This earth realm has lots more sights to see and places to visit. Unlike Venus no two places are the same. Some places I recommend are Devon, Devon is full of fresh air and great countryside views. Cornwall, Cornwall is famous for their pasties which are incredible and there are lots of beaches to visit and explore. New York, this is a massive city full of tall skyscrapers and buildings and tons of cool shops to visit. It is also home and famous for the Statue of Liberty. Japan, in my opinion Japan is the most high-tech place in the entire world. It is full of robots and cool high-tech buildings. I think it will remind you a little of home. The final place I think you should visit is Boston lab, they are famous for making the best robots and maybe you could help them progress with their work in robotics. Your minion said you wanted to see some of the 7 wonders of the world which I think would be a brilliant idea. The seven wonders are: the Great Pyramid of Giza which is the oldest of the 7 wonders but is not technically one of them. The Great wall of China which is 21196.18km long, the Taj Mahal, the Roman Colosseum, the Chichen Itza, Machu Picchu, Christ the Redeemer and Petra. And no, don’t worry, I did not forget about food. If you are going to stay here for a few hundred years you’re going to need to eat but don’t worry earth has the best food in the universe. You might be doubting this but I assure you I am 100% correct, we have hundreds of different types of fruit and vegetables that humans grow and harvest themselves as well as different meats such as cows, pigs, chicken, fish e.c.t. Now you might be thinking about entertainment and where you are going to stay? Well don’t worry you won’t have to dig holes in the ground or set up tents inside giant furry monsters, no, we have houses with electricity, hot water and comfortable beds to sleep in. Now for the best part of living on earth! Entertainment! Earth has top notch entertainment. aSome of my favourite forms of entertainment are video games and drawing. Video games are like when you watch the people fight in the Colosseum but you play as the character but it is not real so you press buttons on a little bit of plastic and the character you choose will do stuff depending on what button you pressed! Drawing is where you have a stick of lead (Sp) which is wrapped in wood to protect it and you move it around on paper and it makes lines on the paper. I hope earth realm C-147 is the right one for you to visit! Until then From earthling 94612 (Lucas) This message will self-destruct in 5-4-3 *error 35#486 has occurred Lucas Doherty, Year 8

Dear Princess Anastasia, I think that you should definitely come to Earth on holiday. This is because it is a very interesting planet with lots of different cultures. You may want to go to England because in London, the capital city, there is Windsor Castle. This is where Queen Elizabeth II lives. Or The United States of America, the most powerful country in the world. Or perhaps you may want to go to South Africa, and see some beautiful animals such as giraffes, elephants and cheetahs. There are many natural wonders on Earth such as the Amazon Rainforest, which contains 10percent of all known wildlife species. The Great Barrier Reef in Australia is magnificent. It is composed of over 2900 individual reefs! There are many more amazing natural marvels in our world and I definitely think that you should come and visit them. I also think that you would love to see humans. We are a very intelligent species, we have invented cars, planes, mobile phones and many more. Humans have discovered things about the past when we weren’t even alive! And no two of us are the same. In different countries we have different traditional foods, and we have different celebrations based on our religion (if we have one). For example, Christians celebrate Christmas, which is a very popular celebration and a lot of atheists and agnostics celebrate it too. Muslims celebrate Ramadan, and Buddhists celebrate Vesak. There are lots of other religions too such as Jews, Hindus and Sikhs. Earth is a beautiful planet. Despite being small, it is definitely the most interesting in the solar system. So you should definitely come to visit us, and we will be happy to show you our home. Best wishes, Isla Kingdon, Year 8

Clovelly Donkeys Delighted to Receive a Piece of Rosemoor!

