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.
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.
Costs & sizes: Small advert: 9cm wide x 5cm deep, £28 per issue. Large advert: 19cm wide x 5cm deep, £54 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
Proof reading: Sam Williams
Town Distribution: The Joy family & Esther Williams
Rural Distribution: Sue Crane & the community
Printers: Hedgerow Print, Crediton
Read The Crier Online
If you don’t normally get the Crier delivered, you can now view the latest issue and back issues online, including all adverts, which can be clicked on to visit their websites.
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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 07443 491972, torrington.crier@gmail. com, or call in to Torrington Library.
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Dig the Castle Update 2025
The story of Great Torrington, the castle and the community, has raised interest across the UK and closer to home. After having a well-earned rest in early 2024, the team at Dig the Castle has been very busy this winter 2024/2025. Leading on from our national award win in July 2024, the project was further nominated at the prestigious Archaeology Achievement Awards, with the ceremony held in Cardiff in November 2024. The project has also been nominated for the Flourishing Culture Awards for North Devon and Torridge, with the awards ceremony being held in Barnstaple in March 2025.
Last year the team also went to the national Museums Archaeology Conference, where we presented the project, and there was much praise for all that the community had achieved. We have also given talks on the castle and project to Rotary clubs in Bideford and Torrington, as well as to national amenity societies, the Bristol and Avon Archaeological Society, and North Devon Archaeological Society. This work is important as it spreads the story of Great Torrington wider afield and we take the Heritage Trail leaflets with us to distribute, to encourage people to come and visit the town!
We have been working hard on turning the raw data from the 2023 excavation into products and resources for the community, and have sought another round of funding to enhance the information boards and signs at the castle site for visitors and locals. We are working on a plan for an event in July, to coincide with the Council for British Archaeology Festival of Archaeology (19th July - 3rd August 2025), followed by another small excavation in September/October 2025, where the public will be able to come along and watch archaeologists excavating live and to view the finds, as they come out of the ground. The project will also be the focus of an article in the renowned British Archaeology magazine: Issue 205, which will hit news-stands in October 2025.
Plenty to be excited about in the year ahead… watch this space!
John Eeles & Emily Wapshott, Dig the Castle Team Leaders
Crier Delivery Thanks!
The Crier team would like to say a huge thank you to Tony and Elaine Joy, for their hard work over years with getting the Criers to all the town deliverers. It’s about 20 years since their son Matthew started as a deliverer, and he then took over the organising of dropping off bundles to all the town deliverers a number of years ago. When they so sadly lost Matthew, Tony and Elaine took over both the deliverers’ drops and a large town delivery round.
Rotary ‘Open Gardens’
Torrington in Bloom is joining forces with Torrington Rotary for an ‘Open Gardens’ event in June. Do you have a garden, large or small, which you’d like to show off? The funds raised (half to Torrington in Bloom and half to Torrington Rotary club) will help Torrington in Bloom maintain our lovely town gardens and help Rotary support local organisations in need. There’ll be an easy-to-follow guide, and prizes for the top gardens. We’ve got some lovely gardens so far, but we need more. If you’d like more information or have your garden included, please phone Stephen Saywell on 07885 443 236.
Torrington Rotary Club meets each fortnight on a Tuesday for dinner at Torrington Golf Club. We often have interesting speakers, and guests are very welcome. We’re also at the Pannier Market each month, so if you’d like more information, why not pop along and talk to Martyn or email him at mlb-rotary@hotmail.com.
Charity Bingo at
Torridge Vale Social Club
1st March, in aid of the Royal British Legion. Doors open at 6.30pm eyes down 7.30pm. All welcome good prizes. This is to support Adie Pile who is running the London Landmarks half marathon in April, in aid of this charity. He has personally received help from the RBL after leaving the Army and wants to show appreciation for their kindness.
Microsuction Ear Wax Removal Available in Torrington
We are the only Ear Wax Clinic in Devon that doesn’t charge for a follow up appointment
Call 07367 116 468 or visit our website www.devon-ear-clinic.co.uk 4 Well Street Torrington EX38 8EP
Town Hall News
The weather has been cold and miserable, but we are in high spirits at the Town Hall welcoming the lovely people who have contacted us to organise weddings, parties, charity events, wakes, meetings and of course dancing and singing to chase the blues away!
At the time of writing, we have a few days until ‘In Harmony’, a music event arranged by Rhi Wright on behalf of Teens Unite, a wonderful charity supporting teens in their fight against cancer. This day was dedicated to the memory of Tabitha Tulloch Peet, one of Rhi’s talented music students New to the Town Hall – Matt Fiddes Martial Arts
We are delighted that Chris Faulkner - Matt Fiddes Martial Arts is now running classes every Tuesday evening from 5-6pm for ages 3 -6 years and 6-7pm for 7 years plus. If the first two sessions are anything to go by, it’s going to be very popular and the children are thoroughly enjoying themselves! Chris has lots of experience and is brilliant in encouraging the youngsters to make the most of their sessions. He also offers the first session free, so book with him direct on www. mattfiddes.com
Singing
The Torringtones choir is temporarily hanging up its vocal chords whilst Rhi and Tom concentrate on all things baby, but they will be back some time in the future. If you feel like continuing to sing, or would like to start singing, join
Heartsong who sing beautiful, uplifting songs of peace ,freedom and joy, Starting Sunday 6th April 2-4pm, contact Alison Whittall on alisonwhittall@icloud.com or 07980 804 086.
Dancing
‘Step into Swingtime’ dance classes and workshops are going from strength-to-strength. It’s a joy to see the hall jumping with the sounds of Swing, Lindy, and Shim Sham. Check out their Facebook page for further information on beginners and specialist workshops. Thursdays are SwingEasy evenings from 7.30-9pm only £5 entry. Great music to practice your Swing/Lindy with some improvers move tuition and help from Neil and Kerry.
We have lots more coming over the next few months; keep an eye on our Facebook page or in the window of the Town Hall. Look out next month for information on May Fair, Carnival and VE Day celebrations. Who owns and operates the Town Hall?
People are often surprised to discover that the Town Hall is a stand-alone charity. Every event we hold or host is to sustain this beautiful building, not just for now but for future generations. We are so appreciative of the support we receive and welcome with open arms anyone who would like to volunteer their time to help, even if it’s just for a few hours now and again. It’s a great way to meet
people and have fun!
We are delighted to welcome on board Jayne Wafforne as an advisor with our Charity. We love her energy and enthusiasm and know she will be a great asset - Thank you Jayne for your support
If you would like to join our board of advisors or trustees and have a say in the future of the Town Hall please get in touch on admin@greattorringtontownhall.org or 07944 639 739.
Abbeyfield - Glen Tor
Did you know there is an opportunity to have lunch here at Glen Tor? If you are isolated or just require company on the odd meal time, we have spaces around our table for a ‘no obligation’ sit down lunch or tea. If you are over 55 and would like to take us up on this offer, call the house and please book in. As we cook from fresh, we unfortunately need a booking in advance. There is a small charge to cover the food so please ask when enquiring.
Torrington Abbeyfield currently has a first floor flat available from the 1st March. If you would like to come and have a look around, please phone the house on 01805 623605 and arrange a time.
Putting Unity into Community Torrington’s Fancy Dress Fest!
We are looking for ways to expand on last year to create a festival that involves as many people in the community as possible.
Not only do we want to celebrate Torrington’s traditions, talents and unique identity through fancy dress, but also its spirit to participate, encourage and inspire through creativity.
We hope, like last year, to have a diverse range of local music as well as a fancy dress parade. We invite any musicians, dance troops and performers to please get in contact because we would love you to be involved.
In addition, this year we would like invite local community groups to team up with a venue to decorate it. Creating a fun immersive experience and encourage everyone to visit all locations.
I would like anyone from the community who would like to get involved to get in contact. Maybe you and your circle of friends would like to make some bunting, knit something, do some artwork to go in windows, maybe decorate the front of your house? We are open to all suggestions to make the festival and town as vibrant as possible.
This year we will be fund raising through wristbands at £2 that will act as your ticket for entry to venues. These can be purchased in the square in the lead up to May Fair and on the day. School children are free to the event and parade. We will also be selling festival cups at £3.50 from venues. Please support us so we can continue our festivities.
Antonia Alexander 07734 311 679
Golden Wedding 29th March 2025
In the city of Vienna
In 1972,
The first time that we met, my love I fell in love with you
50 years ago today
We vowed to love and cherish, Our love has grown, we’re best of friends,
And that will never perish.
Love you Der
Ros Stamp
Beaford Village Hall Market, Café & Tabletop Sale
Held on the second Saturday of each month 10am-1pm.
Grab yourselves a hot drink and a breakfast roll and see what we have to offer.
The stalls vary each month, but we regularly have M & E Family Farm produce, fresh bread, handcrafted gifts, delicious preserves, Linda’s handmade cards, cake and Sam’s household stall and others.
Free car park. Disabled access and parking, books and jigsaw borrowing area.
If you’d like a stall, either in the hall or outside; please email elliepearce.77@ icloud.com. Visit our website for all our events www.beafordvillagehall.com.
Tel: 01805 804205
Monday to Saturday 6.30am - 8.00pm
Sunday 8.00am - 7.00pm
Convenience Store & Post Office
www.churchststores.co.uk for our latest offers
Torrington Baptist Church Light Lunch
We will be having a Light Lunch on Tuesdays at 12.30pm until about 2.30pm. There will be a suggested donation of £2. Anyone looking for lunch and some good company is welcome.
Torrington Memory Cafe
Torrington Memory Cafe has been running for 13 years. It meets every second Thursday of the month. The cafe is entirely free to all who have memory issues and/or carers. Please come, join us and share the supportive, friendly atmosphere. New faces are always welcome. Perhaps you may wish to volunteer?
More information from Lorraine Pearce (Leader) 07377 363 477or John Pitts (Secretary) 07986 586 799.
Coppicing Talk
Wednesday March 12th at 7.30 pm in Dolton Village Hall. Jack Ritson, an experienced coppice and greenwood worker from the National Arboretum at Westonbirt will be giving an illustrated talk on coppicing, the ancient system of woodland management for improving the health and biodiversity of a woodland area. £2.50 per adult, children free. Refreshments included. Protecting Wildlife for the Future, devonwildlifetrust.org.
Merton 01805 603924
www.themaltscoop.co.uk/info@themaltscoop.co.uk
Excellent home-made food served every day 12-2pm/6-9pm
Great selection of wines, real ales, ciders
Personally Supervised by Andrew & Janice Gist 01805 622364
Open fire and snug rooms
Great Torrington Town & Lands Charity Uncovers Historical Documents Dating Back to 1639
TRolle Canal & Northern Devon Waterways Society Guided Walk
Torrington Methodist Church 10.30am Rev Stephen Hill 6.30pm Rev Ken Morgan
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints meet @ Bideford College Abbotsham Rd, Bideford, EX39 3AR
Saturday 13th
he Great Torrington Town and Lands Charity is thrilled to announce the rediscovery of over 200 historical documents, some dating back to 1639. These documents, which include wills and declarations of gifts, were found and catalogued by Devon County Council in 1975. After being returned, they were recently uncovered again by the charity.
Sunday Sacrament service at 11.50am1pm
Film 'Hitchcock' (12A) 3pm @ The Plough
Film 'Argo' (15) 7pm @ The Plough
Comedy 'Russell Kane' @ Devon Hall 8pm
Monday 8th
The new season's programme of Sunday afternoon walks starts on 26th May with a visit to the site of the Inclined Plane at Ridd. This is the place where the Rolle Canal was raised up about 43 feet from the valley floor near Weare Giffard to a level in the side of the valley that could be maintained all the way inland to the head weir at Rosemoor.
Advice Surgery with Geoffrey for an appointment ring 01237 459001 email to tellgeoffrey@geoffreycox website www.geoffreycox.co.uk
Coffee Morning in aid of Wembworthy Church @ Chulmleigh Town Hall cakes, produce, draw prizes appreciated Major Walker MC Ceremony @ Memorial 11am (see article)
The newly rediscovered documents provide a fascinating glimpse into the charity's rich history and the generosity of past benefactors. These records highlight the enduring legacy of community support and the pivotal role the charity has played in the lives of Great Torrington residents for centuries.
Ian Newman, Steward of Great Torrington Town and Lands Charity said, “We are incredibly excited about this discovery. These documents not only enrich our understanding of the charity's history but also inspire us to continue our work with the same dedication and spirit of giving that has defined our organization for centuries”.
Historical Society AGM & Talks 'Beam House & Quay' & John Oatway Torrington Clockmaker 7 for 7.30pm @ Methodist Church
Film 'Wreck it Ralph' (PG) 2pm @ The Plough
Film 'Argo' (15) 5pm @ The Plough
Film 'Lincoln' (12A) 8pm @ The Plough
Tuesday 9th
Film 'Lincoln' (12A) 5pm @ The Plough
Film 'Hitchcock' (12A) 8pm @ The Plough
Wednesday 10th
Film 'Great Expectations' 7.30pm High Bickington Cinema Music Coope Boyes & Simpson The Plough
The charity is governed by a dedicated board of currently eight trustees. Over the years, numerous volunteers have contributed countless hours to support the charity's mission. Their collective efforts have been instrumental in ensuring the charity's continued success, and its ability to support local people and organisations through grants and other forms of assistance.
Sunday 14th
Torrington Methodist Church 10.30am
Rev Peter Whatton 6.30pm Mrs Sheriff
depending on the season, may flowering at the time of the walk. The start of the walk is Kiln, on the Weare Giffard Halfpenny Bridge, at 2.30pm Sunday 26th May. The distance over a mile but with plenty and discuss is likely couple of hours. A donation £2 to the Rolle Society's funds appreciated and enable the Society volunteer work promote and maintain the Rolle Canal. Future walks will be 16th June, 28th July August. For further details email: hassallc@ymail.com 01237 425357, but you'll probably to leave a message.
