Plymouth Chronicle Plympton & Plymstock May 2021

Chronicle Plymouth

See inside for news and information from Plymouth City Council Pages 2 and 3

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Plympton & Plymstock

May 2021

COVID UPDATE

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A Plymstock mum is receiving five star reviews for her book which charts her battle against cancer See page 24

Young people in Plymouth are set to be inspired by a special programme as part of the big Sail GP event See page 13

ALSO INSIDE: • Dial the Experts • Cross Rhythms • Local news and Experience views • Useful numbers

High octane spectacle!

Barbican Theatre and Plymouth Gladiators Speedway have joined forces to present Petrrol Headz over the August Bank Holiday weekend. The high octane event will feature the best of the modified car scene along with the associated street culture and music • Story and more pictures on page 16

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2 May 2021

2 May 2021

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As lockdown eases, let’s not blow it!

I am sure that the continued easing of lockdown measures will be a relief to many people in the city.

We are all looking forward to seeing our friends and loved ones again, to being able to enjoy a drink in our local pub, tidy our lockdown hair and return to our local gym.

We have all given so much over the past few months and the next milestone in the roadmap will be welcomed by us all.

However, without wanting to sound like a broken record, the need to follow the safety rules is just as important now as it was last year. If we do not, we run the risk of welcoming COVID-19 back into our communities.

With the vaccine rollout going well and COVID-19 cases staying relatively low, it is easy to see how people might drop their guard and bend the rules in order to get that much-missed normality back in their

lives. But this would be a huge mistake.

We do expect to see the number of cases go up and down.

However, if we see a significant rise, we risk further restrictions. Therefore, please make sure you remember the rule of six and hands, face and space.

One issue that is getting a lot of local coverage is the increased litter that has come with more people being out and about.

Over the Easter weekend we collected over 24 tonnes of litter from litter bins across the city. This is a huge amount – much more than on a normal day.

Of course we are providing more bins, more collections and more loos but it is everyone’s responsibility to keep Plymouth tidy.

If you are heading out for a sociallydistanced meet-up with friends, please put

your litter in the bin or take it home.

Over the next few weeks more of our services that have been impacted by the pandemic will begin to reopen.

Make sure you follow our social media feeds and website updates for more information.

By Dr Ruth Harrell Director of Public Health for Plymouth

HOW TO KEEP UP-TO-DATE

You can check the latest number of COVID-19 cases in Plymouth on the Council’s website at: www.plymouth.gov.uk/covid-19. There are also daily updates on the Council’s Facebook and Twitter pages.

Vaccine rollout continues across the city

By Sue Wilkins Director of Vaccination and Testing for University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust Across Plymouth, people have been making such huge sacrifices to keep each other safe and we’re so grateful to everyone for their incredible efforts, supporting us at the NHS.

Moving forward, vaccination is the best way we currently have to protect yourself and the people you love from COVID-19 and the more people take up the vaccine the sooner we will hopefully see life becoming more normal again.

Our vaccination rollout across Plymouth has been moving at a blistering speed. Over 125,412 people in Plymouth received their first vaccine dose between 8 December and 1 April, meaning

more than half of people aged 16 and over in Devon have had a first dose of the vaccine.

Having had the vaccination myself, as well as overseeing services where tens of thousands of people have been vaccinated, I can reassure people that it is easy to arrange, safe and quick.

And whilst a small number of people do have a few side effects, these usually don’t last long. We know there is still some way to go before everyone is protected.

There has been a lot of national coverage about vaccine shortages over the next few weeks but those in Plymouth who are currently eligible for a COVID vaccine should not delay.

They should come forward to book an appointment as soon as possible, particularly while there are still thousands of spaces available (especially at Home Park).

As a reminder, everyone aged 50 and above, people with underlying health conditions and health and care workers are among those now

eligible for a vaccination. So before we see the supply constraints in April please come forward.

Making an appointment is simple: • Use the national booking service via the website or by calling 119. The national booking service offers appointments at large vaccination centres or the selected community pharmacies that are offering the jab (including Home Park and

Plymouth Cricket Ground, Devonport, run by Devonport Pharmacy) • Or, if you’ve been invited by your GP, please respond to book up and attend this week while there are still plenty of spaces available.

Please share this information so we can vaccinate those who are eligible as quickly as possible.

If you’re not sure if you are eligible for a vaccine, go here: www.nhs.uk/conditions/ coronavirus-covid-19/coronavirus-vaccination/ who-can-get-the-vaccine/

May 2021

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Ensuring voting is safe this May With Plymouth City Council and Police and Crime Commissioner elections due to take place on Thursday 6 May, the Council is reminding residents who are not already on the electoral register that they must register by midnight on Monday 19 April.

Arrangements for voters are going to be different this year, as the Council looks to ensure that the election process is as safe as possible during the pandemic.

Some residents may prefer to vote by post or by appointing someone they trust to vote on their behalf (this is known as a proxy vote).

You need to be registered to vote before you can apply for a postal or proxy vote.

If you want to apply for a postal (or postal

proxy) vote the deadline is 5pm on Tuesday 20 April. The deadline to apply for a proxy vote is 5pm on Tuesday 27 April.

Postal and proxy votes can be temporary and used for these elections only.

The Council is putting in place sensible safety measures at all polling stations for 6 May, including cleaning, socially distanced queuing systems, face coverings being worn and hand sanitiser on site.

Polling booths will be cleaned very regularly throughout the day. Voters are encouraged to take their own pencil or pen but pencils provided will be sanitised between uses.

Find out more at www.plymouth.gov.uk/ localelections2021electorinformation

Libraries reopen their doors Plymouth’s libraries are reopening to customers from Monday 12 April, as the next phase of COVID restrictions are lifted.

People will be able to browse the shelves and book PCs again, although special measures and reduced opening hours will be in place to ensure the safety of staff and customers.

As before, there will be limits on the number of people allowed in at any one time and everyone will be asked to check in with the NHS Test and Trace app or provide their details on arrival.

Customers will also be asked to wear a face covering (unless exempt) and use the hand sanitiser provided, as well as follow social distancing guidance and oneway systems in place.

Additional cleansing will be carried out and there will be ‘quarantine’ containers for items handled but not borrowed (and returned

items), as well as protective screens at service counters.

Central, Crownhill, Devonport, Efford and Plympton libraries will reopen on Monday 12 April, followed by Estover, Peverell, Southway and St Budeaux on Tuesday 13 April and finally North Prospect and Plymstock on Wednesday 14 April.

For each library’s opening hours and full details see the Council’s website at: www.plymouth.gov.uk/ coronaviruscovid19informationaboutlibraries.

Accessing symptom-free testing All residents across Plymouth can now access rapid lateral flow tests, enabling them to test themselves twice a week.

Rapid testing has so far been available to those most at risk and people who need to leave home for work, including frontline NHS workers, care home staff and residents and schoolchildren and their families. Now rapid testing will be offered to everyone, with people encouraged to take regular tests to

help prevent outbreaks and help us reclaim a more normal way of life.

To make it as easy as possible for local people to access these tests, there are a number of locations in Plymouth were tests can be conducted under supervision or collected to be carried out at home.

More information: www.plymouth.gov.uk/ coronaviruscovid19information/howstaysafe/ gettested

NOTE: The information on these pages was correct at time of going to press on April 8.

Please visit plymouth.gov.uk/covid-19 for latest updates or sign up for email updates with the latest news and information at bit.ly/plymouthemailalerts

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4 May 2021

Memorial to the victims of slavery is unveiled

Plymouth marked the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade with a new memorial.

Earlier this year, the council committed to commemorating the victims of slavery and the memorial has been unveiled to pay tribute to all of those who suffered and died as a result of historical slavery and also as a result of modern forms of slavery. The memorial features former Plymouth MP and artist William Elford along with the countless other individuals and organisations who worked tirelessly to ensure the abolition of the slave trade.

It is mounted on a limestone plinth and features a plaque with an image of the British slave ship Brookes, designed by William Elford.

This image was first published in a pamphlet by the Plymouth chapter of the Society for Effecting the Abolition of the Slave Trade and became one of the most important symbols of the national abolitionist campaign.

The memorial sits within the Plymouth Hoe Peace Garden, a space for contemplation and reflection.

4 May 2021

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Horticultural havens set to open in support of local hospice care A local charity is marking the return of one of its most popular annual fundraising events by inviting people to enter an online competition for the chance to win an original painting by internationally acclaimed, Plymouth-based artist Brian Pollard.

Brian has donated the captivating land and seascape to St Luke’s Hospice Plymouth, of which he is a Patron, to help the charity launch its Open Gardens scheme for this spring and summer, following a hiatus to the event last year because of COVID-19 safety restrictions. The charming image also features on the cover of the flyer promoting the scheme, which sees kind-hearted owners of beautiful gardens across Devon and Cornwall throw open their gates in aid of St Luke’s and its specialist end of life care for local people with terminal illness.

Brian, who works from his Plymouth studio and regularly shares his new work on Instagram, enjoys visiting the gardens each year with his wife Jane. He said: “As a former GP, I know just how needed St Luke’s is and the important difference it makes to local families at a very tough time. The Open Gardens scheme is one of the most enjoyable and inspiring ways people

Artist Brian Pollard with the painting competition prize

can show their support for the charity and help build its resilience for the future, and I’m delighted to be able to help by donating my painting as a competition prize.

“In it, I chose to highlight the

beauty of the South Hams because St Luke’s care extends beyond Plymouth to people living in the rural surrounding areas, and the waves on the sea are a reminder of the therapeutic power of the water

that surrounds our coast.”

This year’s Open Gardens season gets underway on April 18 with the opening of Lower Coombe Royal, near Kingsbridge, where eight acres of gardens and woodland await visitors. Next to open, on April 21, is Weir Cottage near Bere Alston followed on April 25 by country house Gnaton Hall, near Yealmpton, where visitors can discover stunning terraced lawns and walled gardens as well as peaceful woodland walks.

With more gardens set to be added to the programme over coming weeks, St Luke’s is also introducing a special event likely to appeal to young families in particular – its first-ever Open Farm.

On August 4, South Battisborough Farm, on the road to Mothecombe Beach, will welcome visitors in aid of the charity, giving them the opportunity to see a working farm in action.

Also new is St Luke’s online booking system for Open Gardens and Open Farms, which has replaced the pay in-person on the day process of previous years. Tickets, which are £5 per adult, can be purchased at www.stlukes-hospice.org.uk/ opengardens, where there are details of all the locations taking part in this year’s scheme.

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Multi-million investment in digital infrastructure for Plymouth

Plymouth will see tens of millions pounds investment in expanding its digital infrastructure over the next three years as part of an ambition to become one of the best-connected cities in the UK for residents, businesses and visitors.

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Plymouth City Council recognises that investment in digital technology will be vitally important as the city’s economy looks to bounce back from the effects of the pandemic. Easily available, low-cost high speed digital connections will boost business productivity, innovation, create thousands of jobs and deliver hundreds of millions of pounds in economic benefits for the city.

The council also aims to tackle the issue of the digital divide in the city with an estimated eight per cent of Plymouth residents (around 20,000 people) digitally excluded and lacking the skills, equipment or motivation to take up online services Investment in digital infrastructure already underway across Plymouth includes: • Working with CityFibre, the UK’s third largest national infrastructure platform, on a £52m project which will see gigabit full fibre connectivity delivered to nearly every property across the city. The project will create a competitive alternative to existing copper cables with a full fibre network transforming the digital connectivity of the city. CityFibre estimates the project will boost Plymouth’s overall economy by around £600m in the next 15 years.

• By this summer, BT, working with engineers from Openreach, will have delivered 131 full fibre connections to public sector properties across Plymouth and surrounding area. The Local Fast Fibre Network project, which has been given £2.3m funding by the Government, means key public services such as hospitals, clinics, doctors’ surgeries, schools, youth centres, libraries and council buildings will benefit from ultrafast fibre broadband with download speeds of up to 1 Gbps (Gigabit per second).

• Openreach has also already started work to extend its existing superfast fibre network at two of the seven local exchanges in the city, increasing speeds available from up to 80Mbps available today to full fibre 1Gbps.

• Across the city this year, VirginMedia, will be upgrading its network of coaxial cable to 1 Gbps speeds.

• Widespread availability of fibre broadband will enable provision of the next generation of mobile services using 5G, which is already live in the city with more coverage being rolled out over the next three years.

• Smart Sound Connect is an extension to the established Smart Sound Plymouth marine innovation testing and proving ground administered by our European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) supported marine innovation service, the Marine Business Technology Centre (MBTC). Providing the world’s first oceanbased 5G testbed, Smart Sound Connect allows marine businesses to utilise high speed data networks to accelerate the development of marine autonomy, clean propulsion, environmental monitoring and modelling and cyber security solutions.

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Hair today, gone tomorrow for kind-hearted Esmae

Six year old Esmae Heaney was out shopping in Plymouth with her mum Tegan when she saw another little girl of a similar age who had no hair.

Esmae asked her mum why the little girl looked like that. Tegan explained that she was receiving treatment for cancer and that this was one of the effects caused by chemotherapy. Nothing more was said and Tegan thought that was the end of it.

But several days later Esmae asked her mum: “If I cut my hair off could I give it to that little girl.”

Esmae had not had her hair cut since she was born, with the exception of trims to tidy it up and so her request came as a big shock as both mother and daughter loved her hair long but, she insisted that was what she would like to do.

Tegan with the help of her grandfather Ray Sparkes who lives in Exeter looked into how they Esmae before... could carry out Esmae’s wishes and after a long search they found an organisation called The Little Princess Trust. ...and after The Trust was founded in 2006 and provides free real hair wigs to children and young people who have lost their own hair through cancer treatment or other conditions.

Providing free real hair wigs is at the heart of what they do and they have supplied over 8000 free wigs since 2006 and have invested £5 million for ground breaking research towards the development of less aggressive and less toxic cancer treatments.

Not only did Esmae donate 50cm of her hair but she also raised hundreds of pounds in sponsorship including £200 from her great grandfather’s Masonic lodge, St. John the Baptist, one of the oldest English Freemasons lodges in the world which is based in Exeter.

6 May 2021

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Big £100,000 investment by Plympton engineering firm A specialist in precision pressed parts and machined components has invested more than £100,000 on the installation of a new high-speed press line to boost capacity ahead of a raft of new opportunities.

Source Engineering, which employs 32 people across its two divisions in Plympton, has tapped into the expertise of Bruderer UK to purchase a machine that can do the work of four conventional power presses.

The new 20 tonne stamping press was identified as the ideal solution and is now up and running at its Langage Business Park facility, achieving 300 strokes per minute which represents a 200 per cent increase in production output across a range of products destined for the automotive, electrical wholesale and oil and gas markets.

