Final copy january 2016 edited

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WOODBURY NEWS

HOLIDAY ISSUE DECEMBER 2015 / JANUARY 2016

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2 ALL BUILDING JOBS CONSIDERED

R. Miller & Son Painters and Decorators THORNS COTTAGE, WOODBURY

Tel: Woodbury 233773 All work expertly carried out under personal supervision.

Woodbury Village Hall

DustAway Limited

Hall and two Meeting Rooms, Fully equipped Kitchen

All Work and no play, We are here to help

Available for: Dances and Parties Wedding Receptions Meetings and Classes Jumble Sales and Craft Fairs Badminton, Plays, Business Lettings For bookings please contact: Robin or Marian Lennox Tel: 01395 232126 email:- woodburyvh@gmail.com www.woodburyvillagehall.org.uk

Friendly Efficient Cleaning Service.

Weekly, fortnightly, monthly, one-off Cleans.

Moving house, holiday lets, end of tenancy cleans, spring cleans.

We also offer an Ironing service.

Fully insured – all materials supplied.

Please call Iris 01392 427776 07879 427333 www.dustaway-cleaning.co.uk

Woodbury Salterton Village Hall Hall –Tables and Chairs, Well equipped kitchen with cooker and fridge, crockery and cutlery inclusive in hire.

Modest Rates.

For bookings please contact:

Pat or Gill Bricknell 01395 232463

PICTURE FRAMING Artwork, photos, memorabilia,etc.

40 years experience with Fred Keetch of Exeter & Exmouth local collection and delivery in this magazine area SIMON BOLT Tel: 01395 233407 or email: simonbolt60@gmail.com James Sliman Electrical Services Reliable, Fully Qualified, Local Electrician with over 15 years experience.

All aspects of electrical work undertaken from an extra socket to a full rewire Free Estimates - No job too small All work fully insured & guaranteed All work inspected, tested & certified to current standards.

01395 276323 07866 313812 www.jslimanelectrician.co.uk Previous customers said:

“Very neat & tidy work, & a nice guy.”

“I am delighted to recommend James, he is highly competent and reliable, I trust him implicitly.’

For further references please visit: www.ourlocalexpert.co.uk

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Woodbury Dance Studio

RAD BALLET Grades and Majors

Children from 2½ years Principal: Mary Griffiths ARAD, MA(Oxon) Tel: 01395 271249 marygriffiths@hotmail.com www.woodburydance.co.uk All classes at Woodbury C of E Primary School

S G Digital TV Solutions 11 Winslade Park Avenue, Clyst St Mary, Exeter, EX5 1DA.

· · · ·

Installers & Problem Solvers of: Digital TV's & Recorders Smart TV’s & On-Demand Routers Setup Blu-Ray & Home Cinema

TV Signal Problems?

Qualified Technician with years of trade experience.

Competitive Rates.

Tel: 01392 874578 Mobile: 07799 303944 Email: digitaltvsolutions@hotmail.co.uk Web: www.sgdigitaltvsolutions.co.uk

DECEMBER 2015/JANUARY 2016 EDITORIAL Caught on camera at the beginning of December by Pete Broadbelt is Graham Joyce of Woodbury.

How lucky is the village to have such a fearless person on hand who can use his climbing techniques to shin up the huge lime tree (some 22 metres tall) on the village green at this time of the year.

Graham said: ‘I’ve lost count of how many times I have put up the Christmas lights but it must be between ten and fifteen years.’ He reckons that there are about 100 metres of garlands to be strung up.

Graham uses a combination of ropes and harness to work his way up to the top of the tree. Then, instructed by Dave Moore from below, he ‘arranges’ the lights, this year in a spectacular Christmas tree shape. The job takes about two hours before Graham reaches the ground again. The lights stay in place until Twelfth night, after which the whole exercise has to be undertaken again, in reverse.

Words of encouragement were offered by Parish Councillor Roger Mayo.

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ST SWITHUN’S CHURCH, WOODBURY Vicar: Reverend Karen Spray. Tel:01392 877400 email: church@revdkaren.org.uk Associate Minister: Reverend Christopher Cant. Tel: 01395 488178 email: chriscant@tiscali.co.uk USUAL SUNDAY SERVICES - 1st Sunday 11.15 All Age Eucharist. 2nd Sunday 11.15 Eucharist. 3rd Sunday 11.00 Sunday Club, 11.15 Eucharist.

18.30 Evensong. 4th Sunday 08.00 Said Eucharist, 11.15 Morning Prayer. 5th Sunday See Special Services. Morning Prayer every Monday at 09.15.

SPECIAL SERVICES Sunday 20 December Youth Service followed by Carols on Green 18.15.

Christmas Eve Midnight Mass 23.30.

Christmas Day Book of Common Prayer Service 08.00.

Eucharist 11.15.

Sunday 27 December Combined Mission Community Eucharist 11.15.

This is the only service in the Mission Community on that day.

Sunday 1 January Combined MC Eucharist for Candlemas at Clyst St George, 18.30. This is the only service in the Mission Community on that day.

NEWS AND EVENTS Please note the 08.00 Communion Service at St Swithun’s on Christmas Day will use the order from the Book of Common Prayer.

Lych gate Stall No lych gate stall in January.

Sunday Club Meets every 1st Sunday for All Age Eucharist at 11.15, and on the 3rd Sunday in Church Room 11.00-12.00, then into church to show what has been made/done.

FLOODLIGHTING ST SWITHUN’S CHURCH (dusk until 23.00) Dedications: Reg Brown -14 December. For Janet’s 80th birthday.

Reg Brown - 17 December. For Belinda Price who retires as Clerk to the Parish Council at the end of the year.

Hazel Pyatt - 4 January. For David Keep for all his work on the magazine and also to Esme Thompson. Without their years of service, ex-pats like me would miss our monthly “fix” of nostalgia.

And thanks to Roger Hann who is funding the Christmas lighting from the proceeds of the Christmas Craft Fayre.

For your special event, contact Mike Jeans 01395 232544, or see the details and book it online at our website: www.whitecrossdevon.org.uk/woodbury-withexton/flood lighting-form.php.

Digest available in church or from website www.white crossdevon.org.uk.

WOODBURY GARAGE

¨ MOTS ¨ SERVICE ¨ REPAIRS ¨ ALL MAKES & MODELS ¨ ENGINE DIAGNOSTICS The Arch, Woodbury, Devon, EX5 1LL woodburygarage@hotmail.co.uk T: 01395 233004 M: 07527 125956

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FoSS (FRIENDS OF ST SWITHUN’S) During 2015 the FoSS committee organised a concert and supper in January, a full concert with Exeter School and local choirs in April and an afternoon tea in Church in July, with a new venture - a concert with Exeter Singers in October. These events were well supported by members and friends.

FoSS was able to donate £4,500 to the Church for masonry repairs at the West door, repairs to wood panelling in Church and refurbishing the gate at the lych gate. FoSS will continue to raise money to maintain the fabric of the Church and enable it to be available to all members of the community.

Concerts and events will be organised, which we hope will appeal to a significant number within our village. As always tickets are available at Rowsell’s shop, so please come along.

Saturday 23 January: AGM in Church at 19.00, which will be followed by a short concert at 19.30, featuring Woodbury Barbershop Quartet, Nigel Alcock, plus supper with a glass of wine at £7.50 per person.

Friday 22 April: a full concert with Exeter School choir and ensembles, and local choirs, with a glass of wine and nibbles in the interval.

Saturday 16 July: afternoon tea in Church, details to follow. We also hope to host an autumn concert in Church.

With such excellent acoustics, St Swithun’s is an ideal venue for musical events, which the FoSS committee hope will continue to be held for many years.

FORTHCOMING EVENTS

ST SWITHUN’S WINTER FAYRE The St Swithun's Winter Fayre was held on Saturday 21 November in Woodbury Village Hall where there were festive stalls including plants, books and gifts. Lunches and mince pies were also served. Father Christmas made an appearance, complete with a sleigh he made himself. A grand total of just over £2,000 was raised for St Swithun's and St Andrew's church funds.

The editorial team of Sue, Val and Karen wish all our readers a happy festive season.

Please continue sending in all your news, interesting articles and amazing photos.

19 Dec. 20 Dec. 5 Jan. 7 Jan. 8 Jan. 11 Jan. 14 Jan. 14 Jan. 23 Jan. 26 Jan. 4 Feb. 6 Feb. 10 Feb. 19 Feb. 22 April 16 July

Bluesburys Grand Christmas Party. The Maltsters. 19.30-midnight Carols on the Green, Woodbury. 19.15.

Connections Chinese New Year Meal. 19.30/20.00. Church Rooms Exton Ladies Group outing to pantomime Cinderella in Plymouth.

Community Orchard Wassail. 18.30 procession from VH car park.

Police Surgery. Woodbury Primary School, 15.30-16.00.

Exton Ladies Group Games Afternoon and Birthday Tea. Woodbury WI How do children learn language? 19.30, WVH. FoSS AGM, Supper and Concert. St Swithun’s. 19.00.

Woodbury Twinning AGM. 20.00. Du Buisson Room, WVH Local History Society AGM, 19.30, WVH. Jumble Sale, WVH. 13.30. Bring jumble from 09.00.

Tennis Club AGM, 19.30, Church Rooms.

Twinning Wine Tasting Evening. 19.30. Du Buisson Room, WVH FoSS Concert.

FoSS Afternoon Tea. St Swithun’s.

ADVERTISING RATES SMALL ADS.: (3 lines) Private £2.00.

(3 lines) Business £5.00 (£50.00 per annum).

DISPLAY ADS. £17 quarter page (£185 per annum).

To: Karen Squires, Willowfield, Oakhayes Road, Woodbury EX5 1JT Tel: 233299 (e-mail karensquires100@gmail.com).

The Woodbury News accepts no liability for:- i) Any claims made by the advertiser; ii) Any errors or omissions in the advertisement as submitted by the advertiser; iii) Any legal action as a result of the advertisement.

WOODBURY POST OFFICE STORES requires

FULL / PART-TIME SHOP ASSISTANT Permanent position No previous experience necessary Full training given Please ask for details in the shop or call 01395 232269 Thank you.

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BUSINESS ADVERTISEMENTS Cont’d/...

GIVE BIRTH CALMLY - relaxed, confident and alert with KG Hypnobirthing classes. Find out more: libbyclaphamhypnotherapy.co.uk phone: 07986 157854 (5/12) BED AND BREAKFAST - Awarded a Certificate of Excellence by Trip Advisor. 4 Star Silver 16thC Devon Longhouse on a working dairy farm.

Sally Glanvill, Rydon Farm 232341 www.rydonfarmwoodbury.co.uk (7/12) COMPUTER REPAIRS AND UPGRADES; Broadband and wireless connections; Data recovery and backup; Windows, iPads and Apple computers, Virus and spyware removal; No fix no fee - Evening visits to suit you. Contact: Mark Doyle 01395 233694 (6/12) WE ARE POSH NOSH! With over two decades of experience in the catering industry we are at the forefront of special occasion and event catering in Devon and the West Country. We are committed to providing first class cuisine with outstanding levels of service. Phone:- 01392 444877 or email: info@posh-nosh.co.uk (8/12) RUBBISH REMOVALS Domestic and Commercial. Environment Agency licensed. No job too small. Tel: 0800 335 7610 / 07979 841376. www.rubbishremovalsexeter.com (9/12) WOODBURY HOLIDAY HOME TO RENT in centre of village. Luxury accommodation for 4 people, 2 en-suites, parking, courtyard garden. Weekly holidays & short breaks. www.woodburyholidays.co.uk 01579 350365. (6/12) FARMHOUSE BED & BREAKFAST AND APARTMENT, twin and double rooms. CL Caravan Club site. Jenny Broom, Courtbrook Farm, Clyst St George. 01392 877710. www.courtbrook.co.uk (5/12) ACCOUNTS AND TAX SERVICE Sole Trades, Partnerships, Limited Companies and Personal Tax. Full range of advice. Fixed fee plans and free initial consultation/quotation. Wheelers Accountants Tel: 233184 (24/24) MATHS TUITION: Experienced, female Maths teacher available to teach primary to GSCE level maths, 11+ and SATs preparation. Reasonable rates.

Telephone: Jane Moffatt on 01395 279952 (1/12)

WOODBURY CHARITY COFFEE MORNINGS The Charity Coffee mornings have had a great month giving £25 to RBL, £25 to Children in Need and £200 to Woodbury Community Playing Fields, as shown in the photograph. We also spent £20 in the hospice clearance shop and they kindly helped us buy five wool coats and six scarves to send to St Petrock. Thank you Chris Lear for delivering them for us.

Woodbury News is a Private Company Limited by Guarantee No. 5263356 Secretary: Karen Squires, Willowfield, Oakhayes Road, Woodbury EX5 1JT. Tel: 233299 Registered Office: Willowfield, Oakhayes Road, Woodbury EX5 1JT. Tel: 233299 Chairman: Peter Payne, ‘Harsley’, Toby Lane, Woodbury Salterton. Tel: 232394 Editor: Mrs Sue Bury, Mayflower Cottage, 37 Greenway. Tel: 233753 Deputy Editor: Mrs Val Arndt, Castlehaye, Castle Lane, Woodbury. Tel: 233175 Subscriptions: Mrs Anna Crafer, 15 Haymans Orchard, Woodbury. Tel: 232007 Circulation: Mrs Beverley Simcox, 2 Beeches Close. Tel: 232858

The picture, kindly taken by Mike Jeans, shows the cheque being collected

by Sarah Hughes, Gary King and Emma Finnegan, directors/trustees of WCPF. Don't forget to come to our January soup kitchen on the 9th. Also the coffee shop will be open on the Tuesday between Christmas and New Year - see you on the 29th.

EXMOUTH BRIDGE CLUB Exmouth Bridge Club now meets for friendly duplicate bridge in Woodbury Village Hall on Monday, Tuesday and Friday afternoons at 13.50. There is a host system and visitors are most welcome. More details of these and other events can be found by googling Exmouth Bridge Club.

SEE WOODBURY NEWS ONLINE www.woodburynews.co.uk

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WOODBURY COMMUNITY PLAYING FIELDS Woodbury Community Playing Fields (WCPF) is a registered charitable company set up to develop the large playing field in the village. We are very proud of our charity’s achievements in working hard to involve ourselves in local events, consulting with local residents, and reaching our current strong financial position from fundraising and grant-raising income.

Our key objectives for WCPF are: · Making the playing fields a central point of village life and a desirable location for community events for all members of the community; · Encouraging active and regular participation in a wide range of sports and recreation in Woodbury; · Supporting the local community by providing excellent facilities.

We intend to deliver a new children’s play area, a multi-use games area, and then a new multi-use community facility for the football club, tennis club and rooms/outdoor space for use by Maytree Pre-School and scouts/guides groups.

The Multi Use Games Area (MUGA) was awarded £25,000 by EDDC (s106) and then a further £20,000 by The Norman Family Charitable Trust, and we are currently finalising our plans to submit to EDDC for planning permission. We still need to raise 10k -15k to deliver this fantastic resource.