The Great Torrington Town and Lands Charity continues to support the community, ensuring that it thrives and benefits from its historical legacy. The documents are now being stored at the South West Heritage Trust Barnstaple for safe keeping.
Karl Jenkins - Stabat Mater and Gloria
NSt Michael's Church Said Mass 8.30am in St James Chapel
Torrington W.I @ Methodist Hall 7pm
Film 'I Wish' (PG) 8pm @ The Plough
Thursday 11th
Chris
Our Hedgehogs Need You!!!!!!
St. Michael’s Church 10am Sung Ignatius Sunday Club in upper room Film 'The Sessions' (15) 3pm & The Plough
Monday 15th
North Devon Choral Society Torrington Church 7.30pm Saturday 12th April
St Michael's Church Said Mass 10.30am in St James Chapel followed by Walsingham cell in vicarage
Memory Cafe 10.30-12.30pm @ The Plough
Singing for Fun 7.30 -8.30pm @ Bickington Community Centre Mini Mover Dance Session for 9.30-10.30am @ Bickington Community Centre
orth Devon Choral Society will be performing two works by renowned British composer Karl Jenkins. Stabat Mater, composed in 2008, is based on a 12th century poem. One of the sections, Ave Verum, is a choral arrangement originally composed for Bryn Terfel, and another, And The Mother Did Weep, features a single line sung simultaneously in English, Latin, Greek, Aramaic, and Hebrew - the choir are having great fun learning this in rehearsals.
The text of Gloria combines the Latin mass, beginning with the Annunciation to the Shepherds, and Psalm 150 about singing and dancing for the Lord.
Theatre Multi Storey: Beauty & The Beast 2pm @ The Plough
Many people will have seen this site on previous walks but this year there have been developments over the winter that will make it well worth a repeat visit. The Heritage Lottery funded ‘Life's Journey’ project has produced a new pathway from the Tarka Trail down to the bottom of the Inclined Plane where two illustrated information boards have been installed to describe the saltmarsh habitat by the Torridge and the workings and purpose of the Rolle Canal. It is now possible to gain a far better understanding of the lay-out and workings of the inclined plane boat lift than was previously the case. The upper basin of the canal at the top of the incline has been cleared of scrub sufficiently to enable the outline of its banks to be clearly seen, and the way the railway subsequently cut through the northern end, destroying the top of the incline. This canal basin now supports an increasing population of Early Purple Orchid and Twayblade (a green flowered orchid) which,
Film 'Cloud Atlas' (15) 7pm @ The Plough note early start for long film
CRIER COPY DEADLINE for ‘MAY 2013’ by 12noon today please
Friday 12th
Tuesday 16th 'Hearing for You' Social group hard of hearing. Every 3rd Tues The Bickford Centre call 01271 Youth Club High Bickington Community Centre for 11+ @ 5-7pm Badminton Club 7pm Juniors 8pm
Conducted by John Hobbs, tickets are on sale from Torrington Jewellers, from choir members, call 07568 329 587, or on the door.
Hedgehog Awareness Week way but why wait until then help? As spring is here and hopefully the weather improves our spiky friends will be up and about again. It’s been an extremely tough winter for them. The changeable and wet weather has made it difficult for many them to find food or hibernate over the past months so many weak and need help. If you you had a resident hedgehog area last year please don’t forget a bowl of water and some food them, placing it inside a feeding
Film 'Cloud Atlas' (15) 7pm @ The Plough note early start for long film
Drain clearing CCTV surveys
Drain clearing CCTV surveys
Wednesday 17th
Repairs/Relining
Repairs/Relining
Septic Tank and Treatment plant installation
Septic Tank and Treatment plant installation
St Michael's Church Said Mass 8.30am in St James Chapel
Theatre Scottish Falsetto Puppet
Theatre 7pm @ The Plough
Gallery Gig 'Judith Christie & Diane
Calvert 8.15pm @ The Plough
St Michael's Church Said Mass in St James Chapel Short Tennis @ High Bickington Community Centre 4.30-5.30pm
Tel: 07794 586039 or 01271 440251
Royal British Legion 3rd Weds month 7pm @ GT Conservative Film 'No' 8pm @ The Plough Atherington Acorns, fun, friendly for parents & children aged 0-5 9.30am-11am @ Atherington Pavilion every Wednesday term time.
Torrington Library News
What’s on…
Meet-Up Mondays - Extended! Our weekly extra sessions are continuing until Monday 31st March 10am-1pm, thanks to our Friends of Gt Torrington Library. They are funding an extra session for us, so come along and help us celebrate the last Meet-Up Monday of the winter. You can be sure of a warm welcome, along with free hot drinks, cake and biscuits.
Watercolour Workshop with Bill Bromfield: Monday 3rd and 10th March 2-5pm. Local artist Bill will be running a course of two workshops looking at how to paint trees within a landscape. He will give expert guidance on how to achieve good results during these afternoon sessions. Learn how to mix greens and create distance and depth. Paper will be provided. Our Friends groups have kindly subsidised these workshops so we can offer them at £30 per person. Booking essential.
Decoupage Photo Frames Workshop: Monday 17th March 10.30am-12pm. Our talented crafter Chris will be showing adults how to make decorative photo frames using decoupage. All materials will be provided. Booking essential as spaces are limited for this enjoyable event. £3.50 per person.
Meet the Author: Ebberley Finch: Thursday 20th March 2-3.30pm. We are delighted to welcome Ebberley Finch, a local author, to talk about her new book 'Lock, Stock and Harold’.
‘Dyslexic pet shop owner Noah learns to embrace love, anxiety, friendship, eccentricity and a parrot called Harold in this feel-good novel. With plenty of twists and turns it will keep you guessing until the end. '
Please book in the library. Suggested donation £2 to include refreshments. Books will be for sale – cash only please.
Children’s Crafts with Chris: Saturday 1st and 22nd March 10.30am-12pm. Crafty Chris will be creating some super crafts for children in the library on these mornings. Always popular, children and their grown-ups can just pop along to join in the fun. Free event, but donations always really appreciated to cover materials.
World Book Day Outfit Swap: Have your children grown out of costumes they have worn for World Book Day? If so, bring the outfits along to the library and swap them for bigger ones! We will be offering fancy dress clothes in various sizes in the run up to 6th March, World Book Day. You can either swap outfits, or just take one, free of charge.
For assistance with any queries or to book tickets please contact us by emailing torrington.library@librariesunlimited.org.uk or telephone 01805 622107.
Libraries Unlimited is a registered charity 1170092 Librariesunlimited.org.uk
Partners Sought for After School Programmes
We would like to invite local residents, as well as business owners who provide after school programmes, to consider partnering with us. We are particularly interested in individuals or organisations willing to run clubs that incorporate creativity, physical activity, and other skills that can enrich our students’ learning. If these clubs require a fee to be run, that is understandable and this can be included to parents if they sign up.
If you or someone you know has a passion for working with children and the capability to lead a club, we would greatly appreciate your involvement. Additionally, if you own a local business that offers after school activities and are interested in collaborating with us, we would be delighted to hear from you.
To ensure the safety and wellbeing of all our students, we require that all individuals wishing to run a club possess a valid Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) certificate. Interested parties should contact our school office via email at admin@bluecoat-learn.org for further information.
Wayne Hill Painter and Decorator Fully qualified tradesman
• Interior and exterior painting
• Paper hanging
• No job too big or too small
For a friendly reliable service from a local tradesman ring: T: 01805 625238 M: 07814 147 603
JAMES WASTE COLLECTION
House Clearance • Office Clearance • Garage Clearance Garden Clearance • Scrap metal clearance
For any kind of clearance, please call, text or pm anytime for a no obligation quote. Thank you!
Collect from Torrington, Bideford, Barnstaple, & surrounding areas
Contact James on 07714 819 415 Licensed Waste Carrier No: CBDU269392
Great Torrington Commons
It is not long now until the car boot sales start again. The first one should be on 6th April, and they will carry on every Sunday until the end of September.
The Conservators are looking at improving and providing new benches around the viewpoints and these benches will be available to sponsor with a memorial plaque. Please let us know if you are interested in doing this.
All Shines Window & Exterior Cleaning
Windows • Guttters • Soffits Gutter Clearance • Roof de-moss Render & K Rend Soft Wash Conservatories • Patios • Block Paving Driveways
01805 938502 07711 079 577
Felicity at Collectability continues to sell a selection of local interest books for us, as well as postcards and foreign coins, so please go along to her shop in Well Street and have a look. She has managed to raise an exceptional amount of £700 for us so far and I will be delivering more local interest books to her as I get them.
The Dartington bookshop is doing very, very well. We have been there for 18 months now. Please go along and have a look at the assortment on offer. There is a table with celebrity cook books all priced at £3 each and most of them are like new. There are two other tables with cook books and gardening books, these are priced mainly at £2 each. The paperback ‘wall of books’ are all £1 each and there are more than 1,500 of them. Children’s books are all £1 each.
This shop makes a massive difference to our fundraising efforts to look after your Commons.
Just as a reminder our bookshop at Dartington Crystal has moved into the main shop. This means that we will now be open 6 days a week. One thing that has changed is that you cannot leave any donations of books there now, so please contact me Andrew Giles on 07956 366 390 or by email chair@ torringtoncommons.org to arrange a different drop off address or to see if I may be able to collect from you.
Webbers Estate Agents and Tarka
Valley Railway continue to sell our teddy bears. At £5 each, these bears are brand new with tags and they were donated to us. We have about 700 of them in stock.
Lots of the shops in town have one of our collection boxes, please look out for them, it’s a great way to get rid of those pesky coins. It doesn’t matter if they are foreign we will still find a use for them.
We are still accepting donations of books, CDs, DVDs, records, LEGO, old coins and jigsaws. Please get in touch if you have any of these items that you would like to donate. Just today I have had three deliveries of books to my home and it doesn’t matter if the books are in a bad condition either, as we have a company that will collect them from us and pay us by weight for them: last year we raised £80 by selling damaged books. The books get recycled by a specialist company, so we get paid and the old books help the environment by being made into new books.
The Torrington Commons 365 Supporters group continues to grow, with more members signing up each week. We are into our fifth year since the project started, and we raise around £4,500 per year. With Gift Aid this increase to nearly £6,000. Please, consider applying to be a Commons 365 Supporter if you can, the funds will be used to continue our goal of maintaining, improving, and protecting the Commons.
As a Commons supporter you are also able to be a town supporter by using your membership card to get a discount or other benefit when you shop at the
participating businesses.
The 365 Supporters just pay a £2 per month or a £24 annual donation which can be increased with Gift Aid by 25% if you are a taxpayer. You can let us know at the application stage if this applies to you.
Joining the 365 Supporters group is simple:
Option 1. Visit the website www. torringtoncommons.org and navigate to the 365 Supporters page where you can apply online. Here you have the option of paying by PayPal or standing order annually or monthly. You can also print an application form to post in with a cheque.
Option 2. You can email chair@ torringtoncommons.org, phone or text me on 07956 366 390 and I will get an application form to you. You can also collect an application form from the Post Office. Some of the shops in town also have application forms.
Andrew Giles Chair, Great Torrington Commons Conservators
Charity Head Shave Raises £2733!
Louise Dunn, Grace Metherell and Christopher Drayton wish to thank everyone who supported their charity head shave on 30th November which raised £2,733.00 for Diabetes UK.
North Devon Ramblers – Walks in March
YTORRINGTON ARMS
Open daily from 11am
Wednesday Curry Night 6-8pm • Sunday Roast 12-2pm
Takeaways Available Function Room available for all occasions
SKY SPORTS • BT SPORT • RACING CHANNELS • POOL DARTS • LIVE MUSIC • QUIZ NIGHTS
For bookings please contact: 01805 622280 or via Facebook
ou are welcome to join us on any of our walks this month. With spring just around the corner, what better time to savour the delights of our countryside. We try to offer a variety of walks; you can find out more about them by visiting our website: northdevonramblers.org.uk.
Please also check that the walk is going ahead if there is a weather warning.
• Sunday 2nd March - starting at 10.30am from Mortehoe car park is an 8-mile ‘March around Mortehoe’ using footpaths, tracks and the South West Coast Path. Some hills involved.
• Wednesday 5th March - starting at 10.30am from the ‘Haunted House’ car park, Westward Ho! is a leisurely 5-mile circular ramble along the coast path and other paths.
• Saturday 8th March - starting at Lynton Town Hall at 10.45am (this enables people to travel by bus from Barnstaple) this 8-mile moderate walk will pass the Valley of the Rocks and Lee Abbey, returning to Lynton via Barbrook.
• Saturday 15th March - starting at 10.30am at North Bovey car park, this is a 10mile walk to Sharpitor and Water returning along the Dartmoor Way.
• Wednesday 19th March - starting at Prewley Moor car park at 10.30am, this is a 7-mile walk ‘On and Off the Moor’ via Sourton Tors and the Granite way.
• Thursday 20th March - starting from Brendon Two Gates at 11am, this 6-mile walk will take you along the Royal Forest boundary to Badgworthy.
• Sunday 23rd March - starting at Bembury Bank, near Timberscombe at 10.30am, this 8.5-mile walk visits the hidden remains of Clicket.
• Sunday 30th March - starting at Bridestowe Parish Hall car park at 10.30am, this 10-mile moderate walk follows the Two Castles Way, passing through Burley Wood, Burford Down and Galford Down.
