English Riviera Magazine June/July 2019 by English Riviera Magazine

Walks • Local Food • Heritage • Nature • People • Events • Arts

EnglishRiviera June/July 2019

magazine

A Sailing Adventure with

Trinity

THE MANY TALENTS OF

MACKENZIE MOULTON

Wilfred Owen's

Torquay Vacation A Lifetime in Art

MARTIN DUTTON

FESTIVALS!

Give It A Go!

ROLLER SKATING

Debbie MacPherson Fashioning Leather

Vistas & Views on the coastpath

Occombe & Paignton Harbour

Armchair Twitcher

Feathered friends in your garden

English Riviera Magazine for Residents by Residents DELIVERED FREE TO HOMES AND BUSINESSES THROUGHOUT THE BAY

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About us...

Welcome

...to the June & July issue!

Created and Published By Devon Magazine Company Limited Anita Newcombe anita@englishrivieramagazine.co.uk Telephone: 01803 850886 Julian Rees julian@englishrivieramagazine.co.uk Telephone 01803 842893 Mobile: 07455 206470 Advertising sales sales@englishrivieramagazine.co.uk Advertising Copy copy@englishrivieramagazine.co.uk Editorial editorial@englishrivieramagazine.co.uk Website englishrivieramagazine.co.uk ISSN (Print) 2052-8515 ISSN (Online) 2052-8523

Next issue 26 July Write to us at: ENGLISH RIVIERA MAGAZINE 69 DAVIES AVENUE PAIGNTON TQ4 7AW © 2018 All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced or used in any form without prior permission of the publishers. All material is sent at the owner’s risk and whilst every care is taken, Devon Magazine Company Ltd will not accept liability for loss or damage. Every effort has been taken to ensure the accuracy of our content but the publishers cannot be held responsible for any omissions, errors or alterations or for the consequences of any reliance on these details; neither can they vouch for the accuracy of claims made by any advertiser. The views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the publishers.

We are throughly enjoying the sunshine as the summer gets into full swing, and have been out meeting lots of fascinating local residents. Mackenzie Moulton is a diver, painter, author and Paignton Zoo bird handler – is there no end to his talents? We also chat to Debbie MacPherson who is ‘loving leather’ at Cockington Court. We help celebrate a lifetime of painting with Martin Dutton and enjoy a first class experience at Bob Higginson’s evocative Brixham Steam Packet Company. In this issue we ‘give it a go’ roller skating, experience a cross-Channel sailing adventure with Trinity Sailing Foundation, check out a picturesque walk to Hope’s Nose and try the gentle art of spotting garden birds, inspired by David Simpson. For history lovers we look at the life of controversial local Bishop Henry Phillpotts and highlight war poet, Wilfred Owen’s connections with the Bay. We’ve got our usual big What’s On roundup plus some fabulous arts events to tempt you out. Our theatre section includes some wonderful, summertime open-air theatre – hope the weather holds – don’t forget your blanket and picnic!

Happy reading and stay local!

d @EngRivieraMag c englishriveramag f englishriveramagazine englishrivieramagazine.co.uk If you would like to ADVERTISE your business in English Riviera Magazine Call 01803 850886 or email sales@englishrivieramagazine.co.uk

June/July 2019 | 3

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Contents

In this issue | June & July 2019 6 Openers

Local news snippets

Channel-hopping aboard Provident

14 Meeting Mackenzie Moulton

Police diver, artist, author & musician

18 Lady of Leather

Fashion designer Debbie MacPherson

22 Riviera Heritage

The controversial Bishop Henry Phillpotts

24 Riviera Heritage

On vacation with Wilfred Owen

28 Heritage Sailing

Channel-hopping aboard Provident

34 Armchair Twitcher Birdwatching at home

39 Paignton Harbour Festival Join in the fun!

40 Give It A Go! Roller Skating Revolution Skate at the Velopark

43 Occombe Festival

Local food, drink and music

On vacation with Wilfred Owen

44 Walk

Views & Vistas around Wellswood

47 What’s On

Our pick of June and July events

64 Arts Roundup

Creative events around the Bay

67 A Lifetime of Painting Local artist Martin Dutton

70 Theatre

Who’s treading the boards?

72 Charities and Volunteering Retail therapy at Rowcroft

75 Green Heart Appeal

“We couldn’t have done it without you...”

76 Brixham Steam Packet Company A first class experience

80 Business Snippets

Local business news in brief

82 The Briefing

Legal topics from Wollen Michelmore

On the cover

Provident from the air © Trinity Sailing Foundation englishrivieramagazine.co.uk

A Lifetime of Painting June/July 2019 | 5

Openers... Openers... Openers... O Affiliation Ceremony The Brixham Detachment D Company Devon Army Cadet Force visited Brixham Battery Heritage Centre for an affiliation ceremony with the Brixham Battery Heritage Group. A certificate of affiliation was signed, committing to mutual support and encouragement within the community. Conor Maher, Detachment Commander and Barry Riley, Brixham Battery Chairman both signed the affiliation certificate. An honorary voluntary membership of Brixham Battery Museum was awarded to each of the cadets. Lieutenant Colonel David Lillicrap with his wife, and Councillor Paul Addison also attended as guests. Guests, members and cadets celebrated with a buffet, provided by the Bay View Bar. ¢

beep” – in fact, they make a variety of sounds, including something more akin to a Taser. ¢  paigntonzoo.org.uk

Couch to 5K Success

“Beep, beep!” A new species at Paignton Zoo will evoke fond memories for a generation of cartoon fans. The name Californian earth-cuckoo may not mean much to you, but say ‘roadrunner’ to people of a certain age and it conjures up images of cartoon capers, usually with unfortunate outcomes for a certain not-so wily coyote… A pair of roadrunners has arrived at Paignton Zoo; it has never had the species before and there are no roadrunners in any other UK zoos. Common names for this speedy bird include: chaparral cock, ground cuckoo and snake killer. Paignton Zoo Senior Head Bird Keeper Peter Smallbones says, “This bird hunts by chasing down its prey on foot. In the wild it has a pretty scary diet, including tarantulas, scorpions, lizards and small, often venomous, snakes. It kills prey by holding victims in its bill and hitting them on the ground.” The cartoon characters of Wile E. Coyote and the Roadrunner have been battling it out in the famous Warner Bros. animations since 1949. Despite the cartoon evidence, roadrunners do not go “beep, 6 | June/July 2019

Torquay based running club Riviera Racers celebrated the achievements of their Couch to 5K runners at the Club AGM. The Couch to 5K programme starts with very short intervals of running with walking, and gradually builds up running distances over the course of 9 weeks until participants can run continuously for 5km. Thirteen runners completed the club’s recent programme and all continue to run regularly. Jenny King said, “Joining Rivera Racers Couch to 5K has not only improved my fitness, it’s helped me to enjoy running! I had never run before but because it was a slow and supported introduction I felt able to progress further each week.” Em Reece and Anne Roberts, two of the club’s qualified Run Leaders, led the programme. Anne said, “It’s really wonderful seeing how our Couch to 5K have progressed over the last few months.” Many of the new runners now take part in the weekly Torbay Velopark parkrun and have signed up for a race as their next running challenge. Riviera Racers is a club for runners of all abilities and holds weekly training sessions on a Monday and Wednesday evening. ¢  rivieraracers.co.uk