lovelly Donkeys, which manage the upkeep of the donkeys who live in the famous Devon coastal village, have recently taken delivery of a trailer load of delicious wildflower meadow hay, donated to them by the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Garden at Rosemoor. The donkeys, which are owned and managed independently, have been an intrinsic part of the Clovelly Estate for many hundreds of years and traditionally have been used to haul goods up the steep cobbled streets. They have a total of 12 donkeys and two mules, the youngest being just a fluff ball at seven weeks old! “The money we need to feed and look after the donkeys is down to the generosity of visitors’ donations and from donkey rides,” said owner Bart Kelly. He went on to say, “We are dedicated to demonstrating that it is perfectly possible to operate a herd of working donkeys to the highest welfare standards, and this has been recognised by the Donkey Sanctuary on many occasions. We really appreciate this gift at a time like this, and are also delighted that Rosemoor is being so pro-active in helping our environment.” Rosemoor’s wildflower meadows are now one of its most popular parts and attract thousands of human and wildlife visitors each year. Starting in late spring, they are bright yellow from field buttercups. They then turn to a purple and white haze in the summer as the knapweed and oxeye daisies take over. The meadows are a magnet for insects, which are so important to pollinate the fruit and vegetables nearby. Once they have finished flowering and set seed, charms of goldfinches flock to feed before the meadows are cut and baled. The delicious organic wildflower meadow hay is then donated to a worthy cause. This year the Rosemoor team, including Phil Peard and Felix Bishop, delivered and unloaded 100 bales of the hay into the Clovelly Donkeys’ barn. Phil Peard, Horticulturist at Rosemoor and responsible for cutting and baling the hay said of the gesture “We are really pleased to help support places each year like Clovelly Donkeys especially at the moment during these difficult times. We really hope that the donkeys enjoy their little piece of Rosemoor just like all of our visitors do”. For more information rhs.org.uk/Rosemoor. All visits need to be booked online, please.

Concerts in the West Goes Online

espite the restrictions imposed by Covid-19, classical music charity Concerts in the West is delighted to be in a position to invite its audiences to enjoy some wonderful classical music online in pre-recorded concerts, giving people a taste of future live concerts. The online concerts feature a fantastic line-up of top class musicians, including those who were due to play for Concerts in the West audiences this year, had the pandemic not sadly forced their cancellation, as well as those who have been invited to play in 2021 and 2022. All these musicians have made a tremendous effort to perform together and record their music especially for Concerts in the West’s exciting series of virtual concerts. Ranging in length from 30-45 minutes, the performances can be viewed for one month from the date of transmission on Facebook, YouTube and www.concertsinthewest. org, (concerts run from August, until 22nd October). Visit the website for full concert details. Catherine Maddocks, the founder and director of Concerts in the West, has been working hard throughout lockdown organising the digital concert series, as well as rebooking this year’s musicians to play in 2021 and even in 2022. So audiences will still have plenty of live performances to look forward to. Catherine remains positive about future concerts, saying: “It is wonderful to be able to start thinking ahead and we can't wait to welcome the musicians and our audiences back again to our quirky and individual venues. In the meantime, we hope people enjoy our online series, which is being funded from our own resources. We aren’t selling tickets, so it would be lovely if our audiences could donate to support us and the musicians.” Details of how to donate can be found on the Concerts in the West website. Twitter: concertsinwest Facebook: ConcertsintheWest

Great Torrington Remembers Every Man Major James Gray MacIndoe

ames MacIndoe was born in 1870 on the Isle of Bute, which is in the western islands of Scotland. His family lived in the town of Rothesay, which is the main town on the isle. Their address is listed as 13 Argyll Street. The 1871 census was taken shortly after the death of James’ father and the family are living with their aunt, Mary McRae, in her house. James’ mother is Susan MacIndoe, who was born in Rothesay, and is 26 years old in this census. Mary McRae’s sister, Janet, and brother-in-law, Thomas, also reside in the premises. Thomas’ profession as a “physician and surgeon” gives us a clue to James’ future occupation. The family would move around a great deal. By 1881 the family are still found in Scotland, but their address is now St Bridges Terrace, Dryfesdale, which is close to Lockerbie. They’ve moved in with Susan’s brother, James, who is a General Practitioner in the local area. Although Susan has no profession listed, it is noted that she is an ‘annuitant’, which likely means that she is receiving her deceased husband’s death pension. James, who is now 11 years old, is the only one of her children living at the property and he is listed as a scholar. In 1883 James MacIndoe began studying at the prestigious George Watson’s Boys’ College in the Merchiston area of Edinburgh. He would go on to study medicine at Edinburgh University from 1887 to 1892 and graduated with a Bachelor of Medicine (M.B C.M). The 1891 census still has the family living in Edinburgh; they’ve moved again to Warrender Park Road in the St Cuthbert area. James’ mother is still the head of the household and living by private means. At this point James is noted as being a student of medicine. In 1899 James marries local girl, Lucy Sutcliff, the sister of Captain Archibald Sufcliff who was another Torrington soldier to serve in the Great War and who was also the town’s GP. At the turn of the century, they can be found living together with their domestic servant, Agnes Saunders; their address is in New