Devon Sensory Outreach Service
What is the Devon Sensory Outreach Service?
This outreach service is available around the towns and villages of West Devon and Torridge on a regular timetable, offering a free, confidential, and impartial service for people with a hearing and/or sight loss. Families, carers, neighbours, friends and professionals are also welcome to come and see us.
What does the Sensory Outreach Service offer?
• Trained staff who understand the effects of hearing and sight loss and can provide support and advice.
• Demonstrate and short term loan of a wide range of equipment to help with everyday difficulties including - hearing the doorbell and smoke alarm, listening to the television and managing communication on the telephone. Lamps, tactile markers, and talking alarm clocks and watches.
• Manufacturers contact details and up to date catalogues. Help to order equipment.
• A wide range of information on hearing and visual impairment and services available locally and nationally.
• Information and referral to other services provided by Devon County Council or sources of other professional help.
• Maintenance of NHS hospital hearing aids. Batteries and retubing. The service visits The Bickford Centre, South Street EX38 8AA on 1st Wednesday every two months: next visit 2nd April.
Anne Humphreys, Rehab Officer - Hearing Impairment Sensory Team 07966 596881 or 01392 386611
Talking About Death Doesn’t Make it Happen!
Do you want to break the taboos around death? Do you think that talking about dying is a natural part of life?
Then come and join us in an open conversation about all things death related at the Great Torrington Death Café
Recently we've discussed the difficulty of taking on all the jobs when you've been in a long partnership, and how lovely it is to talk about a loved one who died several years ago.
On Thursday 3rd April 2.30-4.30pm, at the Methodist Church at the top of Mill Street.
Torri Youth
Torri Youth is looking for adult 18+ volunteers, to support the projects and off-site activities we offer young people in Torrington. We offer lots of free training in youth work skills, and we operate on a rota basis.
Are you the person(s) we are looking for?
Appointment will require a full DBS check to be carried out, and experience of working with young people is useful, but not compulsory.
Projects for young people
Friday 28th March - off-site trip to Skate Molton - £5 deposit secures a place, limited spaces open to all, ages 10-17.
Friday 25th April - Tarka Pottery workshop, no charge, 6-8pm Methodist Church Hall. Few spaces remaining, open to all aged 10-17.
Reminder to all young people aged 10-17, we are here to support you, and our projects come from your interests and needs. So please come and talk to us and know we are here to work for you and with you.
For further information - email Paula.ftorriyouth@gmail.com or info. torriyouth@gmail.com.
Hogwash Soap News!
Hello… well, the shop in Cornmarket Street has closed now, but do not despair!
Having decided to ditch rent and utility bills, and get some time back, I am happily making the palm oil free soap, wash, moisture and shampoo from home, (the former shop 1 Castle St). Dora is also very happy to have me there all day too!
It is so simple to buy from us...
1. Go to the website www. hogwashsoap.co.uk, choose your products, select ‘collect from shop’ option at the checkout. You can arrange to pick it up from 1 Castle St at your convenience. Or pay postage (still only £3.60) and it will be sent UK wide.
2. You can email hogwashsoapdevon@gmail.co.uk or Facebook message Hogwash, or send a text to 07935 286 923 with what you would like, and you will get an instant invoice to pay by card. Pick up from Castle St.
3. ‘Stop me and buy one’ when you see me… (maybe I need a bike!)
Payment: you can pay by any major credit card and you don’t need a PayPal account. Cash on collection is also welcome… use it or lose it!
You can still buy the beautiful Hogwash gift boxes. There are a few on the site but we are happy to make up bespoke ones as always for you, just message me and let me know what you would like.
We send UK wide, making life easy for you. It’s just like sending flowers, just
Design by Pie
Design by Pie is a Torrington-based freelance graphic designer who brings great business ideas to life and helps clients develop and maintain a strong visual identity across both print and digital media…
Emma (known as Pie), has been the creative force behind 'Design by Pie’ for over a decade and enjoys collaborating closely with other small business owners to help them reach their design objectives (BIG or small). Why hire Pie rather than a design agency?
Pie is able to provide a personal and reliable service for a wide variety of businesses nationwide. With more than 18 years of professional graphic design experience, she ensures that each client receives the dedicated focus and attention they deserve. This leads to better communication levels and a deeper understanding of the clients' business, their brand aspirations and design needs. How can Pie serve your business?
In the competitive and oversaturated advertising landscape, Pie ensures that a business’s visual communication is appealing and aligns well with its audience's expectations. All designs related to your business should be crafted to effectively capture attention, be visually engaging, and consistent with your brand identity and core message. Whether it’s with stand-out branding, classic business cards, promotional leaflets, product labels, exhibition stands, websites, social media graphics or digital brochures, Pie can provide great designs that work to your vision.
If you are seeking design solutions for a one-off project or looking for ongoing graphic design assistance, please get in touch. Effectively convey the ideas behind your product, service or organisation with uniquely crafted and professional designs ‘by Pie’! Let’s see what we can create! www.designbypie.net; info@designbypie.net; 01805 938234.
choose the gift, add gift wrap and your own message, and it will be posted off for you all beautifully wrapped in our handmade papers and tied with ribbon.
So you don’t even need to leave the house to get the brownie points!
We supply holiday accommodation and weddings with guest soap/favours too.
Please get in touch for more information. Exciting news! From May we will be found in Lillian Rose Interiors new shop, (formerly Squires Electrical), and you will be able to pick up from there too!
So, there are no excuses not to be thoroughly Hog-Washed in 2025!
Devonshire Plastering
– Expert Plastering & Rendering
At Devonshire Plastering, we take pride in delivering high-quality plastering and rendering services across Devon. Whether you’re looking for smooth, flawless interiors or durable, weatherproof exterior finishes, we have the expertise to get the job done right. With years of experience in the trade, we offer a full range of services, including traditional plastering, modern thin-coat render systems, monocouche, and decorative finishes. We work on everything from home renovations and extensions to large-scale commercial projects, always ensuring a top-quality finish that stands the test of time.
We understand that choosing the right materials and techniques is essential for both aesthetics and longevity. That’s why we use only trusted, high-quality products, including ProRend and other premium render systems, to achieve the best results. Whether it’s a simple skim coat or a full exterior transformation, we approach every job with care and precision.
Customer satisfaction is at the heart of what we do. We work closely with clients to understand their needs, providing honest advice and competitive pricing. No job is too big or small - just quality craftsmanship, every time.
If you’re looking for reliable, skilled plasterers in North Devon, contact Devonshire Plastering today and let’s bring your vision to life!
Bertie, Devonshire Plastering 07951 779 552
Making Cat Vet Visits Less Stressful!
Taking your cat to the vets can be stressful for them… and you! Here are a few tips from our crazy cat nurse, Charlotte, to make the whole situation a bit more chilled and make your visit to the vets a pleasant experience.
1. Leave your cat carrier around the house at all times. Doing this de-sensitises your cat to the carrier so that they don’t associate it with being brought out just for a trip to the vets. Put it in a room they like to be in and cover the top with a blanket that smells familiar. Make a bed for them in it and then leave them to investigate. Don’t force them to use it, just it being in the environment will help it not to be so scary!
2. Consider using calming pheromones or diffusers. Some cats can be anxious in their nature, so these products will help this type of cat. They can help in situations of unusual stress such as vet visits. Feliway is a pheromone based product that mimics the pheromones that cats receive from their mother when feeding as a kitten. It comes in a diffuser that invites calm into their surroundings or a spray, which is ideal for spraying in carriers (30 minutes before leaving for a visit). Pet Remedy is a homeopathic type product that is valerian based (it actually can help people too!) and also comes in a diffuser or spray. Both are available at West Ridge reception, so please ask for more details if you think either might help your cat.
3. When you arrive at the vets, keep your cat off the floor and in our dedicated cat waiting area. Putting your cat on the floor whilst they are in their carrier can be a highly stressful situation. Cats seek to have control in their environments, which is why they like being up high so they can see everything. They are essentially ‘trapped’ in their carrier, and so by putting them on the floor where other animals, such as dogs, means that they are vulnerable. Please use our cat table, reception desk or chair to put them on. If there is no available surface then please ask us and we will find your cat a suitable ‘room with a view!’
4. Bring a blanket to the vets that has familiar smells from home and cover their basket with it whilst waiting for your appointment. Even the consulting room can be a scary place and full of unfamiliar smells, so something from home for them to sit on whilst our vet or nurse examines them can really help to reduce stress.
5. Prepare for the return home! If you have multiple cats, but have only taken one to the vets, that cat will return home smelling like a stranger. This can create conflict between cats that are normally relaxed around each other. Feliway and Pet Remedy can help these situations, but also a slow re-introduction can prevent any arguments. Keep your cats separate whilst the cat who has been to the vets starts to smell familiar again. Using a blanket that has stayed at home to stroke your cat can make them smell a bit more familiar, but a nice nap on the bed or a chin rub on a chair will have the same effect!
If you have any questions about your feline friends then please don’t hesitate to give us a call on 01837 83240.
Charlotte Davies PGCert AVN (medicine), BA (Hons), CertVNECC, RVN West
Ridge Vets
Businesses Should Not
Rely on AI for HR & Employment Law Advice
Employers in Devon are being urged to exercise caution when using AI-powered tools for HR advice and employment law guidance, following reports of serious consequences for businesses.
HR expert, Tracy Madgwick is warning that while artificial intelligence tools can be useful for streamlining some processes, they can also lead to significant risks when relied upon for complex HR decisions.
Tracy, who runs Crafnant HR based in North Devon, said, “AI tools are an exciting addition to the workplace, but when it comes to employment law and HR advice, the risks of relying on them are too great.
“For example, iTutorGroup, a company in the USA using AI for hiring, was sued for age discrimination after their AI system automatically rejected older applicants. They ended up paying $365,000 to settle the claim. Cases like this highlight how AI can get it badly wrong, leading to costly legal and reputational damage.”
She added, “Employment law is constantly evolving and chatbots don’t have access to the latest legislation. Acting on outdated or inaccurate advice can leave businesses exposed to legal risks, including potential employment tribunals.”
Chatbots may provide generic or country-specific advice that doesn’t align
Heal, Release & Transform with Rebekah Gabrielle
I’m Rebekah Gabrielle, a passionate healer, therapist, and spiritual mentor based in the beautiful countryside of North Devon. My work blends ancient wisdom with modern techniques, supporting deep healing, transformation, and self-discovery.
I offer a range of holistic therapies, including hot stone massage, warm bamboo massage, reflexology, and relaxing holistic massage - each designed to release tension, restore balance, and promote deep relaxation. I also provide bioresonance therapy to support energy alignment, stress reduction, and overall wellness.
As a Reiki Master and energy healer, I work with multiple Reiki modalities, including Holy Fire, Angelic, and Karuna Reiki, alongside light language channeling and multidimensional healing. My training in the Peruvian medicine wheel and shamanic healing allows me to offer powerful shamanic energy work and Kambo ceremonies, guiding clients through deep emotional and energetic release.
I also specialise in hypnotherapy, EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique), belief coding, and Quantum Release & Integration Therapy (Q-RIT)—helping clients break free from limiting beliefs, heal past wounds, and align with their true potential.
I created Manifesting The One, a 12-week transformational program for women ready to heal, grow, and attract deep, authentic love. I’m also developing a 6-Week Fertility & Wellness Program, incorporating reflexology, hypnotherapy, EFT, nutrition, and self-care practices to support fertility and overall well-being.
With a warm, intuitive, and compassionate approach, I help my clients step into their best selves; whether through energy work, holistic therapy, or transformational coaching. Sessions are available both in-person at my healing sanctuary in North Devon and online.
If you’re ready to heal, release, and transform, visit www.RebekahGabrielle.com to learn more.
with UK laws and regulations, further increasing the likelihood of mistakes.
When it comes to HR matters, there’s no substitute for human expertise. HR professionals dedicate their time to staying updated with legal changes and understanding the nuances of every situation. Tracy Madgwick supports businesses with a wide range of people management services and advises employers on staying compliant with the latest legislation. She is currently
welcoming new clients and offering free 15-minute consultations to local business owners.
These consultations can be booked by emailing Tracy at tracy@crafnanthr. co.uk.
Crafnant HR was established in 2011 and specialises in providing outsourced HR services and learning and development courses for businesses in the North Devon area.
From Your County Councillor…
In my last article I talked about the potential changes to local government in Devon and since then there have been further developments.
The Government has now confirmed that the County Council Elections in May will take place. Unfortunately, they have also confirmed that they still intend to abolish the current two tier structure of local government and, whether we like it or not, Devon County Council and Torridge District Council are going to be swept away at some point in the next two to three years. It is not a question of ‘if’, only ‘when’.
You might think that as the May elections are taking place that the changes won’t happen for a few years. Well… if only it was that simple!
The Government has instructed all councils in Devon – the eight Districts, the County Council and the Plymouth and Torbay unitary councils – to submit an ‘interim plan’ to the Government by the 21st March. They then expect full and final proposals to be submitted by 28th November. If the Minister accepts the proposal, they would then, according to his letter to local councils, look to hold elections to the new ‘shadow’ unitary council(s) as soon as possible.
So potentially good news for election aficionados. We will have elections in May this year for the County Council and then potentially have elections for the new shadow unitary council in May next year…
Do I think this scenario will definitely happen? Probably not, but I wouldn’t rule anything out in this ever-changing political environment we now live in.
What I do think however, is that it will be extremely unlikely to find a consensus between 11 councils as to what the future of local government in Devon will look like. There are frankly too many organisations, too many opinions and bluntly too many vested interests for everyone to agree that ‘X’ or ‘Y’ solution is the way forward.