As reported previously in the Woodbury News, WCPF are very excited that we have secured all the funds needed to install the new Play Park at the large Playing Field! We have received many donations in the last few months, including a considerable amount from the s106 money which has been directed by the Parish Council towards completing the excellent design from HAGS SMP, which the children of the village selected.

We have had a few problems with our groundworks installation date and, as this goes to press, we are now looking at a proposed start of January/ February 2016. We will be taking plenty of photographs to record the changes that will shortly be happening! During the installation the playground will be closed whilst we remove old equipment and landscape the new area.

We secured the lease of the playing field in late February 2015. This responsibility will enable us to access new funding streams but there is also the need to undertake routine management and operational activities at the playing fields, all of which incur ongoing costs.

BUSINESS ADVERTISEMENTS HOME SWEET HOME DECORATORS - Lucy Ryan Lady interior and exterior decorator. Walls, ceilings, woodwork, up-cycled furniture, garden painting and more. Professional, very tidy, competitive, reliable and friendly. Fully DBS checked. Free estimates. Phone: 07872 065890 (1/12) FRENCH AND SPANISH TUTOR qualified teacher and native French speaker with over 20 years experience offering 1:1 private tuition in Woodbury or online. French to any level and Spanish to GCSE. Excellent references and results. Call or text Isabelle O'Shea on 07817 163503.

HAIRDRESSER/COLOURIST Fully Qualified with many years salon experience. Available for mobile or from home (Exton). Contact Julie 07976 958557 or email: julie.morven@gmail.com for further info or to book an appointment. (2/6) BABYSITTER available - Woodbury Salterton. Jess aged 17, first aid trained, happy to do week nights or weekends subject to availability in nearby villages. Contact evenings on 232200 or text on 07857717913. (3/4) FOOT HEALTH PRACTITIONER & REFLEXOLOGIST Former RGN provides routine nail and skin care (inc corns and callus) or a reflexology treatment. Nicky Mattin (MAFHP itec RF) 01395 233222/07807603690 (4/12) QUIRKY AND COSY COTTAGE, village centre, sleeps 7, linen and towels provided. Tel. 07890 233313. Email. Suffolkcottage@gmail.com (8/12) LITERACY TUTOR Qualified teacher and specialist in Special Needs offering 1:1 private tuition for children and adults to support learning in literacy and language skills. See www.katecoldrick.com for further information or phone Kate Coldrick BMus (Hons), BSc (Hons) Psych, PGCE on 01395 232472 (10/12) PROPERTY MAINTENANCE – James Waddell Interior & Exterior, Carpentry, Flooring, Fencing & Gates, Plumbing, Decking, Bathrooms & Kitchens, General Repairs. Free Advice & Estimates. 01395 263496 (8/12) FOOT HEALTH PRACTITIONER Nail Cutting and Treatment of Corns, Callus and Verrucas - Home Visits. Contact Lindsey Waddell MAFHP 01395 263496. (12/12) ROOFING Woodbury based RWI Roofing Specialising in Slating, Tiling, Re-Roof, New Roof, Repairs, Guttering. For a friendly, reliable service call Ray 232926, or 07988 691051 (As recmd in OurLocalExpert.co.uk) (7/12) SQUIRREL COTTAGE Self catering 16th century property full of character, available for weekly holidays and short breaks. Sleeps 5. Graded 5 Star. www.thecottagecompanydevon.co.uk Tel: Kay 0776 9975557 (10/12)

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It first becomes evident in the leaflets, which develop blackish spots, and then infects whole leaves, which turn dark brown, wither, go rigid and hang down. The infection continues to the twigs and branches. At the point of entry to the trunk, a long narrow strip of bark goes blackish, sunken and dies, and the surrounding area forms an elongated canker. As the disease progresses through the tree, death or severe weakening usually follow.

Young trees and coppice shoots are the most vulnerable, with old trees less easily infected.

Chalara has been present in Europe for more than two decades, and reached Britain in 2012, in a commercial consignment of saplings from the Netherlands to Buckinghamshire. Since then the disease has spread, with eastern and south-eastern counties being especially stricken. According to DEFRA, the number of infected sites rose from 323 at the end of 2012, to 949 by the end of 2014. Wind-borne spores, able to cross both sea and land, are held responsible for much of the spread; but imports of nursery stock are also to blame, unwittingly carrying pests and diseases to which native species have no resistance. A prime example of the potential dangers of this practice is Dutch elm disease, which virtually wiped out the country’s elm trees. To minimise the impact we should, according to leading ecologist Oliver Rackham, “Stop treating plants … as mere articles of trade, like cars or tins of paint, to be made and brought in industrial quantities from anywhere.”

The Government has attempted to slow the spread of the disease through tightening bio-security and import regulations, while also encouraging replanting infected areas with alternative species. It has committed research funds to identify strains of ash that are naturally resistant.

An up-date from the Forestry Commission in September yielded bad news, as there have been several new confirmed cases during the year. Of these, in the South-west three are in Devon north of Exeter, one is in Cornwall, and some are in Somerset and Dorset. In short, the Commission fears the disease is spreading out of control. Its website has detailed information, including a case distribution map and an illustrated guide to the symptoms. It is important to report suspected cases to the Commission so it can take swift action to minimise further outbreaks.

Contact Forestry Commission Tree Health Team Tree_health_england@forestry.gsi.gov.uk Tel: 03000 674042 Sources: Oliver Rackham, The Ash Tree (Little Toller Books, 2014), p166 http://www.forestry.gov.uk/ashdieback

We are still working hard to raise awareness in the community of WCPF’s proposals for enhancements to the facilities and have been supported by many events in the village throughout the last year to fundraise and to publicise our charity and plans.

We have received monies from Coffee and Cake mornings, Indian and Fish & Chip Suppers, Bag2School, Halloween Evening, Dartmoor Tree Surgeons, Collection Pots located in the community, and Woodbury Post Office Stores donating costs from customers’ plastic bag sales. We have received help and advice from businesses and community members (financial support, storage, transporting and moving equipment), all lending their support. We are fortunate also to receive encouragement, assistance and co-operation from the Parish Council. All these contributions from our community keep the WCPF committee hard at work, trying to realise the objectives of the charity.

Finally, we saw Andrew Woodhead step down as director in July; we wish to thank him for all his work and efforts from the start of this project, and recently we welcomed two new directors on board our hard-working team, Sarah Hughes and Gary King!

WCPF appreciates and thanks everyone for all their support and hard work in 2015.

CAMERA CLUB 2015 The Camera Club continues to meet in the Church Rooms, but we have changed our day to the third Tuesday in the month. Quite a few members had difficulty with Wednesdays, our former meeting day. We are pleased to report that we have had a influx of new members. We now have twenty-six members with a further two hoping to join in the New Year. We have retained our policy of welcoming both experienced and beginner photographers and will continue with our practice of learning from each other, regardless of prior experience.

We have produced a calendar for 2016 and these are on sale at the moment price £6 in Cyril’s shop. We hope to get some suggestions for favourite views of the locality for next year’s calendar and hope to hear from readers of the Woodbury News.

We have continued to work with the History Society in matching historic pictures of Woodbury with modern equivalents and these have been on show at various venues in Woodbury (for example at the Charity Coffee mornings). Local people have shown a great deal of interest in them.

Those interested in our Club can visit our website at woodburycamera club.org and/or contact me, the Secretary, at mike@jeansy.org for further information.

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10 CORNERSTONES (Men's social group) In November we enjoyed a bird watching trip on Stuart Line's Pride of Exmouth.

2.

Cook for a few minutes then beat in the milk a little at a time to make a white sauce.

3.

Stir in the white wine, dill, black pepper and cheese.

4.

Flake the hot smoke salmon filets into the sauce and set aside.

To Serve 1.

Warm the gougère in a moderate oven.

2.

Spoon the warmed filling in the centre of the gougère.

3.

Sprinkle with dill sprigs and serve with watercress or a dressed salad.

Our thanks once again go to Stephen Leger who can be contacted at: stephenleger55@gmail.com Tel: 01395 233549 / 07977 422164 Secret Gourmet. www.secretgourmet.co.uk

On Pride of Exmouth The weather was good to us as we left Exmouth dock and sailed along the seafront before we went up the River Exe to Topsham, where we went about and returned to Exmouth on the incoming tide.

Ian Waite, a well-known local ornithologist, gave a continuous commentary for the three hours that we were out; the surprise was a sighting of a Bonaparte's gull, just as we were getting used to the differences between the blackheaded and herring gulls and the black-tailed and bar-tailed godwits!

Another joy was to see a massive flight of avocets take off from the mudflats at Topsham - just like a large white cloud! Over 40 different birds were seen and we were certainly more knowledgeable about the birds’ habitat on the river by the end of the trip.

We were well protected from the cold wind that blew up, being under cover on the top deck and fortified with hot soup and coffee on the boat.

JUMBLE SALE SATURDAY 6 FEBRUARY 2016, 13.30.

In aid of Woodbury Village Hall Improvements Please keep your jumble ready for our sale on 6 February.

Thanks - Woodbury Village Hall.

ASH DIEBACK DISEASE AND WOODBURY

by Sylvia Wickenden and Sally Elliott With the arrival of ash dieback disease in Britain, it seemed urgent to record the contribution of ash trees to the local landscape, and over the last few months we have surveyed every one of the parish lanes (sadly it was not practical to include all the field boundaries). The completed report includes simple maps of each lane, marked with the positions of ash trees, and with photographs of particularly noteworthy examples. It is archived with the Woodbury History Society, and is available to view on the Parish website http://www.woodburydevon.co.uk.

Ash trees are native, and were frequently boundary markers defining land ownership, the earliest mention of an identifiable tree being in an Anglo Saxon Charter of 680. Over the centuries, its strong, durable, pliant, and shock-resistant wood has been invaluable to the rural economy, having been put to various uses by wheelwrights, wainwrights, tool- and handle-makers, and rake- and hurdle-makers. The ash tree was credited with healing and magical powers; its graceful beauty has been the inspiration of poets, artists, and musicians; and it has been celebrated in folklore and surrounded by superstition. It has lent its name to many places, such as Ashcombe, Ashclyst, Ash Hill, and Ashford. In these diverse ways, the ash has secured a place in the country’s history and heritage. How cruel, then, that it now faces a deadly disease for which there is no cure.

Ash dieback, also known as Chalara, is caused by a microscopic fungus, Chalara fraxinea, that inhabits leaves and twigs and damages them through a chemical that is very toxic to the tree. In summer it produces dust-like fungal spores, which are carried by the wind and spread the disease.

Cont’d/...

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RECIPE OF THE MONTH

1ST WOODBURY GUIDES As part of the Guiding programme the girls have to undertake some form of Community Action: this term we have been looking into the plight of children and families who live in poverty in Eastern Europe. During the term we visited the warehouse of Christian Response 2 Eastern Europe in Exmouth and helped to sort donated items of clothing ready to be shipped to Moldova. The Guides had a very informative evening and were shown a presentation which highlighted just how bad the conditions are that some children have to live in. Following this evening, the girls took the opportunity of making a Christmas shoebox for a specific child in Moldova.

Emily and Poppy took our Unit boxes to the warehouse where they were checked and stacked with over 3000 boxes waiting to be shipped. Hopefully they will put a smile on a child’s face this Christmas.

SMOKED SALMON GOUGÈRE A Gougère is delicious savoury choux pastry. It is very easy once you have got the hang of it and makes a rather smart dish. You can ring the changes with different fillings. (Chicken or mushrooms in the base sauce work well).

INGREDIENTS For the gougère · 250ml water · 80g butter · half tsp salt

· · ·

100g sifted plain flour 4 medium eggs 75g grated cheddar or gruyere

For the filling · 300-400g hot smoked salmon fillets · 25g plain flour · 25g butter · plain flour

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250ml milk 50g grated cheddar or gruyere 2tbs white wine grated nutmeg tsp of chopped dill black pepper

METHOD For the gougère 1.

Heat the water and butter in a pan until boiling.

2.

Add all the flour half the cheese and beat well with a wooden spoon until the mixture is smooth and shiny.

3.

Allow to cool slightly for a few minutes then beat in the eggs one at a time until incorporated and smooth.

4.

Spoon the mixture onto a silicone covered baking sheet making a large ring of the mixture (10 inches, 25cm) with a generous hole in the middle.

5.

Sprinkle over the rest of the grated cheese.

6.

Bake in a hot oven 200C for 20-25 minutes.

7.

The gougère should be puffed up, firm and golden. Leave a while longer if needed.

8.

Place it back in the oven 170C for 10 -20 minutes as necessary to crisp up.

For the filling 1.

Melt the butter in a pan stir in the flour.

WOODBURY NEWS CLOSING DATES 2016 12 JANUARY. 9 FEBRUARY. 15 MARCH. 19 APRIL. 17 MAY. 21 JUNE. 12 JULY. ALL MATERIAL FOR THE MAGAZINE SHOULD BE SENT TO KAREN SQUIRES, WILLOWFIELD, OAKHAYES ROAD by 19.00 on the closing date, with a name and telephone number, or e-mail to karensquires100@gmail.com

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WOODBURY LOCAL HISTORY SOCIETY The November Meeting Nicky Hewitt gave an exciting and very informative talk on the East Devon Pebblebeds. History is of course about the past, but Nicky took us back a very long time, in fact over four billion (9 zeros!) years, to the formation of our planet. In her hand she held one of the beautifully smooth and rounded pebbles with which we are all familiar in our Parish, and traced its development from molten lava over 500 million years ago, through continental drift and Ice Ages, to the present time. And unexpectedly she illustrated her talk, not with slides and pictures, but with a large inflatable ball on which she drew with a felt-tip pen, a geological table printed on a tee-shirt and some real fossils! With these simple teaching aids, a wealth of knowledge and considerable enthusiasm, Nicky kept an audience of 45 members and visitors entranced for over an hour and then answered some searching questions, presenting us with fascinating facts and intriguing theories. It was a brilliant approach to a difficult subject, enhanced by her diverse interests and expertise, and we look forward to reading more of her contributions to Woodbury News.

Our next meeting will be the Annual General Meeting of the History Society on Thursday 4 February 2016. After the business discussion there will be a social event with refreshments and entertainment. Members will be sent details of this and our talks programme for 2016 in the next few weeks.

Professor Nick Burgess (Chairman) Annual Report 2015 The Society met on four occasions for talks on The Sharland Family of Woodbury, Shipping on the Exe from Roman Times, The East Devon Pebblebeds and a joint meeting with our colleagues from Branscombe to discuss the findings of the Historic Environment Action Plan (HEAP) project. These talks were all very well attended, enjoyable and instructive, and exhibited the wide range of subjects covered by the Society. For our annual outing we visited Glastonbury for the day in July, with an excellent guided tour of the Abbey and time to explore the town.

Membership remains steady with nearly 70 members. We are still looking for a Society Secretary! Our annual subscription remains at £8.

Our archives, housed in a room in the Village Hall, provide a comprehensive historical collection which is available to all members of the Parish.

We have another exciting and varied programme planned for 2016, with talks on Thursdays 3 March, 5 May, 1 September and 3 November, and an annual outing in mid-July. We are also planning an exhibition, open all day in the Village Hall, on Saturday 15 October. All details will be publicized after the AGM which is on Thursday 4 February 2016 when there will be business, refreshments and entertainment.