Engineers at the firm have freed up an additional 500 sq ft of production space to use for the introduction of new projects and to help them cope with an increase in demand for its range of automation solutions.

Andy Dunkerley, chairman of Source Engineering, said: “Buying a Bruderer is like buying the Swiss watch of machines… you get unrivalled precision, speed and repeatable quality, all wrapped up in a relatively small footprint.

“We already had one in another part of the factory and were fully aware of its capabilities, so when it came to looking at how we optimised the factory floor space by replacing four machines with one high-speed line we called in its technical experts to review the options.”

He continued: “They really understood what we were looking to achieve in space utilisation without giving up the versatility and the volumes, which basically meant we needed one machine to do the work of four.”

Pablo Gutierrez, technical director at Source Engineering, added: “Sales

Pablo Gutierrez, technical director at Source Engineering, with the new Bruderer machine

are now back to pre-pandemic levels and we are looking to grow, with our ability to provide design, tooling and manufacturing all in one place driving the need for more production space.

“Our long-standing relationship with Bruderer UK has been pivotal in giving us a faster more flexible machine, whilst also delivering capacity to install different types of presses or a dedicated assembly area to support bespoke automation work.

“There are lots of new opportunities domestically and overseas and we are hoping to turn some of the potential into contracts that will see turnover rise by 20% over the next twelve months.”

Adrian Haller, managing director of Bruderer UK, said: “This is a perfect example of how the technical expertise of our team and the power of our presses can be combined to find a solution that does the work of four machines in one.

“Tolerances of manufactured process

speed have improved significantly, whilst the ability to achieve fast changeover of press tools has been achieved due to the inbuilt Bruderer application of SMED (Single-Minute Exchange of Dies).

“We’ve been working with Andy and Pablo for nearly a decade and have got an excellent relationship with its technical team. This was a project that really excited us as we could use our technology to provide an immediate operational solution and, importantly, a way of supporting the company with its ambitious expansion plans.”

Source Engineering, which is approaching 30 years in business, has developed new control boxes that help monitor the part as it goes through production.

It has already supplied a number of models to Bruderer UK for installation on its machines and is looking to expand its offer further over the next twelve months.

Huge online sales boost for car retailing group Car retailing group Snows, which has a branch at Langage Business Park in Plympton, has revealed it has sold £37m worth of cars online in the last 18 months.

Across its sites across the south of England, Snows has processed over 2,700 transactions since launching its online sales platform. Sales quadrupled following the introduction of a nominal reservation fee during lockdown in May 2020.

In spite of car showrooms remaining closed for many months during lockdown and many workers being furloughed online retail has proved highly successful for Snows, which operates 50 car dealerships from 29 sites across the south of England, has been one such success story, revealing today that it has sold over £37m worth of cars since making online car buying a reality.

The forward-thinking car retailing group, which employs over 900 people regionally and sells car brands such as SEAT and Toyota, has been quick to see the benefits of online car retail, blending its physical showroom operations with its online platform.

It launched its initial product, called Click & Go, in August

2019. When COVID-19 emerged just a few months later, they acted swiftly to develop their online solution even further with leading auto ecommerce solutions provider GForces, to create a fully end-to-end online car buying solution.

The team have added plenty of additional functions in recent times. As well as increasing their Live Chat capability, the team began offering video call appointments with personalised walkrounds, alongside a small, fully refundable deposit mechanism to support its real-time click and collect-style used car retail offering.

Commenting on the success of their online sales journey so far, chief executive Stephen Snow said: “We are a relatively compact, familyowned business, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t be innovators.

Over the years, we have always prided ourselves on the quality of our customer service and we were completely focused on ensuring that our customers enjoyed their online experience and were able to interact with our showroom based staff easily whenever they needed to.

“The results we’ve achieved have been terrific, but just as importantly, the feedback from our customers has been incredibly positive and we’re looking forward to serving the local community both online and offline in the years ahead.”

May 2021

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Gables help unwanted cat in need of urgent medical care Gables Dogs & Cats Home have taken in an unwanted, overweight cat which desperately needed medical care.

a much needed dental and his tumour removed.

Deputy manager, Ruth Rickard said: “It is always so distressing

Lumpy Larry, as he has affectionately been named, arrived at Gables with tightly matted fur all over his body and a large tumour on his face, which had been left untreated.

Lumpy Larry is a friendly, affectionate cat and Gables are certain he will have no problem finding a new home once he is well enough.

As well as needing to lose some weight, nine year old Lumpy Larry is going to need a lot of medical treatment and TLC to get him back to peak condition. His fur was so tightly matted on arrival, he had to be shaved all over under anaesthetic, but he feels much more comfortable now.

He will also be fully vaccinated, treated for fleas and worms, have

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Lumpy Larry I just knew we could help him and he is such a sweet, friendly boy. Our vet even had trouble listening to his heart properly as he was purring so loudly on examination.

“He is going to be a very loving addition to a home once he has had all the treatment he needs.”

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PLYMPTON’S OLD PRIORY ACADEMY GETS THUMBS UP FROM OFSTED

Old Priory Junior Academy in Plympton has welcomed the publication of a recent Ofsted report following a monitoring visit in February of this year.

The visit focused on the school’s provision of remote education and the progress made since the last full inspection.

While some shortcomings were identified in the delivery of the French curriculum, overall the inspectors concluded that staff at the school were taking effective action to provide schooling in the current challenging circumstances caused by the Coronavirus pandemic.

Head teacher Suzie Ottewell said: “We are delighted to share this report with the community. Inspectors recognised that we were proactive in organising our remote education offer and that we ensured we regularly checked in with parents to see how we could improve this provision.

Inspectors could see that we were providing the same education to those children in school during lockdown, and those who were accessing education from home.

“In addition, inspectors recognised that the pandemic did not impact the progress we have made in developing our curriculum and the other aspects identified for improvement in our last full inspection.”

A link to the full report can be found on the Plympton Podcast Facebook page by searching Old Priory Junior Academy.

(Story courtesy of www.

PlymptonPodcast.org.uk)

Praise for unknown local teenage hero An unknown local teenager is being praised after jumping into the river at Plymbridge to rescue a stranger’s dog.

The incident happened on March 20 when Sarah Morrell’s beloved spaniel got into difficulties and could not get out of the water. The teenager who was unknown to Sarah sprang into action to save the day.

Noticing the dog’s predicament the lad who had been sat nearby listening to music entered the water fully clothed and then swam out across the river to rescue the animal.

Sarah said: “With all the negativity around teenagers recently I would like to thank the young man, to me he’s a lifesaver!” (story courtesy of www.PlymptonPodcast. org.uk)

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8 May 2021

Government’s public health funding for Plymouth is ‘shameful’ Government funding for local public health services in Plymouth has been described as ‘shameful’ after a year of struggling with coronavirus, and will put the health and wellbeing of local people’s lives at risk.

Despite having additional responsibilities to combat COVID-19, Plymouth City Council will receive a belowinflation increase to public health funding.

Throughout the pandemic, the council has been responsible for providing a range of services to help tackle COVID-19 infection rates, from local track and trace, supporting the roll out of the vaccine and protecting the vulnerable. These responsibilities are set to continue for months to come.

Yet despite Kate Taylor this, and the growing uncertainties of the wider impact of the pandemic on the city, the Government has only allocated the council £58.61 per head of population, a rise of only 64p per person, which is effectively a cut in real terms.

Councillor Kate Taylor, Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Social Care, and Chair of the Health and Wellbeing Board for Plymouth Council, said: “This funding allocation is nothing short of shameful.

The Government’s investment in the health and wellbeing of local people is woefully inadequate.

“We have local people who need our help and these additional pennies don’t even scratch the surface “Throughout the last 12 months, we have seen all too clearly how public health matters, and for that not to be recognised in this funding announcement will make the job of tackling the issues that COVID-19 has either caused, exacerbated or highlighted, so much harder.

“How are we supposed to improve lives and reduce the strain on the NHS if the Government aren’t prepared to put their hand in their very deep pockets?

“Yet again, councils will be forced to come to the rescue and bail out the Government when they have failed to act.”

Public health funding per head of population for Plymouth has been historically lower than it should have been since the service moved from the NHS to the local authority.

Plymouth’s allocation is once again substantially lower than other areas of the country. For example, the City of London has been allocated over £188 per head of population, and Kensington and Chelsea £138. In addition, the allocation does not take into account the health inequality in the city – with one in five children living in poverty.

The Local Government Association, which represents councils, has said that nationally, since 2015, funding for public health services from the Government has reduced by a quarter.

8 May 2021

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Plymouth charity backs call for action plan for young carers A Plymouth charity says that more needs to be done to help young carers realise their full potential at school and in their future careers.

not been available through lockdown and no alternative support has been provided: “There has been no escape socially for young carers for 12 months,” said Theresa. “The boys have been at home with no respite at school and no outlet, such as the activities they do with Friends and Families.

“I just don’t think the government has thought about this. Everyone’s physical health has been placed above mental health.

Some conditions have been forgotten about.

But this isn’t unique - there is this same lack of understanding within education.

Some schools are very good and recognise young carers have responsibilities outside of school. They still have to do the work, but these schools realise that it can be difficult within the schedule. Other schools aren’t

Friends and Families of Special Children has warned that the lockdown has exacerbated the issues faced by young carers, some of whom are as young as primary school age. The charity is backing an urgent call by the national charity, Carers Trust, for an Action Plan for Young Carers. The call coincided with Young Carers Action Day in March, which this year had the theme, ‘Protect Young Carers’ Futures’.

Long-term research shows that young people who have caring responsibilities at home are disadvantaged at school, with The Children’s Society reporting that young carers achieve significantly lower educational Theresa and Leigh with attainment at GCSE level Taylor, Danny, Sonny than their peers. This and Jack is despite young carers often having wider skills than their classmates because of their added responsibilities.

There is concern that lockdown might have made matters even worse. A Carers Trust survey in July 2020 flagged up a steep decline in the mental health of young carers across the UK. In the survey into the impact of COVID-19, 40% of young carers aged 12 to 17 said their mental health was worse and 67% are more worried about their futures as a result of the pandemic. Two-thirds also report feeling more so good - and this is having an impact on stressed. young carers’ futures. This really needs to be Plympton mum Theresa Hardy feels the addressed, we need national standards.” needs of young carers have been ignored Taylor was recently in the news for cycling during the pandemic, and that this reflects a the 603 miles from John O’Groats to Land’s wider problem. Theresa and husband Leigh End on a static bike to raise over £4,000 for have four young sons - Danny, 13, and Sonny, Friends and Families of Special Children. who is nine, have disabilities, and Taylor, 12, As well as caring for Danny and Sonny, and Jack, aged eight both help to care for Taylor also helps his mum and dad with their brothers.

The family uses the services of Friends and chores: “Taylor has developed a high level of Families of Special Children - but these have independence, responsibility, and resilience,

through necessity. Sonny has a rare muscle condition which means he is often in a lot of pain with his legs and Taylor is brilliant with him.

“When he takes Sonny out in his wheelchair, or if he goes to the park with Danny, he will use forward planning to assess what is needed. He is an organiser and a problem solver, and he has a huge amount of care and empathy. He will always think of others first. He is also very driven, which is why he is already well ahead for his age.

“These are valuable skills that should be recognised and rewarded, not under-valued and ignored.”

Friends and Families of Special Children was established in 2002. It supports families with disabled children in the Plymouth and surrounding area.

Services include a Fun and Freedom Club for young carers and an Adventure Club which offers activities for disabled children. Its city centre building also has a sensory room for children with profound and multiple learning disabilities.

Founder and Chair of Trustees, Kay O’Shaughnessy said decision-makers must consider the unique needs of young carers as the country exits lockdown: “Young carer services need sustainable funding and prioritisation for the safe re-opening of face-toface support, and we need to be able to plan what support this could offer after lockdown, to help deal with the increasing isolation felt by many young carers.

“The wellbeing and mental health of young carers have deteriorated, with the respite of schools being taken away for so long. It’s vital to find ways of creating the space for them to get a break, to get the time that they need to be themselves and to actually be children at this really difficult time.”

For details visit www.friendsandfamilies. org.uk

May 2021

@PlymChronicle

The Box is to open again on May 18 The Box, Plymouth’s new museum, art gallery and cultural centre is to open again in May.

Plans are in place for the doors to be opened to the public again on Tuesday May 18.

The Box first opened on September 29 and in the ensuing nine weeks it attracted 30,000 visitors. There than followed a five-month closure due to COVID-19 restrictions.

Exciting plans are in place for a host of special events during the summer and autumn.

When it re-opens on May 18, The Box’s programme will include a brand new exhibition called ‘Wampum: Stories from the Shells of Native America’. The exhibition centres on a wampum belt created by 100 members of the Wampanoag of Massachusetts. It will be displayed alongside seven historic wampum belts on loan from the British Museum and Saffron Walden Museum.

The Box’s Mayflower 400 commemorations also continue with its flagship exhibition ‘Mayflower 400: Legend and Legacy’. The exhibition has been extended until January 2022 and returns with new objects on display including the Second Peirce Patent, on loan from Pilgrim Hall Museum.

This significant item is the oldest existing state document of New England. Signed in 1621, it gave the Mayflower passengers English permission to settle in America. 2021 marks the first time in 400 years that it will travel to England.

Later in the summer, The Box will display a selection of paintings from its rarely seen Port Eliot collection. The collection includes works by leading 18th century portrait painters such as Plympton-born Sir Joshua Reynolds, George Romney and Thomas Lawrence, and represents an unusually good group of family portraits, commissioned by the Eliot family of the Port Eliot Estate in St Germans between 1740 and 1780.

Contemporary art is at the heart of The Box’s offer and a major international art exhibition which will open on September 25. Details will be revealed in June, four months ahead of its opening date. There will be nothing like it happening anywhere in the UK in 2021 and visitors are expected to travel from across the country to catch this blockbuster show.

Tudor Evans, leader of Plymouth City Council, said: “This is such an exciting moment for the city and it’s fantastic to finally be able to announce these dates .I hope everyone is as proud and excited as I am and can’t wait for the doors to reopen. In our post-lockdown world, The Box is a place where people can reconnect with each other, as well as Plymouth’s history and its bright future.”

For more information visit www. theboxplymouth.com

New plan sets out bright future for tourism in Plymouth Plymouth’s new ten-year Visitor Plan sets out ambitious targets for the local visitor economy to achieve by 2030 and will play an important role in helping the industry to recover after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Visitor Plan the following year. Now, in our tenth anniversary year, it is time to update and share our vision for Plymouth’s visitor economy up to 2030.