What is more likely to happen is that competing proposals will be submitted to the Government. They will then take a decision and impose it on us, whether we like it or not.
I also think it highly unlikely that we will get this done and dusted this year. Don’t get me wrong – it would be in the interests of all residents in Torrington Rural and Devon to get an agreement quickly on what the new Council will look like. But with the Government having prioritised eight other local authorities to reorganise ahead of Devon, and with the 11 Devon Councils needing to come to a consensus here, I think it will be unlikely that this will all be resolved before the end of the year.
At this stage it is probable that it won’t be until 2026 that we get a decision from the Government as to what the new unitary council(s) are in Devon. I would imagine we would then have elections onto the shadow unitary council in May 2027. However, that is when the District Council elections are due and if Torridge DC continues to exist after May 2027, do we still have elections onto that Council as well? I will watch with interest on that one.
Still, how does this affect you, the reader? In the short term it should not, and if we get this reorganisation right then you shouldn’t notice any difference other than a change in Council branding to whatever the new authority is.
BUT, what I fear is that the longer this process gets dragged out then the more money it will consume, the more decisions that will get delayed, and the more council services that will be reduced while your council tax bills increase even further.
Uncertainty is not good for local government. In the next County Council term and within the next two years, the contracts for Highways, Library Services and Youth Services are up for renewal. If by 2026 we still don’t know what the shape of the new council(s) will look like, that is going to make awarding new contracts extremely difficult. Either short term contract extensions or temporary inhousing pending a breakup of the County Council will be expensive options and the more these kinds of costs go up, the less money there is for day-to-day services
like repairing roads or collecting bins.
As Cabinet Member for Workforce on the County Council, I am extremely concerned about the impact this uncertainty will have on the council workforce. If officials leave due to job insecurity, replacing those people – particularly if that post is due to disappear in the reorganisation –becomes very difficult. Most likely in this scenario, we will see an increase in agency staffing costs and that in turn puts more pressure on day-to-day services.
So, as I said before, that is why it is in all of our interests to get the future shape of local government in Devon at least settled this year. The practicalities and challenges of reorganising into the new Council we can deal with, but what I don’t want to see is that process dragged out by indecision and delay.
Of course, linked to this is what the new unitary Council will look like. At this stage I do not know, other than the Government’s strong guidance is for the unitary authority to have a population of 500,000 or more.
I did wonder, in light of elections now happening in May, whether the County Council should submit anything to the Government and just wait until after the elections take place. However, I was elected to represent all of the people of Torrington Rural and, given the very clear instruction by Government to submit an interim plan in March, it would be a gross dereliction of duty to just sit on my hands and do nothing, and potentially let other councils like Exeter, Plymouth and Torbay dictate as to how Torrington Rural should be represented in the future. I doubt the Government would give any serious weight to a retrospective DCC submission if we just sat on our hands and did nothing prior to May.
So, needless to say I will be doing a lot of work in March on what the future of local government here will look like. Hopefully for the next edition of the Crier there will be more clarity.
In the meantime, the day-to-day work of the County Council continues and if there are any issues you’d like to contact me about you can on facebook.com/ cllrsaywell, 07886 446 560 or email andrew.saywell@devon.gov.uk.
• Local & friendly Home Help
general cleaning
Shopping/prescriptions
07773 973 498
Fabulous Freddie checking in - mad March already! Once again February has been an extremely busy month at the rescue - basically non-stop with requests to help people - either by rehoming their dogs or helping them keep their pets via our Pet Assist scheme. Sadly, many of the dogs we are being asked to help have behaviour issues, and without our own kennels to work with them and fully assess them, it is proving impossible to take them all in. As always we are appealing for fosterers who can help us give a lifeline to these dogs.
It has been less busy on the cat side, although there seem more requests for help from our Pet Assist scheme for cats than for dogs - they do seem to get into more trouble - road accidents, fights etc. I am not surprised though being a perfect woof who is never in trouble!!
One of the things that has become apparent through helping all these cats, is that unlike us woofs so many are not microchipped! This is rather surprising as cats obviously roam all over the place and can easily get lost. Without a microchip it is almost impossible to return lost cats to their original owner, unlike
who we scanned and returned to her owner after she had been missing for two years! Also worth mentioning that all pet cats in England must be microchipped before they reach the age of 20 weeks, except for unowned cats like feral and community cats. Indooronly cats must be microchipped as well. As part of the new rules, you must keep your contact details up to date on a Defra-approved microchipping database. According to the new law, all pet cats should have been microchipped by 10th June 2024. If you missed this deadline and didn't take action to have your cat microchipped within the 21 days following it, you may face a fine of up to £500! If you still haven’t microchipped your cat fear not, as K9Focus has arranged an amnesty microchipping day on 16th March at Roundswell Community Centre, Barnstaple. The average cost of microchipping is between £10 and £30, but the charity is offering to do this for a donation only, which can’t be bad! Guess that’s me giving up some bonios to help! Places are by appointment only, so if you would like a place (no questions asked) please email lynne@k9focus advising a preferred time between 9.30am and 4pm.
Pet Assist is not only available to
help with veterinary fees, but has the main aim of helping people keep their pets rather than having to give them up. Five months ago we were asked to help the very handsome Sailor, a 9-year-old German Shepherd whose owner was homeless. Sailor had lived with his owner since a puppy and it was obvious that they meant the world to each other. What a delight this month that the pair were reunited - to see the joy on both dog and owner was awesome. This would not have been possible without the help of a fosterer, and the supporters who donate to the Pet Assist scheme. Woofs and waggy tails all round, as I am also very happy to say that Storm our husky has also been adopted - another failed fosterer - well done Storm on worming your way in!
That’s about it for this month, but watch out for our new video newsletter which appears on our Facebook page on the first Sunday of every month - presented by no less than yours truly (oh and Cracker the cat!). Have a great month. Woofs and Licks Freddie
Lola
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Call Jason t: 07968 825 811
Great Torrington, North Devon
From Your District Councillors…
On 9th
January, an Extraordinary Meeting of Full Council was held to discuss the government white paper on devolution and local government reorganisation.
Councillors voted to write to the Minister for Housing, Communities and Local Government to call for the Devon County Council elections scheduled for May 2025 to go ahead as normal. This decision was made on the same day that Devon County Council voted to request these elections be cancelled. At the time of writing, we still await a decision from the Government.
TDC do not support the proposal for a single unitary authority covering the whole of Devon and raised concerns about the lack of evaluation, analysis, consultation or proper consideration of the impacts of such a proposal for residents, communities, staff, businesses and visitors; since we had this meeting, the local press has featured stories with various proposals as to how Devon, including Plymouth and Torbay, could be divided up into new unitary authorities, showing just how far away we are from any consensus on how this process should be managed.
At the Community and Resources Budget Special meeting, updated fees and charges were agreed, which included increases to car parking
TRIPLE J CONSTRUCTION
Painting & Decorating
Interior & Exterior
Contact Jason or Tony t: 07968 825 811 t: 07790 645 063
charges in Torrington and across all Torridge car parks in line with inflation; fees and charges are a significant source of income which enables the council to provide essential services. Councillors also voted to freeze fees for using Castle Hill Work Hub, in order to ensure this vibrant co-working space remains an affordable option for local residents. At this meeting, it was agreed to raise TDC’s share of council tax by 2.99%: this means that Band D properties will be paying an additional £5.67 per year for Torridge District Council services, with the majority of properties in the district seeing a smaller increase than that.
C and R approved spending on a replacement electric van for Northam Burrows and it is encouraging to see small steps being taken towards reducing the carbon emissions of the Council’s fleet of vehicles. This is in addition to two other electric vehicles agreed earlier in the year. However, the Update to Torridge District Council’s Carbon Footprint made for uncomfortable reading, with inadequate action currently being taken to reach the Council’s target of reaching net zero by 2030.
32 parking meters across TDC’s car parks are going to be replaced as they have reached the end of their serviceable life, in large part down to the harsh weather conditions they have to endure: spare parts for these machines are now impossible to find and several are unable to reliably accept cash. Hopefully these new machines will be easier to use and
more reliable.
It was also agreed that TDC would fund a full-time money advice post though Navigate, a debt, benefit and money advice charity, which TDC already partners with. The idea behind this 12-month pilot scheme is to make money advice more accessible, particularly for those who need face-to-face support but are unable to get into Bideford. Demand for debt advice, particularly concerning housing and homelessness prevention, has surged in recent years, and it is hoped that this project will go some way towards meeting that need.
Would you like to meet others and find out about different groups, activities and organisations in our local area?
Come and enjoy a FREE cuppa and have a chat with the Social Prescribers from our local GP Surgeries.
All welcome! Hope to see you there. Phone for more information or just pop in! Justine 07377 176 457.
At The Market Café, 13 Pannier Market, Torrington, EX38 8HD.
Every first Thursday of the month, 9.30-11am.
Great Torrington Water Forum
Hold on to your wallets, because our water bills are on the rise! South West Water customers can expect their average bills to jump from £520 in 2024/25 to £686 in 2025/26 - a whopping 32% increase. Why the hike? To tackle years of underinvestment, both before and after privatisation.
Interestingly, this new amount is actually £8 less per year than what companies initially proposed (Ofwat has given us a great saving!). According to the water industry, water bills have decreased in real terms almost every year since 2010. Without these reductions, bills today would be £110 higher—a 25% increase. Over 14 years, households have saved an average of £750 each, adding up to £18 billion in collective savings!
Meanwhile, UK water companies are making waves by paying more in dividends than their privately owned counterparts for the first time since privatisation, says an analysis by the Financial Times in January. United Utilities, Severn Trent Water, and Pennon Group - publicly traded in London - have paid a combined £3.6 billion in dividends since 2020, which is 61% of the total for the UK's water sector during this period. Sure, profits for shareholders are important, but reinvestment needs consideration too.
Even with the weather we have been having this reinforces the need to be efficient with water, wasting it wastes money. Installing simple devices such as water-efficient taps and showers will save both water and energy by minimising the use of heated water. Around 18% of energy consumption in UK homes is spent heating water, and about 12% of a typical gas heated home’s heating bill is from the water for showers, baths and the hot water tap. So even if you don’t have a water meter you could still be saving money on your energy bill. Such large financial savings can be particularly vital for households facing water and energy poverty. Our use of water and energy are closely linked. Operational emissions from the water industry account for nearly 1% of the UK’s total carbon emissions. This is because water treatment is energy and chemical intensive and transporting water around the county requires a great deal of pumping. Reducing your water use will also have an impact on your carbon footprint.
In the future, rainfall intensity is expected to increase. Summer rainfall could rise by up to 20%, and winter rainfall by up to 25%. The Met Office and the Environment Agency Flood Forecasting Centre use a threshold of 30mm per hour to issue flash flood alerts. By 2070, this threshold could be met twice as often as it was in 1990. In the next few articles we will look at the implications of this.
A quick note on the Windy Cross well: work on opening up the well is proceeding and you can follow progress on their Facebook page ‘Windy Cross Well Opening’. Contact us @ gtwaterforum@gmail.com, www.facebook.com/ greattorringtonwaterforum, www.linkedin.com.
Torrington Methodist Church
Awarm welcome from Torrington Methodist Church EX38 8AL, top of Mill Street.
Sunday Worship 10.30am at Church. Evening Worship 6.30pm via Zoom, email sarahrichards185@gmail.com to request the link.
Mid-week Morning Prayer every Wednesday at 9.30am (around 2030 minutes long), tea and coffee afterwards, should you wish to stay. Join us for our ‘Bacon Butty Coffee Morning’ from 10am-12pm, on the third Saturday every month. Our premises (various rooms, incl. wifi, projector) are available to hire, see website or phone Sheila 01805 622949.
Blessings from us all, hope to meet you soon.
World Day of Prayer
The service for the World Day of Prayer will be held on Friday 7th March at Torrington R.C. Church, Gas Lane at 2.30pm.
This year the service has been prepared by the people of the Cook Islands in the South Pacific Ocean. The theme is ‘I made you wonderful.’ Please join us if you are able. All are welcome and light refreshments will be served after the service.
Come & enjoy the magic of Zumba!
Dance , exercise & most of all have fun! It’s more than a workout!
You will leave feeling happy & energised. It is for all ages & fitness levels, you don’t need to be able to dance...
First Class Free - no tie in
Thursday 6.15pm-7.15pm
Contact Wendy to book your free class t: 07787 607 322
e: wendy.cox@btinternet.com Scout Hall , Gas Lane Torrington EX38 7BE
My Final Article for the Crier
This is my 100th and final article for the Crier. My first one was written for the December 2014/January 2015 edition of the magazine and my early articles were all based on my history of Torrington (published 2013) entitled ‘Torrington Uncovered’. I have really enjoyed writing the articles and have been very grateful for all the positive feedback I have received from local people.
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Torridge Walk & Talk
I have also had many suggestions about possible subjects for articles, some of which I have followed up. Others, although comprising interesting facts or stories and sometimes accompanied by fascinating documents, I’ve not been able to work up into an article that I feel would be of interest to readers. One such was a list of all the tailors in Torrington in around 1920-30. There were nineteen of them, all men. There were also a few women engaged in ladies’ coats and dressmaking, including Miss G. Wightman and Miss A. Ashton.
I was also given a list, compiled by a member of the Torrington History Society, of the occupations and trades of people who lived in Mill Street from the 1891 Census. This was an interesting list, including a wide variety of occupations carried out at that time, the most common for the men (25 of them) being agricultural labourer. The most popular occupation among the women was glover (106) followed by house servant (9) dressmaker (8) and laundress (4). Other occupations amongst the men included sawyer, thatcher, miller, tanner, glove cutter, cordwainer, hatter, shoemaker, blacksmith, labourer at limekiln, tallow chandler.