Street. James’ occupation is recorded as a ‘physician and surgeon’. He served a number of roles in the local community, most notably as a General Practitioner in the town. He originally came to the town as an assistant to Dr Sutcliffe and since his death carried it on alone. In addition, he was the medical officer for the town’s Workhouse and public vaccinator for the Great Torrington and High Bickington Districts. As well as medical duties, James also took up positions in the community such as serving on the Town Council. He was also noted as being an excellent lawn bowler and served as the President of the town’s club; he also played in the team that won the County Shield. In 1913 the couple had their only child, a boy who they named James Legrand. James was involved in the Territorial Army and was given his first commission in 1900 at the rank of Captain. He became attached to the 6th Devonshire Battalion when the Territorial Army was formed in 1908, serving as their Medical Officer. For the 1911 census, their address is listed as ‘Morton’, Great Torrington, which is near the then newly built Cottage Hospital. Their 9 year old nephew, Edward Moncrieff, lives with them, as do their servants, Maud Pantol, who is a house maid, and Annie Cooke, who is a cook. James was actually at camp with the Royal Army Medical Corps when war broke out in 1914 and was actively involved in the training of the 6th Devons, who would later be stationed in India. Although there is no record of his exact condition, the Captain’s health was failing at this time and he was not able to accompany his regiment overseas. Despite this, he continued to work in the training of soldiers and attained the rank of Major. In September 1916 his condition deteriorated as grave symptoms appeared and he was forced to give up his military duties, he passed away shortly after on the 5th October of that year. As testament to his character,

the North Devon Journal provided great detail of the high numbers of mourners and floral tributes at his funeral, which included all areas of the community. He is buried in the Great Torrington Cemetery. Although I’ve been unable to contact any descendants of Major MacIndoe, I have been able to locate the above image. As always, if you have any further information on this soldier, or any others, I would welcome your assistance. Michael Newcombe michael.mnewcombe@gmail.com 07583 507434

Stevenstone Defibrillator Installed

n recent weeks Stevenstone has installed a public access AED iPad Defibrillator for their community. This unit and its heated cabinet have been recorded by the South West Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust, for its location and ongoing surveillance/management. The Stevenstone community, with the help of The British Heart Foundation, St Giles in the Wood Parish Council, North Devon County Council, Torridge District Council and others, have assisted in raising the necessary funds for this unit. A very big thank you to all concerned. We must also thank the generous local resident who has provided wall space and free electricity to the unit. We hope it will never be needed, but with the Covid 19 situation and the present pressures on the Health Service - this may be one less thing to be concerned about. We are still seeking someone to train our residents on the unit and the associated CPR. If you can assist, we would be very pleased to hear from you. Please contact: Peter Sevenoaks on 01805 628242.

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Margaret Beaufort (c1443 – 1509)

rare Tudor portrait of Margaret Beaufort, the formidable grandmother of Henry VIII, was unveiled in 2012 at Hever Castle in Kent. Beaufort married three times – a fourth marriage when she was only a child was annulled – and outlived all her husbands. Her ambition helped propel both her son and her grandson to become kings of England. Margaret Beaufort was descended from Edward III through John of Gaunt. She married Edmund Tudor, Earl of Richmond, in 1455 when she was twelve and he was twenty four, and gave birth to their son when still a very young girl. He was to become King Henry VII. Historians have called Beaufort the most powerful woman in England of her day. After her son was crowned she signed her letters Margaret R. She was also a scholar and author, who is credited with the establishment of two prominent Cambridge colleges. She founded Christ's College in 1505 and began the development of St John's College, which was completed posthumously by her executors in 1511. Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford, the first Oxford college to admit women, is named after her and has a statue of her in the college chapel. She also donated funds to a grammar school and in support of various monks, preachers and lecturers. Henry VII won his crown at the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485, after the death of Richard III, and took possession of the baronies of Barnstaple and Torrington