Steph Jempson, Jenny King, Gemma Nalder, Claire Frost, Leah Hodge and Tash Barlow

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.. Openers... Openers... Openers... Bays is Best! Bays Brewery’s popular Topsail has won ‘Champion Beer of Britain’ for the CAMRA South West region in the ‘bitters’ category and Bays Gold has won silver in the ‘golden ales’ category’. This means in August both beers will battle it out at the Great British Beer Festival with other award-winning beers across Britain for the coveted ‘overall champion’ title. Last year Bays Brewery’s Devon Dumpling won Champion Beer of Britain - Silver Champion – fingers crossed they can go one better in 2019. The popular local brewery is also a main sponsor for this year’s exciting Torbay Airshow. ¢  baysbrewery.co.uk

enable them to provide the care and support these children and young people need at a difficult time in their lives. ¢  fosteringfoundation.co.uk

New Paignton Zoo Wellbeing Map

Paignton Zoo has launched a brand new wellbeing map with suggested walking routes to enjoy and to keep you fit. Paignton Zoo spokesperson Phil Knowling said, “We know there are kilometres of paths around Paignton Zoo. We decided to draw up a map with a few routes on, showing people how many steps they’d take, just out of interest. Now it’s snowballed!” Inevitably, it’s the zookeepers who turn in the highest scores averaging between 12,000 and 30,000 steps a day. The new map offers suggested routes of between 1500 steps and 4900 steps and takes in a variety of fascinating plants and animals along the way. It can be downloaded from the website. paigntonzoo.org.uk/explore/wellbeing-map. ¢

Could You Help a Child in Care? 55,200 children were living with foster families on 31 March 2018 according to the Department of Education and Ofsted. There continues to be a shortage of foster carers throughout the UK. The Fostering Foundation is a small independent fostering service working closely with Torbay Council to provide much needed caring and loving homes for children and young people who cannot live with their own families for a variety of reasons. They urgently need to find new foster carers residing in Torbay so that children can continue to live in the area throughout their childhood. The Fostering Foundation is a small family-friendly agency that can provide foster carers living in Torbay with their own support social worker, local training, support groups and events. Foster carers will receive a generous fostering fee to englishrivieramagazine.co.uk

Reader Survey Competition Winner Thank you to all readers who completed our reader survey in the February/March issue of English Riviera Magazine. The winning respondant drawn was Major R Goodwin from Paignton who wins dinner for four at Torquay’s Imperial Hotel. We really appreciate the kind comments and constructive suggestions received and will endeavour to act on them in future issues. 2019 READER SURVEY

Openers... Openers... Openers... O Torquay Boys’ National Award Torquay Boys’ Grammar School (TBGS) has been recognised nationally for its excellent 2018 results based on data from the Department for Education and Ofsted, analysed by SSAT, the Schools, Students and Teachers network. TBGS was found to be among the best performing secondary schools in the country, receiving an award for being in the top 10% of schools nationally for progress. Presentations will take place during the summer term at a ceremony attended by winners from across the region. Sue Williamson, Chief Executive of SSAT said, “I am delighted that Torquay Boys’ Grammar School has won an Educational Outcomes Awards. SSAT is pleased to recognise the quality of leadership and the hard work of all staff to ensure the success of every child. A big thank you and well done to students, parents, staff and governors.” ¢

Olympic Swimmer Opens Shoalstone Olympic Medallist Sharron Davies MBE visited Brixham to formally open Shoalstone Pool, the town’s iconic 53-metre, open-air seawater swimming lido, for the 2019 season. Sharron said, “Well done Brixham for keeping the Devon swimming tradition going, let’s keep encouraging the

8 | June/July 2019

youngsters, the next Olympic medallist could be swimming in Shoalstone right now.” Generations have enjoyed the benefits of the lido, which was carved out of rock in Victorian times. It has stunning views across the Bay and is a joy to visit. Once again Shoalstone is only opening due to the hard work of the local volunteers who have repaired, repainted and cleaned the pool to help it recover from the ravages of a hard winter. Every year the pool is attacked by wind and waves through the winter months and every year it is open to everyone throughout the summer. The pool is now open until September and lifeguards are on duty from 10am-6pm daily.¢  shoalstonepool.com

Café al Fresco’s 25th Dartmouth’s Café Alf Resco is celebrating 25 years with events planned throughout the year. The characterful café first opened its doors in April 1994 serving home cooked breakfasts and lunches in a relaxed, intimate setting with a warm and friendly welcome. Little has changed since, although it’s now possible for customers to linger even longer - Alf’s is open from 7am till 2pm all year round. Café Alf Resco was created by Ted and Lesley Brazier and opened in 1994. Kate and Peter Ryder helped out at the café before taking it over in 1997. Kate said, “The past 25 years have been a blast with so many memories and highlights, not forgetting winning double gold at the International Marmalade Festival and Best Granola in the National Breakfast Awards.” Alf Resco can be booked for private evening parties of between 25 and 60 people and offers 5 individually designed rooms above the café.¢  cafealfresco.co.uk

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.. Openers... Openers... Openers... Win! An Adventure Boat Trip for 4 email to: editorial@englisherivieramagazine.co.uk (type RibRide Competition Entry into the subject box) or by post to: English Riviera Magazine, 69 Davies Avenue, Paignton TQ4 7AW. Competition closes on Monday 15 July at 5pm. Winner will be the first correct answer drawn. Voucher is valid for 12 months and tour date options are subject to availability at the time of booking. For full competition Ts & Cs please see englishrivieramagazine.co.uk For more about RibRide’s tours see torquay.ribride.co.uk ¢

PE AD TI ER TI O N

Enter our Reader Competition for a chance to win a guided, one-hour Islands & Coves Boat Trip for four people with RibRide. From the impressive MDL Marina in Torquay you’ll head into Tor Bay and turn seawards along a coast strewn with history and intrigue. Passing London Bridge, a spectacular sea arch, you will then head towards Daddyhole, viewing millions of years of history in hundreds of layers of rock. To enter just answer the following question: What does RIB stand for? Send your answer along with your contact details by

Lifeboat Crew Challenge Twenty members of Torbay Lifeboat Crew have run a total of 637 miles over a non-stop 24-hour period in Brixham, raising over £10,000 for Prostate Cancer UK. The 24/500 Endurance Challenge took place over a 1.5-mile distance between two points along Brixham’s waterfront, from the Torbay Lifeboat Station to Brixham Yacht Club and back. The challenge took place in memory of former lifeboat crewmember Steve Lunn who died from prostate cancer in 2010. His widow Di was there to cut the starting ribbon. Outside Torbay Lifeboat Station, refreshments were on offer, with a tasty local Brixham fish BBQ. Official event marshals kept everything going smoothly (whilst carrying fundraising buckets to help the cause). The lifeboat crew

runners - clad in special event T-shirts - continued to run throughout the night, taking essential rest breaks at the boathouse to receive physio sports massages and wellearned snack and rehydration stops. Just before 5am the crew hit the 500-mile target but continued to run for the full 24 hours, reaching an amazing total of 637 miles. They all ran the last leg and it was an emotional sight to see so many friends and family at the finish line. Throughout the whole gruelling challenge, spirits remained high even though all the crew were starting to feel the strain, but with an incredible team spirit and fantastic support from the people of Brixham, they kept each other going until the end! You can still donate until 20 June. justgiving.com/fundraising/24-500-endurance-challenge ¢