I was lent documents about the ‘Particulars, Plans and Conditions of Sale of valuable Freehold Estates’ in the parishes of Great Torrington, St Giles-in-the-Wood, Little Torrington and Yarnscombe. These properties were part of the Rolle Estate and were being sold by public auction at the King’s Arms Hotel, Barnstaple, on Friday 30th November 1917 and the Globe Hotel, Torrington, on 1st December 1917. It was fascinating to read what buildings and outbuildings and acreage were included in these properties, the proposed rents to be charged, and the names of pieces of land such as ‘Happy Meadow’ and ‘Never-be-good Wood’.
I was looking across the Torridge valley towards Taddiport one day with an elderly local man (now in his nineties) who pointed out to me where there was a small building behind a cottage opposite the village hall, which he said had been an apple pound. He remembered how the apples were piled up in layers with straw between them and he and a friend would walk round and round, turning a huge screw on a press which squashed down the apples – fermented, rotten, everything was used –which came out of a spigot into a half barrel as cider.
I was contacted by a woman from Portsmouth who has connections with Torrington. She has been investigating her family history and is the great granddaughter of Robert Sandford, a local greengrocer and entrepreneur who founded the Torridge Vale Dairy in 1874. When she came on a visit to Torrington with her father, also Robert (Bob), I was pleased to be present at a meeting they had with distant cousins who own the bakery in town, also descendants of the Sandford family.
Best wishes to all the people of Torrington.
Moira Brewer
A nice way to get fit, make friends and enjoy yourself! Every Tuesday and Wednesday, with a variety of walks for all levels. Just turn up and join in for free. Full details on our website torridgewalkandtalk.co.uk or call Steve 01237 421528.
Badminton for Fun!
We don’t take it too seriously! Come and have fun. Players aged 18 to 118.
7.30-9pm, Wednesdays at Little Torrington Victory Hall, £3. Please telephone Jen on 01805 622433.
Langtree Parish Hall Events
Big Breakfast
Sunday 2nd March 9.30am-12.30pm, raising funds for North Devon Hospice. Cereal, juice, fruit, full English, toast, tea and coffee. Suggested donation £10. Why not book a table with preferred time? Call Sue 01805 601602 or email hall@langtreeparishhall.co.uk. 60s Night
Saturday 29th March with Carnaby Street the Band. Doors open 7.30pm, band 8.30pm.
Tickets £12. why not come in 60s dress or as an icon from the era? Call Sue 01805 601602.
Warm Welcome at Torrington Methodist Church
Free entry, hot drinks, soup, bread, possibility of cake!
At Torrington Methodist on Saturday 15th March from midday until 2pm, straight after our coffee morning. Come and relax, and if you wish - chat and enjoy crafts as well. (Under 18s must be accompanied by a responsible adult.)
Your Council, Working for YOU GREAT TORRINGTON
From Your Mayor…
Iam very pleased to tell you that at February’s Full Council Meeting I was unanimously voted in as Mayor Elect for the next Mayoral year, which will begin in May. To have the opportunity to continue to serve our community is an enormous honour and pleasure. Similarly, my present Deputy Mayor, Dave Parish, was also unanimously voted in as Deputy Mayor Elect for a further year. I know that we will work tirelessly together for the good of our lovely town.
As you will have gathered from my past writings, being Mayor is a real privilege, and it gives one the opportunity to attend interesting and exciting functions. But of course, there is also the more serious side such as attending meetings which may have a real impact on the community one serves.
There are also occasions when one has the sad duty of representing the Council. Such an occasion happened
recently when I attended the funeral of Sidney Adams, who did so much for our town. His time spent as a playing member of our Silver Band and becoming their Drum Major will long be remembered, as will his dedication to the town's Royal British Legion, of which he served as chairman for many years. My sincere condolences go to his widow Lena and all his family. Thank you, Sid. At the time of writing the town is preparing for our 1646 procession. Once again, our terrific Cavaliers (in full costumes) will march through our town with drums beating and muskets firing! Their purpose... to remind us of the battles which raged through our streets some 380 years ago! I believe it is important to keep such re-enactments alive, as an understanding of the past helps our understanding of the present and possibly the future. Thank you one and all!
And thinking about tradition leads me nicely onto May Fair, which will soon be upon us. For many this is the highlight of the year, and I can hardly wait! The small but incredibly hard-working Mayfair and Carnival Committee are really getting into their stride. The “secret” theme thought of by my consort Elizabeth, is now being made a reality by Toni
Alexander's design, and an intrepid group of cutters, sewers, and makers. But help is still needed to ensure that the whole weekend is a success, so please come along and help if you possibly can.
You may know that one of the Mayor’s causes this year is Torrington Athletic Club, and they will again be hosting their annual Round-the Tree Race on Friday 2nd May. This year as part of my fundraising efforts myself and a band of merry followers will be running the course in fancy dress and members of the community are encouraged to join us in the fun run and try to ‘Catch the Mayor’. Look out for collection buckets on the night.
To conclude, I recently had the pleasure of cutting the ribbon to mark the official opening of the Supershoes charity offices on Cornmarket Street! This organisation provides designer decorated training shoes for children and young people with cancer. As with all charity shops and ventures, they would be only too willing to explain their aims and needs if you would like to pop in and see them.
Well, I think that's all for this month...!
So, as usual, take care, keep safe, and thank you for your continued support.
Phil Cloke, Mayor of Great Torrington
TOWN COUNCIL NEWS
Annual Parish Meeting
Wednesday 19th March
2025
The Great Torrington Annual Parish Meeting will be held at Great Torrington Town Hall on Wednesday 19th March 2025 at 7pm.
The Annual Parish Meeting is an opportunity for Registered Electors who live in the parish of Great Torrington to come along and speak to Town Councillors, hear about projects that the Council have been working on this year, and to have your say on things you would like the council to work on in the future. It also an opportunity to find out more about being a Town Councillor; we currently have four vacancies and welcome applications from all members of the community.
If you are curious to know more about what your local council does, this is an opportunity to find out.
District and county councils are currently responsible for statutory services such as highway maintenance, refuse and recycling and housing: whereas town and parish councils are
Could You be the Next New Member of Great Torrington Town Council?
Great Torrington Town Council currently has four vacancies and would welcome applications from members of the community who meet the criteria and are interested in local issues.
Our newest member, Councillor Jason Isaac, has now been on the council for just over a year and has made many positive contributions to meeting and committees. Jason has been working on the Regeneration Strategy for Great Torrington since September 2023, and has been a key local representative bringing some excellent ideas and a can-do attitude.
Councillor Isaac said “As someone who both lives and works in Great Torrington, I am deeply invested in our town’s success. I’m driven by a strong desire to ensure Torrington doesn’t lag behind neighbouring towns but prospers equally.
My focus includes fostering economic growth, attracting businesses, promoting tourism, and safeguarding our unique natural environment and historic character. Together with fellow councillors and the Mayor, I am dedicated to advancing Great Torrington’s interests and ensuring our town flourishes alongside our neighbours.”
If you think you may be interested in becoming a councillor, please contact us on 01805 626135 or admin@great-torringtontowncouncil.gov.uk. Or come along to the Annual Parish Meeting on March 19th 7pm at Great Torrington Town & Community Hall to find out more.
the first tier of local government and work towards improving community wellbeing and providing better services. Activities fall into three main categories: representing the local community; delivering additional services to meet local needs; striving to improve quality of life and community wellbeing. (www.nalc. gov.uk/about-local-councils)
At this year’s meeting we are hoping to welcome some invited speakers and to consult with the community on potential new projects in the town as well as issues with parking on yellow lines. Reports from Full Council and the Council Committees will be available, as well as a report on the Council’s finances.
GREAT TORRINGTON TOWN COUNCIL NEWS
Howe Plate Award
Each year the Town Council gives an award to the person or persons whom it feels has provided a local public service that has benefitted local people. This could be something that they have done over a number of years, or something that has made a big difference in a short space of time.
The criteria states that the time given is voluntary and the people benefiting are within the parish of Great Torrington.
Young People’s Award: The Town Council is keen to recognise the contribution young people in Great Torrington make towards our community. A new Great Torrington Town Council Young People’s Award has therefore been established, and we are looking forward to receiving your nominations.
This award is looking to recognise an inspirational young person, or group of young people up to age 25, who have volunteered their time for the benefit of others and have made an outstanding contribution to make our community and our world a better place.
Nominations: If you would like to nominate someone for consideration for either the Howe Plate Award or the Young People’s Award, please get in touch. Nominations should be accompanied by a written explanation as to why you believe the person or persons should be considered, what they have done, how long for and who has benefited. Please limit explanations to no more than one side of A4 paper.
Please send or drop-in your nominations to Great Torrington Town Council, Castle Hill, Torrington, EX38 8AA or email to admin@great-torringtontowncouncil.gov.uk, all nominations to be received by midday on Tuesday 25th March 2025
Free Children’s Activities for February Half-Term
Great Torrington Town Council were delighted to be able to offer a varied programme of FREE activities for children during February half-term. The sessions took place in the Castle Hill Community Centre and Torrington Library.
It was fabulous to work with local businesses to provide activities in Great Torrington, so families could access high quality activities without leaving the town. We were delighted to work with: * Devon Science * Entertainingly Different * Tarka Pottery * Joseph Witchall Illustration * RHS Rosemoor.
We would like to thank Ruth, Rob, Jax, Joseph and Emma and the team at Rosemoor for taking part in this programme of events. The children and families had an amazing time.
VE Day 80
May 8th, 2025 marks the 80th anniversary of VE Day which marked the end of World War II in Europe, although the war continued in the Far East and Pacific.
Great Torrington Town Council is planning to work with other local groups to mark elements of the national programme of events. Some of these will take place on the anniversary (Thursday 8th May) however, given that Torrington will have celebrated May Fair the previous week it seems wise to plan a bigger celebration on Saturday 10th May to allow more people to enjoy it.
The council is currently working on plans for a ‘Party in the Pannier Market’ event, to include live music and dancing with a 1940’s theme. The event will be free to the community, and it is hoped there will be refreshments available to purchase.
Further updates will be available in next month’s Crier and on our social media and website nearer the time.
Bickford Centre
We’re open for a cuppa Monday to Saturday 10am-12pm. Come in for a friendly chat and make friends or just a rest while shopping.
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Avibrant exhibition of quilts will take place in Braunton this May, celebrating the creativity and camaraderie of the ‘From a Distance’ Quilters. Scheduled for Sunday and Monday, May 25th and 26th, from 10am to 4pm, the event will be held at the Parish Hall on Challoners Road.
The From a Distance Quilters group was established a decade ago by local quilting tutor Liz Musselwhite, and has grown into a community of 15 women passionate about their craft. The name ‘From a Distance’ was coined early on when the group began - often, as beginners, mistakes were made, and they would support each other with the phrase, ‘from a distance, it looks fine’ or ‘no one will notice that from a distance’! The name stuck, and it now reflects both the group's early struggles and their collective growth as quilters. Over the years, members have honed their skills under Liz’s expert guidance, producing stunning quilts that combine artistry and personal expression.
The exhibition will showcase a variety of quilts, from large, intricate works to smaller, contemporary pieces. Some designs adhere to traditional patterns, while others explore modern techniques, offering something for seasoned quilters and craft enthusiasts alike. The event promises to inspire all visitors with its celebration of beautiful craftsmanship.
More than a display of talent, the exhibition highlights the deep bonds among the group members. Over the years, the quilters have supported each other through life’s joys and challenges, including births, marriages, and losses. Each quilt on display represents not only hours of dedication, but also the shared experiences and friendship that define the group. Their work, often displayed in their homes or gifted to loved ones, will now reach a wider audience.
In addition to the quilts, the event will feature a raffle, tombola, and refreshments, making it a fun outing for families. Entry is £2 for adults, while children attend for free. This exhibition is an opportunity to celebrate a decade of creativity and community, welcoming everyone to enjoy and be inspired by the art and the stories behind it.
Call Chris on 07860 944019 for more information.
Free initial consultation & estimate, no obligation.
Low rates (no VAT). Free home visits in EX38 area. Evening & weekend appointments available.
Contact me for a free consultation. Telephone: 01271 858482 or 07766 714503 Email: philipwardtaylor@outlook.com
Torrington Silver Band Events
Torrington Silver Band invite you to our Quiz Night on Saturday 1st March. Come along and join us for the evening at Howe Concert Hall, Castle Street, Torrington. Doors will open at 7pm for a 7:30pm start. Teams of up to six people, £4 per person! Snacks and hot drinks will be available, please feel free to bring your own alcohol. To book in your team contact Laura on 07399 453 556 or secretary@torringtonsilverband.com.
On Saturday 22nd March we will be hosting our first concert of the year at Howe Concert Hall. We will be performing a repertoire of musical masterpieces to suit all ages and tastes. As always there will be a raffle with some fantastic prizes and refreshments during the interval. Doors will open at 7pm and the concert will begin at 7:30pm. Tickets will be available on the door at £8, under 16s free.
Finally, we are thrilled to announce something new for 2025! On Saturday 5th April we will be joining Barnstaple Male Voice Choir for a joint concert at Christ Church in Braunton. At the time of writing, we are still in the process of finalising the details but keep an eye on our Facebook page or email us for more information.