“The plan was developed and consulted on before March 2020 and the global pandemic.

Obviously, since then, the world has changed significantly and we need to adapt to the new landscape and explore the opportunities it offers. Nevertheless, our vision and long-term trajectory remain unchanged and, although the visitor economy has been particularly hard hit in 2020-21, we remain confident that the solid groundwork done to date will allow the sector to bounce back to even greater success in the years ahead.”

In the past 12 months, tourism has been hit very hard by COVID-19 and it is estimated that from the start of the pandemic to January 2021, up to 64

per cent of spend in the city will have been lost, equating to around £203 million.

Leader of Plymouth City Council, Councillor Tudor Evans, said: “It has been an incredibly difficult year for businesses and the Council has worked hard to support as much as we can by The plan, created by Destination Plymouth and administering business grants, promoting our key partners, lays out the city’s strategic goals to ‘shop local’ campaign and implementing our help drive visitor numbers and increase visitor economic recovery plan, Resurgam. spend.

“Destination Plymouth has achieved a huge This includes nine ‘star projects’, such as amount during the last ten years and, together developing the Plymouth Sound National Marine with the council and key city partners, has grown Park, growing Plymouth’s night time economy and the visitor economy to make Plymouth one of the improving transport infrastructure. top destinations within the South West.

Tourism, hospitality and the wider visitor “It’s vital that this work continues so that our economy has been a great success story for businesses are able to bounce back post-Covid, Plymouth over the last 10 years. The sector and the new Visitor Plan will play a crucial role in employs nearly 8,000 people locally and pulls in supporting them.” over 5.2 million visitors annually, who spend more During the pandemic, Destination Plymouth has than £337 million with our local hotels, continued to work with international restaurants, pubs, attractions, museums, and cruise travel agents and tour KEY TARGETS OF THE PLAN theatres and activity providers. operators, as well as conference and The sector also supports an extensive - Grow visitor spend by 30 per cent from £347 million to £450 million in a decade meeting organisers, to develop a Increase the total visitor numbers by 15 per cent from 5.4 million to 6.2 million supply chain of local producers by 2030 pipeline of potential visitors for late including dairy and meat farmers, fruit Make international tourism worth £60 million as year spend in the city a 65 per 2021 and 2022. There are already 10 and vegetable growers and the local cent increase cruise ships booked to visit Plymouth fishing community.

- Grow UK staying visits by 25 per cent to achieve £150 million spend, focusing on this year, as well as a further 10 in 2022.

Chair of Destination Plymouth, Adrian short leisure breaks For more information go to the Vinken, said: “Destination Plymouth - Make conference and business tourism worth £25 million a year in spend, a 55 Destination Plymouth website at www. was formally incorporated in 2010 per cent increase in a decade visitplymouth.co.uk and launched the city’s first strategic

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SAVE OUR SANCTUARY: CHARITY IS ON THE BRINK OF COLLAPSE An equine sanctuary which has rescued over 200 horses and ponies has launched a desperate appeal for help.

Hoofbeats Sanctuary was formed 21 years ago by Sharon Vieira and for nearly 10 years has been based at Lower Collard Farm at Wotter on the outskirts of Plymouth.

At a time where many charities are struggling, and fundraising events have been at a standstill for 12 months or more, Hoofbeats Sanctuary have been told they must find a new home as their landlord takes back their rented land.

The charity has rescued and rehomed over 200 horses and ponies since they were first launched in 2000. The sanctuary offers a safe haven for horses of all shapes, sizes and backgrounds and has seen troubled residents go on to find forever loving homes thanks to the hard work and dedication of Team Hoofbeats - the charity’s completely volunteer based team.

Having turned so many horses and ponies’ fortunes around from their quiet and unassuming fields on the edge of Plymouth, Hoofbeats are now hoping their fortune can be turned around by the generosity of members of the public, without which, the future for Hoofbeats and the horses that call it home is uncertain.

The charity’s ‘Save our Sanctuary’ appeal has been launched as an emergency response to the ‘devastating’ news that their landlord wishes to take back the land they

@PlymChronicle

Hoofbeats founder Sharon Vieira with some of the ponies the charity has rescued

rent for his own business venture.

Sharon Vieira said: “As a team, we find ourselves in a heart-breaking situation, this is very raw for us and we are desperately

trying to find a way forward.

“At a time that all charities are struggling to keep their head above water and with us being unable to do any fundraising events

this could not have come at a worse time.”

Having made Lower Collard Farm their home over the past ten years, the volunteers at Hoofbeats have put in ‘an unimaginable amount of hard work, money, effort and time’ to make it the safe haven the horses and ponies so deserve.

Sharon added: “Hoofbeats is so much more than just a horse welfare charity: our horses have helped people along the way too.

“I have been overwhelmed with the messages of support received in just a few days that tell stories of our work, and the horses, having such a positive effect on many of our supporters and volunteers’ mental health.

“This news is such a blow for the charity, the horses, and for us all as a team personally too.

“As a charity we cannot face this sort of turmoil again, which is why this urgent appeal, at what is already a difficult time, is asking for anyone who supports our mission to give generously if they can to help us purchase a permanent residence for the sanctuary.”

Hoofbeats have set up a crowd funding campaign to help raise the money to do this so that the future of its work, and its horses and ponies, is never at risk again.

To pledge your donation to the charity’s emergency appeal, please visit: www. crowdfunder.co.uk/save-our-sanctuary

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May 2021

@PlymChronicle

11

Businesses urged to sign Resurgam Charter and help Plymouth build back better Plymouth City Council has launched the Resurgam Charter, a commitment from Plymouth’s businesses to create a fairer and greener city as it recovers from the impacts of the pandemic.

With a growing population of 263,000 people in the city, and a pre-COVID economic output of £5.2 billion, Plymouth is the most significant urban area on the South West peninsula. As part of the council’s economic recovery plan the city has set a target to reduce carbon emissions by 50 per cent and maximise local spending to create a lasting legacy for Plymouth and its community.

The Resurgam Charter, which is free for businesses to sign up to, focuses on five key challenge areas to ask businesses to commit to: Spend Locally, Employ Locally, Benefit employees, Benefit the community and Benefit the environment.

Over 150 businesses attended the virtual launch event for the charter on March 23, hosted by Richard Stevens, chair of Plymouth Growth Board. Businesses which sign up to the charter will receive guidance and information on how they can address each of the five charter challenges within their organisations in areas such as paying living wage, reducing carbon footprint and

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“As businesses look to the future, and plan for post-Covid recovery, signing up to this scheme shows a positive commitment to being a part of Plymouth’s aim to create a fairer and greener city, that all of us should be a part of.”

Richard Stevens, Chair of Plymouth Growth Board

increasing local spend.

Councillor Tudor Evans, leader of Plymouth City Council said: “I’m delighted to welcome the launch of the Resurgam Charter. Our Resurgam plan for recovery focuses on protecting jobs and addressing both the immediate threat to lives and livelihoods and resetting the local economy to address structural inequalities in our city.

“This is an important step within our recovery plan, asking businesses to support

our aim in making Plymouth a fairer and greener city, giving clear challenges for employers and employees to follow. This charter provides easy to follow steps for businesses to commit to spending locally, employing locally and providing a better community and environment for the people of Plymouth.”

The charter has been developed by the Inclusive Growth Group, a flagship of the Plymouth Growth Board, comprising of representatives from Plymouth Social Enterprise Network, Real Ideas Organisation, CETEC, University of Plymouth, Devon and Plymouth Chamber of Commerce, Plymouth City Council and Plymouth Octopus Project.

Join our city’s cast of amazing characters

The challenges within the charter have been created following collaboration with the wider business community to enable as many organisations as possible to see how they can commit.

Richard Stevens, Chair of Plymouth Growth Board said: “It’s fitting to have launched this charter one year since the lockdown began.

As businesses look to the future, and plan for post-Covid recovery, signing up to this scheme shows a positive commitment to being a part of Plymouth’s aim to create a fairer and greener city, that all of us should be a part of.

“I’m delighted to have been involved in the launch to share how easy it is for Plymouth businesses to sign up and be a part of this scheme and hope to see many people joining us in marking this important commitment.”

The Resurgam Charter is part of Resurgam: Plymouth’s Covid-19 Recovery plan, which addresses both the immediate threat to lives and livelihoods presented by the pandemic, and a plan to reset the local economy to address structural inequalities in the city and place a fairer and greener future at the heart of the recovery.

Find out more about the Resurgam Charter at www.resurgam.uk/resurgam-charter

Part of the Reopening High Street Safely Fund, funded by

12 May 2021

12 May 2021

@PlymChronicle

Sherford Life City College forges partnership with Where are you going first? As I write, it’s the day after Boris Johnson confirmed that he would be heading to the pub on April 12 and ‘cautiously but irreversibly having a pint.’

I’ve missed going out for a drink, or a meal. I’ve missed going to the zoo and the aquarium; I’ve missed visiting National Trust houses. Most of all I’ve missed seeing family and friends! What about you?

I’m not a professional food critic and I don’t work for TripAdvisor, but for what it’s worth I am offering you my list of best places to visit as we head ‘cautiously but irreversibly’ out of lockdown: I’ve loved having food delivered from the Barbican Pasta Bar during the lockdown, and I’d love to be able to go back there in-person some time this year!

But one of my favourite things to do on a day off is to go out for breakfast, and so I’m looking forward to The Mess Room Café in Yacht Haven Quay reopening. That and Café Bovisands, of course!

And I’m looking forward to trying the recently refurbished Lemon Tree Café in Elburton.

For the time being it will be a mix of takeaways and outside seating where available, but sharing food with family and friends is something I’m excited to recover into my life.

Then there are the local attractions: as a family we love the National Marine Aquarium and Paignton Zoo, but there is also Dartmoor Zoo more locally, and the everexcellent

By Revd Tom Brassil Pennywell Farm.

The latter did a wonderful job putting COVID-safe Nativity sessions during December. We’re looking forward to spending time at Saltram and the other nearby National Trust properties, and also visiting the Mount Edgecombe estate.

Of course, all of the above are significantly better when shared with family and friends – even if we all have to stay two metres apart and bring our own hand sanitiser for the time being. It’s because we’re relational beings at heart.

Right at the beginning of the Bible, after God creates Adam, he says, “It is not good for the man to be alone…” (Genesis 2:18).

And so God creates Eve, and then allows them to procreate and grow their family more and more.

But, best of all, God has put the desire for relationship in our hearts in order to point us to himself, and draw us into relationship with himself. At various places in the Bible God calls himself the husband of his people, and in other places he calls himself our father.

The apostle Paul even reminds us in Galatians 4 that Jesus was sent to die for us on that first Easter weekend in order to secure our adoption as God’s children.

And here’s the best bit, especially right now: God never does social distancing!

If you have any questions about Sherford life, or if you would like to know more about Sherford Community Church or about what relationship with God looks like, please contact me at tom@ sherfordchurch.net

Building Heroes to help veterans and service leavers build a new future A new partnership has been forged between City College Plymouth and Building Heroes, to deliver construction skills courses at a specialist training centre at Sherford, to help service leavers and veterans retrain, gain valuable skills, and access new careers in an industry crying out for new talent.

Building Heroes is a national charity that supports veterans, service leavers and direct family members, offering practical skills courses to those interested in a career in construction. Delivering accredited courses across the UK, its first course with Sherford Skills Training Scheme took place last year and was the first Building Heroes course to be conducted on a live construction site and not in a purely educational setting.

A full programme of nine courses is planned across the current and next academic years, with the first underway this month. Currently, 12 learners – a combination of military personnel in a resettlement period and unemployed veterans – are on-site and taking part in the fully-funded Building Heroes construction skills course, with the aim of seeking future careers in construction.

During each five-week programme, learners will be tutored by education partner City College Plymouth, with hands-on tuition in various areas of construction and safety, resulting in Level 1 Construction Skills, and Level 1 Health and Safety in a Construction Environment qualifications. Trainees also take the fully-funded Construction Skills Certification Scheme test to get their CSCS Card, necessary to work in any construction environment. They will also benefit from mentoring and gain insights into the industry from Sherford’s housebuilders and contractors, and offered support in finding employment through regular networking events.

The courses will take place at the Sherford Skills Training Centre, which was developed to address the region’s skills shortage. It was funded by the Sherford Consortium – a partnership between Taylor Wimpey and Vistry Partnerships – and opened its doors in 2018. The centre has supported the training and development of hundreds of apprentices and armed service

Volunteer litter pickers from Plympton, Plymstock, Derriford and other areas of the city joined with the newly-formed Estover Ambassadors to clear literally tons of litter and waste from the woods behind Yewdale Gardens in Estover.

A team of more than 30 volunteers, all socially distancing, managed to clear a staggering 250 bags of litter, along with a mountain of larger items.

Estover Ambassadors was launched in March by George Keast and his partner Abigail Rowley and

A dozen learners have already embarked on the new courses and will receive additional tuition from City College Plymouth

leavers, helped create over 280 jobs, and enabled users to retrain and upskill across trades.

Steven Ricketts, Sherford Skills training scheme coordinator, said, “This new partnership will have a positive impact on the lives of our learners, as well as the local construction industry. More than half of those we teach are former members of the armed forces, and it is an honour to help them gain new skills and pursue an exciting new career path. We now have two major flagship programmes on offer – Building Heroes and CITB Onsite Experience – and the bigger picture is that, by providing this training, we will boost employment opportunities and economic growth.”

Karen Jefford, chief operations officer of Building Heroes, said: “We are thrilled to be working with skilled staff at City College Plymouth and Sherford Skills Training Scheme to deliver this programme in Plymouth. It makes perfect sense for our charity to provide support in a city that is synonymous with the Royal Navy and still hosts Europe’s largest naval base.

“We are also excited to be delivering on a live construction site, with all the potential

over the last few weeks their efforts have resulted in more than 500 bags of fly-tipped rubbish and other items weighing around seven tonnes collected.

El Clarke, co-founder of Clean Our Patch CIC said: “It has been a truly outstanding effort to tidy up these woods in Estover. It has shown just how much team spirit there is among community litter pickers across the city.”

More volunteers are always welcome. To find out more visit the ‘Clean Our Patch’ page on Facebook.

employment opportunities and experience that can offer. The success of this delivery model is something we plan to replicate in other areas of the country in the future.”

Johnny Mercer MP, Minister for Defence People and Veterans, made a visit to Sherford to meet the first intake of learners taking part in the Building Heroes course in September 2020. He said: “We have a proud military past and large population of service personnel in Plymouth, which makes it especially vital for us to do all we can to support and provide for our veterans.