Torquay £1,299,000 Freehold With outstanding design features and chic décor, the property offers an exceptional home, extensively re-styled by the current owners with contemporary panache, yet sympathetically retaining the ethos of its original elegance. Views, particularly from the first floor, look into Tor Bay. The accommodation has 4 reception rooms, kitchen/sitting room, utility, 6 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, the principal bedroom with a walk-in dressing room. Gardens, swimming pool, double garage. EPC Rating – D

he ws, ng m. e. D

Torquay

£850,000 Freehold The property offers a distinctive home, enjoying views to the front aspect looking towards Tor Bay. The accommodation is arranged over mezzanine levels with the main reception room having space for dining, kitchen, breakfast room, utility, principal bedroom with en-suite, 2 further bedrooms, bathroom, study/bedroom (4). Garage/car port, gardens. EPC Rating – D

Torquay

£525,000 Freehold With sea and countryside views, the property offers a unique home, with scope for re-design and re-furbishment, allowing for the discerning purchaser to create a home to individual style. The accommodation is approached by steps rising through the gardens, with a kitchen, utility room, dining room, lounge, sun lounge, cloakroom, 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms. Terraced gardens. EPC Rating – F

01803 296500 • mail@johncouch.co.uk 43 Ilsham Road • Wellswood • Torquay • TQ1 2JG

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Southlands is an individually designed detached property built by the current owner’s family in the 1960’s, this superior home has much to oﬀer accommodation wise with up to 5 bedrooms as well as having southerly aspect beautifully landscaped gardens. It is tucked oﬀ the main Paignton to Totnes road and has the potential for a separate annexe or could create a stream of rental income, it also has garaging and parking for several vehicles.

sales@saundersandlingard.co.uk | 5 Station Building, Solsbro Road, Torquay TQ2 6FD

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01803 611 420 15/05/2019 22:07

ac, as his family and friends know him, has found a very pretty location to live right at the top of Brixham where he has built an extension allowing a stunning view across steeply rising fields owned by the Lupton Estate. Mac was born in Exeter and spent 30 years in the Metropolitan Police in London with the last 13 years working in the elite Police Underwater Search Unit. He explains, “It was a very specialist unit – only about 9 divers, so it was very difficult to get in.” Having spent time in Traffic and on Thames Patrol Boats, where he attended lots of river accidents (many caused by too much alcohol on pleasure craft), joining the diving team was an exciting prospect for Mac. He tells me, “It’s very different from normal scuba diving as 90% of the work is carried out in nil visibility. You can’t see your hand in front of you.” He chuckles and says, “They called us the ‘best gropers in the business’”. In fact the work was extremely challenging, so a bit of humour was essential – they were often tasked to find dead bodies and body parts as well as guns, cars and safes that had been dumped, along with security searches for explosives, and working in co-ordination with Customs and Excise mainly 14 | June/July 2019

Mackenzie Moulton Police Diver, Artist, Author & Musician Mackenzie Moulton, with his wife Kay, arrived in Brixham nearly four years ago after a career and life experience of startling variety. Anita Newcombe pops by to discover more about his fascinating life and why he has chosen Brixham as the perfect place to finally settle.

on drugs cases. They had to find a way to cope. Since school Mac had shown a talent for art (he had been offered a scholarship to Art College but his father wouldn’t let him take it up). So now he dealt with the horror of what he was experiencing at work by painting – he found it tremendously therapeutic. He tells me, “Lots of people can’t handle police diving work – it does take a certain type of person. Although your normal shift was 7am3pm we could be called out late at night when a major crime had been committed. We worked like blind men, feeling for things underwater – you became quite good at identifying things underwater just by the feel of it.” Whilst they were always tethered by a line to a handler for safety when searching underwater, early communications relied on a system of pulls and bells on the line (like Morse Code) but after a police diver died in the course of duty, proper modern communications were introduced to the unit. Mac married at the age of 21 and the couple produced two daughters and now four grandchildren. Once his children were a little older, Mac continued to paint – in oils, watercolours and pastels – he tried most mediums but his preference was for oils.

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Riviera People He painted subjects ranging from police boats to portraits, underwater scenes and sailing ships. He soon started exhibiting and then selling his work – art was to become a major part of his life. In 1996 he retired and started a whole new life in Spain with his second wife Kay whom he had met when he taught her to dive in the 1980s. In fact they shared a dream to sail around the world and had lived on a boat in London for many years, taking their RYA Yachtmaster and Oceanmaster tickets in preparation. But fate got in the way and they couldn’t resist a villa they spotted in Spain with wonderful views of the Mediterranean. Mac says, “We just fell in love with it and we bought it even before I retired.” The villa needed lots of work and took nine years to renovate. Initially they used builders but once they had retired and moved in, they started doing most of the work themselves. From a rather dilapidated house they gradually created a spectacular property with six bedrooms, four bathrooms, a swimming pool and a large artist’s studio. Life was good and Mac worked full time as an artist. When he wasn’t painting, he was teaching art to the international community in Spain. His works were often in englishrivieramagazine.co.uk

“

We worked like blind men, feeling for things underwater – you became quite good at identifying things underwater just by the feel of it.

demand and he managed to sell a large number of them for sometimes substantial sums. The location offered a superb lifestyle with diving, sailing and eating out. Jávea or Xàbia as it was known in Valencian, is between Alicante and Valencia on the easternmost point of the Mediterranean coast. Since his retirement, Mac had started to write a series of books. He wrote about his diving career in The Metropolitan Police Underwater Search Unit 1983-1996 and other books. He also wrote a number of children’s books, a couple of volumes of poetry (some relating to Brixham and the South West Coast Path), A Queen Elizabeth Cruise Diary and a couple of rather racy novels called Sugar Spice & All Things Nice and another called 50 Shades of Blue. Having struggled all his life with what was probably undiagnosed dyslexia Mac had lots of trouble with his spelling and grammar but persevered and later relied on a good proofreader to set him straight. After nine years, Mac and Kay both needed to care for aging parents who were unwell so they moved back to England, initially living in Crediton. Following their parents’ deaths, they wanted to stay in the UK and could now look at choosing a new place to settle. They June/July 2019 | 15

Enjoy the excitement of a day at the races

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JULY Friday Saturday Sunday Monday

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AUGUST Wednesday

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SEPTEMBER Monday Friday Monday