For anyone not familiar with what we're about, we're a Torringtonbased group enabling members to order organic wholefoods from our wholesaler's catalogue of over 5000 items, at wholesale prices, i.e. at least 25% less than retail prices. Anyone is welcome to join and our members include both single person households, families, the disabled, the young and the not-so-young. Our aim is simply to make better quality food available at affordable prices to more people and to support our health and that of our families. You can find full information and become a member at no cost on our website, owbg. jimdofree.com
At our order collection day social and lunch, we have great discussions and chat! Anyone interested in finding out more about what we do and in joining OWBG is welcome. Guests very often say how much they enjoyed themselves, how lovely it was to meet such interesting people and to partake of delicious healthy food made and contributed by the members. If you would like to come – do! The dates and location are on our website and a quick email to owbg@protonmail.com is very helpful so we are in the know about numbers. Wellbeing Tip: Alfalfa –Superfood for People and Animals
Alfalfa seed is really tiny but absolutely packed with nutrients, and the sprouts are an excellent addition to smoothies, salads, on soups, in sandwiches and on rice cakes, crackers, or wraps – their uses are only limited by our imagination.
They have a subtle, but somehow distinctive and deliciously fresh, taste and using them is doubly appropriate in the spring, when our livers benefit and are really ready for a good detox after the winter. Alfalfa helps to detoxify our urinary tract, supports our pituitary gland, has a body-wide alkalizing effect, promotes healthy bowel movements, increases energy and reduces fatigue, supports healthy teeth and sweet breath and is helpful for morning sickness. Sprouting your own is actually very easy, and the results are a thousand times tastier and better for us than the anaemic looking and comparatively expensive packets you see in the cooler units in the shops. The secret of producing your own lovely alfalfa sprouts lies in using a method that respects the seed’s needs and allows it to flourish. Here's what I do:
Put two tbsp alfalfa seed in a small jar to soak in unchlorinated (filtered) water. Don't leave them too long – six to eight hours is plenty.
Drain the water off, and using a teaspoon spread the seed thinly into a tiered seed sprouter. The important thing here is not to overcrowd the seeds as they need plenty of room and free flow of rinse water. I use the back of the teaspoon to spread them thinly and evenly.
Stand your tiered seed sprouter on a warm window sill - above the kitchen sink is ideal as you're less likely to forget to water them. Rinse with fresh filtered water twice a day, remembering to
discard the rinse water that collects in the bottom of the sprouter.
After about five days the sprouts will have reached the top of each tier, and be showing signs of green tips. Remove them from the sprouter and rinse very thoroughly in clean water, rubbing the sprouts gently between your hands to remove the hulls. If you let the rinse water stand for a minute or so, the hulls will sink to the bottom and you'll be able to scoop out handfuls of nice clean, hull free sprouts.
I put the clean sprouts into two large clear jars, rinse and drain using the jar lid and then put the jars back on the window sill on their sides so the sprouts all get good light. You'll have quite a quantity of sprouts ready to use, and they'll keep well in their jars on the window sill if rinsed twice a day.
Sprouting seeds are available to buy through OWBG, including a 2kg bag of alfalfa, which when shared amongst several members, equates to a store cupboard quantity at a fraction of the price of those packets in the shops. Upcoming grocery final order dates: 13th March, 10th April
How do I join? Via our website, where you'll find all the info you need. What does membership cost? Free What if I need advice or have questions? Ring 01805 623 307/email mary@ marycrailwellbeing.co.uk
Our small (but beautifully formed) team of volunteers has been hard at work at Ridd over the last five months and we have made significant progress with our restoration project.
By early October we had fully cleared some 80 metres of the canal bed at the top of the incline, from the wheelpit to the point at which it intersects with the Tarka Trail. The canal here had disappeared under many decades’ worth of vegetation so it was very rewarding to open this section up. While this work was going on, our masons were continuing with the rebuild of the boundary wall of the upper pound, a task which we completed towards the end of October. The wall follows the gentle curve of the canal from the top of the incline on its southward route and nicely defines the perimeter of the site.
An important element of the project plan was to fell a number of trees, which had grown up on the incline following the closure of the canal. Our objective was to open up the upper incline to something close to its original width (currently only about a third is visible) and to remove two trees overhanging and obscuring the lower incline. These trees were mainly ash and were in poor condition, most of them sadly suffering from advanced Ash Die Back. Permission to fell was granted by Devon County Council and, following a competitive tendering process, we awarded a contract to a local firm of tree surgeons who started work on this challenging task in October. It was fascinating to watch the tree surgeons at work. The first step is to use a giant catapult to fire a thin weighted line into the top of the tree to be felled. A sturdy climbing rope is then attached to this and pulled up into the tree. This enables the surgeon, equipped with special spiked climbing boots to climb up to the very top of the tree and to start removing the upper limbs. Once the bole has been reduced to a height of about 20-30 feet, it is then felled from the base. It is
definitely a job for a fit young person! The remaining stumps will be poisoned and eventually dug up, which will allow us to scrape the surface of the incline to a uniform slope.
In November we turned our attention to the section of the lower canal which runs from the flood embankment south of Annery Kiln to the base of the incline. Again, this is part of the canal which has not been touched for decades and was completely overgrown by a jungle of brambles, nettles and elder bushes. At first assessment, the scale of the task looked overwhelming, but it is surprising what an enthusiastic team armed with shears, loppers, saws and billhooks can achieve. (Having said that, a couple of machetes would definitely have been useful!) Over the next couple of months, we made rapid inroads into the jungle and at the end of January we emerged, somewhat lacerated, close to the former stable block. (Sadly, no one had the foresight to bring a bottle of champagne to mark the occasion!). There are a few fallen decaying trees which need to be sawn up and removed, but once this is done the entire route of this section of the canal will be cleared. We have been at pains to only remove as much vegetation as is consistent with the aims of the project, and have left a substantial area of brambles as a wildlife habitat. We are also using some of the larger branches to create ‘bug hotels’ for insects and invertebrates. It has been really exciting to see this neglected section of the canal opened up, and it will certainly help the public to gain a better understanding of the history of the canal and its operation.
restoration. This has been supplemented by the Co-op Community Fund which kindly selected the project as one worth supporting and this has generated a further £1,700 of funding. We are very grateful to both organisations for their generous support.
Tony Nicholls
Little Torrington WI
February’s meeting was a brilliant talk from local author, Liz Shakespeare. Liz talked about her research methods into local history which she bases her books around.
The latest book, ‘The Ordeal of Miss Lucy Jones’, is a great insight into life in Great Torrington, with some interesting events and exploits of the town’s residents.
March’s speaker will be our WI women of the year.
Book club are currently reading ‘The Power’ by Naomi Alderman, the group meets on the third Monday of the month.
A spring walk venue to be arranged is planned for next month. Hopefully it will be a bit warmer!
A correction to last month’s article it is the Dorothy Crocker trophy.
Footnote: we are indebted to the Inland Waterways Authority who awarded the Society a grant of £12,000 towards the
If any of the above sounds of interest, please contact Jen Hood 01805 622433.
Bideford & District Photographic Group
We have just received the results from the Western Counties Inter Club Championship 2025, and commonly known as DPIC. Members can be well pleased with our 22nd place finish out of 48 clubs, a great improvement on a very lowly position in 2024. Especially pleased is member Rupert Stockwin, who achieved a Highly Commended Award for his picture ‘Insects Sheltering Under a Porcelain Fungus’.
Our summer programme should now have been published and can be accessed on our website, even if you are not a member. These spring and summer evening and weekend ‘walks with cameras’ are an ideal way to find out what the club is about, and spend a pleasant social evening. You do not have to be an expert or have an expensive camera just bring yourself and an interest in photography. Summer programme events are free to attend. Why not come along we should be easy to spot bedecked with cameras and wrestling with tripods.
For further information email Tim at sanderst99@gmail.com or enquiries@ bidefordcameraclub.co.uk or visit bidefordcameraclub.co.uk.
Children’s Cancer Charity Makes its New Home in Great Torrington
Supershoes, the children’s cancer charity that creates hand-painted trainers for young cancer patients, has recently moved into Cornmarket Street, Great Torrington.
Co-founders Sarah and Ken White have expressed their gratitude for the warm welcome they have received. “The community has been so welcoming and supportive and we hope that locals will want to get involved with our charity to help make a difference to children with cancer,” they said.
The move marks an exciting new chapter for Supershoes, which has been bringing joy and empowerment to children facing cancer for over a decade now, reaching over 7500 children in that time. Supershoes has over 200 volunteer artists from across the UK, who give their time and talent to personalise each pair of Supershoes with unique designs tailored to each individual child’s interests, helping to boost confidence and restore a sense of self whilst encouraging mobility.
Adding to the excitement of this new chapter for the charity, Sarah and Ken were recognised in the King’s New Year Honours list, each receiving the British Empire Medal (BEM) for their dedication to children with cancer. Ken said: “It is such a privilege serving the brave children we support and to receive an honour for doing so is so humbling and very unexpected!”
Supershoes is currently seeking volunteers who can spare a few hours each week to help out in their office. The type of roles they need to fill include packing up shoes ready for posting to artists, data input, social media and fundraising amongst others. Full support and training would be given and of course, that warm, fuzzy feeling in making a difference is guaranteed!
For more information, visit www.supershoes.org.uk or email admin@supershoes. org.uk.
Torrington in Bloom
At our meeting on 3rd February,
we discussed our Open Gardens project for 2025 and the Committee agreed to proceed.
We are once again being joined by Torrington Rotary Club, so any monies raised will be shared 50:50 between our two organisations. A provisional date has been agreed of Sunday 20th July, subject to change. We currently have several garden owners who are willing to participate, but we need a few more, so if you are keen to help please contact either myself, or Stephen Saywell of the Rotary Club on 07885 443 236. There will be some posters going up around the town shortly to advertise our open day and ask for volunteers to help out/open their gardens.
At the end of January, the new apprentices and staff at RHS Rosemoor had a good day’s work in Rack Park, carrying out essential maintenance and pruning. There have been some continued issues with dog mess, which is very annoying and potentially hazardous to those working or walking in the park. Also, some petty vandalism has taken place, including drug-taking equipment being discarded.
On a brighter note, the bulbs are all now poking their noses through the grass and we should have a lovely display whenever spring decides to arrive. Also, the Rosemoor team has joined with a local woodworker who has made some bird-boxes which have now been placed around Rack Park. Our Town Mayor, Councillor Phil Cloke, kindly made a personal donation towards payment for these bird-boxes, which are all made using recycled wood. Look out for our feathered friends taking up residence soon!
Cherry Hammon Torrington in Bloom (01805 625788)
Christian Aid Lenten Lunches
During Lent, the different Christian communities in Great Torrington will provide light lunches consisting of homemade soup with a roll, cheese, marmite, pickles and a cup of tea or coffee for a donation of £4. This is to raise funds for Christian Aid, a charity which helps families around the world to overcome poverty and injustice. Please see below for the dates and venues of all the lunches. All are welcome, so please come along, enjoy a light lunch, and help support the work of Christian Aid.
Friday 14th March: 12-1.45pm at St Michael’s Parish Church, £4
Friday 21st March: 12-1.45pm at the Methodist Church (top of Mill Street) £4. Hosted by the Holy Family
Friday 28th March: 12-1.45pm at the Baptist Church (New Street) £4
Friday 4th April: 12-1.45pm at the Methodist Church (top of Mill Street) £4
Friday 11th April: 12-1.45pm at the Baptist Church (New Street) hosted jointly £4
Christian Aid Committee
Torrington Baptist Church
Services on Sunday mornings at 10.30am followed by refreshments.
Everyone is welcome to join our friendly, growing fellowship, as we seek to glorify God in our worship.
The Crier Prize Crossword
The winner of this month’s crossword will receive a lunch up to the value of £25. Please send your completed crossword with contact details to The Crier, Castle Hill, Torrington, EX38 8AA, or email to torrington.crier@gmail.com. The winner for the last issue is Sheila Kenneally. The winner for this issue will be picked at random from correct entries. Deadline for entries is Thursday 13th March.
Exciting News at Dartington Crystal
We’re thrilled to unveil the NEW & IMPROVED Pavilion Café at our Torrington site! Our fantastic team has been busy adding vibrant splashes of colour and creating a cosy, welcoming space for you to relax and unwind. Enjoy our new sofa area and discover a revamped menu filled with delicious treats, from freshly brewed coffee and homemade cakes to hearty lunches. Keep an eye on our social media for exclusive specials and vouchers you won’t want to miss! And yes, your furry friends are welcome too - dogs allowed! But that’s not all! While you’re here, why not make a day of it? Join one of our fascinating factory tours to see our skilled glassmakers in action, crafting beautiful pieces using time-honoured techniques. It’s a mesmerizing experience for all ages!
After the tour, explore our extensive shop, where you’ll find a wide range of Dartington Crystal products—from elegant glassware and unique gifts to stunning home décor pieces, many at special factory prices! For the little ones, we’ve got fun activities to keep them entertained, including creative workshops and hands-on experiences. Whether you’re here for a bite, a browse, or a behind-the-scenes look at our glassmaking magic, there’s something for everyone at Dartington Crystal. We can’t wait to welcome you soon!
Fleur’s Gardening Forum
Beautiful Brassicas
What’s beautiful about cabbage, I hear you say! Boiled to death, served up mushy and bitter-tasting, it’s no wonder we have a problem with eating them, but leafy green vegetables are full of nutrients that we all need to sustain a healthy body. They are easy to grow and come in a wide range of taste, texture and flavours, so why not try growing them from seed?