Please contact Nick Burgess (Chairman) with any enquiries at nicksueburgess@ gmail.com or on 01395 232458.

AWESOME COSTA RICA

by Bryn Davies, aged 8 (These are Bryn’s own words, but I wrote them down for him as he was feeling tired - Anna Eyres) I packed for Costa Rica and got the bus to the Airport at Heathrow. Then I boarded the plane for Spain. After we got to Spain we boarded our next plane for Costa Rica. When we got there we went to the hotel and went to sleep.

When we woke up in the morning we saw a giant orb web spider building its trap and some birds, butterflies and a gecko. Then we travelled off to Guapiles, when we got there we went to a river and played and on the way back we saw a hummingbird. I think it was a mountain one as it was white and orange.

The next day we went to the Caribbean and went snorkelling and saw trigger fish, bull sharks, rays, barracudas, irridescent spotty fish and a puffer fish - my favourite.

The next day we went to the jaguar rescue centre. They were helping sloths, margays, ocelots, caymans, crocodiles and toucans.

Then we went to Laforguna and got to our hotel and went swimming in a cool pool. Then we climbed up a volcano, saw a 60 metre tall waterfall and visited paradise hot springs 52 degrees centigrade. You can cook an egg in it!!

Then we went to Monteverde and went zip lining and saw hummingbird gardens and a reptile house, an insect museum and a butterfly house.

Later on we went to the Pacific ocean and saw the whale tail which is a beach in the shape of a whale tail at Avita.

There we went snorkelling and saw turtles, puffer fish and trigger fish.

After that we went on a whale trip, we saw spotted dolphins and went snorkelling again and saw parrot fish, trigger fish and sergeant fish majors.

It was time to go to the airport and from a place called Crocodiles Bridge we saw two and three metre crocodiles.

Then we went back home.

Editor’s Note : In order to maximise submitted copy and photographs into Woodbury News, it may be necessary to reduce the size of some items. The Editorial team will attempt to do this as carefully as possible.

BACK NUMBERS OF WOODBURY NEWS I need a home for two almost complete sets. David Keep 232318.

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ROUND AND ABOUT

WOODBURY C OF E PRIMARY SCHOOL As anticipated, the lead-up to Christmas has been a very special and busy time. The children have reminded us all of the real meaning of Christmas through their delivery of the Nativity performances and the Carol service.

The collective effort of the PTFA made this year’s Christmas Fayre a real triumph in bringing so many of the community together as well as raising funds to help develop the outdoor areas around school. The Christmas parties were enjoyed by each class and the team work which ensured that 200 Christmas lunches were served efficiently was impressive! I would like to take this opportunity to thank every member of ‘Team Woodbury’ for all their commitment to the children and for going the extra mile on so many occasions to make this term such a success. I wish you all a very Happy Christmas and a peaceful New Year and look forward to sharing with you some of our highlights in 2016.

Alison Sparks, Head Teacher

BIRTH Daniel and Frances Bowden (nee Buckler) are pleased to announce the birth of Poppy Ruth, a first granddaughter for Trevor and Jackie.

RETIREMENT His fellow Directors of Woodbury News would like to thank past editor David Keep for some 20 years of involvement in producing and running Woodbury News, and accept his retirement from the Board with regret. His vast wealth of experience will be missed, but the Board feels reassured that he will still keep them on their toes from the sidelines.

THANKS The Doctors and Staff of Woodbury surgery would like to extend their sincere thanks to Friends of Woodbury Surgery (FOWS) co-ordinator Nita Goffron, who stepped down from the role at the end of November. A vital link between FOWS and the Practice, the co-ordinator’s role calls for frequent visits and close communication with the surgery. Hence over the years Nita has become a familiar presence within the surgery, well known by doctors and staff alike. Her efforts and dedication in support of FOWS and the community have been greatly appreciated. All at Woodbury Surgery enormously value the ongoing support and commitment of FOWS; our heartfelt thanks goes to all the volunteers whose hard work so greatly benefits the local community.

CONGRATULATIONS Carolyn Keep has published F.W. Meyer (1852-1906): A landscape gardener in Devon. This arose from the discovery of some of his lantern slides in 2003. She has had great fun identifying the sites, visiting what remains and photographing these. Since all his working life was for Veitch of Exeter, and many sites were in Devon, this has local interest so the Devon Gardens Trust sponsored the publication by Short Run Press of Sowton.

Meyer's first son was probably born in Woodbury.

IN MEMORIAM Private Thomas George Davey, Royal Army Medical Corps Died in France on 26 Jan 1916, aged 21 WOODBURY PARISH COUNCIL Agendas for future meeting, and minutes of meetings can be found on www.woodburydevon.co.uk

Nativity Performances and Carol Service The children in Foundation Stage and Key Stage One performed the story of the nativity through the musical Busy Busy Bethlehem. The narrators read clearly, the acting was captivating and all the children sang beautifully.

Each of the three performances was well attended with a collection made for the Children’s Hospice South West. The Key Stage Two Carol Service was also a very special event with the children singing a selection of traditional carols interspersed by a number of key readings from the Bible.

Singing for the Exeter Intensive Baby Care Unit The School Choir, under the talented leadership of Mrs Fox and Miss Thomson, sang a number of Christmas songs at Nutwell Lodge, supporting a charity event for the Intensive Baby Care Unit at Exeter Hospital. The singing was outstanding; from the way the children sang with so much enthusiasm and passion no-one would have known that only half the choir was able to attend.

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Christmas Cooking We make every effort to link the curriculum to a topic or real event. With cooking scheduled for the older children, it was not long before plans were made for them to learn how to bake a Christmas cake. As part of the project the children have learnt where the ingredients come from and they have experimented using different combinations of ingredients to create the best cake they can. The smell of baking which has wafted past the doors for a couple of weeks has been delicious and the final cakes looked amazing.

Kevin Butler was a towering and terrifying presence as Abanazar, who could never quite bury the spark of humanity that his wizardry sought to overcome.

His nemesis came from a surprising source – newcomer Chris Hoar, who put aside lawyer’s periwig and pen, to play the sweetly Abominable Snowman Sandra, Abanazar’s eventual love interest!?!

Brian Wood was a very genial Genie, sinuously supported by an elegantly demure Spirit of the Ring, Hannah Saunders.

Gloria McGinty and Lynn Spry were the hilarious Chinese police duo, playing their roles in the spirit of Laurel and Hardy. David Hacking was a suitably irritable Emperor and long-suffering father of Les Richards as Widow Twankee Princess Jasmine, Aladdin’s bride to be, while Ann Hacking oozed grace and regal hauteur as his Empress. Last but by no means least, Sharon Pagliero was the Flying Carpet Air Hostess who in her convincingly authentic BOAC uniform recreated the style and elegance of the airline goddesses of a bygone era.

Please, Exton, don’t leave it another two years until the next panto!

Willow lanterns The children in Chestnut and Ash classes have enjoyed the mathematical and practical challenges of designing and making lanterns, using willow and tissue paper. A lot of learning, involving problem solving, perseverance and attention to detail, was required to create the final pieces. The lanterns will ultimately be used by children who take part in the wassailing event which will be taking place in the Village Orchard in the New Year.

CHRISTMAS WISHES From Anna and Paul Crafer. Happy Christmas to all the wonderful people we know in Woodbury. We hope 2016 brings you all you wish for.

Seasons Greetings to all the Tuesday Coffee morning customers, bakers and helpers. 2015 has been wonderful. Let's make 2016 even better so we can help even more local charities. Anna, Vicki and Lizzy.

Nancie Grist wishes all her neighbours and friends a blessed and happy Christmas, and sends all good wishes for the coming year. She will not be sending cards locally, but making a special donation to Shelterbox in lieu.

Peter and Christine Grist thank everyone who has welcomed them into Woodbury and wish all their friends and neighbours a very Merry Christmas and a happy and peaceful New Year. A donation will be made to Shelter Box in lieu of cards.

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ALADDIN ACCLAIMED IN EXTON EXTRAVAGANZA! From Greville Longbottom (special pantomime correspondent) For a small village on the Exe estuary, Exton pantomimes are usually a triumph of inventiveness, ingenuity and sheer bravado. This year’s (performed in early December) was no exception.

Aladdin is a traditional tale of good eventually overcoming evil, in which a poor-boy-made-good overcomes a wicked wizard, an impossible mother and irrepressible kid brother, an irritable Chinese emperor and his not-so-secret police, eventually to marry his princess. Magical caves, lamps and rings, dancing skeletons, an imperial palace, a magic carpet that makes Ryanair seem comfortable and an abominable snowman (what?) all provide distractions on a journey – in the version by Limelight Scripts – of which J K Rowling might be proud.

John Sharples (Director), Hilary Hoar (Stage Manager) and Trevor Perkins (Musical Director), with their support team that seemed to comprise most of the village (including six separate and highly enthusiastic audiences), brought the story to life in Exton’s impromptu little theatre.

The cast was led with great assurance by Rachel Feeny-Williams as Aladdin. Rachel starred in Exton’s Hay Fever (by Noel Coward) two years ago and was an unconventionally cast Edgar in the Estuary Players’ excellent production of King Lear last year.

Opposite her as the petite and mischievous Princess Jasmine was debutante Emma Flanagan, ably assisted by her (tall) handmaiden Suki, played by Hannah Edwards.

Les Richards, a veteran dame of Exton pantos, provided uproarious antics as Widow Twankee (“oh those eyes, those lips, those chins – she has more chins than the Chinese telephone directory”), with her younger son, Wishee Washee, played by head teacher Rachel Pattison, who bubbled and tumbled around the stage – a hilarious foil for “Mum Twankee”.

The Pattison family was also represented by Emily and Abi, who were in the children’s Rachel Feeny-Williams as Aladdin chorus and dance group with other children from the village – Annabel, Oscar, Alice and Annabella (choreographed by Muriel Evans and Hannah Saunders).

TENNIS CLUB The Tennis Club has had a successful season, fielding three teams in the district leagues: two men’s and a mixed team. The Men’s A maintained their status in Division 5; however the Men’s B after a number of close matches were relegated to Division 8. The Mixed team were mid-table in Division 5.

More importantly, 16 club members gained league experience, improving their standard of play. Club sessions have been well supported, and Friday evening sessions have continued into the winter months. Now, thanks to financial assistance from the Parish Council and Devon LTA, the club has working floodlights, enabling play to continue on winter evenings. Local electrician Will Childs of Infinity Electrical completed the work in November. The Club is holding a Christmas gathering, organised by Helen Ryland, to be attended by 20 members. This year the removal of leaves from the courts has been made easier due to the purchase of a large leaf blower.

As always the club is seeking new and former members to come and play.

Club sessions will continue throughout the winter on Sunday mornings from 10.30 and Friday evenings from 18.00.

This year the junior coaching programme on Wednesday afternoon/evenings was not interrupted by weather and was judged a success by our coach Steve Wood. In fact it was so much in demand that an assistant coach Matt Grover was taken on.

Please come and join us: if you can hit a ball you are needed! The AGM will be held in the Church Rooms at 19.30 on Wednesday 10 February; this is an open meeting for anyone to find out about the club. All are welcome.

Details of membership from Pat Browne (232805 ruthandpatb@aol.com) or Jackie Clarke (232832 jackie.clarke1@virgin.net).

ROYAL BRITISH LEGION COFFEE MORNINGS 7 AND 21 JANUARY. 4 AND 18 FEBRUARY. * Please note that there will be no coffee on 24 December *

10.00 - 11.30, RBL ROOM behind WOODBURY VILLAGE HALL All are invited to join us on alternate Thursdays.

WOODBURY NEWS to your door …

If you are a new resident to the area, or would like your Woodbury News to be delivered to your door monthly, just call Beverley Simcox on 232858 and she will put you in contact with your local deliverer.

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WOODBURY WOMEN’S INSTITUTE Annual Report Woodbury WI has had a very successful year. The membership is around fifty; we have lost several older members and gained new members, people who have moved into the village or who have heard what a great WI we are! We have listened to and enjoyed a number of speakers who have informed us, stimulated us, educated us and introduced us to some new experiences, speakers who have taken us around the world, who have shown us amazing pictures and scenes. We have been challenged by Scottish Dancing and by various craft projects including button-making and decorating Christmas logs. We rose to the challenge presented by A la Ronde, when asked to decorate a Christmas tree; we yarn-bombed ours with brightly coloured pom-poms and it was much admired. We relocated it to a prominent spot in the village where it was photographed and appreciated.

The pom-poms were recycled for a charity event in the centre of Exeter where they made a colourful display in Princesshay. We have a successful book group and have enjoyed a wide range of books and met a local author.

Our reading horizons continue to be widened. We have been on an outing to Burrow Farm Gardens, with DFWI to the Malvern Flower Show, to the Spring and Autumn Conferences and we have taken part in whist and skittles with varying success! We had a Garden Party in a member's garden in lovely sunshine - a typical year of events and meetings. The highlight of the year has been the invitation to three of our members to go to Buckingham Palace, to celebrate the centenary of the WI with WI members from all over the country. Margo, Sue and Ann came back with stories about their wonderful day, photos and memories. We relived the day with them and were so proud that they represented our WI so splendidly. You should have seen the hats!

In May our committee changed, some long-serving members standing down after years of service. Lin Milsom-Ashby replaced Margaret Edwards as President and new committee members brought fresh ideas for the future.

We held a New Members' Evening to let our recent joiners learn about the history of our splendid organisation, and to encourage new village folk to join our ranks.

How could anyone not want to be a part of such an amazing group, part of a larger group of local WIs, the Devon Federation and the National Institution of WIs?

EXTON LADIES GROUP A Review of the Year 2015 The beginning of December 2014 saw us take a coach for a morning of Christmas shopping followed by lunch in beautiful Tavistock. In the afternoon we dropped in on Cothele to view the Christmas garland and shelter from the cold weather in the restaurant for tea. This was a lovely start to festivities, organised by Pauline Collas with her usual graciousness and efficiency.

Then it was on to our traditional Christmas lunch - another time when the ladies of Exton eat, chat, laugh and enjoy the fellowship of the season. Last December the Puffing Billy catered for us and we had a most splendid meal with minimal confusion over who ordered what, thanks to the wonderful organisation of Pauline Sturtridge. We must have enjoyed ourselves as we are all returning this December wondering where the year has gone!

It seems strange starting with the end of a year, but the way in which lead-in dates for submissions to Woodbury News fall means that this review is written before our final meeting of the year.

January is always a special month for Exton Ladies; it’s our birthday month and in January 2015 we met for an afternoon of games and a birthday tea. It seems a fitting start to a new year to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the establishment of the Exton Ladies Group which gives such pleasure to so many people. During the rest of 2015 we listened to seven excellent and interesting speakers, enjoyed one garden party (thanks Lyn and Marlene) and had yet another magnificent coach outing organised by Pauline Collas. This time it was to Salisbury and Longstock Gardens, owned and managed by the John Lewis partnership. Details of all these events can be found in previous editions of the Woodbury News; suffice to say that, without exception, they were very enjoyable afternoons to which members contributed in a variety of ways making tea, providing cakes, moving chairs, washing up, managing monies, suggesting speakers, making posters, keeping the Exton village website updated etc etc! Thank you to everyone. Without your help and support Exton Ladies Group would not be the vibrant community group it is.