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but two years later handed them over to his mother, Lady Margaret. When she became Lady of the Manor, the rectory for Torrington parish church was at Priestacott (off the road to Huntshaw Mill). 'She pitied the long path that the rector had from the church' and in 1491 she presented to the rector, Thomas Burswell, and his successors, her 'manor house here with lands thereunto belonging'. The present vicarage which stands on this site dates from 1841. The moat, which had surrounded the house, had largely disappeared by 1875. Lady Margaret also gave the church a library, which is mentioned by Risdon in his description of the building: 'The church is spaciously fair, and decently kept, whereupon a library belongeth; in which church are divers exquisite epitaphs, made to the memory of the deceased.' Margaret always respected the name and memory of Edmund Tudor as the father of her only child. After his death, she had two further husbands. The first was Sir Henry Stafford whom she married in 1458. He died in 1471 of wounds suffered in battle. In 1472 she married Thomas Stanley, the Earl of Derby, but later in this marriage, in 1499, with her husband's permission, she took a vow of chastity and lived alone near Stamford in Northamptonshire. Henry VII died in April 1509 and Margaret outlived her son by just ten weeks. He had designated her as chief executor of his will and she arranged

her son's funeral and her grandson's coronation. Much of her property, including Torrington, passed to Henry VIII on his coronation in June 1509. She died five days later and historians suggest that overeating at the coronation banquet may have contributed to her death! She is buried in the Henry VII Chapel of Westminster Abbey. Moira Brewer

Commons News

fter last edition’s mix up when we managed to resend last August’s article, I’m being extra careful this time! Sorry for any confusion, I assure you I was more confused than anyone! However, at least we do actually have some news this month. The car boot sales have restarted and are proving very popular. We are taking all recommended precautions to keep sellers and buyers safe. I will attach the information necessary to book a stall at the end. We will continue the car boot sales later into the autumn than usual, until the weather breaks. One new and very welcome piece of news is that we have finally raised enough money to start work on the new playpark. Commons Conservator Gerry Duffy has worked tirelessly in finding grants and sources of income, and we would like to thank Virador, The Postcode Local Trust, Garfield Weston Foundation, Torridge District Council, The Great Torrington Town and Lands Charity, The Norman family,

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Torrington Co-op and all the shoppers there who chose us as their preferred beneficiary, Bideford Round Table and Margaret Brown. The work should start in October, so the old park will be closing down then. We are extending the area of the playpark and leaving room in the new layout for more pieces to be funded by the Great Torrington Cavaliers, when the Mayflower finally sails! We took part in the National Big Butterfly Hunt and saw a good many species, including the rare Small Pearl Bordered Fritillary and Silver Wash Fritillary. I’m also very excited to have been shown a photo of a Purple Hair Streak butterfly taken on the slope below the golf course. This elusive species that lives in the tops of the oak trees hasn’t been recorded on the Commons for a number of years. The bridge joining the Commons with Jubilee Woods is now repaired, and the stile above it, which was an unnecessary obstacle, has been removed. We hope to get another bridge built at the far end of Commons Lake path, so we can cross at the bottom of Alexander path all winter, even when the stream is in spate and the existing little concrete bridge is under water. The Friends of the Commons have been out and about again, litter picking and balsam bashing amongst other things. If you would like to join this friendly group please email Sandra at friends@torringtoncommons.org. The meadows and verges have been spectacular this year. We are now in the process of mowing them so the native flower seeds can germinate and grow again next year.