“The work of the team at Sherford and Building Heroes shows what collaboration and commitment can achieve. This course is a fantastic example of leaders in construction, education and the charitable sector uniting in the best interests of our veteran community – and I hope to see more of this across the UK.” Course dates are scheduled for May, June, September, November 2021, and February, April, May and July 2022. Anyone interested in finding out more can contact sricketts@ cityplym.ac.uk or register online at sherford. org/working-at-sherford/skills-trainingscheme/

May 2021

@PlymChronicle

13

Inspirational SailGP programme will create a lasting legacy for young people in Plymouth

up to

Young people in Plymouth will have the chance to learn new skills and try out sailing for the first time when SailGP comes to the city in July.

SailGP, the most competitive racing on water, will come to Plymouth from July 17 and 18 for the Great Britain Sail Grand Prix – the third event in its global championships’ calendar, following opening events in Bermuda and Taranto, Italy.

As well as being a thrilling spectator event, plans are in place to ensure that it has a positive impact and opens up opportunities for the city’s young people through its three programme pathways – Learning, Careers and Racing.

Plymouth City Council and SailGP are working together on a number of inspirational programmes that will include sailing experiences and learning events focusing on science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM).

The aim is to engage with schools and young people right across Plymouth, especially in deprived areas in the north of the city where many will not have had to opportunity to try sailing before.

In the week running up to the race, SailGP Inspire, the league’s community, education and outreach initiative, will offer a unique full day experience for 200 young Plymothians.

The day will include the chance to try out sailing, likely for the first time, and hands-on education sessions inside the technical base at Millbay. The initiative will be delivered in partnership with the Mount Batten Centre, with further support from Plymouth Youth Sailing and Horizons.

SailGP Inspire is powered by the belief that sailing can be a force for good and it aims to leave a lasting legacy in all of the eight grand prix host countries in 2021-22, promoting diversity and building a sustainable sport.

In addition to the on-water activity taking place in Plymouth, the council will run a week-long STEM celebration throughout the week engaging with thousands of students aged from four to 18 years old.

This will culminate in a major ‘STEM fest’ at Tinside Lido, where hundreds of young people can learn about the latest sustainable

marine technology, including that used by the SailGP teams.

The event will showcase marine sector jobs of the future to Plymouth students, encouraging skills development and inspiring them to explore a career in STEM subjects.

Deputy Council Leader Pete Smith said: “SailGP is going to be absolutely fantastic for the city – bringing in visitors, boosting the local economy and putting on an unmissable show! But it also presents us with an opportunity to encourage our city’s young people to engage with the ocean and we’re grabbing that opportunity with both hands.

“This is especially important for those living in deprived areas and the north of the city that may not be as connected with all the natural assets that Britain’s Ocean City has to offer.

“Throughout the week, we’ll be working with our partners to give young people their first taste of sailing and open their eyes to the exciting range of jobs that will be available to them in the future.”

SailGP is also working with young people that are already on track to work within the marine industry, offering up to 12 work experience placements for local young

adults. Additionally, a world class programme will be run to identify the next generation of performance sailors. This will involve intensive training and racing during the week of SailGP. Applications for both of these programmes are open now, see SailGP.com/ inspire for more information.

Although the Great Britain Sail Grand Prix is taking place over just one weekend in Plymouth, its legacy is set to continue far beyond that.

The council will continue to work with partners including the Mount Batten Watersports Centre, Plymouth Youth Sailing, Horizons Sailing Charity, the Ocean Conservation Trust and the Royal Yachting Association to give young people the chance to try sailing and to connect with the ocean.

The opportunities range from trying out watersports and free membership to local sailing clubs, to gaining new qualifications, as well as a programme for young people with disabilities. This all ties into the city’s plans for the new Plymouth Sound National Marine Park and will help to develop the park’s future ambassadors and volunteers.

Find out more at investplymouth.co.uk/ sailgp or at SailGP.com.

New operators for The Dome announced A partnership with a strong track record of running successful pubs and restaurants in the Westcountry is to take over the Dome on Plymouth’s stunning waterfront.

Inns of Cornwall and Devon, run by John Milan and Steve Bellman, have entered into an agreement for the 125-year lease and intend to repurpose and refurbish the two storey building as a restaurant and bar.

They were selected by Plymouth City Council following a bidding process carried out by JLL, independent property consultants. The partnership has considerable experience in the hospitality industry running award-winning venues, including the nearby Waterfront Pub on West Hoe, which won Gold in the 2019 Devon Tourism Awards ‘Pub of the Year’ and Silver for this year’s award.

They also run the Three Crowns in Chagford

which has just won Gold in the same category. Council leader Tudor Evans said: “This is a successful Westcountry partnership which has strong links with the city of Plymouth.

They have been part of the Plymouth family of businesses for a number of years and I can’t wait to see what they do with the Dome. It has terrific views and is in amazing location.

“More and more people are enjoying the Waterfront in the evenings, with more bars, cafes and restaurants, which is exactly what we want to see.”

Contracts have now formally been exchanged and behind the scenes the company have been looking at some stunning deco ideas, based on the Art Deco/1930s Ocean Liner theme.

It is hoped that the main bar area could be open for business by July followed by the rest of the building as fast as the refurbishment allows.

John Milan said: “Plymouth’s waterfront is a special location and we want to create something really special in the Dome. “We wanted to make the most of some of the existing features as well as the view and think the ocean liner theme will be the perfect fit for Plymouth, Britain’s Ocean City and of course, those who want a great night out on the waterfront.”

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14 May 2021

FLAVOUR FEST CANCELLED FOR SECOND YEAR RUNNING

One of the South West’s biggest food and drink festivals has been cancelled due to coronavirus restrictions.

Flavour Fest, Plymouth’s flagship threeday food and drink festival which attracts up to 100,000 visitors, was due to take place at the end of May 2021.

But with coronavirus restrictions still in place until at least June 21, organisers have decided not to go ahead this year.

Steve Hughes, chief executive of the Plymouth City Centre Company, said: “We are really sad to have to cancel Flavour Fest for the second year running but it’s just not the right time to stage an event of this scale that attracts so many people. We hope that we will be back with a bang in 2022.”

Plymouth City Centre Company and partners are now working on plans for other city centre events throughout summer and into the autumn, with the aim of attracting more visitors and boosting trade for city centre businesses.

There are plans for the return of a summer ‘Pub on the Piazza’, along with food and street market stalls, live entertainment, street theatre, dance and art.

This will be combined with free permits for tables and chairs, encouraging businesses to offer outdoor dining.

Mr Hughes added: “We hope there will be no more lockdowns and we will be doing all we can to attract visitors back safely and make sure our businesses bounce back and have a great summer.”

Non-essential shops are due to reopen on April 12 which is also when cafes, bars and restaurants can open outdoors with social distancing measures in place.

Extended opening times for Weston Mill recycling site

Weston Mill Household Waste Recycling Centre is set to open on Mondays and Fridays, as well as at weekends, from April 16.

The North Prospect Road site, which opens from 8.30am until 5.30pm, partially reopened in September 2020 so that our COVID-hit resources could prioritise essential waste services.

The site is extending opening hours in the wake of the vaccination roll-out and the widespread availability of lateral flow tests. It will also allow for the anticipated increase in demand as lockdown restrictions ease.

Residents will now also be able to dispose of wood at Weston Mill.

Councillor Sue Dann, Cabinet member for Street Scene and the Environment, said: “We always said that we’d continue to review the opening hours of Weston Mill and that’s exactly what we’ve done.

“With changes to national restrictions and guidance, we’re now in a position where we can open it up a bit more and make sure that the services people value the most, like brown and green bin collections, can continue alongside.”

Assuming all other government criteria are met in accordance with the Government Roadmap to Recovery and all other waste service are running smoothly, Weston Mill will reopen fully from May 17.

14 May 2021

@PlymChronicle

Spectacular three day music event for August Bank Holiday weekend Plymouth has been chosen to host a major music event on The Hoe over the August Bank Holiday weekend.

After a UK-wide city and venue search, 1 Big Summer will bring three days of entertainment offering a wide range of musical tastes, genres and audiences, ensuring there is something for everyone.

On Friday August 27 Ibiza Classics 2021 will be the main event, featuring a full live 26-piece orchestra playing three decades of iconic classics.

The orchestra night will also feature a headline DJ set and several support acts direct from the shores of Ibiza.

Saturday August 28 features the ‘1 Big Summer’ day festival with a line-up of UK chart topping acts and entertainment throughout the day.

The weekend’s entertainment concludes on Sunday August 29 with an event for the whole family: ‘The Great British Sausage and Cider Festival.’ This will feature an array of craft cider, sausage flavours, street food and entertainment, including stage games and competitions throughout the day.

There will also be special guests on the day in the shape of some of the UK’s best known arena and festival bands, alongside a line up of local talent.

Councillor Pete Smith, deputy leader of Plymouth City Council, said: “We’re delighted that the 1 Big Summer team have chosen Plymouth Hoe as their venue for what will be an amazing three days of live music and entertainment.

“It’ll be an important part of our post-COVID bounce back, bringing great economic benefit

to the city by encouraging more visitors and supporting local businesses. We all need a party after the past year, and this is just the ticket!”

With demand across all three days expected to be high, organisers are keen to ensure the people of Plymouth are prioritised. There is currently a sign-up period to prioritise Plymouth residents when tickets go on sale.

To manage demand, tickets will be limited to four per person. To sign up go to the website at www.1bigsummer.com

and deputy chief executive of St Luke’s, said: “We work with our community, in partnership with others, to achieve dignity, comfort and choice for people affected by life-limiting illnesses.

“The service we provide is about so much more than hands-on medical care – it is about getting to know our patients so that we can focus on what matters most to them, helping them make the most of their time with loved ones.

“We know that people respond best when they feel listened to and understood, and we are committed to doing all that we can to ensure this. The Armed Forces Covenant grant will help us meet the specific needs of terminally ill military staff and veterans, and their families.

“We will also share our learning with other organisations throughout the communities we serve across Plymouth and surrounding areas so that these patients feel better supported by all in the last months, weeks

and days of their lives.”

Plymouth’s Mark Ormrod, the former Royal Marine Commando who sustained life-changing injuries while serving in Afghanistan and is now an internationally acclaimed motivational speaker, performance coach and award-winning author, is a patron of St Luke’s.

Championing the charity’s End of Life Military Compassion project, Mark said: “I have such respect for the team at St Luke’s, who always give their care with such kindness and sensitivity.

“Knowing that they are going the extra mile for forces families by developing their service in a way that is bespoke for them is fantastic.

Not only will this help ensure terminally ill military men and women feel recognised for their service and die with dignity, but that their loved ones are better supported, too.”

For further information, please contact St Luke’s on 01752 964250 or email education@ stlukes-hospice.org.uk.

Enhancing end of life care for armed forces men and women A much-loved local charity dedicated to looking after terminally ill people of all backgrounds is piloting a scheme to enhance its end of life care for patients who have given service to their country in the armed forces.

The End of Life Military Compassion project recently launched by St Luke’s Hospice Plymouth will help ensure the community is a kinder place for both current military personnel and veterans whose time is running short, and for their families, too.

With grant funding from the Armed Forces Covenant, the initiative has evolved from St Luke’s collaboration with Plymouth City Council and other local organisations which established Plymouth as England’s first Compassionate City for people at end of life and those who care for them.

Recognising that patients from military backgrounds tend to feel better understood, and more at ease, when the care and support they receive acknowledges the service they have given their country, and the language and routines with which they are familiar, the charity is dedicating some of its own resources to help better identify those patients who would benefit.

Understanding, too, that receiving a terminal diagnosis can lead to feelings of isolation and loneliness, St Luke’s is using the grant to recruit volunteers from military backgrounds, providing them with bespoke training so that they are equipped to give befriending support to terminally ill current and former servicemen and women and their families.

Many of St Luke’s own highly skilled staff come from military families or have themselves served in the armed forces. As well as harnessing their knowledge and experience to develop the pilot project, St Luke’s has drawn on the expertise of charities dedicated to supporting current and former forces personnel, including the Plymouth Veterans and Families Hub, the Royal British Legion, SSAFA and Help for Heroes, all of whom welcome the initiative.

George Lillie, director of clinical services

Denise Mills from the Glenholt Good Neighbours Scheme and Gwen Mace

As the days lengthen and summer beckons so the possibilities of a brighter future appear in sight.

During a time of extreme loss; pain and inconvenience, stories have emerged of great kindness; generosity and commitment.

Here at POP, we have witnessed an amazing drive from people determined to help others. We have seen community groups emerge overnight; grow in a mere matter of days and flourish weeks later. Through the Neighbourhood Care Networks, which has helped to link them together, we have seen ‘community organisers’ share their experience: pointing out short-cuts; directing them to necessary and relevant individuals and sharing valuable information.

By working together, community groups have acted, quickly and efficiently, and, in doing so,

provided the best support they can where it has been needed most.

Since March last year POP has been working alongside the following community groups as part of the Neighbourhood Care Network:

Whitleigh Help Hub, Stoke, Keyham, Devonport, Stonehouse, The Hoe, Efford & Lipson, Plympton, St Budeaux & Barne Barton, Hooe & Turnchapel and Glenholt with further NCN’s in development at Honicknowle, Ernesettle, Mannamead, Southway and Coxside.

If you or your organisations would like to volunteer, text 07411 949 742.

NCN’s Helpline Numbers:

Spotlight on Glenholt Sitting on the ‘edge’ of Plymouth, close to the moors, there has been a strong sense of community in Glenholt for many years. In 2019 it was strengthened when the Glenholt Community Hub rallied residents to save their Post Office.

Since then, the formation of craft groups; choirs and coach trips has helped to provide more ‘social’ opportunities and create both new and stronger relationships within the area. Early last year, as news of the severity of the coronavirus increased so the Community Hub evolved into the Glenholt Good Neighbour Scheme. As the chair of both organisations, Denise Mills says, it was clear what was needed even before the first lockdown was announced:

Efford Efford 07380 07380309 309586 586

The Glenholt Community Larder first opened its doors, within St Anne’s Church, on Saturday the 30th of January to about 21 people. Operating twice a week on Wednesdays and Saturdays for an hour and a half GCL is now feeding nearly a hundred people a week. Its mission is both to provide fresh fruit and vegetables to local people and to reduce the amount of food going to landfill or the incinerator. Karen Woods, runs the project along with five volunteers and says there’s no typical recipient; “There’s a Grandmum that comes in to get food for her daughter and grandchildren; there’s a mum who is looking after someone who has been in hospital and there are pensioners coming in to get a little bit extra.”