Once again particular thanks must go to our Chairperson, Chris Bilyard. Chris steers the group with wisdom, grace and good humour. She knows each and every member and keeps us all informed about happenings in the group and the wider village. Chris, just saying ‘you are appreciated’ doesn’t do justice to all you do for Exton Ladies; we can’t thank you enough.

CONNECTIONS CHINESE NEW YEAR MEAL 5 JANUARY - 19.30 FOR 20.00 WOODBURY CHURCH ROOMS. Tel: 232772

Exton Ladies Group wishes all Woodbury News Readers a wonderful Christmas and a happy, healthy and peaceful 2016.

More details about the Exton Ladies Group can be found on the Exton village website http://www.extondevon.org.uk/. We usually meet in Exton Village Hall at 14.15 on the second Thursday of the month. Please just come along.

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EXTON NEWS

WOODBURY TWINNING ASSOCIATION Our AGM will be on Tuesday 26 January in The Du Buisson Room of Woodbury Village Hall, starting at 20.00.

On Friday 19 February we are holding a Wine Tasting Evening, courtesy of Majestic Wines, starting at 19.30. This will also be in The Du Buisson Room. Cost: £5 members, £8 non-members. Numbers are limited, so please contact Jan Owen on 232694 if you wish to come.

ST ANDREW’S CHURCH, EXTON Sunday Services - December 3rd Sunday - 20 Dec. 09.30 Lay-led Service with with Advent hymns. 4th Sunday - 27 Dec. 11.15 Joint Mission Community Service at St Swithun’s Church, Woodbury. No service at Exton that day.

January 1st Sunday - 3 Jan. 18.00 Evening Service with carols. 2nd Sunday - 10th Jan. 09.30 Eucharist with hymns. 3rd Sunday - 17 Jan. 09.30 Lay-led Service with hymns. 4th Sunday - 24 Jan. Eucharist with hymns. 5th Sunday - 31st Jan. Time and place to be arranged. Joint Mission Community Service.

See January’s Church Digest and Church Notice Boards.

Christmas Day Service - 09.30 Family Eucharist Service with carols.

Everyone, including children and families, will receive a warm welcome.

Children are invited to bring along a favourite present.

EXTON CRAFT GROUP The first meeting in the New Year will be on Thursday 21 January 14.00 to 16.00 in St Andrew’s Church Exton. Come and enjoy a convivial afternoon with friends and a variety of craft work to suit everyone. The meeting includes a cup of tea and biscuits.

EXTON GARDEN CLUB The speaker at our September meeting was Chris Britton who has a nursery on the Dawlish road. He has many of the more unusual plants and there is an interesting garden around the house and a small tea room. Many of the plant genus names were familiar but he had selected the lesser known varieties.

Chris had a plant of each variety and he explained the conditions each would need and described the flowers and leaf colours throughout the year. An unusual ribes is laurifolium: it is evergreen, has leathery green leaves and pendant racemes of greenish yellow flowers in late winter and early spring. It is a much more interesting variety than the normal red flowering one. A winter flowering honeysuckle is lonicera Eliese which has fragrant cream flowers; another climber is a coronilla which has cream flowers throughout the winter similar to coronilla glauca. Itea lunucifolia is a good alternative to garrya eliptica; like the coronilla it is best planted against a south or west facing wall. This plant has very long green catkin-like flowers in late summer and early autumn. There were several pittosporum: one with gold foliage, Country Park (a small green variety), and another which has terminal cream flowers rather than the normal red ones. All the plants were good quality and reasonably priced. A visit to his nursery would be well worthwhile if looking for good advice and different plants.

CORRECTION TO PRACTICAL ARRANGEMENTS OVER CHRISTMAS The mobile library is monthly, not fortnightly, at the times listed below: First visit in 2016 is Friday 16 January.

Woodbury Salterton Ridges Corner Diggers Rest Kennels Woodbury Village Hall Exton Car Park

12.05 13.00 13.30 14.05 15.20

The service is from Teignbridge and information can be obtained from 03451 551001 or www.devon.gov.uk/libraries.

The library service needs our support to survive even deeper cuts.

CHARITY COFFEE MORNINGS EVERY TUESDAY, 10.00-12.00 CHURCH ROOMS, WOODBURY Coffee/tea and a homemade cake on vintage china, £2. All profits to local charities.

Everyone welcome.

Do email your photos of local people or events to Karen at karensquires100@gmail.com The editorial team still needs a wider spread of news, particularly about our younger people.

What are you all up to?

Why don’t YOU write an article or send in a photo?

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WOODBURY SALTERTON NEWS

WOODBURY SALTERTON WOMEN’S INSTITUTE 2015 has been an auspicious year for the WI nationwide, as we celebrated our 100-year anniversary. The festivities were spread across the nation, starting with a celebration baton leaving Anglesea (where the British WI started) on New Year’s Day. In Devon, we had the opportunity to see and hold the Anniversary baton at an occasion in Sidmouth; we attended a special service and lunch at the Corn Exchange in Exeter, and had a photo taken outside the cathedral of all who could be there. The National AGM was held in the Royal Albert Hall, and one of our members attended. We were also able to see an online screening of the full day. Aylesbeare WI ran a group meeting with a competition to design a poster celebrating 100 years, and we came second.

We had an interesting set of speakers throughout the year, covering topics ranging from The life and times of Marianne Pidsley (who was responsible for building the church and school here in the village), to the work done by the Exeter Royal Academy for Deaf Education, and the Devon Freewheelers charity. There were also talks about how fourteen ladies sailed the Atlantic, and the environmental issues the world is facing.

We have also held numerous social functions, continuing our walking group every Monday morning, holding monthly coffee mornings in the Diggers Rest and quiz afternoons, sociable lunch gatherings, and open-garden afternoons. We went to Exmouth again for an evening’s bowling in the summer. We have ‘shopped till we dropped’ in Cheltenham and ‘sung like birds’ with the Devon WI choir at the WI carol service.

We always appreciate new members joining, to keep going strong! So do feel free to come along to a meeting on the second Wednesday of the month in Woodbury Salterton Village Hall at 19.30.

HOLY TRINITY CHURCH CHURCH CHRISTMAS SERVICES Carol Service Monday 21st at 19.00 (note the later time as it is a weekday).

Midnight Communion Christmas Eve at 23.30.

WOODBURY SALTERTON C OF E PRIMARY SCHOOL End of Year News It has been an exciting year at school, characterised by high quality teaching, a rich and varied curriculum and a wide range of exciting activities and events. I hope you enjoy reading the highlights of 2015. We would like to wish all readers of Woodbury News a very Happy New Year.

Duncan Nelmes, Headteacher Top 100 Schools At the beginning of the year, we were delighted to learn that Woodbury Salterton School was recognised as one of the top performing 100 schools nationally. This status was for attainment at the end of Key Stage 2, as is reflected in our SATs results listed below.

SATs success In June, we were extremely happy with the outcome of our Year 6 SATs. Our highlights included: 100% of the children achieving level 4 in reading, writing and maths; 90% of children achieving level 5 in reading, 60% level 5 in writing and 89% level 5 in maths. It is clear that this cohort has done extremely well. We also had a number of level 6 passes too!

Forest School Throughout the year, Forest School has featured strongly with children accessing the Exmouth Forest School site for weekly sessions.

Taking part in regular collaborative learning opportunities in the natural environment proved to be hugely successful. We are now in the process of developing our very own Forest School on the site of the old swimming pool.

We hope to have our own staff trained up as Forest School Leaders as well as to have the Forest School up and working in the very near future.

SIAMs Inspection – Outstanding Christian Character In May, we were pleased to be able to inform parents of the outcome of our recent SIAMS (Statutory Inspection of Anglican and Methodist Schools) inspection. The school was graded in four areas and we are delighted to say that it was judged to be outstanding in Christian Character and good in the other three areas: collective worship, religious education, and leadership and management. The inspector was very impressed by the strong friendship bonds within school and the positive relationships that exist between all members of the school community. As you can imagine, we are delighted with the outcome and feel the report accurately captures the essence of Woodbury Salterton School. We now look to the future and will continue to build upon our good provision.

NOVEMBER WEATHER Apart from a bright spell with the first air frost of the winter in the third week of November the month was warm, dull and drizzly with strong W and SW winds. The more serious weather, as it did in October, hit Northern Ireland and then moved on to Scotland and gave them some heavy falls of snow.

Down here, on the edge of the depressions, we had gales mid-month and then again on the 29th. My ankle was sufficiently improved to allow me one day’s fishing at Blagdon but with the water churned up by the wind my only sport was watching the lake’s huge populations of resident and migrant birds.

Total rainfall was 71.8 mm (= 2.83 ins and 62.6% of the norm) and Max/Min temperatures were 18C/0C. The grass grew and the cattle were out on the relatively firm ground. PJH.

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WOODBURY SALTERTON PRE-SCHOOL Small is Beautiful! Although at present only a small group, Woodbury Salterton Pre-School (formerly known as Little Acorns) has received an excellent Ofsted report.

Pre-School Leaders, Traci Earle and Katie Robertson, are delighted to announce that they were awarded Good in all areas of their Ofsted inspection in November, with some areas being judged Excellent.

Ofsted recognised that the staff have a good understanding of how children learn, provide a stimulating and welcoming environment and have excellent relationships with the children. They also stated that Behaviour is excellent and that Teaching is consistently good for all children.

The Pre-School is held in the Village Hall, where the colourful wall displays are much admired and give pleasure to other organisations which use the hall.

Pictured here are Traci and Katie with some of the children, with the backdrop of their previous wall display. This was replaced towards the end of November by a wall-sized Advent Calendar made by the children, with all the little numbered doors ready to open to reveal the pictures behind.

Very well done to the Pre-School and all credit to Leaders Traci and Katie.

Pebblebed Heath Federation In March, the governing bodies of Woodbury Salterton CE Primary and Littleham CE Primary Schools met and voted unanimously to federate. In May this year, both schools became part of the Pebblebed Heath Federation. As you may know, the Pebblebed Heath joins us geographically as schools, but can also been seen as a firm foundation where every child matters as a child of God, much like each pebble in a pebblebed. The federation aims to maximise opportunities for collaboration, whilst retaining the uniqueness of each school. We are grateful to Susan Merrick (Chair of Governors until recently) for supporting us through the trial period and for all the support and dedication of her time that this has required.

Susan has now been replaced by Sandy MacQueen, and the Vice Chair is Clare Rooke. We are grateful to them as well as the whole Governors team who give up much of their valuable time to support the school.

Joseph Production Success In July, our summer production of Joseph was a hugely enjoyable event with superb singing narrators, goat-wrestling cowboys and cowgirls, and much, much more. Certainly, with children full of smiles and so clearly enjoying themselves, it was a wonderful way to end the term. Well done to those children with lead roles, we certainly have some future stars! Our Send a Cow collection on the night also made £179!

Woodbury Park Hotel We are grateful to Woodbury Park Hotel who provided us with the facilities for the summer performance of Joseph. They also host the regular Governing Body Meetings, and again, we are very grateful for their generosity.

Sponsored Bike Ride In August, Mr Nelmes completed his epic bike ride from John O’Groats to Land’s End. Mr Nelmes completed the 1700km route and raised over £1,500 for Rainbow Living as a result.

St Luke’s Sporting In September, we further complemented our teaching with the support of an experienced PE teacher from St Luke’s College. Miss Hookway supports high quality lunchtime and after-school sporting provision, as well as support for classes for delivering high quality PE curriculum. Our new links with St Luke’s, as well as our on-going opportunities through Exmouth Area Learning Community, mean that we can provide a wide range of activities and because of our small numbers, a high number of children participate regularly in events. This has ensured that as a school we are able to continue to offer a high quality and varied sporting provision for the children in school.

WOODBURY TWINNING ASSOCIATION WINE TASTING EVENING FRIDAY 19 FEBRUARY AT 19.30 WOODBURY VILLAGE HALL (DU BUISSON ROOM) Cost: £5 members, £8 non-members.

To reserve your place, contact Jan Owen on 232694

The Woodbury News attempts to represent a variety of views within the Community, but does not accept responsibility for anything but Editorial comment. While it may publish unacknowledged material, nothing is included unless the Editor knows the name and address of the author(s).

20 Accelerated Reader In September, we started using Accelerated Reader. At its heart, Accelerated Reader (AR) is simple: a child reads a book, takes an online quiz, and gets immediate feedback. The children respond to regular feedback and are motivated to make progress with their reading skills. AR is now being widely used across Devon schools and is proven to accelerate reading progress in schools. AR also enables appropriate challenge because children develop reading skills most effectively when they read appropriately challenging books – difficult enough to keep them engaged but not so difficult that they become frustrated.

Residential Success! This year we have strengthened our residential programme at Woodbury Salterton to include PGL and Heatree as venues for outdoor adventurous activities. Our revised programme of residentials this year has meant that we have been able to extend what we have offered in the past, whilst ensuring that overall costs remain the same.

In May, PGL residential was an amazing experience which everyone loved.

The children had to use all of our school values, especially co-operation and endeavour, and the favourite activities included trapeze, body-boarding, zipwire, mud challenge, quad biking and abseiling!

In September, our Year 5 and 6 completed a successful residential on Dartmoor at Heatree Residential Centre. All the children benefited greatly from the experience of taking part in challenging adventurous activities.

During the action-packed three days, the children were all tested and discovered new things about themselves and their friends.

Staff In September, the federation has ensured even stronger leadership at Woodbury Salterton, with the creation of a new role at Woodbury Salterton of Head of Learning. Mrs Milford, our Head of Learning, is the day-to-day ‘face’ of the school and leads school improvement in Food for Life, Primary Sport and Literacy. Mr Nelmes continues with his almost daily presence at school as Executive Headteacher. In addition, we have increased our dedicated SENCO release time to ensure that the school has the ability to meet the needs of a wider number of children.

As with every school, we welcome new staff and say our goodbyes to others we have come to know so well. Mr Squires, who had been our caretaker for a considerable time, retired in the summer and is still sorely missed.

New Website In November we launched our new website – www.woodbury -salterton.devon.sch.uk. Linked to Facebook and Twitter, it promises to provide everyone with a picture of what makes our school special.

SEE WOODBURY ONLINE www.woodburydevon.co.uk

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Christmas Tree Children of Woodbury Salterton School in front of the school Christmas tree which was kindly donated by Kings Garden Centre.

HOSPISCARE APPEAL Volunteer drivers needed There are times in life when a little extra help can make a huge difference.

Hospiscare urgently needs volunteer drivers. Perhaps you could give a few hours a week or fortnight to help with various driving tasks, often taking local people for either medical appointments or to bring them into the hospice.

Drivers need to have their own Vehicle and be over 25 years of age.

Additionally we need folk who are happy to drive our Disabled Passenger Vehicle. This is a specially adapted Citroen Berlingo car for wheelchair users.

A nurse will always accompany a driver when using the Disabled Passenger vehicle.

Full training and support is given and all travel expenses are paid. If you’re interested in finding out more about how you could support a patient in your community please contact Vicky on 01392 688068 or email: w.lachenicht@ hospiscare.co.uk or visit our website www.hospiscare.co.uk/volunteering.