Brassica seed can be sown directly into the earth in spring/summer, although you can start them in plugs, then harden off before planting out. You first need to prepare the planting area by lightly digging to remove weeds and then raking to a fine tilth. Sow the seed thinly and shallowly, covering and firming lightly, retaining some for succession sowing. Cover the area with a cloche or fleece to aid germination and keep pests at bay. Once the seeds start to grow away strongly, thin them out; you need about 20-30cm between plants, but you can keep them closer together if space is limited. You may need to stake tall growing brassicas, such as purple-sprouting broccoli or Brussels sprouts but most will support themselves.
Brassicas prefer slightly alkaline soil and grow best where nitrogen fixing crops have previously been grown, ie, peas and beans. You can top dress with lime, or work in mushroom compost which is naturally limy, when you do your initial digging.
Major pests are slugs and snails, but later on you will need to protect the crop against large and small white butterflies because the caterpillars can nibble their way through your crop very quickly, and you can have a nasty surprise on the dinner plate if you’re not careful! The other major pest later in the year is the woodpigeon, again these birds can devastate an entire crop if it is not protected with netting or fleece.
The worst disease of brassicas is club root, an apt description, because the roots swell up and the plant loses its vigour. Do not grow any brassicas in soil that is infected with club root for at least five years.
For those gardeners short of space, the best brassicas to grow are those where you can ‘cut and come again’, such as purple sprouting broccoli, cavalo nero, sprouts, red Russian kale (which cooks down like spinach), ‘collard’ cabbage for leafy greens. Calabrese usually has one large head, which should be cut to allow much smaller side-shoots to form.
Brassicas should be steamed to retain their best flavour and colour, then served with a little butter to sweeten.
Fleur
1st Torrington Scouts
The Beavers started the term off with a bit of general housekeeping, going through their code of conduct, hobbies badges and some team building games. The following week they did all things Scottish, for Burns Night, and for the meeting they had a go at weaving their own tartan as well as some mini highland games. There is lots more to come in this term, including the annual sleepover.
The Scouts also started their term off by writing their code of conduct. The following week they then did their scientist badge, where they got to make their own mini volcano eruption. The Scouts also did some activities for Burns Night, where they designed tartan on biscuits and then got to eat them, followed by weaving tartan out of paper, the meeting then finished with a few rounds of tug of war.
The week after they went to Stoppers Roller Rink in Barnstaple, where they got to have some fun roller-skating, after all their hard work fundraising at the Christmas fair. This was a great meeting; everyone had a go and improved over the hour and half, though I am sure there are a few bruised bums the following morning. A busy start to the term, with plenty more to come.
The group needs your support, for more information please contact our group scout leader Jordon on jordon. whitear@gmail.com.
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march events at the plough
The Plough Arts Centre Turns 50
A Celebration of Community, Creativity, and Culture
Fifty years ago, The Plough Arts Centre opened its doors with a mission to bring the community together through theatre, film, art, and live performance. Now, as we reach this incredible milestone, we'd love you to join us in celebrating five decades of creativity, storytelling, and shared experiences. A Steampunk Panto Like No Other What better way to mark this golden anniversary than with a spectacular community panto? On April 11th and 12th the stage will come alive with ‘Wotcha Gotcha’, a hilariously inventive steampunk adventure that blends classic Victorian characters, traditional panto fun, and a few Plough legends - including the infamous Plough Cow! Featuring a multi-generational cast of local talent, this is not just a performance but a celebration of the artistic spirit that has defined The Plough for half a century. A Nostalgic Journey with Tarka the Otter
For many, Tarka the Otter remains a cherished piece of North Devon’s cinematic and literary history. On April 11th at 2pm, we’re bringing this classic
back to the big screen, offering a chance to revisit the dramatic and moving story of Tarka’s survival in the wild. We’d also love to hear from anyone with memories or stories about the making of this beloved film – please contact tess@theploughartscentre.org.uk if you’d like to share something! Step into the past at The Plough’s Anniversary Exhibition
From April 11th to May 31st we invite you to explore The Plough’s 50-year history through a special anniversary exhibition in our gallery. Trace the evolution of our theatre, film screenings, exhibitions, and outreach programmes through a curated timeline of past programmes. And for those who’ve been part of our journey, we encourage you to add your voice to our Story Box - a video installation where you can share your own Plough memories, whether they involve a life-changing performance, a favourite film, or the moment you first stepped onto our stage. Preview Night: Thursday, April 10th at 6:30pm (all welcome!).
Over the past 50 years The Plough has been a cornerstone of the community so
we want you to come and celebrate our anniversary with us!
International Women’s Day: A Celebration of Creativity and Connection
Before the anniversary festivities begin, we take a moment to honour International Women’s Day on March 8th with a day of creative expression and empowerment with: Craftivist Collective Workshop –join us for a hands-on session where activism meets creativity.
Accessorise Your Underwear with Toni Alexander – a joyous and light-hearted workshop where you can sip, socialise, and add some flair to your lingerie (yes, the bar will be open!).
Barbie returns! – this cinematic icon is back for an encore screening.
Please note, a 5% fee will be applied to all bookings
Our Box Office opens Friday to Saturday 10am - 4pm & 6.30pm - close. Our Cafe | Bar | Bistro is open Weds-Sat from 10am - 2.30pm and for evening events - please call 01805 625925 for details.
For details of the below events and more go to: theploughartscentre.org. uk
01/03
10am (+ every Saturday term time)
Plough Youth Theatre – Seniors 14-18yrs 11am (+ every Saturday term time)
Plough Youth Theatre – Middlies 11-14yrs
12.30pm (+ every Saturday term time)
Plough Youth Theatre – Infants 5-7yrs
1pm (+ every Saturday term time)
Plough You Theatre – Juniors 8-11yrs
3pm (+ every Saturday term time) Creative Dance – 8-18yrs
11am ThePlough@StAnne's, Poetry/ Spoken Word: North Devon Poetry Stanza
8pm Music: Fleetwood Mac Songbook 02/03
2pm The Gallery at The Plough Music: Heartsong with Alison Whittall
7:30pm (+ every Monday term time) The Gallery at The Plough Workshop: Ploughcappella with Rosa Rebecka 04/03
9.30am (+ every Tuesday term time) Theatre Tots 2-4 yrs – please contact katherine@theploughartscentre.org.uk
10.30am (+ every Tuesday term time)
Plough Prism & Motion Dance for adults with additional needs 05/03
until 26/08 The Gallery at The Plough Exhibition: Claire Gladstone : Pay Attention To The Gaps
6:30pm The Gallery at The Plough Workshop - Visual Arts: Life Drawing Gym 06/03
4pm (+ every Thursday term time) PYT:
Creative Movement & Mindfulness 4-12yrs 5pm (+ every Thursday term time) PYT: Writing for Performance
6pm 50th Anniversary Pantomime Rehearsals
6pm 50th Anniversary Pantomime Rehearsals
7:30pmThePlough@StAnne's, Poetry/ Spoken Word: Plough Storytelling Circle 07/03
2pmTheatre: Jesus Christ Superstar (12A) 8pm Music: Fifi La Mer and Oliver Wilby Present: Let Us Take You to Paris 08/03
10am ThePlough@StAnne's, WorkshopVisual Arts: Introduction to Watercolours 3 week course
10am ThePlough@StAnne's, WorkshopVisual Arts: Moon Gazing Hare Mosaic 11am
The Gallery at The Plough Workshop: Craftivist Collective Workshop 3pm
The Gallery at The Plough Workshop: Accessorise Your Underwear: Workshop with Toni Alexander
7pm Film: Barbie (12) 10/03
7:30pm The Gallery at The Plough Workshop: Ploughcappella Rosa Rebecka 13/03
7:30pm ThePlough@StAnne's, Music: Roseanna Ball with Peter Laing
8pm Poetry/Spoken Word: Arthur Smith & Clare Ferguson-Walker
Year 9 have been developing their creative writing skills, using a powerful scene from the film 1917 as a stimulus.
Here are Charlotte and Dotty’s responses:
The Abandoned Farmhouse
It felt like me and Will were walking for miles, when we suddenly came down to this worn-down broken wall with a perfect sized doorway in the middle. We cautiously walked through, it was another field but with amazing cloud-white cherry blossoms, they were all cut down. I was distraught because it really made me feel like I was at home again when mum was caring for her beautiful blossom.
I was staring at the clean-cut stumps and the thin fragile branches, when it started drizzling. It was refreshing cooling and made me feel relaxed. Something caught my eye in the distance though. I pointed it out to Will. It was thick black smoke not too far away from where we were standing. To make me feel more nervous, I heard planes buzzing around us.
We saw what looked like an abandoned farmhouse. Slowly approaching we saw a poor little dead dog on the floor. Whoever was last here destroyed nearly everything, the walls, the trees, the animals... I was shocked and sad. Although it was a shocking thing to see, we still carried on through the now wet and muddy grass. I asked Will to go first as I was a bit nervous when I heard a muffled gunshot in the
Tortured Trees
Me and Tom went looking for food at this abandoned building. We walked slowly up to it, just in case there was anyone there. The walls were dilapidated and the building looked like it could collapse at any moment. The doorway was non-existent.
Just outside of the crumbling walls, was an orchard of beautiful cherry blossom trees that had been cut in the middle. The branches looked like they were reaching out for help as if they had been tortured. There were very few flowers growing on what was left of a tree. Tom had told me how these trees would normally lose their flowers around this time of year and how the wind would carry the blossoms around the orchard. He said that the flowers would make a beautifully fragranced blanket. We moved closer to the building with our guns ready. We could hear the stomach-churning sound of bombs in the distance and the ear-piercing screech of bullets.
Our hearts pounded.
I went inside to search for anything I could find, whilst Tom went outside. I looked around but I couldn't find anything.
I heard Tom shout “I found something!”
Tom was in a wooden barn, pouring milk out of a bucket into his canteen. There was a cow in a small pen that looked very healthy to have been abandoned. We heard the plane engines outside. The sound of the propellers rumbled as we went to get a closer look. There were three planes, two were ours and one of them was a German plane. We watched to see what would happen. Suddenly, a thick cloud of smoke emerged from the German’s plane and flames roared out of the engine. It fell down from the sky and slid into the barn.
The whole barn caught fire, as we ran for our lives.
distance.
He arrived at the house and went inside, whilst I was a little behind. I caught up and decided to wait outside and guard Will whilst he was in the eerie abandoned house. I admired the loads of fields I could see but also paid close attention to every little noise I could hear. The drizzle started again. I couldn't focus on the noises, so I decided to join
Charlotte Siddons Year 9
him inside. As I was on my way in, Will was leaving. I decided to stay inside and explore anyway.
At the entrance there were shards of glass, sharp like knives. I kept on looking around when I came across an old doll sat in the corner of the room. It frightened me, so I went back outside to find Will.
Dotty
Scoynes, Year 9
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1917
I walk toward the barn, each step I take heavier than the last, my boots crunching against the dirt beneath me. My rifle drags along in my grip, its cold metal a constant reminder of the weight I carry, both the weapon and the war.
The air feels thick, almost suffocating me. Barely escaping the tight grip of my webbing, which digs into my shoulders like an iron vice. The straps press into my skin with every movement, making it harder to breathe but I push on. Sweat beads drip down my face stinging my eyes.
I arrive at the clearing, my eyes immediately flicking from shadow to shadow, scanning every corner. The air is tense, thick with anticipation in hopes we might find food. I scan the area, and my gaze falls on a bucket of milk sitting there untouched. The gloss of the milk catches the faint light, but its presence feels like a glitch in the world, like it shouldn't be there.
The sound of leaves rustling fills the air, whispering in the wind. The sharp crackle of the gunfire punctuates the silence. I kneel, the cold earth rough beneath my knees. I bring the bucket closer. Hesitant at first, I bring the rim to my lips to taste the sip. Taste floods my senses. It's rich, thick and creamy, almost too indulgent, like it's meant to be savoured in a moment when there's nothing left to lose.
Just as the warmth of the milk settles in, a voice cuts through the quiet, sharp and urgent. “Hey!” Tom shouts at the top of his lungs. “There's a dog fight happening!”
The web snapped me back to reality and I looked up, my senses suddenly
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Year 7 have also been exploring creative writing devices, using myths and legends to inspire them. We were so impressed with Noah’s description of the labyrinth, written from the perspective of Theseus.
alert, heart racing as I push aside the strange tranquility of the milk.
Look up to see the two British planes chasing a German fighter, both sides locked in a desperate struggle. The air is thick with tension as they twist and dive, each trying to outmaneuver the other. Then, in an instant, one plane spirals out of control and crashes, erupting in a fiery explosion. Tom and I dash for cover, barely escaping. I lay there as the heat brushes against my skin. We peek out to see a German soldier screaming in agony, repeating the one word only “Wasser!”
We rush over to help him out of the cockpit, the acrid scent of sweat and oil hitting me hard. I watch as he lies there, helpless, and a wave of dread washes over me, an unsettling feeling that I can't shake. I watch as the fire cascades around his body, dancing with joy. I feel so helpless as my heart sinks and dread as the heat of the fire melts my heart.
I couldn't help but think why do people have to die like this? I look up to Tom with a face full of worry. We both agree to venture back.
Still trembling in fear, I look back to see him lying on the ground.
I think it must be sad, dying whilst the person holding your hand is your enemy. Imogen Pascoe Year 9
The Labyrinth
I entered the vast labyrinth and my stomach sank.
Having reached the bottom of the steps, I decided which direction I would go. Hesitant, I walked down the passageway and into the labyrinth.
The yarn trickled behind me. I had brought it as it would allow me to retrace my steps. I could hear a low rhythmic rumble bellowing through the maze. I could sense the minotaur was close, its footsteps echoed. It was then that I SAW the shadow of the monster, looming furiously behind the doorway.