Community larders are just part of the fifty different food aid projects now operating across Plymouth: a figure that has doubled in the last year. Community larders are informal: there is no voucher required; no

identification needed, or personal details taken. People can turn up; fill up a bag with what they chose and leave. As Karen says there are no questions asked; “The idea is that people turn up and don’t feel embarrassed.”

In the first week in January the GCL helped to feed 133 people now they are supporting nearly 100 households, providing about three quarters of a tonne of food a week and feeding more than 230 individuals. But what has shocked Karen more than anything is the number of people already waiting at the church before they have even opened; “We don’t open until 11 and they’re already queueing at the door at ten o’clock. To be there an hour before we open, well, you need it don’t you?”

The GCL is open from 11.00 – 12.30 on Wednesdays and Saturdays at St Anne’s Church. And, as Karen says, “will carry on for as long as people need us”.

The wonderful Glenholt Community Larder volunteers

“We printed a thousand newsletters, put them through letter boxes and appealed for volunteers to sign up to help look after those most-vulnerable in Glenholt. It was amazing, about fifty people signed up.”

More than a year later and the small army of volunteers has racked up the delivery of nearly five hundred newspapers; collected hundreds of prescriptions; walked miles with dogs of all shapes and sizes and spent numerous hours chatting on the phone with those who are socially isolated or in need of some company. Gwen Mace, who will be 86 in July, has hardly seen anyone for a year.

The Good Neighbours Scheme, she says, and its lovely volunteers have been marvellous; “I haven’t had to do any shopping,” says Gwen.

“People have been picking up and delivering my prescriptions and it’s really been invaluable. It’s also helped my family because it’s meant they haven’t had to worry about me so much because they know someone is looking out for me.”

The Glenholt Good Neighbours Scheme has taken more than 1250 phone calls from individuals since the pandemic began. Recognising the need to continue the community support, Denise has helped to set up the “North Plymouth Compassionate Friends Hub” as part of the St Luke’s Hospice Compassionate Friends initiative.

About four or five of the existing volunteers have begun training with St Luke’s so that they might support people at ‘end-of-life stages’ or offer support to those who have been bereaved. Plans are underway to have, post-lockdown, a regular compassionate café taking turns to be in different areas of North Plymouth. For Denise, working with St Luke’s is an obvious fit;

Efford Efford Community Community Network Network

Community Larder Continues

Whitleigh Folk Get Back in the Saddle Dr Bike rode into Whitleigh recently as part of the Department of Transport’s Big Bike revival. Bikespace, a not-for-profit social enterprise, was invited by Whitleigh Big Local to hold three sessions fixing residents’ bikes and helping them to get people back in the saddle. Dr Bike, otherwise known as AJ from Bikespace, worked flat out

administering remedies for, such typical bicycle ailments as, dodgy brakes; rusty chains and flat tyres. And not one of the 39 bikes examined by the ‘doctor’ was beyond repair.

If your community group, or workplace would like a visit from Dr Bike contact plymotion@plymouth.gov.uk

“I think it will be a blessing really,” she says. “Here in Glenholt, we have an ageing population with many residents on their own for about 95% of their time. I think it’s just going to bring them that little bit of warmth and encouragement.”

In need of help in Glenholt? Call 07849 413125.

Barry Meek, Chair of Whitleigh Big Local and Dr Bike, AKA, AJ from Bikespace

SUPPOSE YOU HAD £1000 TO SPEND IMPROVING YOUR COMMUNITY

WHAT WOULD YOU DO?

If you have an idea to improve your community using up to £1,000, we want to hear from you!

Contact us on 07842 043399 (WhatsApp) or email info@plymouthoctopus.org

16 May 2021

16 May 2021

@PlymChronicle

Barbican Theatre’s summer event at Plymouth Speedway Andrew Brewerton to step down from Plymouth College of Art’s top post

Professor Andrew Brewerton has announced he is to retire as principal and chief executive of Plymouth College of Art in July.

He has held the post for 11 years in a 27 year career of in academic leadership. In his time as principal, Plymouth College of Art transferred from the Further Education (FE) sector to the Higher Education (HE) sector in 2014, doubled its student numbers, and gained degreeawarding powers at BA (Hons) and Masters level.

Under his leadership the college has transformed the landscape of creative learning in Plymouth: developing an extraordinarily rich and diverse learning environment with the construction of new craft, design and fabrication workshops and Fab Lab Plymouth; establishing Palace Court and Palace Studios as its dedicated pre-degree campus; and founding the Plymouth School of Creative Arts, (now Millbay Academy) at the Red House.

These ground-breaking developments have been the subject of independently commissioned films by Freelands Foundation and Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios respectively.

It has been a highly productive period in which Plymouth College of Art emerged with new visibility as a public arts venue, fostering its own distinctive gallery programme and participating in multi-site exhibitions across the city such as British Art Show 7 (and the forthcoming British Art Show 9) and became the home address for independent film in the city as host venue to Plymouth Arts Cinema.

Mutual partnership has been a hallmark of the work of Plymouth College of Art during Andrew’s leadership tenure. This partnership is exemplified in Plymouth College of Art’s role as a founding associate of Tate Exchange; with The British Council in fieldwork internationally; with the West Bund Art Centre on the FutureLab project in Shanghai; in leading Plymouth’s successful bid to become the UK’s first Fab City; and in establishing Makers HQ, a fashion manufacturing CIC on Union Street in partnership with Millfields Trust In 2018 Plymouth College of Art was ranked fifth out of Higher Education establishments in the UK for class equality and widening participation by Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI), making the college the only specialist arts institution to rank within the top 10.

Professor Brewerton said: “It has been a privilege to serve this great Art School as principal these 11 years, a period in which Plymouth College of Art has found a distinctive voice in its advocacy of arts and cultural learning and practice, and social justice, in our city – a voice whose essential message, ethos and values now resonate far beyond this region, nationally and internationally.”

Plymouth College of Art’s Board of Governors will now begin putting in place arrangements to appoint a successor.

Barbican Theatre and Plymouth Gladiators Speedway are staging Petrol Headz, an August bank holiday weekend spectacular showcasing the modified car scene and the surrounding street culture.

Petrol Headz will feature roaring sound systems, drift cars, showcars, speedway bikers, skateboard tricks, parkour stunts, street dancers, DJs and MC battles and much more!

Laura Kriefman, Barbican Theatre’s chief executive said: “I’ve been obsessed with the artistry of the modified car scene and all the surrounding street culture for years. I love the precision movement displayed by drifters, and speedway riders.

“I can’t get enough of airkit and hydraulics cars and the technical skills behind it. I love the brilliance of the neon underlighting, epic vinyl wrapping and that’s before you add in the soundsystem culture that goes with it!

“I grew up going to Monster Truck shows and steam ups with my mum - it was inevitable that I was going to want to make a show about cars they’re much more nimble than dockyard cranes!

Who wouldn’t want to see immaculately designed cars, amongst sensational skateboard and parkour tricksters, speedway bikes and trick cars all accompanied by some absolute tunes?”

The Barbican Theatre team approached Plymouth Speedway back in the autumn to discuss the proposed Petrol Headz event. With a history of taking work to unusual spaces and creating sitespecific work the speedway arena at Marsh Mills was an exciting prospect for them. Not only is the arena able to offer a large capacity for spectators (1200+) the size of the grounds makes access for drift cars, show cars and all the other street culture groups a real possibility.

Photos by Dom Moore for Barbican Theatre

Ian Jordan, Plymouth Gladiators Speedway director said: “We’re thrilled to partner and collaborate with Barbican Theatre to optimise the potential of our PACE Plymouth Arena and Community Events Project; transforming the Coliseum Arena from a speedway stadium into a major community and entertainment hub for Plymouth and the whole of South West. The Barbican team share our vision of innovation to create new boundaries involving speedway racing and beyond, with a game-changing fusion of extreme sport, the wider arts, community and family entertainment.”

Barbican Theatre has a history of working with diverse communities, and have known for years how big the modified car scene is across Plymouth and the rest of the South West.

Barbican Theatre is passionate about building Plymouth’s own creative voice, and giving it a

platform. A show like PetrolHeadz is only possible thanks to the brilliant collective creativity from Plymouth Parkour, Prime Skate, Rhythm City, Dip Demons, ReBels Music, Driverse, George’s Car Media and many other amazing artists we are lucky to partner and work with.

Barbican Theatre has employed over 100 creatives throughout the lockdowns, and are excited that PetrolHeadz will offer employment and training opportunities for around 240 people all from Plymouth and the surrounding areas.

Petrol Headz will involve a cast of members of the car scene, Barbican ReBels, semi-pro and professional performers - and there will be opportunities to get involved- whether you’re a drift car driver, have built a car you’d like to show off on the exhibition field, are a dancer, skater, parkourist or want to learn how to produce events.

The first wave of tickets, for the grandstand seating areas, are now on sale (online only) priced at £17 with concessions £13 (including under 16s, students, registered disabled, BSL interpreter accessible seats, audio description accessible seats and over 60s).

Organisers are also introducing ‘Pay It Forward’ tickets for £13 where people can buy an extra ticket that can then be offered to a member of the community who would otherwise be restricted from attending due to financial barriers. Further seats and ticket types will be released at a later date. All ticket prices stated are inclusive of any booking charges or fees.

For updates on Barbican Theatre activity, events and opportunities please visit the website at barbicantheatre.co.uk or follow them on social mediaInstagram: @Barbican_Theatre Facebook: Barbican Theatre Plymouth Twitter: @ BarbicanTheatre Youtube: BarbicanTheatrePlym

Princess Yachts director in key role for CBI in South West Princess Yachts director Adrian Bratt has been named as the chair of the CBI’s South West Regional Council for the next two years.

A governance specialist and commercial lawyer by trade, Adrian joined Princess Yachts in 2017 after operating a national private practice specialising in the manufacturing, Adrian Bratt retail and energy sectors on behalf of national and multinational firms.

He is a former Royal Navy officer who has been part of the CBI South West Council since 2017, while also sitting on the Plymouth Growth Board and the Maritime Enterprise Working Group.

Adrian said: “The South West is a region of talent, ingenuity and enterprise which can wield great influence when it speaks with one voice. I look forward

to helping to amplify that voice to support a post-COVID recovery and evolve the levelling-up agenda.

“Throughout the COVID crisis, the CBI has led the way in terms of working with business, government and trade unions to support companies. We must continue to act as an agent of positive change as the focus shifts beyond the pandemic towards future investment in skills and sustainability to help the South West lead the way in the race to net zero.

Princess Yachts has been delighted to support my appointment. The company is proud to be a key business in the region, and looks forward to growing its role as a leader within the South West business community.”

@PlymChronicle

Hairdressing apprentice Katie is shortlisted in national competition A Plymouth hairdressing apprentice has said she is thrilled to be named as a finalist in a national competition for emerging hair professionals.

It has definitely given me the incentive to enter more competitions in the future.”

For the Level 2 Styling category, Katie was tasked with creating a ‘festival look’, which she first created whilst performing on Katie Butson, a second year stage at Salon International 2019 apprentice who works at Plymstock and was inspired by her manager, hair salon Cox and Co and receives whilst her entry for the colour her off-the-job training at City category was something she had College Plymouth, has been named developed at the salon. a finalist in the Concept Hair Learner City College Plymouth works as of the Year competition. Katie has closely as possible with employers been shortlisted in two categories: to support both them and their Level 2 Styling, and All Levels apprentices, ensuring apprentices Colouring. Having made it through receive the right training to assist the first round, Katie will now battle them in their employment. it out against 150 other trainees to Charmaine Cox, owner of Cox and reach the grand final.

Co, said: “Katie really is an amazing Concept Hair, the UK’s only asset to my team. She has worked magazine for hairdressing and so hard and has progressed so barbering students and apprentices, Katie Butson quickly, and aims to give the next generation of she has shown hair professionals the opportunity commitment to promote and develop their skills and determination from the through this award, which is judged by industry very start of her career. experts.

“Katie has been a pleasure The magazine received more than 1,000 entries to teach as she has always into the competition, with Katie now tasked with strived to achieve the best creating a new look and vision board in the hope she can, sometimes doubting of being able to represent both her employer and her skills. Her work ethic and the college at the grand final. determination is exceptional Katie, who will find out whether she has won and her creative ability, her later this month, said: “I was quite shocked to kindness and social ability be shortlisted, but I am really pleased to have with clients and other team reached this stage. It is a massive confidence members is fabulous. She is boost for me. I have always struggled with definitely my Learner of the Year and, as a team, confidence and I have never believed in myself. we are all really proud of her.”

Katie’s creations...the ‘festival look’ (above) and All Levels Colouring (left)

Katie added: “I have loved my apprenticeship so much. It has given me so many opportunities. To be given the chance to perform on stage at Salon International in London is a once-in-alifetime opportunity. City College has been absolutely amazing, teaching me all the theory I need for my Level 2 Hair Professionals and my salon, Cox and Co, has taught me my practical skills. I plan to start another course in September to expand my knowledge and learn new things.”

May 2021

17

Yealmpton appeal for more bowlers to join the club Yealmpton Bowling Club is looking for new players to expand it’s membership.

The club was founded over 40 years ago and even Old Mother Hubbard’s Cottage is incorporated in its logo - Mother Hubbard is said to have been the housekeeper at nearby Kitley House.

Due to the pandemic numbers have fallen and in order for it to continue as a vibrant and successful club they are now looking for new players of any ability, including beginners, to join them. Coaching is provided free and all necessary equipment is available for the use of new members. Membership is open to all, irrespective of age and experience, and will be free in the first year. The club has both men’s, women’s and mixed teams playing in friendly and league matches against other local clubs. The club is also involved with many activities of village life in Yealmpton, including the duck race, gala day, school fayre and the Christmas tree display in the church.

The club is located in the car park in the grounds of the Athletic Club, which is down the lane opposite Ben’s Farm Shop.

Anyone who is interested in learning new skills by playing bowls, or who is just interested in learning more about the club, please ring Colin Burgess, club chairman on 01752 880472 or Judy Smith, ladies secretary on 01752 405996.

Details also available at www. yealmptonbc.uk

ELECTIONS 2021 ARE YOU READY TO VOTE? On Thursday 6 May, have your say on who represents you in the local elections. A number of measures will be put in place to help you stay safe when voting in person at polling stations.

ARE YOU REGISTERED TO VOTE? In order to vote, you must be on the electoral register. The deadline to register to vote is midnight on Monday 19 April. If you have received the recent household notification letter then you don’t need to re-register.

YOU CAN VOTE BY POST! If already on the register, then you may wish to vote by post. The deadline for registering to vote by post is 5pm on Tuesday 20 April.

CAN I NOMINATE SOMEONE TO VOTE FOR ME? Yes, this is called a vote by proxy, the deadline to register is 5pm on Tuesday 27 April. But remember, you and your proxy voter must both be registered to vote.