Do you or anyone you know, have a few spare hours each week or fortnight? Why not join our team of volunteers helping to make a difference for our patients.

Hospiscare is a local charity – making a difference in Devon.

20 Accelerated Reader In September, we started using Accelerated Reader. At its heart, Accelerated Reader (AR) is simple: a child reads a book, takes an online quiz, and gets immediate feedback. The children respond to regular feedback and are motivated to make progress with their reading skills. AR is now being widely used across Devon schools and is proven to accelerate reading progress in schools. AR also enables appropriate challenge because children develop reading skills most effectively when they read appropriately challenging books – difficult enough to keep them engaged but not so difficult that they become frustrated.

Residential Success! This year we have strengthened our residential programme at Woodbury Salterton to include PGL and Heatree as venues for outdoor adventurous activities. Our revised programme of residentials this year has meant that we have been able to extend what we have offered in the past, whilst ensuring that overall costs remain the same.

In May, PGL residential was an amazing experience which everyone loved.

The children had to use all of our school values, especially co-operation and endeavour, and the favourite activities included trapeze, body-boarding, zipwire, mud challenge, quad biking and abseiling!

In September, our Year 5 and 6 completed a successful residential on Dartmoor at Heatree Residential Centre. All the children benefited greatly from the experience of taking part in challenging adventurous activities.

During the action-packed three days, the children were all tested and discovered new things about themselves and their friends.

Staff In September, the federation has ensured even stronger leadership at Woodbury Salterton, with the creation of a new role at Woodbury Salterton of Head of Learning. Mrs Milford, our Head of Learning, is the day-to-day ‘face’ of the school and leads school improvement in Food for Life, Primary Sport and Literacy. Mr Nelmes continues with his almost daily presence at school as Executive Headteacher. In addition, we have increased our dedicated SENCO release time to ensure that the school has the ability to meet the needs of a wider number of children.

As with every school, we welcome new staff and say our goodbyes to others we have come to know so well. Mr Squires, who had been our caretaker for a considerable time, retired in the summer and is still sorely missed.

New Website In November we launched our new website – www.woodbury -salterton.devon.sch.uk. Linked to Facebook and Twitter, it promises to provide everyone with a picture of what makes our school special.

SEE WOODBURY ONLINE www.woodburydevon.co.uk

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Christmas Tree Children of Woodbury Salterton School in front of the school Christmas tree which was kindly donated by Kings Garden Centre.

HOSPISCARE APPEAL Volunteer drivers needed There are times in life when a little extra help can make a huge difference.

Hospiscare urgently needs volunteer drivers. Perhaps you could give a few hours a week or fortnight to help with various driving tasks, often taking local people for either medical appointments or to bring them into the hospice.

Drivers need to have their own Vehicle and be over 25 years of age.

Additionally we need folk who are happy to drive our Disabled Passenger Vehicle. This is a specially adapted Citroen Berlingo car for wheelchair users.

A nurse will always accompany a driver when using the Disabled Passenger vehicle.

Full training and support is given and all travel expenses are paid. If you’re interested in finding out more about how you could support a patient in your community please contact Vicky on 01392 688068 or email: w.lachenicht@ hospiscare.co.uk or visit our website www.hospiscare.co.uk/volunteering.

Do you or anyone you know, have a few spare hours each week or fortnight? Why not join our team of volunteers helping to make a difference for our patients.

Hospiscare is a local charity – making a difference in Devon.

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WOODBURY SALTERTON PRE-SCHOOL Small is Beautiful! Although at present only a small group, Woodbury Salterton Pre-School (formerly known as Little Acorns) has received an excellent Ofsted report.

Pre-School Leaders, Traci Earle and Katie Robertson, are delighted to announce that they were awarded Good in all areas of their Ofsted inspection in November, with some areas being judged Excellent.

Ofsted recognised that the staff have a good understanding of how children learn, provide a stimulating and welcoming environment and have excellent relationships with the children. They also stated that Behaviour is excellent and that Teaching is consistently good for all children.

The Pre-School is held in the Village Hall, where the colourful wall displays are much admired and give pleasure to other organisations which use the hall.

Pictured here are Traci and Katie with some of the children, with the backdrop of their previous wall display. This was replaced towards the end of November by a wall-sized Advent Calendar made by the children, with all the little numbered doors ready to open to reveal the pictures behind.

Very well done to the Pre-School and all credit to Leaders Traci and Katie.

Pebblebed Heath Federation In March, the governing bodies of Woodbury Salterton CE Primary and Littleham CE Primary Schools met and voted unanimously to federate. In May this year, both schools became part of the Pebblebed Heath Federation. As you may know, the Pebblebed Heath joins us geographically as schools, but can also been seen as a firm foundation where every child matters as a child of God, much like each pebble in a pebblebed. The federation aims to maximise opportunities for collaboration, whilst retaining the uniqueness of each school. We are grateful to Susan Merrick (Chair of Governors until recently) for supporting us through the trial period and for all the support and dedication of her time that this has required.

Susan has now been replaced by Sandy MacQueen, and the Vice Chair is Clare Rooke. We are grateful to them as well as the whole Governors team who give up much of their valuable time to support the school.

Joseph Production Success In July, our summer production of Joseph was a hugely enjoyable event with superb singing narrators, goat-wrestling cowboys and cowgirls, and much, much more. Certainly, with children full of smiles and so clearly enjoying themselves, it was a wonderful way to end the term. Well done to those children with lead roles, we certainly have some future stars! Our Send a Cow collection on the night also made £179!

Woodbury Park Hotel We are grateful to Woodbury Park Hotel who provided us with the facilities for the summer performance of Joseph. They also host the regular Governing Body Meetings, and again, we are very grateful for their generosity.

Sponsored Bike Ride In August, Mr Nelmes completed his epic bike ride from John O’Groats to Land’s End. Mr Nelmes completed the 1700km route and raised over £1,500 for Rainbow Living as a result.

St Luke’s Sporting In September, we further complemented our teaching with the support of an experienced PE teacher from St Luke’s College. Miss Hookway supports high quality lunchtime and after-school sporting provision, as well as support for classes for delivering high quality PE curriculum. Our new links with St Luke’s, as well as our on-going opportunities through Exmouth Area Learning Community, mean that we can provide a wide range of activities and because of our small numbers, a high number of children participate regularly in events. This has ensured that as a school we are able to continue to offer a high quality and varied sporting provision for the children in school.

WOODBURY TWINNING ASSOCIATION WINE TASTING EVENING FRIDAY 19 FEBRUARY AT 19.30 WOODBURY VILLAGE HALL (DU BUISSON ROOM) Cost: £5 members, £8 non-members.

To reserve your place, contact Jan Owen on 232694

The Woodbury News attempts to represent a variety of views within the Community, but does not accept responsibility for anything but Editorial comment. While it may publish unacknowledged material, nothing is included unless the Editor knows the name and address of the author(s).

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WOODBURY SALTERTON NEWS

WOODBURY SALTERTON WOMEN’S INSTITUTE 2015 has been an auspicious year for the WI nationwide, as we celebrated our 100-year anniversary. The festivities were spread across the nation, starting with a celebration baton leaving Anglesea (where the British WI started) on New Year’s Day. In Devon, we had the opportunity to see and hold the Anniversary baton at an occasion in Sidmouth; we attended a special service and lunch at the Corn Exchange in Exeter, and had a photo taken outside the cathedral of all who could be there. The National AGM was held in the Royal Albert Hall, and one of our members attended. We were also able to see an online screening of the full day. Aylesbeare WI ran a group meeting with a competition to design a poster celebrating 100 years, and we came second.

We had an interesting set of speakers throughout the year, covering topics ranging from The life and times of Marianne Pidsley (who was responsible for building the church and school here in the village), to the work done by the Exeter Royal Academy for Deaf Education, and the Devon Freewheelers charity. There were also talks about how fourteen ladies sailed the Atlantic, and the environmental issues the world is facing.

We have also held numerous social functions, continuing our walking group every Monday morning, holding monthly coffee mornings in the Diggers Rest and quiz afternoons, sociable lunch gatherings, and open-garden afternoons. We went to Exmouth again for an evening’s bowling in the summer. We have ‘shopped till we dropped’ in Cheltenham and ‘sung like birds’ with the Devon WI choir at the WI carol service.

We always appreciate new members joining, to keep going strong! So do feel free to come along to a meeting on the second Wednesday of the month in Woodbury Salterton Village Hall at 19.30.

HOLY TRINITY CHURCH CHURCH CHRISTMAS SERVICES Carol Service Monday 21st at 19.00 (note the later time as it is a weekday).

Midnight Communion Christmas Eve at 23.30.

WOODBURY SALTERTON C OF E PRIMARY SCHOOL End of Year News It has been an exciting year at school, characterised by high quality teaching, a rich and varied curriculum and a wide range of exciting activities and events. I hope you enjoy reading the highlights of 2015. We would like to wish all readers of Woodbury News a very Happy New Year.

Duncan Nelmes, Headteacher Top 100 Schools At the beginning of the year, we were delighted to learn that Woodbury Salterton School was recognised as one of the top performing 100 schools nationally. This status was for attainment at the end of Key Stage 2, as is reflected in our SATs results listed below.

SATs success In June, we were extremely happy with the outcome of our Year 6 SATs. Our highlights included: 100% of the children achieving level 4 in reading, writing and maths; 90% of children achieving level 5 in reading, 60% level 5 in writing and 89% level 5 in maths. It is clear that this cohort has done extremely well. We also had a number of level 6 passes too!

Forest School Throughout the year, Forest School has featured strongly with children accessing the Exmouth Forest School site for weekly sessions.

Taking part in regular collaborative learning opportunities in the natural environment proved to be hugely successful. We are now in the process of developing our very own Forest School on the site of the old swimming pool.

We hope to have our own staff trained up as Forest School Leaders as well as to have the Forest School up and working in the very near future.

SIAMs Inspection – Outstanding Christian Character In May, we were pleased to be able to inform parents of the outcome of our recent SIAMS (Statutory Inspection of Anglican and Methodist Schools) inspection. The school was graded in four areas and we are delighted to say that it was judged to be outstanding in Christian Character and good in the other three areas: collective worship, religious education, and leadership and management. The inspector was very impressed by the strong friendship bonds within school and the positive relationships that exist between all members of the school community. As you can imagine, we are delighted with the outcome and feel the report accurately captures the essence of Woodbury Salterton School. We now look to the future and will continue to build upon our good provision.

NOVEMBER WEATHER Apart from a bright spell with the first air frost of the winter in the third week of November the month was warm, dull and drizzly with strong W and SW winds. The more serious weather, as it did in October, hit Northern Ireland and then moved on to Scotland and gave them some heavy falls of snow.

Down here, on the edge of the depressions, we had gales mid-month and then again on the 29th. My ankle was sufficiently improved to allow me one day’s fishing at Blagdon but with the water churned up by the wind my only sport was watching the lake’s huge populations of resident and migrant birds.

Total rainfall was 71.8 mm (= 2.83 ins and 62.6% of the norm) and Max/Min temperatures were 18C/0C. The grass grew and the cattle were out on the relatively firm ground. PJH.

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EXTON NEWS

WOODBURY TWINNING ASSOCIATION Our AGM will be on Tuesday 26 January in The Du Buisson Room of Woodbury Village Hall, starting at 20.00.

On Friday 19 February we are holding a Wine Tasting Evening, courtesy of Majestic Wines, starting at 19.30. This will also be in The Du Buisson Room. Cost: £5 members, £8 non-members. Numbers are limited, so please contact Jan Owen on 232694 if you wish to come.

ST ANDREW’S CHURCH, EXTON Sunday Services - December 3rd Sunday - 20 Dec. 09.30 Lay-led Service with with Advent hymns. 4th Sunday - 27 Dec. 11.15 Joint Mission Community Service at St Swithun’s Church, Woodbury. No service at Exton that day.

January 1st Sunday - 3 Jan. 18.00 Evening Service with carols. 2nd Sunday - 10th Jan. 09.30 Eucharist with hymns. 3rd Sunday - 17 Jan. 09.30 Lay-led Service with hymns. 4th Sunday - 24 Jan. Eucharist with hymns. 5th Sunday - 31st Jan. Time and place to be arranged. Joint Mission Community Service.

See January’s Church Digest and Church Notice Boards.

Christmas Day Service - 09.30 Family Eucharist Service with carols.

Everyone, including children and families, will receive a warm welcome.

Children are invited to bring along a favourite present.

EXTON CRAFT GROUP The first meeting in the New Year will be on Thursday 21 January 14.00 to 16.00 in St Andrew’s Church Exton. Come and enjoy a convivial afternoon with friends and a variety of craft work to suit everyone. The meeting includes a cup of tea and biscuits.

EXTON GARDEN CLUB The speaker at our September meeting was Chris Britton who has a nursery on the Dawlish road. He has many of the more unusual plants and there is an interesting garden around the house and a small tea room. Many of the plant genus names were familiar but he had selected the lesser known varieties.

Chris had a plant of each variety and he explained the conditions each would need and described the flowers and leaf colours throughout the year. An unusual ribes is laurifolium: it is evergreen, has leathery green leaves and pendant racemes of greenish yellow flowers in late winter and early spring. It is a much more interesting variety than the normal red flowering one. A winter flowering honeysuckle is lonicera Eliese which has fragrant cream flowers; another climber is a coronilla which has cream flowers throughout the winter similar to coronilla glauca. Itea lunucifolia is a good alternative to garrya eliptica; like the coronilla it is best planted against a south or west facing wall. This plant has very long green catkin-like flowers in late summer and early autumn. There were several pittosporum: one with gold foliage, Country Park (a small green variety), and another which has terminal cream flowers rather than the normal red ones. All the plants were good quality and reasonably priced. A visit to his nursery would be well worthwhile if looking for good advice and different plants.

CORRECTION TO PRACTICAL ARRANGEMENTS OVER CHRISTMAS The mobile library is monthly, not fortnightly, at the times listed below: First visit in 2016 is Friday 16 January.

Woodbury Salterton Ridges Corner Diggers Rest Kennels Woodbury Village Hall Exton Car Park

12.05 13.00 13.30 14.05 15.20

The service is from Teignbridge and information can be obtained from 03451 551001 or www.devon.gov.uk/libraries.

The library service needs our support to survive even deeper cuts.

CHARITY COFFEE MORNINGS EVERY TUESDAY, 10.00-12.00 CHURCH ROOMS, WOODBURY Coffee/tea and a homemade cake on vintage china, £2. All profits to local charities.

Everyone welcome.

Do email your photos of local people or events to Karen at karensquires100@gmail.com The editorial team still needs a wider spread of news, particularly about our younger people.

What are you all up to?

Why don’t YOU write an article or send in a photo?

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WOODBURY WOMEN’S INSTITUTE Annual Report Woodbury WI has had a very successful year. The membership is around fifty; we have lost several older members and gained new members, people who have moved into the village or who have heard what a great WI we are! We have listened to and enjoyed a number of speakers who have informed us, stimulated us, educated us and introduced us to some new experiences, speakers who have taken us around the world, who have shown us amazing pictures and scenes. We have been challenged by Scottish Dancing and by various craft projects including button-making and decorating Christmas logs. We rose to the challenge presented by A la Ronde, when asked to decorate a Christmas tree; we yarn-bombed ours with brightly coloured pom-poms and it was much admired. We relocated it to a prominent spot in the village where it was photographed and appreciated.