Blood gravitated into the area. The minotaur’s wicked horns came into view. I started shaking uncontrollably and nearly dropped my sword. The beast then jumped out towards me in a rough fashion. I struggled for my sword, picked it up and struck the minotaur’s arm. However, it ended up leaving a large dent in my blade. The minotaur’s skin was as stiff as obsidian. Knowing this, I was going to have to strategize about how I would defeat this monster.
The minotaur lifted its fist before crashing down on me. I slowly got back up feeling stunned and with stones embedded in my skin. It gave another hit towards me, yet I dodged it and gave a striking blow to the minotaur’s head. It let out a blood curdling roar and started smashing the ground below us in rage.
Noah Hopkins, Year 7
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Notice of Annual General Meeting
To be held in the Learning Centre, RHS Rosemoor Gardens Sunday 6th April 2025 at 2pm
1. To receive the Society's accounts and the reports of the Committee for the period ended 31st December 2024.
2. To elect the members of the Committee.
The following is a list of officers of the committee who have served during 2024: Chairman: Ian Harrison
Vice-Chair: Tony Barnes
Treasurer & Gift Aid Secretary: Michael Elliott
Secretary: Tony Nicholls
Membership Secretary: Hilary Wills
Publicity Officer: Mike Harper
Members: Chris Hassall, Margaret Shambrook, Mike Chambers, Michael Reynolds
3.Other Business
The agenda will be circulated nearer the time of the meeting. If any member would like to include an item on the agenda, please contact the Secretary by e-mail at antonius1954@gmail.com no later than Friday 22nd March 2025.
Invitation for nominations to executive committee
Nominations are invited from fully paid-up members of the Society to serve on the Executive Committee. If you are interested, please write to The Secretary at Valderia, Torrington Lane, Bideford. EX39 4BT.
Nominations must be received no later than Friday 22nd March 2025 and must be accompanied by the written agreement of the nominee and the names of proposer and seconder who should also be members of the Society.
Torrington Senior Citizens AGM
Our AGM is on Wednesday 26th March at 2pm in the Methodist Church.
We will arrange five trips and a Christmas lunch. Other business, costs and arrangements will be decided on this day.
Anyone 60 years or over can join us. Members will be asked to give information and pay subscriptions by the end of April. Membership affords priority to reduced priced trips and our Christmas lunch.
All potential members are invited to our AGM. Let's hope for favourable weather for our 2025 trips.
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St Michael & All Angels Church
Awarm welcome always awaits you at St Michael & All Angels Church. We are a friendly and inclusive community where everyone is valued, whether you are a regular worshipper or visiting for the first time.
Our services are held every Sunday at 10am and Thursday at 10.30am, and we would love for you to join us in worship, prayer, and fellowship. Wherever you are on your faith journey, you will find a place of warmth and friendship. We really look forward to seeing you soon!
Calling All Singers! Okehampton
Choral Society is looking for new members! We are a friendly choir spanning a wide age range and all voices are welcome - there are no auditions and it doesn’t matter if you do not read music. All you need is enthusiasm and a love of singing and you will find yourself enjoying the opportunity to sing in four part harmony and discovering a wide range of music. We meet on a Monday evening for a 7.15pm start at Fairplace Church, Okehampton. We are not a church choir but we do appreciate the warm and welcoming atmosphere that Fairplace offers. You will be welcome to come along for a couple of rehearsals before deciding whether you would like to join.
For further information please contact: Bill on 01837 53109 or Helen on 01409 231106.
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There’s Never Been a Better Time to Visit RHS Rosemoor!
The RHS is helping to get more children outside and learning about plants by reducing ticket prices for all visitors aged five to 16 years to £5 (under-fives continue to go free). Adults can also now save up to 25% when booking online, ahead of their visit.
Community Open Weekend Saturday 1st – Sunday 2nd March
Visit RHS Rosemoor for just £1 and experience spring in all its glory! Relax on a peaceful lakeside stroll and admire the sunny swathes of daffodils as you go. Marvel at the magnificent magnolias and smell the subtle scent of wisteria blooms opening. Take in the first burst of blossom in the Cherry Garden and follow the upper Woodland Walk to see an amazing variety of rhododendrons and camellias.
Families can enjoy the new ‘Guess How Much I Love You’ garden adventure, an interactive trail on in the lower Woodland Walk which re-enacts some of the adventures of the iconic Little Nutbrown Hare, while exploring the many colours, textures and shapes found in nature.
If you have recently got engaged, you can also visit the Wedding Fayre hosted by South West Event Management CIC in the Garden Room the same weekend. Here you can meet top quality, local wedding suppliers: whether you are looking for a florist, wedding cake, wedding dress, stationery, entertainment, favours, caterer, celebrant, car, photographer or hair stylist. You can also check out Rosemoor’s many ceremony locations dotted throughout the beautiful gardens.
The limited number of £1 tickets for the weekend are available on a first come first served basis online so pre-book to avoid disappointment! If you do not have a booking, normal garden admission prices will apply.
Diary Dates
Spring Flower Showcase Saturday 8th -Sunday 9th March
Alpine Society Show, Saturday 22nd March
Crack the Egg-nigma code at RHS Garden this Easter Saturday 5th - Monday 21st April! RHS Rosemoor’s fun Easter hunt has an egg-citing new twist this year. As well as the classic quest, children can turn ‘detective’ when they seek out the colourful eggs hidden in the beautiful gardens.
Just be sure to grab the special code-breaker packs on arrival so your young sleuths have everything they need to solve the mystery. The £2.50 pack contains the top-secret information and tools needed to crack the ‘egg-nigma’ code. Each giant egg found will reveal a special symbol which, when translated and combined with clues from other eggs, will spell the solution to the puzzle. Your cunning code crackers will be rewarded with chocolate treats for solving the challenge!
Non-members can save money on entry by booking in advance online.
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Concert at Buckland Brewer Methodist Church
Sunday 16th March at 4pm by
‘Our Atlantic Roots’ - Mac and Laura Johnston, who live in Cornwall, but come from both sides of the Atlantic and their music reflects this fact. There will be refreshments during this concert and admission is by donation, on the door. Suggested minimum donation of £10. Proceeds for the work and upkeep of our chapel. Postcode is EX39 5LP. Contact Dave Watson on 0748 422 3515 or bucklanddave1953@btinternet.com. Warm Welcome 'Coffee Morning' at Buckland Brewer Methodist Church every Wednesday from 10am-12noon. Donations for expenses. Come along and join us for a chat along with tea, coffee and biscuits! Come along if you are new to the village or parish and would like to meet others, find out 'what happens' in Buckland, or have a chat.
Thank You!
Torrington Farmers Hunt would like to thank everyone who supported them on Boxing Day last year in Torrington Square. With your kind donations, we raised £471.50 for The Farming Community Network Charity, this was a fantastic effort from you all, Thank you from the Torrington Farmers Hunt. We look forward to seeing you again on Boxing Day this year in Torrington Square.
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Royal British Legion
Great Torrington Branch
Our year started with the sad passing of Sidney Adams, our Chairman of 15 years, aged 90. His funeral took place in the Parish Church of St Mary and St Gregory’s in Frithelstock on Thursday, 30th January. The Branch Standard and the Devon County Standard were there to honour his service, as was our Membership Engagement Officer from Devon County and other Branch members. Sidney was involved with the Town Band for 26 years, was Church Warden at Frithelstock Church for 37 years and will be remembered and sadly missed by all.
On Friday, 17th January, Eleanor Curtis’s funeral took place at Holy Trinity Parish Church in Weare Giffard. Eleanor was 90 and both she and her late husband Howard had been very active members of the Branch in earlier days, and organised the Poppy Appeal collection in Weare Gifford for many years. Trevor Goaman attended with the Branch Standard along with other Branch members.
Both services were very memorable and held in beautiful churches, where Eleanor and Sidney were also interred.
At our AGM on 20th November 2024, Sidney was very happy to hand over the baton of Chairman to Peter Hooper, whom he had personally chosen. Peter had been Acting Chairman for almost a year, as Sidney was unwell and Sidney was very proud of the way he had stepped into the role to lead us.
2024 had been a good year for the Branch, with commemoration of D-Day 80, awareness stalls, attendance at County and Annual RBL Conferences, County Quarterly Meetings, etc. In January 2025 the Chairman and Secretary attended the Devon County Annual Conference in Axminster. The National Conference this year is being held in Harrogate from 15th to 18th May. Trevor will be there with our Branch Standard and as our delegate, together with two other members.
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friend recently spoke of the poem “Footprints” at his baptismal service. Memories came flooding back.
The poem describes an experience in which a man is walking on a beach with God. They leave two sets of footprints in the sand with the tracks representing stages of the man’s life. As the man stands with God at the end of his life’s journey, he looks back and he notices that there are times when the two paths dwindle to one, and this happened when he had his lowest times. The man, believing that the God must have abandoned him during those times, asks him why, at life’s toughest, God would do that. God responds, “My precious, precious child. I love you and I would never leave you during your times of trial and suffering. When you saw only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you”.
I first read this poem years ago, as I looked through a shop window on a cold, miserable wet day. It was an incredibly profound moment. As I stood in the street, I recalled a throwaway prayer, I had spoken a few months earlier …And despite then, knowing very little about the Christian faith, I absolutely knew that I had been “carried.”
The Bible teaches that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. His love is constant and available; a gift to all through the ups and downs of our life’s journey. If you would like to explore the Christian faith further why not give one of us a call –We are happy to chat with no strings! Karen 07890 132 081 or Trish 07866 861 156.
anniversaries to commemorate. The first is VE80 on 8th May and then VJ80 on 15th August. The 85th anniversary of the Battle of Britain is on 15th September.
The amount of money that the people of Great Torrington and the surrounding area raised for the RBL Poppy Appeal amounted to £3040.97. The breakdown is as follows: Cadets £1770.16; Red Cross £145.50; St Giles Sports Club £38.04; wreaths £410; Remembrance Day £423.34; Frithelstock Church £127; Frithelstock village £85.03; individual donations £41.90. In addition to this, Steve Pointing from Petrockstowe raised £850 in his village. All the donations will go towards ex-forces personnel and their families. I am very pleased to report that a lovely lady has stepped forward to be Great Torrington’s Poppy Appeal Organiser in 2025. There will be more on this later.
Great Torrington Branch RBL is a small branch and we are trying to get an idea of how many ex-forces personnel and families are out there. If you would like to receive information on the sort of things we can help with, or just receive the minutes of the monthly meetings, or you
Table Top Sale
Torridge Vale Social Club, Sunday 2nd March. Sellers from 8am, buyers 10am till 1pm. £5 per table.
To book call/message 07817 948 165, or see any of the bar staff. Refreshments available.
know someone who needs help, then please get in touch, using the contact details below. Or if you are someone who would like to join, you do not need to be ex-forces to join the RBL. We look forward to hearing from you.
We meet on the third Wednesday of each month at 7pm at the Conservative Club in town, with the exception of August and December. We would be delighted to welcome you. Our Branch Padre is Fr Steve Turner and we thank him for his continued support.
Mrs Pat Stark Secretary and Branch Community Co-ordinator Great Torrington Branch, RBL 07968 060 196; email: greattorrington. secretary@rbl.community
Wake Up, it’s Spring!
The days are getting lighter, the mornings brighter and it truly feels like the garden is waking up from its long wintery sleep. Like a child excitedly jumping on their parent’s bed at the first sign of sunrise, spring bulbs have started popping up everywhere! A carpet of the adorable Narcissus bulbocodium AGM, the hoop-petticoat daffodil, is a stunning display across Lady Anne’s arboretum. A true testament to how a small but mighty flower can have impact when planted en masse. Narcissus cyclamineus AGM is also naturalised throughout Rosemoor’s meadows, and is a miniature daffodil full of character with its windswept look. Naturalising bulbs in meadows is brilliant to boost the biodiversity of grassland, and once established in your garden they will multiply year on year. Another of my favourite daffodils has to be Narcissus ‘Rosemoor Gold’ AGM, which will be starting to show later in March. They can be found under sumptuous clouds of blossom of Prunus ‘Pink Shell’ near the entrance.
The transition of late winter beauty merging into a garden of fresh new spring growth is perfectly captured in Lady Anne’s garden at Rosemoor. You may be lucky enough to catch the last of the sweet scent of Daphne bholua ‘Penwood’ at the top of Lock’s Trail early in the month, or even what I consider the best scent of any flower ever, Edgeworthia chrysantha ‘Nanjing Gold’ at the bottom of the Exotic Garden.
As winter scent fades, other less obvious plants get their time to shine. Throughout the meadows of Rosemoor you can start to spot the whites and purples of Fritillaria meleagris AGM with its beautifully intricate checkerboard-pattern petals. If the smaller detail is your thing, there will be perfect examples of delicacy at the Southwest Alpine Show on 22nd March. With the chance to get expert advice, inspiration from quality growers and the chance to pick up some of your own little gems too, it is an event not to miss! Instead of regret, if you missed the chance to plant bulbs last autumn, start choosing and planting your favourite summer-flowering bulbs like Gladioli or Lilies, as there is always a next season! While not strictly a bulb, but treated much the same, March is a brilliant time to pot-up Dahlias. Rosemoor team particular love Dahlia ‘Waltzing Mathilda’ AGM with its soft peachy petals against dark chocolatey foliage. Just make sure wherever you plant, whether in pots or directly into beds, that the growing media has good drainage incorporated to avoid bulbs rotting. For forward-thinkers, March is also the perfect time to be planting snowdrops in the green for next year! But if it is spring bulbs you wish you had, the Spring Flower Showcase at Rosemoor
on 7/8th March is the perfect place to revel in spring plants grown well plus pick up a few quality plants to take home to enjoy in years to come.
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