For information on registering to vote and how you can vote, visit

www.plymouth.gov.uk/votingandelections

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18 May 2021

PROMOTING HAPPY AND HEALTHY HOLIDAYS IN PLYMOUTH More Plymouth children are set to get ‘Fit and Fed’ during the school holidays thanks to £1,042,910 from the Department for Education’s Holiday Activity and Food Fund.

Plymouth City Council’s Sports Development Unit will be working in close partnership with various organisations, including Plymouth’s school meals provider CATERed, to provide holiday activity and food programmes to disadvantaged children during the Easter, summer and Christmas school holidays.

Deputy Council Leader Peter Smith said: “We know that school holidays can be difficult for some families, with children at risk of missing out on healthy meals, activities and learning opportunities.

Programmes like Fit and Fed are a direct response to this issue and evidence suggests that they can have a positive impact on children and their families.”

The 2021 programme gets underway over the Easter holidays, with 40 holiday clubs across the city providing 1,445 places for children who receive benefit-related free school meals to enjoy a happy and healthy holiday.

All clubs will be delivered in a COVIDsafe environment and in line with current government guidance.In response to reduced inactivity levels caused by the COVID pandemic, 1,000 Fit and Fed holiday packs – with a food parcel and physical activity bag – will also be given away this Easter to children on benefit-related free school meals attending primary schools in the city’s most deprived areas.

The food parcels are being provided

by CATERed and will contain a range of nutritious food to make five healthy twocourse lunches with additional snacks.

The parcels will also contain a recipe booklet to help plan some exciting meals.

Louise Kelley, the council’s sports development manager, said: “These physical activity bags are specially designed to encourage children to keep physically active in a fun way.

Each bag contains a variety of items, including a large foam dice, bean bags, skipping rope, spot markers and bats and balls. Using the dice and the activity cards provided, children will be able to enjoy a number of fun activities that will help to keep them active every day.”

“The funding will also support the Fit and Fed programme taking place during the summer holidays, when it is hoped an even greater number of holiday clubs and park activities will be available.Councillor Smith added: “This will be a huge benefit to so many of our children and I’d like to thank everybody involved. We know that being active is a benefit to not only our physical health but also our mental wellbeing. Sport and physical activity are so important and these specially designed packs will help children have fun and stay active.”

Anyone interested in providing opportunities for disadvantaged children as part of this programme should contact the Sports Development Unit – email sportsdev@plymouth.gov.uk.

Super summer in the city!

18 May 2021

Plymouth will once again be home to an impressive programme of events this summer. The line-up includes everything from Mayflower commemorations and thrilling sailing races to live music events, as well as the return of the much-loved British Firework Championships.

Councillor Pete Smith, Deputy Leader of Plymouth City Council, said: “As we look forward to the easing of restrictions this summer, we’re delighted to be able to share the fantastic lineup of events and exhibitions taking place in Plymouth.

“There’s something for everyone to enjoy, and we’re looking forward to seeing locals and visitors alike enjoying the brilliant range of events.

We’ll be sharing more information about the programme over the coming weeks and months, so look out for further details.”

The 2021 event programme highlights include: Mayflower 400 Four Nations Ceremony (July 11) The Four Nations Ceremony is the UK’s flagship Mayflower 400 event, marking the closure of the international Mayflower 400 commemorations.

This impressive theatrical production with live music, song, drama and film will tell the Mayflower story from all angles, including direct from the Native American Wampanoag tribe. At the heart of the event will be a gigantic choir of 1,000 voices accompanied by the full concert orchestra of HM Royal Marines Band, Plymouth.

SailGP (July 17 and 18) One of the world’s most impressive sail racing events, SailGP, will stop in Plymouth in 2021, following the season opening events in Bermuda and Taranto, Italy. Plymouth has been selected to host the Great Britain Grand Prix, the third event of SailGP Season 2. SailGP features eight national teams made up of the sport’s top athletes including Britain’s own Sir Ben Ainslie, the world’s most successful Olympic sailor leading the Great Britain SailGP Team.The high-speed, adrenalinefilled racing will take place on Plymouth Sound each day, alongside onshore activity throughout the afternoon in the race village where you can watch the action ‘close- up’ on big screens whilst looking out over the racecourse from Plymouth’s famous Hoe. The Hatchling (August 14 and 15) This August, theatre-makers Trigger will stage The Hatchling, an extraordinary outdoor performance bringing a worldwide myth to life. A giant puppet

@PlymChronicle

The British Firework Championships return to Plymouth in August

in the form of a dragon will appear in Plymouth and roam through the city, exploring its new surroundings and interacting with the public.

The Hatchling, which stands at over 6.5m tall, is the largest ever puppet to be solely humanoperated. It is constructed from super lightweight carbon fibre weighing less than a piece of hand luggage, allowing it to be operated by a team of 36 puppeteers working in rotation in groups of 15. Upon hatching the dragon will explore her environment, stopping traffic as her curiosity takes her through the city and she meets members of the public. The dragon was designed by a palaeontologist and is based on the pterosaur, a prehistoric reptile that was one of the largest flying animals ever to have lived. At sunset on Sunday August 15, she will undertake a miraculous metamorphosis into a kite, unfolding her wings spanning over 20m. Flying from a clifftop, she will soar into the sky and across the sea in a once-ina-lifetime spectacle for a live audience. For more information visit www.thehatchling.co.uk British Firework Championships (August 18 and 19) The world-famous British Firework Championships is set to return to Plymouth’s waterfront in August, this popular annual event attracts approximately 100,000 people over two nights. Under the sparkling night sky, viewers will enjoy spectacular pyrotechnics that will illuminate Plymouth Sound, as six top firework companies battle it out over two nights, each putting on an

awe-inspiring ten-minute display in an attempt to be crowned the winner.

1 Big Summer (August 27 to 29) 1 Big Summer, a three-day music event will take place on Plymouth Hoe on the August bank holiday weekend. See story on page 14.

The Box Officially opened last September, amidst the pandemic, summer 2021 will be the first opportunity for many to experience one of the UK’s most impressive new cultural venues. It’s highly recommended that visitors try to catch a glimpse of the Mayflower 400: Legend and Legacy exhibition, which sheds new light on a story which has endured for more than four centuries. From May 18 to July 11, the Box will also host its first touring exhibition - Wampum: Stories from the Shells of Native America. Like ‘Mayflower 400: Legend and Legacy’, the exhibition is an important part of Plymouth’s ongoing Mayflower 400 commemorations. Created in partnership with the Wampanoag people, who have lived in NorthEastern America for 12,000 years, this exhibition centres on a newly created wampum belt – a symbolic and sacred object for the Wampanoag.

Tickets for The Box will be available to book from mid-April. For ticket information visit www. theboxplymouth.com.

For more information about all the events taking place in Plymouth this year, please visit visitplymouth.co.uk.

Art college student’s film success A talented student at Plymouth College of Art has had her short film selected for a prestigious international programme.

Yergalem Carimini, a BA (Hons) Film & Screen Arts student, made the film, entitled ’La Volpe’ - which means ‘The Fox’ - under lockdown conditions in her home country of Italy. The work was filmed in a set built in her family’s home and featured a cast of her family members.

The four-minute film shows a character in a world where people work in a single job for the rest of their lives, following a narrative loosely based on the tragic events linked to the Taiwanese electrical company Foxconn.

Yergalem said: “During my first year I was told about Foxconn, a company that made electronic parts for iPhones, and how in the early 2000s, there were some concerns about the working environment there.

“There were incidents of employee suicides and their solution was to install nets to protect the buildings and the lives of those who fell. It really struck me. I originally wanted my idea to be in the form of an art installation, playing with ideas of being confined to a room and exploring the exploitation aspect.

“Obviously, COVID happened so I ended up flying home to Italy. It was my tutors who suggested that I turn my idea into a film, but I really didn’t know how I was going to do it. I knew I had to create a narrative instead.

Yergalem Carimini

“I presented the script to my friends, and it turned out they loved it and wanted to help, which made me so happy! I realised I didn’t need much to actually film it. The exterior shots were just down the road from my house.

I told my Dad he was going to act in it, he didn’t think he could do it at first, but three days later and he’s saying he’s the next big thing! It was all done on a very low budget.”

Her film has been selected as part of the National Association for Higher Education in Moving Image (NAHEMI) programme, with her work being shown at the Encounters Film Festival 2020.

NAHEMI acts as a forum for debate on all matters regarding the teaching of practice in the Moving Image in Higher Education, including the theory and history underpinning these practices.

Every year, the association showcases a selection of students’ productions at national festivals such as Aesthetica Short Film Festival and Encounters Film Festival.

Yergalem’s film joined other student short films from universities and educational institutions across the UK at the Encounters Film Festival, which was delivered digitally in September and October 2020.

Yergalim, who lives in Efford, said: “I’m really enjoying the Film & Screen Arts course at Plymouth College of Art. It’s great for people like me, who want to learn about the practical aspects of filming.

“It sounds childish but it was so pleasing to have the opportunity to play! Some universities I looked at, it felt like they assumed students would know how to use the equipment, but I wanted to learn it all! Every year, we get to do lots of collaborative projects, with the freedom to work with people from other courses. It’s such a great way to challenge yourself.

“The course doesn’t just teach us how to make film, but allows us to explore what we enjoy, so we can set ourselves up for our future careers in the film industry. I had to choose Plymouth College of Art because of that.”

May 2021

@PlymChronicle

19

School safety no barrier to playground fun at Sherford Housebuilders at Sherford have stepped in to save the day for resident primary school, Sherford Vale, as pupils made their return, donating equipment to keep children safe and secure as they play.

As part of COVID safety requirements, pupils are divided into bubbles for lessons and at playtime.

For the school, with an extensive playground, keeping the bubbles apart outdoors posed a challenge. The solution was costly, with equipment to partition the playground into safe sections totalling thousands of pounds, which would have obliterated the school’s PE budget.

Spotting similar barriers to those they needed, already on site at Sherford, the school put out a plea to the housebuilders for help. Vistry Partnerships – part of the Vistry Group which includes Bovis Homes and Linden Homes – offered a helping hand, donating brand-new barriers to the school.

Acting quickly, 24 large water filled barriers were ordered and delivered within days by site contractors, Groundfix. They arrived in the nick of time as pupils returned to Sherford Vale. Now in place in the playground, children can safely get on with the serious business of playtime!

Making use of the new equipment beyond COVID requirements, the school already has plans to put it to good use, creating areas outside in

the future, such as a ball games zone, quiet and reading zone, creative and board games zone, and multiskills zone. Or at a point they are no longer needed, the housebuilders will put the barriers into use onsite at Sherford as the town continues to grow.

Simon Smith from Sherford Vale School, said: “All the staff and pupils would like to say an enormous thank you for the playground barriers that have been donated. The new barriers are now in place, meaning enhanced provision.

“Our pupils can now actively play in a different zone each day, and our hardworking staff and young leaders now set up different activities in each area. When we initially looked at trying to purchase barriers, the cost came in well into the thousands. Without the support we’ve received, this would not have been possible.”

Bill Danks, senior build manager from Vistry Partnerships, said: “It was our pleasure to help the school when they needed it; we are all part of this community and come together to solve challenges.

The school has provided Sherford families with much-needed support over the last year and we are glad to be able to support them in return.

“They had hoped to borrow some existing equipment at Sherford, but we went a step further and got them new barriers to keep the children safe and give the school peace of mind.”

Sherford Vale Primary youngsters enjoying playground time

Wildflowers to bloom across Plymouth again

The council has put together an interactive map of the whole city which shows exactly where designated wildflower meadows have been created and the places where wildflowers will be left to grow naturally.

It follows last year’s successful trial of leaving a few verges and boundaries in certain areas of the city to grow wilder.

Some of the results were spectacular with wonderful patches of colour appearing where once there was just green.

A council spokesperson said: “Of course, just as last year, we won’t be letting everything grow wild. We will continue to keep the parks and open spaces that are so vital to people’s wellbeing managed. This will make sure that they provide great places to visit and we’ll still need to cut some areas to ensure that roads are safe.

“Where we’ve got grassy areas that are of more use to wildlife than people, like steep banks and verges, we’ll be cutting around the edges and then leaving the rest to grow wild. We’ll then cut them later in the year to allow more types of plant a chance to grow.”

The map shows all of the grass that the council is responsible for maintaining around the city and also pinpoints the designated wildflower meadows.

Teams have spent time seeding and maintaining these and we can’t wait to see them bloom!

Details can be found at www.plymouth.gov.uk/ parksnatureandgreenspaces/wildflowermeadows “This strategy is just one of a number of ways that we are trying to do things a bit differently to help the environment and tackle the climate emergency”, said Councillor Sue Dann, Cabinet member for Street Scene and Environment.

“In 2021, we’ll be building on last year’s success, where we began to tip the balance by increasing the grassland managed for nature from 15 per cent to 40 per cent. I can’t wait to see the blooming purples, yellows, blues and pinks; a city awash with colour that not only looks beautiful, but also creates homes for the wildlife vital to our fight against climate change.”

Further information can be found at https:// www.facebook.com/NaturePlymouth/

Wildflowers on The Hoe

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More wildflowers are set to bloom across the city and this year and now local residents can find out where.

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20 May 2021

20 May 2021

@PlymChronicle

Knocking on the door of our hearts THE

By Chris Cole, founder of Cross Rhythms Charity

Experience Like many of you reading this article, I am the kind of person who gets inspired through music. I used to embarrass my family when we went shopping because I would end up singing jingle bells (not loudly) as I walked down the aisles. The problem was that this was during the summer as well as Christmas.

Even sadder is that I still do this. Why? I haven’t a clue other than when I am feeling happy and optimistic about things it seems to be an expression or outlet for the way I’m feeling. Probably the same reason why folk whistle on occasions when they are happy.

Music has played a massive role in my life and I really cannot say why. What I would say is that I have always been slightly idealistic about life. I love history and I think as human beings we have such potential for good, not so good, or even bad.

This seems to be the reality of being human as we journey through life. I ended up DJ’ing in the late 60s (I was very young!) and like many people back then I understood how powerful music was in encouraging people exploring the deeper issues of life.

The civil rights movement in America was influenced by so many soul artists in spreading the message of ongoing emancipation for black Americans and musicians like the Beatles, Rolling Stones, Dylan, Marvin Gaye and James Brown were Chris Cole all part of the Western Sixties music revolution which would change a generation’s outlook on life. Black and white musicians collaborated on these social issues and did much to positively blur the racial divide.