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Riviera People decided to head to Torbay (Mac remembered visiting the area as a child, when his family travelled here on Grey Cars’ coach trips). They had an initial scout around Torquay and then arrived in Brixham. Mac exclaimed delightedly, “Brixham hasn’t changed a bit.” Together they decided, “This is it...” They’ve now been settled at their new Brixham home for nearly four years and just love it. The rolling hills offer a wealth of wildlife for them to enjoy and they’ve built extensions and viewing windows to take it all in. Deer, badgers, foxes, birds of prey plus two resident pheasants are regularly sighted. Shortly after his return to the UK, Mac was commissioned to paint Lady Cynthia Stevens who replaced the late Queen Mother as patron of the famous Thames Police Association Museum in London. An oil painting on canvas, it now hangs on permanent display at the museum in Wapping High Street along with three of Mac’s other paintings. Now well established in Brixham, Mac volunteers with Paignton Zoo as a Guest Experience Volunteer and from April to September as a bird handler in the Winged Wonders Bird Show. He tells me, “They train you to handle birds, to keep the englishrivieramagazine.co.uk

“

We worked like blind men, feeling for things underwater – you became quite good at identifying things underwater just by the feel of it.

area clean, chop up the food and to fly the birds during the show.” He loves the Harris’s hawks, the kestrels, the Eagle owls and especially a rather noisy, little barn owl called Breeze who is always screeching. He also plays violin regularly in an Irish band called The O’Marleys and their next big gig is on the main stage at Brixham Pirate Festival. The O’Marleys play quite a few Ceilidhs, which are popular for weddings and family celebrations and Mac can also turn his hand to a bit of bagpiping as needed. Painting and writing are still on his menu of activities so there’s no danger of him becoming idle even though a stroke had cost him the loss of sight in one eye. Mac and Kay thoroughly enjoy the life in and around Brixham and love to eat out, mostly in fish restaurants with Shoals, Simply Fish and Dart Marina Hotel’s restaurant among their favourites. Mac tells me, “I’m 72 in June; we’ve been around the world, visited 52 different countries and can honestly say that Torbay is the best place in the world. We plan to stay here now forever – we just love it. ¢  mackenziemoulton.pixels.com June/July 2019 | 17

Debbie MacPherson fashioning leather

Based at her delightful craft studio at Cockington Court, Debbie MacPherson of Freeload Accessories considers herself a fashion designer rather than a traditional leatherworker. Anita Newcombe drops by for a chat.

ebbie’s studio is filled with beautifully displayed, exquisitely handmade leather handbags, which are her speciality but she also hand makes belts, key rings, dog collars, glasses cases and leather jewellery. She uses the finest soft leathers plus solid brass buckles and fittings, regularly browsing a wide range of magazines like Vogue and Elle to inspire her designs. She tells me, “If you’re going to make something, you need to do it really well. I want my handbags to look stunning and to last for many years.” Debbie has worked with leather since she was eighteen. She confesses that she wanted to be a journalist but messed up her A-Levels because she was so distracted by partying and socialising. Instead she ended up getting a job making leather shoes for a company in Saltash. She was mainly interested in the fashion side of leatherworking so she decided to sign up for a degree course called Design, Marketing & Product Development in Footwear & Accessories at Cordwainers College in Hackney (it later merged with the London School of Fashion). Famous footwear designers studied here including 18 | June/July 2019

Patrick Cox, Jimmy Choo and Emma Hope. Debbie absolutely loved it. She tells me, “The 3-year course was amazing.” On graduating in 2001, Debbie set up a small workshop in her home and sold her wares from stalls at various markets such as Camden Market, Brick Lane and Spitalfields; she also undertook some freelance design work. Whilst mostly focussing on making very special handbags, she also managed to enjoy a roaring trade in leather iPod cases. Although she managed to gain a concession in Top Man on Oxford Street, she still had to work in a ‘day job’ to make ends meet. It was 2006 and by now she was married to Stewart and had just welcomed a baby daughter to the family. Debbie balanced childcare duties with dropping off stock a couple of times a week at Topman, going to work in an office, making her handbags in the evening and also selling them online. It was at this point that Freeload Accessories was born. Debbie tells me, “Once I’d got the concession at Top Man I felt that it was time to make my developing business official.”

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On graduating in 2001, Debbie set up a small workshop in her home and sold her wares from stalls at various markets such as Camden Market, Brick Lane and Spitalfields

Complemented by selling through Not On The High Street, Freeload Accessories started to take off. Debbie still worked an office job for a while though and even trained as a hairdresser as a sort of backup plan. Things were evolving well and in 2011, Debbie was able to go fulltime on Freeload Accessories. However, she was still working from home with a second child on the way (her son was born in 2012). Having moved to Paignton, Debbie was again working from home, when one day she took a walk around Cockington and spotted the vibrant community of craft studios. She tells me, “I decided then and there that I just had to have one.” She applied, first submitting a proposal in writing and then facing an interview panel. She explains, “I had to show examples of my work – it’s important that you can show that you are highly skilled in your chosen field – there is only one maker from each discipline represented here.” At Cockington Court Craft Centre, the makers regularly work in their studios and you can see Debbie englishrivieramagazine.co.uk

creating her designs and making up her wares. She explains that once she’s come up with an idea, she starts by cutting out a pattern on recycled card. A rather grand vintage sewing machine, which Debbie bought secondhand in 2001, takes pride of place in the studio. She tells me, “It’s specially made for leather items with a cylinder arm so that you can fit the handbag around the arm while you are sewing it.” The hides she uses are 40 square feet in size and come from a tannery in Italy. The quality is exquisite - lovely and soft. The leather comes dyed to colour with some wonderful reds, blues, oranges and yellows plus the more traditional tans and browns. You have to buy at least a whole side of the soft leather or half a side for the leather she uses for belts and other things like dog collars and leads. Provenance is important, knowing where the leather comes from and being satisfied that animal care has been complied with – this is why Debbie works with a tried and trusted Italian tannery. But before she gets to the sewing stage there are still June/July 2019 | 19

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a number of stages. Once she’s got the pattern cut out and the leather selected, there’s plenty of hammering and gluing before the actual sewing starts. For example straps are hand folded all the way along the edges and then lined. Finally the sewing starts and this takes time, to finally finish with a unique, handmade piece. I admire the huge bobbins of nylon bonded thread that whizz round during the process. There is also a delightful range of patterned Liberty linings to choose from. Once the handbag (or other item) is complete, an order might require a personalised leather label. These are popular for special gifts. Debbie has recently acquired a hot foil machine, which can produce lettering in silver or gold. A name can also be created using ‘debossing’ which creates a sunken name, recessed into the leather without the use of silver or gold. Personalisation is also available for other items likes glasses cases, dog leads, belts and napkin rings, often for weddings. It’s Debbie’s 4th year at Cockington and things are going brilliantly. She loves meeting customers and making more bespoke items. She says, “People might ask if a pocket can be added or if a similar bag can be made in another colour.” She’s built up a good following englishrivieramagazine.co.uk

of customers who are local residents as well as regular visitors to the area. Along with healthy sales via Not on the High Street and Etsy, she is kept pretty busy. Nevertheless, this year she will be having a stand in the West Country Craft Tent at Devon County Show; she’s currently stocking up on fast-moving items like dog accessories and belts as well as handbags for the purpose. If it sounds like Debbie’s business is a huge success – it is – but she tells me, “It has taken years to get to this point being at Cockington Court Craft Centre has been brilliant.” She explains that the concept of ‘slow fashion’ is important to her – everything should be well made and last for years. She believes that here should be far less throwaway fashion. When she has a bit of time off, Debbie loves going out running, particularly along Preston Beach and Paignton Seafront. Spending time with family is a priority, with gardening and walks high up on the list of leisure activities. She still goes to London every few months to meet up with old friends and gain inspiration from being in the city. But she always loves coming back home and creating something new and original for Freeload Accessories. Why not pop in? ¢  freeloadaccessories.com June/July 2019 | 21