The pom-poms were recycled for a charity event in the centre of Exeter where they made a colourful display in Princesshay. We have a successful book group and have enjoyed a wide range of books and met a local author.

Our reading horizons continue to be widened. We have been on an outing to Burrow Farm Gardens, with DFWI to the Malvern Flower Show, to the Spring and Autumn Conferences and we have taken part in whist and skittles with varying success! We had a Garden Party in a member's garden in lovely sunshine - a typical year of events and meetings. The highlight of the year has been the invitation to three of our members to go to Buckingham Palace, to celebrate the centenary of the WI with WI members from all over the country. Margo, Sue and Ann came back with stories about their wonderful day, photos and memories. We relived the day with them and were so proud that they represented our WI so splendidly. You should have seen the hats!

In May our committee changed, some long-serving members standing down after years of service. Lin Milsom-Ashby replaced Margaret Edwards as President and new committee members brought fresh ideas for the future.

We held a New Members' Evening to let our recent joiners learn about the history of our splendid organisation, and to encourage new village folk to join our ranks.

How could anyone not want to be a part of such an amazing group, part of a larger group of local WIs, the Devon Federation and the National Institution of WIs?

EXTON LADIES GROUP A Review of the Year 2015 The beginning of December 2014 saw us take a coach for a morning of Christmas shopping followed by lunch in beautiful Tavistock. In the afternoon we dropped in on Cothele to view the Christmas garland and shelter from the cold weather in the restaurant for tea. This was a lovely start to festivities, organised by Pauline Collas with her usual graciousness and efficiency.

Then it was on to our traditional Christmas lunch - another time when the ladies of Exton eat, chat, laugh and enjoy the fellowship of the season. Last December the Puffing Billy catered for us and we had a most splendid meal with minimal confusion over who ordered what, thanks to the wonderful organisation of Pauline Sturtridge. We must have enjoyed ourselves as we are all returning this December wondering where the year has gone!

It seems strange starting with the end of a year, but the way in which lead-in dates for submissions to Woodbury News fall means that this review is written before our final meeting of the year.

January is always a special month for Exton Ladies; it’s our birthday month and in January 2015 we met for an afternoon of games and a birthday tea. It seems a fitting start to a new year to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the establishment of the Exton Ladies Group which gives such pleasure to so many people. During the rest of 2015 we listened to seven excellent and interesting speakers, enjoyed one garden party (thanks Lyn and Marlene) and had yet another magnificent coach outing organised by Pauline Collas. This time it was to Salisbury and Longstock Gardens, owned and managed by the John Lewis partnership. Details of all these events can be found in previous editions of the Woodbury News; suffice to say that, without exception, they were very enjoyable afternoons to which members contributed in a variety of ways making tea, providing cakes, moving chairs, washing up, managing monies, suggesting speakers, making posters, keeping the Exton village website updated etc etc! Thank you to everyone. Without your help and support Exton Ladies Group would not be the vibrant community group it is.

Once again particular thanks must go to our Chairperson, Chris Bilyard. Chris steers the group with wisdom, grace and good humour. She knows each and every member and keeps us all informed about happenings in the group and the wider village. Chris, just saying ‘you are appreciated’ doesn’t do justice to all you do for Exton Ladies; we can’t thank you enough.

CONNECTIONS CHINESE NEW YEAR MEAL 5 JANUARY - 19.30 FOR 20.00 WOODBURY CHURCH ROOMS. Tel: 232772

Exton Ladies Group wishes all Woodbury News Readers a wonderful Christmas and a happy, healthy and peaceful 2016.

More details about the Exton Ladies Group can be found on the Exton village website http://www.extondevon.org.uk/. We usually meet in Exton Village Hall at 14.15 on the second Thursday of the month. Please just come along.

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ALADDIN ACCLAIMED IN EXTON EXTRAVAGANZA! From Greville Longbottom (special pantomime correspondent) For a small village on the Exe estuary, Exton pantomimes are usually a triumph of inventiveness, ingenuity and sheer bravado. This year’s (performed in early December) was no exception.

Aladdin is a traditional tale of good eventually overcoming evil, in which a poor-boy-made-good overcomes a wicked wizard, an impossible mother and irrepressible kid brother, an irritable Chinese emperor and his not-so-secret police, eventually to marry his princess. Magical caves, lamps and rings, dancing skeletons, an imperial palace, a magic carpet that makes Ryanair seem comfortable and an abominable snowman (what?) all provide distractions on a journey – in the version by Limelight Scripts – of which J K Rowling might be proud.

John Sharples (Director), Hilary Hoar (Stage Manager) and Trevor Perkins (Musical Director), with their support team that seemed to comprise most of the village (including six separate and highly enthusiastic audiences), brought the story to life in Exton’s impromptu little theatre.

The cast was led with great assurance by Rachel Feeny-Williams as Aladdin. Rachel starred in Exton’s Hay Fever (by Noel Coward) two years ago and was an unconventionally cast Edgar in the Estuary Players’ excellent production of King Lear last year.

Opposite her as the petite and mischievous Princess Jasmine was debutante Emma Flanagan, ably assisted by her (tall) handmaiden Suki, played by Hannah Edwards.

Les Richards, a veteran dame of Exton pantos, provided uproarious antics as Widow Twankee (“oh those eyes, those lips, those chins – she has more chins than the Chinese telephone directory”), with her younger son, Wishee Washee, played by head teacher Rachel Pattison, who bubbled and tumbled around the stage – a hilarious foil for “Mum Twankee”.

The Pattison family was also represented by Emily and Abi, who were in the children’s Rachel Feeny-Williams as Aladdin chorus and dance group with other children from the village – Annabel, Oscar, Alice and Annabella (choreographed by Muriel Evans and Hannah Saunders).

TENNIS CLUB The Tennis Club has had a successful season, fielding three teams in the district leagues: two men’s and a mixed team. The Men’s A maintained their status in Division 5; however the Men’s B after a number of close matches were relegated to Division 8. The Mixed team were mid-table in Division 5.

More importantly, 16 club members gained league experience, improving their standard of play. Club sessions have been well supported, and Friday evening sessions have continued into the winter months. Now, thanks to financial assistance from the Parish Council and Devon LTA, the club has working floodlights, enabling play to continue on winter evenings. Local electrician Will Childs of Infinity Electrical completed the work in November. The Club is holding a Christmas gathering, organised by Helen Ryland, to be attended by 20 members. This year the removal of leaves from the courts has been made easier due to the purchase of a large leaf blower.

As always the club is seeking new and former members to come and play.

Club sessions will continue throughout the winter on Sunday mornings from 10.30 and Friday evenings from 18.00.

This year the junior coaching programme on Wednesday afternoon/evenings was not interrupted by weather and was judged a success by our coach Steve Wood. In fact it was so much in demand that an assistant coach Matt Grover was taken on.

Please come and join us: if you can hit a ball you are needed! The AGM will be held in the Church Rooms at 19.30 on Wednesday 10 February; this is an open meeting for anyone to find out about the club. All are welcome.

Details of membership from Pat Browne (232805 ruthandpatb@aol.com) or Jackie Clarke (232832 jackie.clarke1@virgin.net).

ROYAL BRITISH LEGION COFFEE MORNINGS 7 AND 21 JANUARY. 4 AND 18 FEBRUARY. * Please note that there will be no coffee on 24 December *

10.00 - 11.30, RBL ROOM behind WOODBURY VILLAGE HALL All are invited to join us on alternate Thursdays.

WOODBURY NEWS to your door …

If you are a new resident to the area, or would like your Woodbury News to be delivered to your door monthly, just call Beverley Simcox on 232858 and she will put you in contact with your local deliverer.

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Christmas Cooking We make every effort to link the curriculum to a topic or real event. With cooking scheduled for the older children, it was not long before plans were made for them to learn how to bake a Christmas cake. As part of the project the children have learnt where the ingredients come from and they have experimented using different combinations of ingredients to create the best cake they can. The smell of baking which has wafted past the doors for a couple of weeks has been delicious and the final cakes looked amazing.

Kevin Butler was a towering and terrifying presence as Abanazar, who could never quite bury the spark of humanity that his wizardry sought to overcome.

His nemesis came from a surprising source – newcomer Chris Hoar, who put aside lawyer’s periwig and pen, to play the sweetly Abominable Snowman Sandra, Abanazar’s eventual love interest!?!

Brian Wood was a very genial Genie, sinuously supported by an elegantly demure Spirit of the Ring, Hannah Saunders.

Gloria McGinty and Lynn Spry were the hilarious Chinese police duo, playing their roles in the spirit of Laurel and Hardy. David Hacking was a suitably irritable Emperor and long-suffering father of Les Richards as Widow Twankee Princess Jasmine, Aladdin’s bride to be, while Ann Hacking oozed grace and regal hauteur as his Empress. Last but by no means least, Sharon Pagliero was the Flying Carpet Air Hostess who in her convincingly authentic BOAC uniform recreated the style and elegance of the airline goddesses of a bygone era.

Please, Exton, don’t leave it another two years until the next panto!

Willow lanterns The children in Chestnut and Ash classes have enjoyed the mathematical and practical challenges of designing and making lanterns, using willow and tissue paper. A lot of learning, involving problem solving, perseverance and attention to detail, was required to create the final pieces. The lanterns will ultimately be used by children who take part in the wassailing event which will be taking place in the Village Orchard in the New Year.

CHRISTMAS WISHES From Anna and Paul Crafer. Happy Christmas to all the wonderful people we know in Woodbury. We hope 2016 brings you all you wish for.

Seasons Greetings to all the Tuesday Coffee morning customers, bakers and helpers. 2015 has been wonderful. Let's make 2016 even better so we can help even more local charities. Anna, Vicki and Lizzy.

Nancie Grist wishes all her neighbours and friends a blessed and happy Christmas, and sends all good wishes for the coming year. She will not be sending cards locally, but making a special donation to Shelterbox in lieu.

Peter and Christine Grist thank everyone who has welcomed them into Woodbury and wish all their friends and neighbours a very Merry Christmas and a happy and peaceful New Year. A donation will be made to Shelter Box in lieu of cards.

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ROUND AND ABOUT

WOODBURY C OF E PRIMARY SCHOOL As anticipated, the lead-up to Christmas has been a very special and busy time. The children have reminded us all of the real meaning of Christmas through their delivery of the Nativity performances and the Carol service.

The collective effort of the PTFA made this year’s Christmas Fayre a real triumph in bringing so many of the community together as well as raising funds to help develop the outdoor areas around school. The Christmas parties were enjoyed by each class and the team work which ensured that 200 Christmas lunches were served efficiently was impressive! I would like to take this opportunity to thank every member of ‘Team Woodbury’ for all their commitment to the children and for going the extra mile on so many occasions to make this term such a success. I wish you all a very Happy Christmas and a peaceful New Year and look forward to sharing with you some of our highlights in 2016.

Alison Sparks, Head Teacher

BIRTH Daniel and Frances Bowden (nee Buckler) are pleased to announce the birth of Poppy Ruth, a first granddaughter for Trevor and Jackie.

RETIREMENT His fellow Directors of Woodbury News would like to thank past editor David Keep for some 20 years of involvement in producing and running Woodbury News, and accept his retirement from the Board with regret. His vast wealth of experience will be missed, but the Board feels reassured that he will still keep them on their toes from the sidelines.

THANKS The Doctors and Staff of Woodbury surgery would like to extend their sincere thanks to Friends of Woodbury Surgery (FOWS) co-ordinator Nita Goffron, who stepped down from the role at the end of November. A vital link between FOWS and the Practice, the co-ordinator’s role calls for frequent visits and close communication with the surgery. Hence over the years Nita has become a familiar presence within the surgery, well known by doctors and staff alike. Her efforts and dedication in support of FOWS and the community have been greatly appreciated. All at Woodbury Surgery enormously value the ongoing support and commitment of FOWS; our heartfelt thanks goes to all the volunteers whose hard work so greatly benefits the local community.

CONGRATULATIONS Carolyn Keep has published F.W. Meyer (1852-1906): A landscape gardener in Devon. This arose from the discovery of some of his lantern slides in 2003. She has had great fun identifying the sites, visiting what remains and photographing these. Since all his working life was for Veitch of Exeter, and many sites were in Devon, this has local interest so the Devon Gardens Trust sponsored the publication by Short Run Press of Sowton.

Meyer's first son was probably born in Woodbury.

IN MEMORIAM Private Thomas George Davey, Royal Army Medical Corps Died in France on 26 Jan 1916, aged 21 WOODBURY PARISH COUNCIL Agendas for future meeting, and minutes of meetings can be found on www.woodburydevon.co.uk

Nativity Performances and Carol Service The children in Foundation Stage and Key Stage One performed the story of the nativity through the musical Busy Busy Bethlehem. The narrators read clearly, the acting was captivating and all the children sang beautifully.

Each of the three performances was well attended with a collection made for the Children’s Hospice South West. The Key Stage Two Carol Service was also a very special event with the children singing a selection of traditional carols interspersed by a number of key readings from the Bible.

Singing for the Exeter Intensive Baby Care Unit The School Choir, under the talented leadership of Mrs Fox and Miss Thomson, sang a number of Christmas songs at Nutwell Lodge, supporting a charity event for the Intensive Baby Care Unit at Exeter Hospital. The singing was outstanding; from the way the children sang with so much enthusiasm and passion no-one would have known that only half the choir was able to attend.

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WOODBURY LOCAL HISTORY SOCIETY The November Meeting Nicky Hewitt gave an exciting and very informative talk on the East Devon Pebblebeds. History is of course about the past, but Nicky took us back a very long time, in fact over four billion (9 zeros!) years, to the formation of our planet. In her hand she held one of the beautifully smooth and rounded pebbles with which we are all familiar in our Parish, and traced its development from molten lava over 500 million years ago, through continental drift and Ice Ages, to the present time. And unexpectedly she illustrated her talk, not with slides and pictures, but with a large inflatable ball on which she drew with a felt-tip pen, a geological table printed on a tee-shirt and some real fossils! With these simple teaching aids, a wealth of knowledge and considerable enthusiasm, Nicky kept an audience of 45 members and visitors entranced for over an hour and then answered some searching questions, presenting us with fascinating facts and intriguing theories. It was a brilliant approach to a difficult subject, enhanced by her diverse interests and expertise, and we look forward to reading more of her contributions to Woodbury News.

Our next meeting will be the Annual General Meeting of the History Society on Thursday 4 February 2016. After the business discussion there will be a social event with refreshments and entertainment. Members will be sent details of this and our talks programme for 2016 in the next few weeks.

Professor Nick Burgess (Chairman) Annual Report 2015 The Society met on four occasions for talks on The Sharland Family of Woodbury, Shipping on the Exe from Roman Times, The East Devon Pebblebeds and a joint meeting with our colleagues from Branscombe to discuss the findings of the Historic Environment Action Plan (HEAP) project. These talks were all very well attended, enjoyable and instructive, and exhibited the wide range of subjects covered by the Society. For our annual outing we visited Glastonbury for the day in July, with an excellent guided tour of the Abbey and time to explore the town.