Many of these musicians had a spiritual worldview and many subscribed to a Christian spirituality. Cross Rhythms station manager, Dave Simpson, recently did an excellent interview on Bob Dylan about his influence in the UK when he played in London in the 70s. You can listen to this interview on the Listen Again pages on crossrhythms.co.uk/plymouth.

Dylan was almost prophetic and many of his songs captivated a generation with many

of the social issues of the time. One musician, Barry Maguire, had a massive hit with ‘Eve of Destruction,’ and became a follower of Jesus Christ. This was the time of the Jesus People Movement, which was a ‘spiritual revival in the western world’ and changed the way the Christian Church would be influenced through contemporary worship music and how Christian communities would relate with each other across denominational lines.

The message was that God is an accessible relationship and there for everybody who seriously seeks Him. It isn’t for the religiously perfect. In the gospel of Luke, a praying Pharisee (religious leader) boasted of his good works compared to a publican (the name for a senior tax collector in Roman times in Palestine, hated by many).

The publican, praying to God, simply asked for mercy because he knew he was sinful. God was affirming the publican

Council team up with Argyle Community Trust Central Park’s Community Sports Hub is set to be take centre stage in an exciting new social prescribing project.

The sports hub, which opened just prior to the pandemic in March 2020, is situated in the heart of the park on the site of the old bowling pavilion and complements the existing bowling greens.

Now, in partnership with Argyle Community Trust and Livewell Southwest, it will become a base for a green social prescribing scheme which will involve the Trust running activities for people of all ages based around sport, the outdoors and nature.

Social prescribing, also sometimes known as community referral, is a means of enabling health professionals to refer people to a range of local, non-clinical services.

The referrals generally, but not exclusively, come from professionals working in primary care settings, for example, GPs or practice nurses.

It has been made possible through funding from the National Academy for Social Prescribing (NASP), Arts Council England, Historic England, Natural England, NHS England and Improvement, Sport England, the Money and Pensions Service, and NHS Charities Together, as part of the Thriving Communities programme.

In addition, the Argyle Community Trust will take on the management of the sports hub, which was built by the Council as part of wider improvements to Central Park with contributions from the Football Foundation. It features changing rooms, accessible toilets and storage facilities as well as upgrades to the community hall and kitchen, all of which will be managed on a daily basis by a team of Argyle Community Trust staff.

Lewis Coombes, facilities manager for the Argyle Community Trust and Deputy Council Leader, Councillor Pete Smith, at the Central Park Community Sports Hub

By working with local partners, clubs and stakeholders, Argyle Community Trust will create a vibrant and welcoming environment that can be enjoyed by all visitors to the park, whilst establishing new services aimed at increasing physical activity, supporting health and wellbeing inequalities and empowering people to become socially engaged by adding to the park’s existing amenities.

The work of the Trust will support the development of annual events and initiatives such as Park Run, in order to bring people to the park and raise funds to ensure the facility becomes self-sustaining.

The fund will enable the Trust to lead on the delivery of various sports and physical activity sessions,

nature and wildlife activities with the Council’s Green Minds team and inclusive community arts with the Theatre Royal’s Funky Llama team.

Councillor Pete Smith, Deputy Leader of Plymouth City Council, pictured above with the Trust’s Facilities Manager Lewis Coombes, said: “For years now the Argyle Community Trust and its many programmes have been synonymous with making a difference to people of all ages across the city.

“I can’t think of any organisation better equipped to run the Community Sports Hub and I look forward to seeing people, young and old, enjoying the facilities in the years to come.”

Mark Lovell, chief executive of, Argyle Community Trust said: “We

are proud to be presented with this opportunity by the council and are looking forward to working in unison to develop the facilities. We will work to make this more than just a space where people play sport, it will be a place that the community can use at its centre for education and social events.

“The project has involved a great deal of planning and I would like to place on record my sincere thanks to Plymouth City Council and all the partners involved. We have already formed a strong relationship since the asset transfer of Manadon Sports and Community Hub to the Trust, which is already self-sustaining and well established within its community.”

Councillor Sue Dann, Cabinet member for Street Scene and the Environment, Plymouth City Council says: “We are very excited to use this programme as a platform to promote the park’s natural environment and high quality facilities as a safe and welcoming space to support everyone’s health and wellbeing.”

The outdoor sports facilities will be used by Devon Junior and Minor Football League, Plymouth and West Devon League, Plymouth University Football and Rugby teams, Friends of Central Park, tennis coaching services and the Central Park Bowling Association.

The hub will facilitate various programmes delivered by Argyle Community Trust including employability, education, and recreational activity as well as letting out rooms to local businesses, organisations and activity providers who serve the needs of the community.

To find out more, discuss business opportunities or enquire about hiring the facilities email community@pafc.co.uk

who was personally honest, over the religious leaders who were performance based. The publican was honest and truthful about his condition and God affirmed the attitude of truth.

This led to dispute over who Jesus actually was. He explained to the people that he was not of this world, and that he is only doing what the Father taught him. In John 8:31-32, Jesus said (to those who believed Him), ‘You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings.

And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.’

The genesis of Cross Rhythms is still rooted in this principle. Only God Himself can outwork the mysterious spiritual work of changing the broken heart and sinful soul. Our free choice and will are important in this process.

Sometimes music can truly make this process the most beautiful experience in life. It did for me. He is knocking on the door of our hearts in Perfect Love.

Listen to Cross Rhythms Plymouth on 96.3FM or online at the new Cross Rhythms Plymouth website at www. crossrhythms.co.uk/plymouth

GRAND SUPPORT FOR JUNIOR FOOTBALLERS Junior footballers at a thriving club in Plymouth are celebrating after scoring £1,000 from a leading housebuilder to fund matchday kit for the squad.

Drake Under 8s FC have been gifted the funds

by Persimmon Homes Cornwall.

The donation comes as part of Persimmon’s Community Champions scheme, which sees the Launceston-based housebuilder donate up to £2,000 to charities and community groups in the region each and every month.

Lee Fry, who made the successful funding bid on behalf of Drake Under 8s, said: “Drake are a really young enthusiastic group of boys who have the potential to rival any local team.

“It is fantastic to have the support of Persimmon Homes Cornwall - the boys will be buzzing when we all get back together, which hopefully won’t be too long now. We will use the money towards match day tracksuits for the squad.”

Jane Cartwright, sales director for Persimmon Homes Cornwall, said: “We’re delighted to be able to hand this money to the football club in support of the Under 8s squad.

“The club does a fantastic job in getting young people up and active. We know that running sports clubs in today’s climate can be very tough. This £1,000 will be very helpful and I am sure the team will make a good impression when they turn up for matches in matching kit.”

Community Champions was launched in 2015 to support good causes in the areas in which Persimmon Homes builds. Each month the Launceston-based builder donates up to £2,000 to community groups across the region. This also happens across Persimmon’s other 31 operating areas, meaning up to £64,000 is dished out every single month – a total of £768,000 a year.

Jane urged more community groups and charities to apply for Community Champions funding by visiting www.persimmonhomes.com/ charity She added: “It is a simple process to apply for the Community Champions funding and I would urge anyone looking for financial support of up to £1,000 for a good cause to apply.”

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22 May 2021

22 May 2021

@PlymChronicle

More cycling improvements planned for Plymstock A planning application for a further extension of a popular Plymstock off-road cycle path has been submitted.

Earlier this year, work started on a new path parallel with Billacombe Road, from Broxton Drive to Saltram Meadow roundabout.

With construction on this underway, this new application seeks to extend this route further, from Saltram Meadow roundabout to Colesdown Hill.

The 800m stretch will continue to follow the route of the old railway line with steps and a wheeling ramp onto Colesdown Hill. The longer term plan is that the route will be extended and improved to provide

a step free route for all users right into the heart of the Sherford development, as indicated on the planned Strategic Cycle Network.

The proposed steps have been designed to futureproof the scheme so that the longer term plan can be achieved.

Councillor Mark Coker, Cabinet member for Strategic Transport and Infrastructure, said: “These plans represent one more piece in the growing walking and cycling network which has helped double cycling in Plymouth in the past 11 years.

“It’s yet another example of this Council trying to provide the infrastructure needed to tackle the climate emergency.”

One-stop-shop skills service to open in city centre Plymouth is to get a one-stop skills shop in the heart of the city centre to offer face-to-face support for skills, training, education, careers and jobs for anyone whatever their age.

Skills Launchpad Plymouth is to offer free, face-to-face advice - when the time is right - at the Barclays Armada Way branch. Local people will be able to access independent information, advice and guidance to help them take their next steps.

The Skills Launchpad, which will open at the end of April when lockdown is lifted, is the latest measure by the council to provide help for people affected by the pandemic and guide them as they take their next steps.

The economic impact of the global pandemic has created huge uncertainty about exam grades, job security and employment prospects and as part of the city’s Resurgam programme, the council along with its partners, set up ‘Skills Launchpad Plymouth’ last summer.

The initiative aimed to help local people at risk of losing their income, facing redundancy, young people whose first career steps are now uncertain and students wondering what the future holds.

The Skills Launchpad virtual one-stop-shop for skills, training, education, careers and jobs is helping local people get the right advice and information, and has already supported over 10,000 people through its Youth Hub and Adult Hub. Jon Taylor, Cabinet Member for Education, Skills and Transformation said: “Skills Launchpad

Plymouth is an inclusive one-stop-shop for supporting all ages and backgrounds who are considering their next move.

“The support we have received from Barclays means we can now expand this service to offer face-to-face appointments when the COVID restrictions ease.

“The city has many sectors such as health and care, engineering and construction which are growing and expanding their workforces, creating opportunities and it’s been a fantastic partnership effort to bring everything together for the first time to transform support for school, college and university leavers, young people who are not in employment or training, local employers who are recruiting, and adults who we want to help gain the skills they will need.”

David Podd, Barclays Plymouth City leader, said: “The programme developed within the Skills Launchpad Plymouth project closely aligns with Barclays LifeSkills which aims to develop individual’s employability skills to succeed in the workplace and move forward with their careers.

“As such, we are delighted to play our part in accommodating this crucial initiative working alongside Plymouth City Council to help local people have access to free face to face independent, advice and guidance and employment opportunities.”

Cheryl Ward, integrated delivery operations manager at the Department for Work and Pensions said: “DWP are delighted to be working in conjunction with Plymouth City Council on this

Emma Hewitt, Skills Lead Plymouth City Council, David Podd of Barclays and Councillor Jon Taylor at the launch of Skills Launchpad Plymouth

exciting Skills Launchpad Plymouth opportunity.

“By working together, we will support the local community with their transition into tailored educational and vocational opportunities helping individuals to achieve their full potential.

Being located right in the heart of the city centre means that the Launchpad services will be fully accessible to all, and the DWP would like to express their gratitude to Barclays for making this a reality.

“Having this fantastic space made available to us means that the city’s resources can come together in a truly focused way - with the

aspirations of our citizens at the heart of all that we will do.”

Funding has been secured through DWP to support Plymouth’s Youth and Adult Hubs with Plymouth City Council contracted to lead the service delivery through working in city wide collaboration.

It is hoped Skills Launchpad Plymouth will open for face to face service at Barclays Armada Way for pre-booked appointments only by the end of April 2021. To find out more, to sign up for free one to one support and to access comprehensive digital resources visit www.skillslaunchpadplym.co.uk

National broadcasting award for Hospital Radio Plymouth Volunteers at Hospital Radio Plymouth (HRP) have once again been successful in this year’s Hospital Broadcasting Awards.

HRP were awarded Bronze for Best Station Promotion, for their programme Requestline with Steve Glanville and Jill Bright. Judges commented: “They loved the simple and clear message about the radio station, with a couple of jokes that were so bad – they were good.”

The station, which celebrated its 50th anniversary last year, was also shortlisted for Best Male Presenter (Andrew Hill), and Station of the Year, a category in which HRP has been shortlisted every year since 2008, and been awarded bronze, silver or gold eight times.

This year’s awards ceremony was held online, with hospital radio stations from across the UK coming together to celebrate the work done by volunteers to provide entertainment and interesting programmes for those in hospital.

Station manager Keith Jolley said: “This past year has shown the importance of hospital radio

Hospital Radio Plymouth volunteers pictured pre-lockdown

in lifting the spirits of those in hospital and the wider community, and our volunteers have done an incredible job – lots of our presenters have set up home studios so they can keep producing shows, and we’re finding alternative ways of gathering requests too.”

Presenter Steve Glanville said: “I take the judges comments about the jokes as a compliment!

Although Jill and I present the show, it’s a team effort, with others collecting requests and doing the technical bits. It’s a testament to all HRP members who have worked so hard for the past year – presenting

from home is very different and we’re looking forward to getting back in the studios and on the wards.”

Fellow presenter Jill Bright said: “We’re already planning our next entry, even though we’ve been in lockdown. Steve and I are both Tony Hancock fans, so we’ve got a shared sense of humour and we’re glad that comes across to listeners.

And Steve says he’s not in it for the awards, so the trophy can go in my cabinet, alongside the one we won in 2019!”

The multi-award winning station has a team of volunteers

who collect requests, put together programmes and make sure there is a friendly voice at the patient’s bedside 24/7.

Anyone wishing to make a request or dedication can contact Hospital Radio Plymouth through their website, www. hospitalradioplymouth. org.uk, by phone on 01752 784300 or through their social media pages.

Jill Bright and Steve Glanville, presenters of Requestline

USEFUL St Luke’s Hospice launches its Make a Will NUMBERS May 2021

@PlymChronicle

23

Month campaign with a timely reminder Launching its Make a Will Month campaign from May 1 to 31 in partnership with local solicitors, St Luke’s Hospice Plymouth is highlighting the good sense of making sure wills keep pace with the significant changes in people’s lives, such as buying a home, getting married, starting a family, getting divorced or the death of a partner.

In support of the campaign, which raises vital funds to help the charity continue its compassionate care for terminally ill people across Plymouth and surrounding areas, 20 community-spirited solicitors are waiving the fee they would normally charge for making and updating wills in return for a donation to St Luke’s.

The charity gives its specialist care and support free of charge to the many local families who rely on its service, but with less than a third of its funding coming from the NHS it is reliant on the generosity of its supporters to continue its vital role.

Spearheading St Luke’s Make a Will Month campaign is the charity’s head of fundraising Penny Hannah, who knows first hand how life can change overnight and how keeping your will current can help bring peace of mind.

Penny said: “I think it was learning at an early age that nothing in life is certain that made me feel I always want to be as prepared as I can be for whatever lies ahead.

“I was just 14 when my father died suddenly, and I had to grow up fast. Losing dad was incredibly hard, and my older siblings and I became a rock for my mum.