Bishop Henry Phillpotts This fierce and controversial Bishop of Exeter controlled a large diocese across the West Country. When cholera struck Exeter he moved out and started work on Bishop’s Palace in Torquay, much to the outrage of his city parishioners. Ian Handford of Torbay Civic Society tells us more.

enry Phillpotts was born May 6th 1778 and educated at Gloucester Cathedral School before becoming a Fellow at Magdalen College Oxford. He married Deborah Maria Surtees, a niece of Lord Chancellor Eldon. Having served the church in numerous roles he was appointed Bishop of Exeter in 1830. His diocese covered a large area from the Somerset borders, through Devon and Cornwall and included the Isles of Scilly. He would serve here for thirty-eight years during which time numerous lawsuits were brought, many against his own clergy. The Bishop’s Palace at Exeter was in poor repair and so when cholera struck the city Henry and family moved out to a villa at Teignmouth. From here he made plans for his new Bishop’s Palace at Torquay. When returning to Exeter he was surprised to find his parishioners angry; they loathed him for deserting them in their hour of need. His greatest critic was Thomas Latimer, City Editor of the Western Times and due to his virulent attacks a lawsuit was started; oddly it was the only one the Bishop ever lost. Henry Phillpotts was a brilliant administrator and yet a hard taskmaster on all matters ecclesiastical. In believing he was ordained by God to look after the Church of England, the Roman Church was an enemy throughout his life. Today, non-orthodox practices often occur in Anglican churches, but during the Bishop’s reign all items like incense were outlawed. Woe betide any of 22 | June/July 2019

his clergymen seen using church idols, as occurred in Catholic churches. His doctrinal ruling was final and if any cleric was brave enough to challenge his rule, they knew financially it would be costly. If they lost the cause, their career with the church was likely to end. The ‘Bishopstowe Mansion’ Torquay was completed by 1841 and thirty years later, with the Bishop’s death it would be sold and extended many times before becoming what we knew as the Palace Hotel Torquay. Built 200ft above Anstey’s Cove, all that will remain soon will be The Bishop’s Walk. The hotel is now closed and due to be demolished to make way for a five star hotel with homes at the rear of the site. Believing himself protector of the Church in England, Henry gave no quarter to anyone on issues of theology or ritualistic practice. His enemy the Roman Pope and Catholics were about as acceptable to him as Communists were to many of us in the 20th century. During the late 19th century, calls for change were emerging as both the gentry and aristocrats returned to the Church. This saw many Anglican clergy offering a more open service and in the High Church they even believed they were restoring Christianity to its roots. But traditionalists thought they must keep all Roman influence out. When interviewing ecclesiastical candidates, his Lordship made it crystal clear that idolatry was banned and any candidate with a different

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Riviera Heritage view would soon be marked unsuitable. His Lordship spent upwards of thirty thousand pounds defending numerous lawsuits. He was merciless if finding any improper service being used. He even went public when stating, “absentee leaders should reside or resign”, which bearing in mind he did just that in the era of the cholera epidemic, was extraordinary. Two legal cases are worthy of mention, the first when he wished to sack the Vicar of Brampton North Devon, the Rev George Gorham in 1847. Gorham had announced that the grace of regeneration was “not necessarily effected through Baptism”. The Bishop’s view saw regeneration in an infant always effected at Baptism (Book of Common Prayer). The difference was tested in the Court of Arches, which found for the Bishop, but the Privy Council Judicial Committee reversed this on appeal. Not willing to let things lie, the Bishop approached the Court of the Queen’s Bench, the Court of Common Pleas and even the Court of the Exchequer, before announcing that if anyone re-instated Gorham as Vicar - “this would incur the sin of supporting heretical doctrine”. His threat did not deter the Archbishop of Canterbury, who did reinstate Gorham - and strangely, he was later reconciled to the Bishop. But the most incredible example of intolerance came when flowers adorned (or was it decorated) St John’s Church Torquay. The curate, the Rev Park-Smith was

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an unassuming and popular cleric who always had large congregations. He was absolutely astonished when the Bishop, having learned about the idols (flowers) on the high altar, rode in from Exeter, stormed into the packed church and swept the offensive items from the altar with his Bishops’ Staff. That action saw the matter become the first ever ‘ritual prosecution’ at the Diocesan Court. Sadly, Park-Smith lost and having left Torquay, took up a role as Chaplain in the Crimean War. Fortunately, he survived and on returning home found the Bishop willing to re-appoint him; they even became friends. Forever thereafter, historians have referred to his Reverence as “Flowerpot Smith”. With a theological college founded at Exeter and large sums of money given to Exeter Cathedral, the Bishop also built churches throughout his diocese. However, his lasting legacy, must be the creation of a new diocese to serve Cornwall after built a new Cathedral at Truro. Lord Phillpotts, who sired eighteen children, survived until age ninety-one. Having died in 1869, he lies adjacent to the Old Lych Gate at St Marychurch Parish Church, where its new tower (a memorial to him) looks down on us still. One can only wonder what he would think of the new changes in the Anglican Church that today allow gay marriage and female clergy, while in America they even have gay Bishops. ¢  torbaycivicsociety.co.uk

The ‘Bishopstowe Mansion’ Torquay was completed by 1841 and thirty years later, with the Bishop’s death it would be sold and extended many times before becoming what we knew as the Palace Hotel Torquay.

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June/July 2019 | 23

Wilfred Owen in Torquay

The world famous war poet Wilfred Owen spent regular holidays in Torquay and witnessed King George Vâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Review of the Fleet in Torbay in 1910, during which a plane took off from Torre Abbey Meadow. Linda Lear tells us more.