Membership remains steady with nearly 70 members. We are still looking for a Society Secretary! Our annual subscription remains at £8.

Our archives, housed in a room in the Village Hall, provide a comprehensive historical collection which is available to all members of the Parish.

We have another exciting and varied programme planned for 2016, with talks on Thursdays 3 March, 5 May, 1 September and 3 November, and an annual outing in mid-July. We are also planning an exhibition, open all day in the Village Hall, on Saturday 15 October. All details will be publicized after the AGM which is on Thursday 4 February 2016 when there will be business, refreshments and entertainment.

Please contact Nick Burgess (Chairman) with any enquiries at nicksueburgess@ gmail.com or on 01395 232458.

AWESOME COSTA RICA

by Bryn Davies, aged 8 (These are Bryn’s own words, but I wrote them down for him as he was feeling tired - Anna Eyres) I packed for Costa Rica and got the bus to the Airport at Heathrow. Then I boarded the plane for Spain. After we got to Spain we boarded our next plane for Costa Rica. When we got there we went to the hotel and went to sleep.

When we woke up in the morning we saw a giant orb web spider building its trap and some birds, butterflies and a gecko. Then we travelled off to Guapiles, when we got there we went to a river and played and on the way back we saw a hummingbird. I think it was a mountain one as it was white and orange.

The next day we went to the Caribbean and went snorkelling and saw trigger fish, bull sharks, rays, barracudas, irridescent spotty fish and a puffer fish - my favourite.

The next day we went to the jaguar rescue centre. They were helping sloths, margays, ocelots, caymans, crocodiles and toucans.

Then we went to Laforguna and got to our hotel and went swimming in a cool pool. Then we climbed up a volcano, saw a 60 metre tall waterfall and visited paradise hot springs 52 degrees centigrade. You can cook an egg in it!!

Then we went to Monteverde and went zip lining and saw hummingbird gardens and a reptile house, an insect museum and a butterfly house.

Later on we went to the Pacific ocean and saw the whale tail which is a beach in the shape of a whale tail at Avita.

There we went snorkelling and saw turtles, puffer fish and trigger fish.

After that we went on a whale trip, we saw spotted dolphins and went snorkelling again and saw parrot fish, trigger fish and sergeant fish majors.

It was time to go to the airport and from a place called Crocodiles Bridge we saw two and three metre crocodiles.

Then we went back home.

Editor’s Note : In order to maximise submitted copy and photographs into Woodbury News, it may be necessary to reduce the size of some items. The Editorial team will attempt to do this as carefully as possible.

BACK NUMBERS OF WOODBURY NEWS I need a home for two almost complete sets. David Keep 232318.

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RECIPE OF THE MONTH

1ST WOODBURY GUIDES As part of the Guiding programme the girls have to undertake some form of Community Action: this term we have been looking into the plight of children and families who live in poverty in Eastern Europe. During the term we visited the warehouse of Christian Response 2 Eastern Europe in Exmouth and helped to sort donated items of clothing ready to be shipped to Moldova. The Guides had a very informative evening and were shown a presentation which highlighted just how bad the conditions are that some children have to live in. Following this evening, the girls took the opportunity of making a Christmas shoebox for a specific child in Moldova.

Emily and Poppy took our Unit boxes to the warehouse where they were checked and stacked with over 3000 boxes waiting to be shipped. Hopefully they will put a smile on a child’s face this Christmas.

SMOKED SALMON GOUGÈRE A Gougère is delicious savoury choux pastry. It is very easy once you have got the hang of it and makes a rather smart dish. You can ring the changes with different fillings. (Chicken or mushrooms in the base sauce work well).

INGREDIENTS For the gougère · 250ml water · 80g butter · half tsp salt

· · ·

100g sifted plain flour 4 medium eggs 75g grated cheddar or gruyere

For the filling · 300-400g hot smoked salmon fillets · 25g plain flour · 25g butter · plain flour

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250ml milk 50g grated cheddar or gruyere 2tbs white wine grated nutmeg tsp of chopped dill black pepper

METHOD For the gougère 1.

Heat the water and butter in a pan until boiling.

2.

Add all the flour half the cheese and beat well with a wooden spoon until the mixture is smooth and shiny.

3.

Allow to cool slightly for a few minutes then beat in the eggs one at a time until incorporated and smooth.

4.

Spoon the mixture onto a silicone covered baking sheet making a large ring of the mixture (10 inches, 25cm) with a generous hole in the middle.

5.

Sprinkle over the rest of the grated cheese.

6.

Bake in a hot oven 200C for 20-25 minutes.

7.

The gougère should be puffed up, firm and golden. Leave a while longer if needed.

8.

Place it back in the oven 170C for 10 -20 minutes as necessary to crisp up.

For the filling 1.

Melt the butter in a pan stir in the flour.

WOODBURY NEWS CLOSING DATES 2016 12 JANUARY. 9 FEBRUARY. 15 MARCH. 19 APRIL. 17 MAY. 21 JUNE. 12 JULY. ALL MATERIAL FOR THE MAGAZINE SHOULD BE SENT TO KAREN SQUIRES, WILLOWFIELD, OAKHAYES ROAD by 19.00 on the closing date, with a name and telephone number, or e-mail to karensquires100@gmail.com

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10 CORNERSTONES (Men's social group) In November we enjoyed a bird watching trip on Stuart Line's Pride of Exmouth.

2.

Cook for a few minutes then beat in the milk a little at a time to make a white sauce.

3.

Stir in the white wine, dill, black pepper and cheese.

4.

Flake the hot smoke salmon filets into the sauce and set aside.

To Serve 1.

Warm the gougère in a moderate oven.

2.

Spoon the warmed filling in the centre of the gougère.

3.

Sprinkle with dill sprigs and serve with watercress or a dressed salad.

Our thanks once again go to Stephen Leger who can be contacted at: stephenleger55@gmail.com Tel: 01395 233549 / 07977 422164 Secret Gourmet. www.secretgourmet.co.uk

On Pride of Exmouth The weather was good to us as we left Exmouth dock and sailed along the seafront before we went up the River Exe to Topsham, where we went about and returned to Exmouth on the incoming tide.

Ian Waite, a well-known local ornithologist, gave a continuous commentary for the three hours that we were out; the surprise was a sighting of a Bonaparte's gull, just as we were getting used to the differences between the blackheaded and herring gulls and the black-tailed and bar-tailed godwits!

Another joy was to see a massive flight of avocets take off from the mudflats at Topsham - just like a large white cloud! Over 40 different birds were seen and we were certainly more knowledgeable about the birds’ habitat on the river by the end of the trip.

We were well protected from the cold wind that blew up, being under cover on the top deck and fortified with hot soup and coffee on the boat.

JUMBLE SALE SATURDAY 6 FEBRUARY 2016, 13.30.

In aid of Woodbury Village Hall Improvements Please keep your jumble ready for our sale on 6 February.

Thanks - Woodbury Village Hall.

ASH DIEBACK DISEASE AND WOODBURY

by Sylvia Wickenden and Sally Elliott With the arrival of ash dieback disease in Britain, it seemed urgent to record the contribution of ash trees to the local landscape, and over the last few months we have surveyed every one of the parish lanes (sadly it was not practical to include all the field boundaries). The completed report includes simple maps of each lane, marked with the positions of ash trees, and with photographs of particularly noteworthy examples. It is archived with the Woodbury History Society, and is available to view on the Parish website http://www.woodburydevon.co.uk.

Ash trees are native, and were frequently boundary markers defining land ownership, the earliest mention of an identifiable tree being in an Anglo Saxon Charter of 680. Over the centuries, its strong, durable, pliant, and shock-resistant wood has been invaluable to the rural economy, having been put to various uses by wheelwrights, wainwrights, tool- and handle-makers, and rake- and hurdle-makers. The ash tree was credited with healing and magical powers; its graceful beauty has been the inspiration of poets, artists, and musicians; and it has been celebrated in folklore and surrounded by superstition. It has lent its name to many places, such as Ashcombe, Ashclyst, Ash Hill, and Ashford. In these diverse ways, the ash has secured a place in the country’s history and heritage. How cruel, then, that it now faces a deadly disease for which there is no cure.

Ash dieback, also known as Chalara, is caused by a microscopic fungus, Chalara fraxinea, that inhabits leaves and twigs and damages them through a chemical that is very toxic to the tree. In summer it produces dust-like fungal spores, which are carried by the wind and spread the disease.

Cont’d/...

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It first becomes evident in the leaflets, which develop blackish spots, and then infects whole leaves, which turn dark brown, wither, go rigid and hang down. The infection continues to the twigs and branches. At the point of entry to the trunk, a long narrow strip of bark goes blackish, sunken and dies, and the surrounding area forms an elongated canker. As the disease progresses through the tree, death or severe weakening usually follow.

Young trees and coppice shoots are the most vulnerable, with old trees less easily infected.

Chalara has been present in Europe for more than two decades, and reached Britain in 2012, in a commercial consignment of saplings from the Netherlands to Buckinghamshire. Since then the disease has spread, with eastern and south-eastern counties being especially stricken. According to DEFRA, the number of infected sites rose from 323 at the end of 2012, to 949 by the end of 2014. Wind-borne spores, able to cross both sea and land, are held responsible for much of the spread; but imports of nursery stock are also to blame, unwittingly carrying pests and diseases to which native species have no resistance. A prime example of the potential dangers of this practice is Dutch elm disease, which virtually wiped out the country’s elm trees. To minimise the impact we should, according to leading ecologist Oliver Rackham, “Stop treating plants … as mere articles of trade, like cars or tins of paint, to be made and brought in industrial quantities from anywhere.”

The Government has attempted to slow the spread of the disease through tightening bio-security and import regulations, while also encouraging replanting infected areas with alternative species. It has committed research funds to identify strains of ash that are naturally resistant.

An up-date from the Forestry Commission in September yielded bad news, as there have been several new confirmed cases during the year. Of these, in the South-west three are in Devon north of Exeter, one is in Cornwall, and some are in Somerset and Dorset. In short, the Commission fears the disease is spreading out of control. Its website has detailed information, including a case distribution map and an illustrated guide to the symptoms. It is important to report suspected cases to the Commission so it can take swift action to minimise further outbreaks.

Contact Forestry Commission Tree Health Team Tree_health_england@forestry.gsi.gov.uk Tel: 03000 674042 Sources: Oliver Rackham, The Ash Tree (Little Toller Books, 2014), p166 http://www.forestry.gov.uk/ashdieback

We are still working hard to raise awareness in the community of WCPF’s proposals for enhancements to the facilities and have been supported by many events in the village throughout the last year to fundraise and to publicise our charity and plans.

We have received monies from Coffee and Cake mornings, Indian and Fish & Chip Suppers, Bag2School, Halloween Evening, Dartmoor Tree Surgeons, Collection Pots located in the community, and Woodbury Post Office Stores donating costs from customers’ plastic bag sales. We have received help and advice from businesses and community members (financial support, storage, transporting and moving equipment), all lending their support. We are fortunate also to receive encouragement, assistance and co-operation from the Parish Council. All these contributions from our community keep the WCPF committee hard at work, trying to realise the objectives of the charity.

Finally, we saw Andrew Woodhead step down as director in July; we wish to thank him for all his work and efforts from the start of this project, and recently we welcomed two new directors on board our hard-working team, Sarah Hughes and Gary King!

WCPF appreciates and thanks everyone for all their support and hard work in 2015.

CAMERA CLUB 2015 The Camera Club continues to meet in the Church Rooms, but we have changed our day to the third Tuesday in the month. Quite a few members had difficulty with Wednesdays, our former meeting day. We are pleased to report that we have had a influx of new members. We now have twenty-six members with a further two hoping to join in the New Year. We have retained our policy of welcoming both experienced and beginner photographers and will continue with our practice of learning from each other, regardless of prior experience.

We have produced a calendar for 2016 and these are on sale at the moment price £6 in Cyril’s shop. We hope to get some suggestions for favourite views of the locality for next year’s calendar and hope to hear from readers of the Woodbury News.

We have continued to work with the History Society in matching historic pictures of Woodbury with modern equivalents and these have been on show at various venues in Woodbury (for example at the Charity Coffee mornings). Local people have shown a great deal of interest in them.

Those interested in our Club can visit our website at woodburycamera club.org and/or contact me, the Secretary, at mike@jeansy.org for further information.

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WOODBURY COMMUNITY PLAYING FIELDS Woodbury Community Playing Fields (WCPF) is a registered charitable company set up to develop the large playing field in the village. We are very proud of our charity’s achievements in working hard to involve ourselves in local events, consulting with local residents, and reaching our current strong financial position from fundraising and grant-raising income.

Our key objectives for WCPF are: · Making the playing fields a central point of village life and a desirable location for community events for all members of the community; · Encouraging active and regular participation in a wide range of sports and recreation in Woodbury; · Supporting the local community by providing excellent facilities.

We intend to deliver a new children’s play area, a multi-use games area, and then a new multi-use community facility for the football club, tennis club and rooms/outdoor space for use by Maytree Pre-School and scouts/guides groups.

The Multi Use Games Area (MUGA) was awarded £25,000 by EDDC (s106) and then a further £20,000 by The Norman Family Charitable Trust, and we are currently finalising our plans to submit to EDDC for planning permission. We still need to raise 10k -15k to deliver this fantastic resource.

As reported previously in the Woodbury News, WCPF are very excited that we have secured all the funds needed to install the new Play Park at the large Playing Field! We have received many donations in the last few months, including a considerable amount from the s106 money which has been directed by the Parish Council towards completing the excellent design from HAGS SMP, which the children of the village selected.

We have had a few problems with our groundworks installation date and, as this goes to press, we are now looking at a proposed start of January/ February 2016. We will be taking plenty of photographs to record the changes that will shortly be happening! During the installation the playground will be closed whilst we remove old equipment and landscape the new area.

We secured the lease of the playing field in late February 2015. This responsibility will enable us to access new funding streams but there is also the need to undertake routine management and operational activities at the playing fields, all of which incur ongoing costs.

BUSINESS ADVERTISEMENTS HOME SWEET HOME DECORATORS - Lucy Ryan Lady interior and exterior decorator. Walls, ceilings, woodwork, up-cycled furniture, garden painting and more. Professional, very tidy, competitive, reliable and friendly. Fully DBS checked. Free estimates. Phone: 07872 065890 (1/12) FRENCH AND SPANISH TUTOR qualified teacher and native French speaker with over 20 years experience offering 1:1 private tuition in Woodbury or online. French to any level and Spanish to GCSE. Excellent references and results. Call or text Isabelle O'Shea on 07817 163503.