All of this costs money, and we are also working hard at our fundraising. Unfortunately, lockdown meant we lost a large amount of income earlier in the year. The 365 Club has had a good uptake and is an easy way to help support us. It costs £2 per month or £24 annually. If you think the Commons are worth that, please contact Andrew Giles on 07956 366 390 or email vicechair@torringtoncommons. org, or you can join via our website www.Torringtoncommons.org. Most weekends we are also running a stall of our own at the car boot sales, where you can come along and have a chat, or buy a book! Equally, if you have any good books, CDs or DVDs that you would like to pass on to a good cause, please let us know! Torrington Commons Car Boot sale – Old Bowling Green. Sat Nav ref 50.953677, -4.157863 Sellers 7am, buyers from 8am. Important Information for Sellers Pre-booking Due to the current situation, and limited number of spaces, we need all sellers to pre-book their place at the car boot sale. To make a pre-booking, please contact Andy Giles, (Vice Chair) by email at vicechair@torringtoncommons.org, providing your name and a contact number, or give him a call on 07956 366 390. Please let me know if you will be coming every week so that you will only need to book once. Unfortunately, we will have to turn away any sellers that have not prebooked.

PPE & Sanitiser Sellers must bring their own hand sanitiser and PPE (Personal Protective Equipment), such as face masks, visors, gloves etc. Covid 19 Update Scientific advice suggests that the Covid-19 virus can survive for up to several days on some hard surfaces. The risks are reduced when outdoors, where surfaces are subject to sunlight and rain. Whilst all possible practical measures to limit infection have been put in place by the Great Torrington Commons Conservators and stall holders, visitors to this car boot sale do so at their own choice and risk. • Please do not enter the car boot sale if you have any symptoms of Covid-19, or have had them in the last 7 days. • Please stay at least 1 metre distance from other visitors and from stall holders. • Please be patient and wait if any area or stall is getting crowded and people cannot maintain social distances. • Use of hand sanitiser gel or wipes is advised when visiting – please bring your own. • Please do not handle any items for sale unless you buy them afterwards. • After handling anything you have bought, do not touch your face and encourage your children to do the same. • Wash your hands thoroughly when you get home, and before eating or drinking. • Please use the bins provided or take your litter home.