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ilfred Owen, the great (some say the greatest) poet of the First World War was born on 18 March 1893 in Oswestry, Shropshire, the eldest of four children born to Tom and Susan Owen. He started writing poetry from an early age, and he read widely too, enjoying the Romantic poets, especially Shelley and Keats. In 1906 Wilfred Owen’s uncle and aunt, John Taylor and his wife Annie (née Owen), moved to Torquay, living in a fine, double-fronted, house at 264-266 Union Street, from where they ran their stationery and bookshop business. Wilfred’s grandparents, William and Martha Owen, joined them in Torquay in 1908. Wilfred became familiar with the town, spending holidays with his aunt and uncle on several occasions. In 1909, the entire family came together to celebrate William and Martha’s Golden Wedding. Imagine the scene at King George V’s Review of the Fleet in Tor Bay on 27 July 1910. Row upon row of warships lay at anchor, with the Royal Yacht sailing slowly between them as the King and Queen reviewed the fleet. To the great excitement of the crowd, a plane took off from Torre Abbey meadow, piloted by Claude

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Grahame-White, whose intention was to demonstrate that the greatest navy in the world had no guns capable of being trained on a target in the sky. Among the crowds watching that day were Wilfred Owen and his brother Harold, who were thrilled by the spectacle; it inspired in them a strong ambition to become aviators. During WWI Harold briefly achieved his dream but Wilfred did not; his request for a transfer to the Royal Flying Corps was turned down by the army, who could ill afford to lose an officer showing great expertise with a rifle and who was a capable instructor in its use. Still on holiday a couple of weeks later, Wilfred and his brother continued to enjoy the delights of Torquay. He wrote home to his mother: Aug. 1910 – Torquay Dearest Mother …is it fixed that we leave Torquay on Tuesday? Really, I am by no means ‘fed up’ with it! The whole day to Harold & me centres round the bathing. The most enjoyable we have ever had, I think. It is one of those rare cases where the actuality exceeds, does not short fall of, the expectation.

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Would it savour too much of the tradesman’s invitation to Lord Roberts if I were to interview her? But what relics must she possess, and what information with regard to the truth of the anecdotes about Coleridge. Archaeological interest next consumes me. My American friend tells me of a prehistoric Cavern near Meadfoot (Kent’s Cavern). I, however, have found out (from a Guide Book) about another and Prehistoricer cavern (as well as a Roman Camp) near Brixham. So we are together going to Brixham on Monday afternoon (if fine). Three years later in 1913, Wilfred and his youngest brother Colin were back in Torquay for a few weeks, visiting the Owen grandparents and once more staying with their Aunt Annie. Annie Taylor was by now a widow, living at La Vallée, 48 Sherwell Lane; this was a large house at the end of Belle Vue Crescent to which

she and her late husband had retired. During his stay, Wilfred took the opportunity to make a return trip to Teignmouth to visit the house where John Keats and his brother George had stayed in 1818. Keats was nothing short of a hero to Wilfred, and his poem, To Poesy, known to have been written in Torquay, has distinctly Keatsian overtones. It is easy to speculate that whilst on holiday that year, Wilfred may have visited Torquay cemetery to pay his respects to his uncle, John Taylor, who had died since his previous visit. In the years that followed, his grandparents William and Martha Owen would be buried in the same plot. And in a remarkable twist of fate, which would have brought great satisfaction to Wilfred, his grandparents lay buried on the same row and only a few graves along from Christabel Coleridge, who had signed Wilfred’s book on a happy day in Torquay back in 1910. This visit to Torquay in 1913 was to be Wilfred’s last. On 15 September that year, he left for Bordeaux, where he took up a teaching post at the Berlitz school. He was still in France when war was declared. For a while he pondered joining the French army, but instead he returned to England, enlisted in the Artists’ Rifles and was subsequently commissioned into the Manchester Regiment. Lt Wilfred Edward Salter Owen MC was killed in action on 4 November 1918. He was 25 years of age. The telegram reached his parents on 11 November 1918, the day on which church bells across the country were ringing out in celebration of the armistice. In a letter to his mother sent from the Hindenburg Line on 4 October 1918, Wilfred wrote: “I came out in order to help these boys – directly by leading them as well as an officer can; indirectly, by watching their sufferings that I may speak of them as well as a pleader can. I have done the first.” Time has proved that he has also done the second. ¢

About Linda Lear Linda Lear recently paid for a Torbay Civic Society Blue Plaque to be placed on the property where Wilfred Owen regularly stayed at Higher Union Street. Linda was involved with the Friends of Torre Abbey for many years and was aware of Claude Grahame-White’s extraordinary flight over the fleet in Torbay in 1910. What she didn’t know, until comparatively recently, was that Wilfred Owen and his brother were in the crowd that day. Linda’s interest in Wilfred Owen’s poetry stems from her association with the Torbay and South West of England Festival – a competitive festival of the performing arts. She had seen many performances of dance, music and drama but one given some years ago had a memorable impact. On stage at the Palace Theatre was a 13-year old schoolgirl speaking Owen’s poem Disabled. She gave a performance of such quiet and powerful sincerity that she became the British Tommy of the poem. He had lost both his legs. He had lost half an arm and although a survivor, he had also lost a life. The audience was in tears. 26 | June/July 2019

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Sources: The Wilfred Owen Association; Dominic Hibberd: Wilfred Owen: A New Biography (2002)

To his great delight, Wilfred discovered that a granddaughter of the poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge lived at Cheyne, Bridge Road, a short walk from his uncle’s home on Higher Union Street. He lost no time in walking to Christabel Coleridge’s house, knocked on the door and she and her brother duly autographed Wilfred’s copy of their grandfather’s poems. His letter to his mother continues: Since yesterday afternoon my senses have been considerably fluttered. For I then discovered that a few furlongs away lives a descendant of Coleridge – Miss Christabel Coleridge. I promptly discovered the house by means of a directory, and a few minutes later my heart (liver and cerebellum included)

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June/July 2019 | 27

Cross-Channel Adventure

Trinity Sailing Foundation is a registered charity that preserves historic Brixham trawlers, operating three vessels: Provident, Leader and Golden Vanity. Anita Newcombe enjoys a cruise to the Channel Islands and Brittany aboard Provident.

’m due to join Provident, currently moored on Brixham’s Town Pontoon, at 1pm for my 6-day sailing holiday. I arrive about ten past and the deck is completely quiet. I climb aboard nevertheless and Nigel Wolstenholme the ship’s cook appears in the companionway, greeting me with a friendly welcome. My fellow passengers are already below in the main saloon tucking into a delicious-looking buffet lunch. The rest of the crew including the Skipper Adam Spargo, Mate Teymour Kashani and Bosun Bronwen Brakspear introduce themselves with a ‘welcome aboard’ and I slide into a place around the rather magnificent dining table. Today we are meeting our fellow passengers, getting our berths and wet weather gear allocated, and settling in. I

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am shown to a bunk within a 4-berth, forward cabin. At 95ft in length there is room to accommodate 12 passengers and four crewmembers. Provident is a ‘Mule’ class sailing trawler built in 1924 at W.A. Gibbs yard in Galmpton. She fished out of Brixham for 10 years before being sold to a wealthy American and converted to a private yacht. She was laid up during World War II then in the 1980s, after a major refit, started sailing with Salcombe’s Island Cruising Club. In 1999 she joined the newly formed Trinity Sailing Foundation and now offers regular holidays, sail training and D of E expeditions and residentials. The main saloon is where everyone gathers and now Adam, our skipper for the week, tells us a bit about the