HAIRDRESSER/COLOURIST Fully Qualified with many years salon experience. Available for mobile or from home (Exton). Contact Julie 07976 958557 or email: julie.morven@gmail.com for further info or to book an appointment. (2/6) BABYSITTER available - Woodbury Salterton. Jess aged 17, first aid trained, happy to do week nights or weekends subject to availability in nearby villages. Contact evenings on 232200 or text on 07857717913. (3/4) FOOT HEALTH PRACTITIONER & REFLEXOLOGIST Former RGN provides routine nail and skin care (inc corns and callus) or a reflexology treatment. Nicky Mattin (MAFHP itec RF) 01395 233222/07807603690 (4/12) QUIRKY AND COSY COTTAGE, village centre, sleeps 7, linen and towels provided. Tel. 07890 233313. Email. Suffolkcottage@gmail.com (8/12) LITERACY TUTOR Qualified teacher and specialist in Special Needs offering 1:1 private tuition for children and adults to support learning in literacy and language skills. See www.katecoldrick.com for further information or phone Kate Coldrick BMus (Hons), BSc (Hons) Psych, PGCE on 01395 232472 (10/12) PROPERTY MAINTENANCE – James Waddell Interior & Exterior, Carpentry, Flooring, Fencing & Gates, Plumbing, Decking, Bathrooms & Kitchens, General Repairs. Free Advice & Estimates. 01395 263496 (8/12) FOOT HEALTH PRACTITIONER Nail Cutting and Treatment of Corns, Callus and Verrucas - Home Visits. Contact Lindsey Waddell MAFHP 01395 263496. (12/12) ROOFING Woodbury based RWI Roofing Specialising in Slating, Tiling, Re-Roof, New Roof, Repairs, Guttering. For a friendly, reliable service call Ray 232926, or 07988 691051 (As recmd in OurLocalExpert.co.uk) (7/12) SQUIRREL COTTAGE Self catering 16th century property full of character, available for weekly holidays and short breaks. Sleeps 5. Graded 5 Star. www.thecottagecompanydevon.co.uk Tel: Kay 0776 9975557 (10/12)

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BUSINESS ADVERTISEMENTS Cont’d/...

GIVE BIRTH CALMLY - relaxed, confident and alert with KG Hypnobirthing classes. Find out more: libbyclaphamhypnotherapy.co.uk phone: 07986 157854 (5/12) BED AND BREAKFAST - Awarded a Certificate of Excellence by Trip Advisor. 4 Star Silver 16thC Devon Longhouse on a working dairy farm.

Sally Glanvill, Rydon Farm 232341 www.rydonfarmwoodbury.co.uk (7/12) COMPUTER REPAIRS AND UPGRADES; Broadband and wireless connections; Data recovery and backup; Windows, iPads and Apple computers, Virus and spyware removal; No fix no fee - Evening visits to suit you. Contact: Mark Doyle 01395 233694 (6/12) WE ARE POSH NOSH! With over two decades of experience in the catering industry we are at the forefront of special occasion and event catering in Devon and the West Country. We are committed to providing first class cuisine with outstanding levels of service. Phone:- 01392 444877 or email: info@posh-nosh.co.uk (8/12) RUBBISH REMOVALS Domestic and Commercial. Environment Agency licensed. No job too small. Tel: 0800 335 7610 / 07979 841376. www.rubbishremovalsexeter.com (9/12) WOODBURY HOLIDAY HOME TO RENT in centre of village. Luxury accommodation for 4 people, 2 en-suites, parking, courtyard garden. Weekly holidays & short breaks. www.woodburyholidays.co.uk 01579 350365. (6/12) FARMHOUSE BED & BREAKFAST AND APARTMENT, twin and double rooms. CL Caravan Club site. Jenny Broom, Courtbrook Farm, Clyst St George. 01392 877710. www.courtbrook.co.uk (5/12) ACCOUNTS AND TAX SERVICE Sole Trades, Partnerships, Limited Companies and Personal Tax. Full range of advice. Fixed fee plans and free initial consultation/quotation. Wheelers Accountants Tel: 233184 (24/24) MATHS TUITION: Experienced, female Maths teacher available to teach primary to GSCE level maths, 11+ and SATs preparation. Reasonable rates.

Telephone: Jane Moffatt on 01395 279952 (1/12)

WOODBURY CHARITY COFFEE MORNINGS The Charity Coffee mornings have had a great month giving £25 to RBL, £25 to Children in Need and £200 to Woodbury Community Playing Fields, as shown in the photograph. We also spent £20 in the hospice clearance shop and they kindly helped us buy five wool coats and six scarves to send to St Petrock. Thank you Chris Lear for delivering them for us.

Woodbury News is a Private Company Limited by Guarantee No. 5263356 Secretary: Karen Squires, Willowfield, Oakhayes Road, Woodbury EX5 1JT. Tel: 233299 Registered Office: Willowfield, Oakhayes Road, Woodbury EX5 1JT. Tel: 233299 Chairman: Peter Payne, ‘Harsley’, Toby Lane, Woodbury Salterton. Tel: 232394 Editor: Mrs Sue Bury, Mayflower Cottage, 37 Greenway. Tel: 233753 Deputy Editor: Mrs Val Arndt, Castlehaye, Castle Lane, Woodbury. Tel: 233175 Subscriptions: Mrs Anna Crafer, 15 Haymans Orchard, Woodbury. Tel: 232007 Circulation: Mrs Beverley Simcox, 2 Beeches Close. Tel: 232858

The picture, kindly taken by Mike Jeans, shows the cheque being collected

by Sarah Hughes, Gary King and Emma Finnegan, directors/trustees of WCPF. Don't forget to come to our January soup kitchen on the 9th. Also the coffee shop will be open on the Tuesday between Christmas and New Year - see you on the 29th.

EXMOUTH BRIDGE CLUB Exmouth Bridge Club now meets for friendly duplicate bridge in Woodbury Village Hall on Monday, Tuesday and Friday afternoons at 13.50. There is a host system and visitors are most welcome. More details of these and other events can be found by googling Exmouth Bridge Club.

SEE WOODBURY NEWS ONLINE www.woodburynews.co.uk

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FoSS (FRIENDS OF ST SWITHUN’S) During 2015 the FoSS committee organised a concert and supper in January, a full concert with Exeter School and local choirs in April and an afternoon tea in Church in July, with a new venture - a concert with Exeter Singers in October. These events were well supported by members and friends.

FoSS was able to donate £4,500 to the Church for masonry repairs at the West door, repairs to wood panelling in Church and refurbishing the gate at the lych gate. FoSS will continue to raise money to maintain the fabric of the Church and enable it to be available to all members of the community.

Concerts and events will be organised, which we hope will appeal to a significant number within our village. As always tickets are available at Rowsell’s shop, so please come along.

Saturday 23 January: AGM in Church at 19.00, which will be followed by a short concert at 19.30, featuring Woodbury Barbershop Quartet, Nigel Alcock, plus supper with a glass of wine at £7.50 per person.

Friday 22 April: a full concert with Exeter School choir and ensembles, and local choirs, with a glass of wine and nibbles in the interval.

Saturday 16 July: afternoon tea in Church, details to follow. We also hope to host an autumn concert in Church.

With such excellent acoustics, St Swithun’s is an ideal venue for musical events, which the FoSS committee hope will continue to be held for many years.

FORTHCOMING EVENTS

ST SWITHUN’S WINTER FAYRE The St Swithun's Winter Fayre was held on Saturday 21 November in Woodbury Village Hall where there were festive stalls including plants, books and gifts. Lunches and mince pies were also served. Father Christmas made an appearance, complete with a sleigh he made himself. A grand total of just over £2,000 was raised for St Swithun's and St Andrew's church funds.

The editorial team of Sue, Val and Karen wish all our readers a happy festive season.

Please continue sending in all your news, interesting articles and amazing photos.

19 Dec. 20 Dec. 5 Jan. 7 Jan. 8 Jan. 11 Jan. 14 Jan. 14 Jan. 23 Jan. 26 Jan. 4 Feb. 6 Feb. 10 Feb. 19 Feb. 22 April 16 July

Bluesburys Grand Christmas Party. The Maltsters. 19.30-midnight Carols on the Green, Woodbury. 19.15.

Connections Chinese New Year Meal. 19.30/20.00. Church Rooms Exton Ladies Group outing to pantomime Cinderella in Plymouth.

Community Orchard Wassail. 18.30 procession from VH car park.

Police Surgery. Woodbury Primary School, 15.30-16.00.

Exton Ladies Group Games Afternoon and Birthday Tea. Woodbury WI How do children learn language? 19.30, WVH. FoSS AGM, Supper and Concert. St Swithun’s. 19.00.

Woodbury Twinning AGM. 20.00. Du Buisson Room, WVH Local History Society AGM, 19.30, WVH. Jumble Sale, WVH. 13.30. Bring jumble from 09.00.

Tennis Club AGM, 19.30, Church Rooms.

Twinning Wine Tasting Evening. 19.30. Du Buisson Room, WVH FoSS Concert.

FoSS Afternoon Tea. St Swithun’s.

ADVERTISING RATES SMALL ADS.: (3 lines) Private £2.00.

(3 lines) Business £5.00 (£50.00 per annum).

DISPLAY ADS. £17 quarter page (£185 per annum).

To: Karen Squires, Willowfield, Oakhayes Road, Woodbury EX5 1JT Tel: 233299 (e-mail karensquires100@gmail.com).

The Woodbury News accepts no liability for:- i) Any claims made by the advertiser; ii) Any errors or omissions in the advertisement as submitted by the advertiser; iii) Any legal action as a result of the advertisement.

WOODBURY POST OFFICE STORES requires

FULL / PART-TIME SHOP ASSISTANT Permanent position No previous experience necessary Full training given Please ask for details in the shop or call 01395 232269 Thank you.

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ST SWITHUN’S CHURCH, WOODBURY Vicar: Reverend Karen Spray. Tel:01392 877400 email: church@revdkaren.org.uk Associate Minister: Reverend Christopher Cant. Tel: 01395 488178 email: chriscant@tiscali.co.uk USUAL SUNDAY SERVICES - 1st Sunday 11.15 All Age Eucharist. 2nd Sunday 11.15 Eucharist. 3rd Sunday 11.00 Sunday Club, 11.15 Eucharist.

18.30 Evensong. 4th Sunday 08.00 Said Eucharist, 11.15 Morning Prayer. 5th Sunday See Special Services. Morning Prayer every Monday at 09.15.

SPECIAL SERVICES Sunday 20 December Youth Service followed by Carols on Green 18.15.

Christmas Eve Midnight Mass 23.30.

Christmas Day Book of Common Prayer Service 08.00.

Eucharist 11.15.

Sunday 27 December Combined Mission Community Eucharist 11.15.

This is the only service in the Mission Community on that day.

Sunday 1 January Combined MC Eucharist for Candlemas at Clyst St George, 18.30. This is the only service in the Mission Community on that day.

NEWS AND EVENTS Please note the 08.00 Communion Service at St Swithun’s on Christmas Day will use the order from the Book of Common Prayer.

Lych gate Stall No lych gate stall in January.

Sunday Club Meets every 1st Sunday for All Age Eucharist at 11.15, and on the 3rd Sunday in Church Room 11.00-12.00, then into church to show what has been made/done.

FLOODLIGHTING ST SWITHUN’S CHURCH (dusk until 23.00) Dedications: Reg Brown -14 December. For Janet’s 80th birthday.

Reg Brown - 17 December. For Belinda Price who retires as Clerk to the Parish Council at the end of the year.

Hazel Pyatt - 4 January. For David Keep for all his work on the magazine and also to Esme Thompson. Without their years of service, ex-pats like me would miss our monthly “fix” of nostalgia.

And thanks to Roger Hann who is funding the Christmas lighting from the proceeds of the Christmas Craft Fayre.

For your special event, contact Mike Jeans 01395 232544, or see the details and book it online at our website: www.whitecrossdevon.org.uk/woodbury-withexton/flood lighting-form.php.

Digest available in church or from website www.white crossdevon.org.uk.

WOODBURY GARAGE

¨ MOTS ¨ SERVICE ¨ REPAIRS ¨ ALL MAKES & MODELS ¨ ENGINE DIAGNOSTICS The Arch, Woodbury, Devon, EX5 1LL woodburygarage@hotmail.co.uk T: 01395 233004 M: 07527 125956

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Woodbury Dance Studio

RAD BALLET Grades and Majors

Children from 2½ years Principal: Mary Griffiths ARAD, MA(Oxon) Tel: 01395 271249 marygriffiths@hotmail.com www.woodburydance.co.uk All classes at Woodbury C of E Primary School

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DECEMBER 2015/JANUARY 2016 EDITORIAL Caught on camera at the beginning of December by Pete Broadbelt is Graham Joyce of Woodbury.

How lucky is the village to have such a fearless person on hand who can use his climbing techniques to shin up the huge lime tree (some 22 metres tall) on the village green at this time of the year.

Graham said: ‘I’ve lost count of how many times I have put up the Christmas lights but it must be between ten and fifteen years.’ He reckons that there are about 100 metres of garlands to be strung up.

Graham uses a combination of ropes and harness to work his way up to the top of the tree. Then, instructed by Dave Moore from below, he ‘arranges’ the lights, this year in a spectacular Christmas tree shape. The job takes about two hours before Graham reaches the ground again. The lights stay in place until Twelfth night, after which the whole exercise has to be undertaken again, in reverse.

Words of encouragement were offered by Parish Councillor Roger Mayo.

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2 ALL BUILDING JOBS CONSIDERED

R. Miller & Son Painters and Decorators THORNS COTTAGE, WOODBURY

Tel: Woodbury 233773 All work expertly carried out under personal supervision.

Woodbury Village Hall

DustAway Limited

Hall and two Meeting Rooms, Fully equipped Kitchen

All Work and no play, We are here to help

Available for: Dances and Parties Wedding Receptions Meetings and Classes Jumble Sales and Craft Fairs Badminton, Plays, Business Lettings For bookings please contact: Robin or Marian Lennox Tel: 01395 232126 email:- woodburyvh@gmail.com www.woodburyvillagehall.org.uk

Friendly Efficient Cleaning Service.

Weekly, fortnightly, monthly, one-off Cleans.

Moving house, holiday lets, end of tenancy cleans, spring cleans.

We also offer an Ironing service.

Fully insured – all materials supplied.

Please call Iris 01392 427776 07879 427333 www.dustaway-cleaning.co.uk

Woodbury Salterton Village Hall Hall –Tables and Chairs, Well equipped kitchen with cooker and fridge, crockery and cutlery inclusive in hire.

Modest Rates.

For bookings please contact:

Pat or Gill Bricknell 01395 232463

PICTURE FRAMING Artwork, photos, memorabilia,etc.

40 years experience with Fred Keetch of Exeter & Exmouth local collection and delivery in this magazine area SIMON BOLT Tel: 01395 233407 or email: simonbolt60@gmail.com James Sliman Electrical Services Reliable, Fully Qualified, Local Electrician with over 15 years experience.

All aspects of electrical work undertaken from an extra socket to a full rewire Free Estimates - No job too small All work fully insured & guaranteed All work inspected, tested & certified to current standards.

01395 276323 07866 313812 www.jslimanelectrician.co.uk Previous customers said:

“Very neat & tidy work, & a nice guy.”

“I am delighted to recommend James, he is highly competent and reliable, I trust him implicitly.’

For further references please visit: www.ourlocalexpert.co.uk

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WOODBURY NEWS

HOLIDAY ISSUE DECEMBER 2015 / JANUARY 2016