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The Crier Prize Crossword

depending on the season, Torrington Methodist Church Devon 10.30am Rolle Canal & Northern Saturday 13th flowering at thewith timeGeoffre of the Rev Stephen Hill 6.30pm Rev Ken Advice Surgery Waterways Society Guided Walk The start of the Morgan for an appointment ring walk 01237i new season's programme The The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter of Kiln,to on the Weare Giffa email tellgeoffrey@geoffrey Sunday afternoon walks starts on 26th Day Saints meet @ Bideford College Halfpenny Bridge, at website www.geoffreycox.co.u The winner of this month’s crossword will win a Hog Roast takeaway for a visit to the site of the Maymeal with Abbotsham Rd, Bideford, EX39 3AR Coffee Morning in aidThe of Wem dis Sunday 26th May. two from North Devon Hog Roast. Please send completed crosswordInclined with contact Plane at Ridd. This is the Church Sunday Sacrament service at 11.50am@mile Chulmleigh Town H over a but with plen details, to The Crier, Castle Hill, Torrington, EX38 8AA, or email to 1pm torrington.crier@ place where the Rolle Canal cakes,and produce, draw is prizes a discuss likely gmail.com. The winner of last issue’s prize is Jacqueline Randall. The winner was raisedforupthis about3pm 43 feet Film 'Hitchcock' (12A) @ The Major Walker MCofCeremony couple hours. A issue will be picked at random from correct entries. Deadline for entries Thursday fromisthe valley floor near Plough Memorial 11am £2 (see to article) the R Weare to a Film 'Argo'Giffard (15) 7pm @level The Plough 8th October and the solution and winner will be in the November issue. Taddiport Tea Dance 2-4.30p Society's fund Comedy 'Russell Kane' @ Devon Hall in the side of the valley Doug 01805 appreciated 622648 or Beryl 0a orth Devon Hog Roast is a family 8pm that could be maintained 624294 enable Hog the Soc all the way inland to the owned business Filmproviding 'Great Expectations' 7.30 volunteer work Roasts with aHigh difference in North Monday Bickington Cinema head weir 8th at Rosemoor. promote and maintai and throughout the South Historical & Talks 'Beam Music CoopeWest. Boyes & Simpso Many Society people AGM willDevon have seen the Rolle Canal. Future wa House & Quay' & JohnOur Oatway The Plough th or meat either this site on previous walks butisthis yearhome-produced will be 16 June, 28th Ju Torrington Clockmaker 7 for 7.30pm @over sourced locally, so you can be assured there have been developments August. For further details Methodist Church 14th of theithighest quality welfare values the winter that will make well worth a Sunday email: hassallc@ymail.com Film 'Wreck it Ralph' (PG) 2pm @ The Torrington Methodist Church repeat visit. The and Heritage Lottery great taste. Our aim is to 425357, provide 01237 you'llMr p Plough Rev Peter Whattonbut 6.30pm funded ‘Life's Journey’ project customers with has a top-quality catering to leave a message. Film 'Argo' (15) 5pm @ The Plough Sheriff produced a new experience, pathway from the the without big costs! C Film 'Lincoln' (12A) 8pm @ The Plough St. Michael’s Church 10am S Tarka Trail down to the bottom of the Please read about our services in the Ignatius Sunday Club in upper Inclined Plane where illustrated Thinktwo Local section on page 8 Sessions' of this (15) Tuesday 9th Film 'The 3pm Our Hedgehogs Need Yo information boards issue. have been installed Film 'Lincoln' (12A) 5pm @ The Plough The Hedgehog Plough Awareness W to describe the saltmarsh habitat by We@are the Film 'Hitchcock' (12A) 8pm Thedelighted to offer way but why wait until th the Torridge and Crossword the workings Plough prizeand of a Monday Hog Roast help? As 15th spring is here purpose of the Rolle Canal. It is now Singing for Fun 7.30-8.30pm takeaway meal for two! Our hopefully takeaway and the weathe possible to gain a far better Wednesday 10th Centre service is on the first Bickington Tuesday ofCommunity every improves our spiky friend of Said theMass lay-out and Mini Mover Dance Session Stunderstanding Michael's Church 8.30am month from 5pm through to 8:30pm, at will be up and about agafo the inclined plane boat lift 9.30-10.30am @ Bickington in workings St James of Chapel C Roborough Village Hall Carpark (next to It’s been an extremely tou than wasW.Ipreviously theHall case. Torrington @ Methodist 7pm The Centre winter for them. T the new village Tennis Court) EX19 8TB, upper basin of 8pm the canal the top of Film 'I Wish' (PG) @ TheatPlough

changeable a short drive Torrington. and wet wea the incline has been cleared of from scrubGreat Tuesday 16th has made it difficult for ma We hope to see you there! sufficiently to enable the outline of its Thursday 11th 'Hearing for You' Social grou them to find food or hibern Hastings to beChurch clearlySaid seen, and the way Sam hard&ofAndy hearing. Every 3rd Tue Stbanks Michael's Mass over the past months so m Whitsleigh Farm, Roborough, the railway subsequently cut through The Bickford Centre call 0127 10.30am in St James ChapelLower followed by weak and need help. If yo the northern destroying the top of Winkleigh, North Devon EX19 Youth Club High 8TU Bickington C Walsingham cellend, in vicarage you07932 had a657 resident Memory Cafe 10.30-12.30pm @ The603909 the incline. This canal basin now Mob: Centre for 11+ @ 5-7pm Tel: 01805 572 hedge area last year don’t Clubplease 7pm Juniors Plough supports an increasing population of Badminton info@northdevonhogroast.co.uk, a bowl of water and some Adults @ Bickington Commun Theatre Multi Storey: Beauty & The Early Purple Orchid and Twayblade (a www.northdevonhogroast.co.uk them, placing it inside a fe pairs competition @ Beast 2pm @ The Ploughorchid) green flowered which, Cribbage Film 'Cloud Atlas' (15) 7pm @ The Plough note early start for long film