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Out & About ‘gaff rig’ of this wonderfully restored trawler. The ‘gaff’ is a spar attached to the top of the main and mizzen sails. With two masts plus the rather exciting-looking bowsprit there is an astonishing array of different sails that can be hoisted. Afternoon tea has now been served on deck with freshly baked banana cake courtesy of Nigel (who turns out to be an amazing chef). The final two passengers have now arrived (there are 10 of us in all) and Adam starts his safety briefing. Our plan is to set sail shortly for Guernsey. This is a long sail so we are divided up into 2 groups for rotating, 3-hour overnight watches (although it’s not compulsory to join them all – you can stay in your cosy bunk if you like). We cast off from Brixham Harbour late afternoon and start to learn the ropes. There is plenty of hauling going on with the mizzen the first sail to go up, followed by the main, then the staysail, the jib and the topsail. Initially the sails fill nicely but once we are past Berry Head the wind drops. We happily enjoy basking under the early evening sunshine and deep blue skies. Two fellow passengers are soon practising some navigation while the rest of us chill and chat. We are occasionally called upon to ‘sweat’ a few ropes but otherwise

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we just enjoy getting to know one another. Meanwhile down in the galley Nigel is cooking up a delicious beef bourguignon in the galley with a very jolly first dinner served at 7pm. There is a bar on board but this is only available when in port. It’s definitely not a good idea to be drinking alcohol when at sea. Skipper’s rules are that everyone must wear lifejackets when on deck (unless in port) and this is carefully monitored. We quickly get into the routine of watches and there is plenty of time for lots more chat between short periods of hauling sails and a bit of supervised helming. Suddenly a bit of excitement – dolphins are spotted off the bow and we watch them frolic and play in the bow wave for some time before they disappear into the depths. It turns out to be quite a long passage with the light winds continuing and the engine is turned on from the early hours onwards to supplement the sails (the engine is much quieter than I expected). In the morning, after breakfast, we bask in the sunshine and just in case anyone is having trouble getting the required ‘sea legs,’ Nigel offers us his special anti-seasickness treat. It’s a delicious chopped

June/July 2019 | 29

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Out & About apple and stem ginger compote, served hot – I feel perfectly fine but accept some anyway as it’s so yummy. We reach St Peter Port, Guernsey’s capital at 2pm on day two and it’s fascinating to observe the process of getting such a large vessel moored up alongside the pontoon. Here we have our first chance to go ashore and admire the picturesque marina, the cobbled streets and the lovely gardens. Three of us, Ruth, Krys and myself, decide to get some exercise by going for a run and our route around the waterfront takes in the dramatic 800-year-old Castle Cornet and the historic La Vallette Bathing Pools. We have a shower in the marina facilities and are soon back on board for another of Nigel’s delicious dinners (lasagne, garlic bread

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knots, attach the fenders and so on. Once we make landfall in France, it’s an idyllic experience to head slowly up the Trieux River to Lézardrieux, a sleepy but very pretty town not far from the mouth of the estuary. Here the suspension bridge Pont de Lézardrieux is a French national monument. The tidal range is very significant here and we are trying to work out why it’s so much greater than in Devon. We moor up - and now the same running threesome heads out for a jog to explore. After quick showers aboard we crack another bottle of Prosecco and enjoy the late afternoon sunshine on deck before dinner. Most of us get an early night as we are planning an early departure tomorrow morning for Tréguier.

Everyone is getting used to the various tasks on board, hauling out the bowsprit on departure, unpacking and attaching the various sails, ‘sweating’ the halyards to raise them, helming, watching for crab pots and so on

and a freshly baked chocolate fudge cake for pudding). On the way we’ve picked up a cheeky bottle of Prosecco and some nibbles to share on deck in the evening sunshine. Bliss! Next morning we leave St Peter Port fairly early and after a full cooked breakfast with fresh bread and croissants we are back on deck enjoying today’s cruise. The weather continues fine with good sea conditions offering just a gentle swell. Today we are heading for Lézardrieux on the famed Côte de Granit Rose, so-named because of its distinctive pink granite. It’s the northernmost stretch of the beautiful Breton coast and we pass endless jagged rocks and lighthouses en route. Lunch is served on deck and is sweet potato soup served with pumpkin seeds and more fresh ship-baked bread. Everyone is getting used to the various tasks on board, hauling out the bowsprit on departure, unpacking and attaching the various sails, ‘sweating’ the halyards to raise them, helming, watching for crab pots and so on. Adam, Teymour and Bronwen have endless patience and good humour and both teach us how to tie a range of

We’re up by 7am and are already underway when a hearty breakfast of eggs, bacon and porridge is served in the saloon. As we leave the quiet, gentle, Trieux River we encounter a big, bouncy swell, which gets everyone scrambling back on deck. There is wide, wooden seating along both sides of the ‘doghouse,’ which houses the chart table and the ship’s instruments including the satellite navigation screen. We’ve charted a course right around the headland to get us round to the River Jaudy and thence upriver to Tréguier. Some gentle, sloppy waves come over the bow and run down the deck and I’m glad I’m wearing my sailing boots. As we turn downwind, Provident settles. However, the swell gives us a little bounce again as we turn towards the entrance of the River Jaudy. Once into the well-buoyed channel we have fun spotting the red and green lateral markers we must follow to navigate safely into Tréguier. The river is very tranquil and we travel slowly, and rather majestically upriver. We are all on deck admiring the

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June/July 2019 | 31

Out & About spectacular views and listening to the birdsong that floods out of the overhanging riverside vegetation. We moor up at a waiting pontoon, as there is a large yacht on the walk-ashore pontoon where we were hoping to berth. We are taken ashore in groups by Provident’s tender which is a large RIB that can take 6 people at a time. Ruth and I decide to go for a longer run and we make a couple of big loops around the gorgeous cathedral town and over the Pont Canada, an arched road bridge. Our loop also takes in the beautiful and historic bridge called Passerelle St François, originally built in 1833. The port and harbour here are very picturesque with lots of creperies, restaurants and cafés. After our run, we meet fellow passengers Krys and Louisa who are enjoying a coffee in the stunning town square opposite the cathedral. Inside this imposing structure they are preparing for the Pardon of St Yves and armfuls of white lilies are being taken inside. We head back to Provident, which is now conveniently moored on a walk-ashore mooring. Next morning is Tréguier’s weekly Wednesday morning market and we enjoy a browse around this traditional event, which is spread out across the town’s cobbled streets. The stalls include fruit and vegetables, meat and charcuterie, wine, local specialities and bakery items plus clothing, jewellery, tablecloths, leather goods and cushions. We all buy some souvenirs and then stop for hot chocolate at a café in the square. I pop into the cathedral, remarkable for its three towers including a very striking spire, a splendid cloister with 48 flamboyant Gothic-style arcades, an incredible 17th century organ and a huge number of fabulous stained glass windows – it definitely has the ‘wow factor’. The whole town is full of superbly restored historic buildings so a stroll around is a real joy. Alas, we must depart and this afternoon we are all back on board because this evening we are anchoring up in a sheltered spot near the mouth of the estuary so as to make a quick getaway very early tomorrow morning