“I started work as soon as I could so that there was enough money coming in, taking a cleaning job after school at 14 and going into the world of retail, where I quickly worked my way up. By the age of 23 I was a store manager for a national retail chain and had my own home, but it was

Penny Hannah with her daughters Amber and Ruby

CityFibre will be providing thousands of Plymouth businesses and residents with access to a state-of-the-art full fibre broadband network.

It’s already started construction work in the northeast of the city, with the rest of the build set to follow over the next three to four years.

‘The Box on Screen’ will explore the city’s archive film collections via a programme of nine videos.

A new video will be released each month throughout the rest of 2021 and will be available to watch free of charge on The Box’s YouTube channel.

The programme was launched at the end of March with a film that put a spotlight on women.

marriage and the birth of my first daughter, Amber, that was the catalyst for me deciding to get organised and make a will.

“I remember, very clearly, wanting to know she would be provided for if history repeated itself and she lost me young in life the way I lost my dad. When my then husband and I made our wills, we included our choice of legal guardians for her, something we updated a few years later when our second daughter, Ruby, was born.

“Since then, life has taken many unexpected twists and turns, as it does for most people.

Following the breakdown of my marriage and subsequent divorce, which led to a new chapter in my life, I knew it was important that I should rewrite my will.

“The next part of my story is a fairytale. I met my prince, Andrew, and when we married our two families became one bigger one of seven. We have

shifted careers and moved home, and as a couple we have agreed to keep our wills current so that our loved ones are provided for, no matter what happens.

“While I understand that it may not be uppermost in people’s minds at the moment with everything else that is going on, I can’t stress enough how having an up-to-date will can help free you to enjoy living in the moment.

“It is one of the kindest things you can do for the people who matter most to you, making what can be a traumatic time for them that bit easier.”

Details of the solicitors taking part in St Luke’s Make a Will Month are on the charity’s website at www.stlukes-hospice.org.uk/makeawill, or call 01752 492626 for more information. Appointments can be made for May or for later in the year, and there is the option to meet with a solicitor online or in person.

The next film features The Blitz and will be screened on April 22 followed by fashion on May 6. Additional episodes later in the year will focus on Devon, Cornwall, the Barbican and waterfront, sport, nightlife and ‘star objects’ from The Box’s collections.

Deputy Leader, Councillor Peter Smith said: “One of the main aims of ‘The Box on Screen’ is to provide people who may be isolated or living in care settings with a way to connect, so we’re thrilled to embark on this partnership with CityFibre whose full fibre network will make connecting easier for all.

“The programme began as ‘The Box on The Box’ last year and provided a lifeline to thousands of people during the lockdowns. Thanks to CityFibre, as well as the support of the Arts Council, National Lottery Heritage Fund and British Film Institute, we can now do even more to raise its profile and appeal, and hopefully give many more people a fascinating way to enjoy a ‘trip down memory lane’.”

Kathryn Askew Smith, CityFibre’s city manager for Plymouth, said: “We see this project providing a much-needed service to the residents of Plymouth both in terms of raising the important topic of dementia alongside isolation, especially as we come out of lockdown.

“It’s great to partner with such an important local institution as The Box and be involved in a project that focuses on improving connections both physical and virtual. Our full fibre network will leave a lasting legacy in Plymouth; one that all residents can use and be proud of.”

To watch ‘The Box on Screen’ episodes as they’re released each month visit www.youtube. com/c/theboxplymouth.

For more information about The Box visit www.theboxplymouth.com and for CityFibre visit www.cityfibre.com/residential To become a Corporate Gallery Partner, sponsor a figurehead or find out about other sponsorship opportunities at The Box please email louise. walsh@plymouth.gov.uk.

A link to access the film will be automatically sent on the evening.

Through dance and spoken word the characters in this 45-minute film are met with denial, reluctance, avoidance, ignorance and ultimately silence, as they figure out how to be seen and heard in a system that was never built for them.

Alix Harris said: “We are really proud to be sharing this piece of work with the world. Making this during such a challenging time has meant that we have been able to give artists employment but also to ensure that our voices are not forgotten.

We hope that this film enables not only reflection, but a recognition of the fact that history is still repeating itself.

“Each city has stories that they are proud to tell, but what about the ones that are more

complicated? We hope that when watching this film, people will be interested in going beyond what they already know.”

Following the premiere on 17 April there will be a conversation with members of the creative team including writer and co-director Alix Harris, Jules Laville, co-director and movement director, filmmaker and editor Dan Martin and Somin Griffin-Dave, sound designer.

This project is supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England and the Mayflower 400 programme. The Elephant in the Room is part of the Mayflower 400 commemoration programme that explores the different themes behind the historic journey in 1620 and the impacts it has had in the 400 years since.

World premiere of The Elephant in the Room in April

Exploring the impact of colonial history as part of the Mayflower 400 programme, The Elephant in the Room is a film created by performance company Beyond Face to respond, not to stories of pilgrims and ships, but the overlooked voices.

Written by artistic director Alix Harris and co-directed by Jules Laville, this world premiere explores the stories of people who are still experiencing the impact of this history, in Plymouth and Bristol, cities that are beginning now to talk more openly about their complex past.

The world premiere of the film takes place online on April 17 at 7.30pm and will be available for seven days following its release.

People can watch by signing up for free at www. eventbrite.co.uk/preview?eid=143321483415/

Police, Fire, Ambulance or Coastguard 999 or 112 Police general enquiries 101 Derriford Hospital 01752 202082 Electricity, Western Power Distribution 0800 678 3105 Gas, Wales & West Utilities 0800 111999 Water, South West Water 0344 3462020 Environment Agency (Emergency) 0800 807060 RSPCA 0300 1234 999

Helplines

The Box connects with CityFibre for new sponsorship deal The Box has secured an exclusive sponsorship deal for its digital reminiscence service, ‘The Box on Screen’ with CityFibre, one of Plymouth’s newest companies and the UK’s third largest digital infrastructure builder.

Emergency Numbers

Age UK Plymouth 01752 256020 Adoption UK 0844 848 7900 Al-Anon Family Groups 020 7403 088 Alcoholics Anonymous 0800 917 7650 Carers UK 020 7378 4999 Childline 0800 1111 Christians Against Poverty (Debt Advice) 0800 328 0006 Citizens Advice 0300 3309 043 Cruse Bereavement Care 0870 1671677 Devon & Cornwall Food Action 01752 651800 Disability & Information Advice Line 01302 310123 Drug Addicts Anonymous: Helpline 07818260811 Jan Cutting Healthy Living Centre 01752 203670 Money Advice Plymouth (Debt Advice) 01752 208126 NSPCC Child Protection Helpline 0808 8005000 National Missing Persons Helpline 0500 700700 National Christian Helpline 0300 111 0101 NHS Direct 0845 4647 National Domestic Violence Helpline 0808 2000247 Osteoporosis Support Group 075958 500314 Overeaters Anonymous 07000 784 985 Parentline Plus 0808 8002222 Relateline 0845 1304010 Samaritans 116 123 Talk to Frank 0800 776600 Shelterline 0808 8004444 Stop Hate Crime 24/7 Helpline 0800 138 1625 Stroke Helpline 0303 3033 100 West Country Landlords Assn 01752 242980

Travel RAC Green Flag Rail Travel, national enquiries Plymouth Citybus National Express Coaches Brittany Ferries Cremyll Ferry Torpoint Ferry Tourist Information Passport Office, National Helpline

08000 828282 0800 400600 08457 484950 01752 662271 08717 818181 08705 360360 01752 822105 01752 812233 01752 266030 0870 5210410

Entertainment Theatre Royal 01752 267222 Barbican Theatre 01752 267131 Devonport Playhouse 01752 606507 Plymouth Athenaeum Theatre 01752 266079 Plymouth Pavilions 01752 936363 Plymouth Pavilions Ticket Store 03337 727727 Cineworld 03303 33444 Vue Cinema 0345 308 4620 Tourist Information 01752 306330 National Trust Saltram 01752 333500 Plymouth City Museum & Art Gallery 01752 304774 Plymouth Arts Centre 01752 206114

Leisure

Plymouth Life Centre 01752 606900 Brickfields Recreation Ground 01752 563320 Manadon Football Dev’ment Centre 01752 201918 Plympton Swimming Pool 0870 300 0020 Plymouth Pavilions 0845 146 1460 Megabowl, Coxside 0871 5501010 Tourist Information 01752 306330 The Beckly Centre, Plymstock 01752 484433

Weather The Met Office Weathercall

0870 9000100 0870 6004242

If you think your organisation would benefit from being listed in our Useful Numbers guide please e-mail your details to info@cornerstonevision.com or write to: Plymouth Chronicle, 28 Old Park Road, Peverell, Plymouth Tel 01752 225623

Please note that whilst the Publishers have made every effort to ensure the accuracy of telephone numbers in this Directory, and dates in the What’s On section, no responsibility can be accepted for any errors.

24 May 2021

24 May 2021

@PlymChronicle

Rachael’s moving account of her battle Advertise to over with cancer receives five star ratings 21,000 A Plymstock mum who has published a book about her battle with cancer has been overwhelmed by the response from people who have read it.

Rachael Hallows, who is 42, was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in September 2017 and then underwent an intensive course of treatment, including chemotherapy until February the following year.

She started to write the book a few weeks after the treatment ended and after being turned down by a number of agents, she decided to self publish the book herself. “I didn’t have a goal in mind,” said Rachael, “but I had an overwhelming need to write about my experience.”

‘You’ve Got This’ was published in March and has proved an instant success. It has received dozens of five star reviews on Amazon - which has delighted Rachael.

“The feedback I have received has been totally amazing,” said Rachael, who is a single mum with two teenage boys. “I have had so many encouraging messages of support and thanks from people. I have also been contacted by people who are battling lymphoma themselves and saying how much the book has helped them.”

All proceeds from the sale of the book are going to Hugs From Henry, the Plymouth-based charity which was founded by Elsbeth Hallam after her son Henry was diagnosed with neuroblastoma.

Within a few weeks of the book being published well over 200 copies had been sold and the number is rising every day.

She has dedicated the book to her late uncle Colin Chase, who passed away from cancer in October last year at the age of 59. Rachael said: “He took every role in life seriously. He was everyone’s friend and lived life to the full. He never failed to smile - even in his final days.”

Rachael’s cancer story started in August 2017 when she discovered a lump in her neck.

Blood tests came back clear and doctors were sure it was some

Chronicle Ads 2020.indd 5

Rachael Hallows... receiving five star reviews

sort of viral infection.

Rachael said: “I have always suffered from anxiety but I knew something wasn’t right. My gut instinct told me something was wrong.”

She had been diagnosed with lupus seven years before and was determined to get to the root of what was causing the lump to grow.

A family friend was a retired cardiologist and she asked him to check it out. “He said I needed to get a biopsy, so I went back to my GP the next day and she arranged for it to take place as quickly as possible.”

Her worst fears were confirmed when the biopsy revealed that she had Non-Hodkin’s Lymphoma. What followed was

What reviewers are saying on Amazon...

“On this journey, we share Rachael’s deepest fears, her pain, her love for her boys, the kindness of others, the dedication of the medical staff and in spite of everything, a sense of humour that is never far from the surface. Rachael’s story serves only to amplify my admiration for her strength, courage and determination.”

“Honest, straight-from-the-heart account of battling cancer” “Gripping, heart wrenching and heart warming” “Real, full of heart. Will make you laugh and cry” “An Inspirational Journey” “The most beautifully written down to earth biography” “Emotional roller coaster of a read” “A great book that you won’t want to put down”

a roller coaster of emotions and fear. She had to break the news to her two sons and the rest of her family and friends. There was worst to come.

While undergoing the early rounds of chemotherapy, Rachael was told that a further biopsy of her bone marrow had revealed the presence of low-grade lymphoma - which is incurable.

Between 2018 and 2020 Rachael remained under the care and treatment of the Lymphoma team at Derriford Hospital as she continued to battle with her anxiety. She was given therapy and counselling to help with her issues.

As the pandemic struck in March 2020 Rachael was forced to shield for several months - but in the end decided she needed to try to get back to normality by going for daily walks.

She pays tribute in her book to all her family and friends who rallied round to help and support her during her battle.

“The love and support I got was amazing,” said Rachael.

“There were so many gifts and little surprises for me and the boys. I have never known kindness like it.

“Through it all you have to keep faith and I do believe that good things happen to good people.

“My thanks go to so many people, especially my dear mum and brothers who I know were just as frightened as I was,” said Rachael.

She also lists her many friends who helped her during the darkest hours of treatment as well as the Plymouth Leander Swimming Club, who supported her two sons as they regularly competed for the club.

She also praised the NHS and the haematology team at Derriford, especially her consultant and nurse specialist.

“In the nicest possible way I truly hope I never have to see them again!”

Finally her love and thanks went to her boys Ashton and Leighton encouraging them to never give in and never give up.

You’ve Got This is available on Amazon in Kindle and paperback format.

homes in Plympton and Plymstock

The Plympton and Plymstock Chronicle is delivered door to door every month to homes in Woodford, Plympton St Mary and St Maurice, Chaddlewood, Langage, Elburton, Plymstock, Hooe, Turnchapel, Staddiscombe, Oreston, Pomphlett and Billacombe.

The June edition of the Plymouth Chronicle in Plympton and Plymstock will be published on May 7 with a copy deadline of April 26. The Plympton and Plymstock edition is one of four hyper local editions delivered to a total of more than 90,000 homes throughout the city.

If you have an event listing, interesting story or news item you think would be suitable for the Chronicle, please send an email to info@ cornerstonevision.com.

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For more information, or to talk to one of our sales advisors, call

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Chronicle Plymouth

May 2021

COVID UPDATE See inside for news and information from Plymouth City Council Pages 2 and 3

A Plymstock mum is receiving five star reviews for her book which charts her battle against cancer See page 24

CONNECT WITH US @PlymChroniclePP

@PlymChroniclePP If you would like to submit a story, email info@cornerstonevision.com or if you would like to find out more information on the Plymouth Chronicle or our other publications, please visit www.cornerstonevision.com

Plympton & Plymstock

Young people in Plymouth are set to be inspired by a special programme as part of the big Sail GP event See page 17

ALSO INSIDE:

• Dial the Experts • Local news and views

• Cross Rhythms Experience • Useful numbers

High octane spectacle!

Barbican Theatre and Plymouth Gladiators Speedway have joined forces to present Petrrol Headz over the August Bank Holiday weekend. The high octane event will feature the best of the modified car scene along with the associated street culture and music • Story and more pictures on page 16

Finding SAFE, RELIABLE CARE just got easier Call us on: (01752) 648 320 Email: plymouth@friendshelpingathom e.co.uk

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18/12/2020 11:53