Arms 8pm Film 'Cloud Atlas' (15) 7pm @ Plough note early start for long

Hickfords Property Services CRIER COPY DEADLINE for Wednesday 17th Professional Builder, Carpenter & Damp Specialist ‘MAY 2013’ by 12noon

St Michael's Church Said Ma ee eJames inFrSt Chapel stim friendly ad ates & Short Tennis vice HNC @ High Bicking , NVQ and Institu Centre 4.30-5.30p WCommunity ood Prese te of rv in g & Legion 3rd We Royal British Damp -Pro ofing month @ GT Conservativa qualifi7pm ed Film 'No' 8pm @ The Plough Atherington Acorns, fun, frie Gallery Gig 'Judith Christie & Diane for parents & children aged 0-5 Hickford 623376 Calvert Contact 8.15pmColin @ The Plough C.S.R.T—Tel 01805 9.30am-11am @ Atherington P Mob: 07976 936 465 Email: hickford208@aol.com every Wednesday term time.

today pleaseWorks  Damp Surveys & Remedial  Woodworm & Rot Treatments Friday  Kitchen 12th & Bathroom Design & Fitting StMichael's Church Said Mass 8.30am Property Maintenance in St James Chapel  Extensions Theatre Scottish Falsetto Puppet  Landscaping Decking Theatre 7pm @&The Plough

reddie here wishing you a very happy October. I love autumn as here at Shepherds View there are lots of leaves which are great fun to play in – especially when they have been swept up into a pile for me and the other K9Focus woofs to jump in! It makes us happy, but strangely not Aunty Lynne! She just tells us to behave and can be quite strict when she sees us pick up a conker, but she tells us that they are poisonous to dogs! August and September were really busy months for the rescue, with still lots of adoption applications being registered and still very few rescue dogs. However sadly we had one little Border Collie pup arrive who was bought off a farm just before lockdown, and as a result has never been socialised. She is terrified of everything (even me) and just hides at the back of the kennel, won’t even come forward for food, something a Labrador cannot understand! She is terrified of hands and hasn’t learnt that actually they bring great cuddles and belly rub, but I am sure that we will win her round with patience. The rescue centre is operating very

strict procedures to keep everyone safe from Covid, and there is still a restriction on visitors, limiting it to essential only. We are also not able to take any donations at this time, but want to thank everyone for thinking of us. Our day-care and boarding facilities have now reopened, and it's quite busy which is good for the rescue as all the monies raised go to it, so that we can remain operational and help more dogs that need a new home. So if you would like your furry friend looked after for the day or longer, just call Aunty Lynne on 07971 461 806 or email lynne@k9focus.co.uk. We all know that this year has been the strangest that most of us have ever experienced. I miss seeing visitors and my walks around Torrington, proudly wearing my sponsorship shirt and doing my bit to raise money for the other less fortunate woofs. Where has the year gone? I can hardly believe that it will soon be coming up to the time when fireworks start going off and dogs (and some humans) get quite traumatised. So now is the time to perhaps start thinking about how you can make sure your dog

is less worried. At the kennels we are given a crate to hide in, which is covered over and this makes us feel really safe. The radio seems to get turned up louder and Aunty Lynne puts nice smelling oil on our beds, like Rescue Remedy from Bach Flower. Not sure why she is doing this out here at the kennels, as it is actually quite quiet, and so if you have a very nervous dog it may be worth booking them into our boarding kennels for a couple of nights. Right I am off to play with my best friend Toby, but will be back with more news next month, in the meantime keep safe and enjoy the lovely autumn sunshine. Woofs & Licks Freddie

The Cavaliers’ Pumpkin Competition

ello pumpkin growers, I hope you have had a good pumpkin growing season. There are a lot of stories doing the rounds, but you have to take a lot of them with a pinch of salt. There is a bit of sad news, in that owing to the present Covid-19 pandemic situation we will not be able to hold the weigh-in at the Torrington Arms on November 1st. However we are looking at ways that we can have a weigh-in that will be safe for everyone. You will be notified of the arrangements in the next couple of weeks, so keep your pumpkin warm and well fed. Thank you all for supporting the Cavaliers. Dick Matthews