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on our long passage back to Devon. When we’re anchored, we have the option to go ashore in the tiny riverside hamlet of Le Port. There is not much here but it is very pretty and we are able to walk up onto the hill above the river and drop down to the foreshore directly opposite Provident. Back on board and having enjoyed dinner, Adam is looking for volunteers to do ‘anchor watch’ for an hour each during the night. This starts at 10pm and I immediately volunteer for 10-11pm. After a briefing from Adam, the ship quietens down very rapidly as everyone else dives into their bunks. It is dark with a moon and I am conscious of every creak as I move around the ‘doghouse’ and peer out across the river. My hour is soon up and I get a great night’s sleep before my next watch at 7am. By this time Provident has been underway for three hours. Conditions are good as we sail all the next day, stopping off briefly at Guernsey, and arrive back in Brixham around 7am the following morning. We’re not due to depart until after lunch at noon so a group of us visit the Breakwater Café for hot chocolate and then browse Brixham’s shops. I have the least distance to travel home, living only a mile from the harbour and after a final lunch and swapping of email addresses with our new friends we say our fond farewells. Our Channel Islands and Brittany cruise has been a memorable experience and quite an adventure. We’ve learned a lot, made new friends and enjoyed a very special time on this historic Trinity Sailing Foundation vessel. If you have a sense of adventure, whether you’ve been sailing before or not, then why not give it a go? ¢  trinitysailing.org

Give It A Go! Trips start from £95. For 5% off any 2019 voyage, please call 01803 883355 or email team@ trinitysailing.org and mention this article.

June/July 2019 | 33

Armchair Twitcher David Simpson has recently discovered the joy of watching the birds in his Livermead garden, and would encourage everyone to have a go at attracting some of our most recognisable, and surprisingly colourful, garden visitors

f, like me, the thought of being a hardened twitcher – dressed in camouflage gear in a hide in the middle of nowhere at 5am – doesn’t appeal, why not think about bringing the Bay’s birds into your own garden? We are lucky in the South West to have a temperate environment where garden birds thrive. It’s an easy, relatively low cost, pastime and, even as an enthusiastic amateur like me, you will be surprised by the amount of pleasure and excitement you get as every new species arrives.

top tips

Here are some of my top tips for turning your garden into a bird watchers’ haven:

• Food is the main way you can attract birds into your garden. Don’t worry if you install a new bird-feeder and nothing happens for a while. Birds are naturally wary and often take a few weeks, or even months, to get comfortable with any new bird feeder in your garden. Your patience will be rewarded…

• Think about where you position your bird feeder. Preferably not too far from a bush or tree as they like a short flight to safety, but not too close either, so they can avoid concealed predators like cats! • If you want to dissuade ‘sneak thieves’ such as gulls and pigeons from eating all your bird food you will need to ensure your feeders are ‘pest proof ’ although this doesn’t necessarily mean ‘fool-proof ’. If you are of a certain age, and familiar with the classic Carling Black Label advert, you won’t be surprised either at how acrobatic the average squirrel can be! • Do some research. Birds need different food at different times of the year, depending on whether they are preparing to breed, feeding young or getting ready for the colder weather. • Birds can also be surprisingly fussy eaters. I’ve found really cheap seed is a false economy, so make sure you have a good quality variety to keep them interested – pre-husked sunflower seeds are a particular favourite of finches. • Don’t forget water which is just as important when it’s cold as

Male Bullfinch

34 | June/July 2019

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Give It A Go - Garden Birdwatching

Long-tailed Tit

when it’s warm. Birds need to bathe in order to keep their feathers in tip top condition and having a place to drink is essential. Make sure any container is shallow enough or has a lip that they can balance on. • It’s not just about seeds – many birds, including sparrows, dunnocks, blackcaps, robins and blackbirds love meaty protein. You can buy freeze-dried mealworms, but I would suggest softening them in warm water before you put them out as this makes them more palatable and easier to feed to small chicks. • To ensure a hygienic disease-free environment for your garden birds, make sure you clean your bird feeders regularly with hot, soapy water, and throw away any uneaten seed if it starts to look mouldy. It is also a good idea to make sure there isn’t too much discarded seed lying

around on the ground, as this might attract mice and rats. • If you have the space, make your garden planting bird friendly … trees and dense shrubs provide excellent cover and nesting sites, and plants that have fruit or berries or attract bugs are really good natural sources of food. If you have any tall trees, why not add in a few strategically placed nesting boxes as well? • You don’t have to worry if your garden isn’t up to ‘Monty Don’ standard and is scruffy, unkempt or, frankly, a bit ‘weedy’ – your own mini-nature reserve will help create additional biodiversity in your garden. Encourage even more bugs, beetles and caterpillars by avoiding garden pesticides and chemicals. • And don’t forget, get yourself a garden bird identifier book or app and keep a pair of binoculars at hand!

Nuthatch

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June/July 2019 | 35

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2,3 & 4 bedroom homes Off Secmaton Lane, Dawlish, EX7 0FF 01626 817424 www.cavannahomes.co.uk

Give It A Go - Garden Birdwatching

Greenfinches

My personal top 5 favourite garden visitors are: 1 Bullfinch - My no. 1 favourite – male and females have distinct, but dramatic, colouring and, as they mate for life, are nearly always seen together. They aren’t common visitors to the bird feeder so it is extra special when they do arrive! 2 Goldfinch - Beautiful, multi-coloured finches with flashes of red, green and gold. Normally congregate on the bird feeders in large groups, often taking up the best feeding spots and waiting to be literally knocked ‘off the perch’ by other family members. 3 Long tailed Tit - Super cute, super fun little birds. You often hear them before you see them, they tend to arrive at the feeder as a large, twittering, squabbling feathered mob, raid the sunflower seeds, and then disappear en masse almost as soon as they arrive. 4 Greenfinch - One of the largest finch species, the males have vibrant green colouring with the females being a bit more muted. They are great for first-time bird watchers – like all finches, they love to sit around on the feeder for extended periods of time, just eating and watching the world go by. 5 Nuthatch A distinctive little bird – like a tiny woodpecker, small and plump with a powerful beak and a characteristic black stripe through the eye. Normally seen sitting in the mealworm feeder. Like the bullfinch, a bit of a rare treat. … and don’t forget blackbirds, wrens, dunnocks, sparrows, robins, great tits, blue tits, coal tits, blackcaps and goldcrests. And … my personal ‘holy grail’ – the chaffinch. Despite being one of the UKs most common garden birds, I have yet to see one in my garden!

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June/July 2019 | 37

At Abbeyﬁeld people are at the heart of everything we do

Supported Housing for Independent Living Park House

Sanders Court

ABBEYFIELD SOUTH WEST SOCIETY Both Abbeyﬁeld houses are situated in lovely areas, boasting their own attractive grounds.

dining room every day and breakfast provisions are provided for residents to have in their rooms.

Park House in Paignton is situated directly opposite a beautiful park and is a ﬁve minute walk from the beach.

Each house has a small and friendly committed team of staff, consisting of a Manager, cooks and a cleaner who all work together to ensure residents are happy and content.

Sanders Court in St Marychurch, Torquay, has a large private courtyard and the local precinct is just a ﬁve minute walk away, with all the amenities you would expect. Both sites offer good public transport services close by, so it is nice and easy to go and explore. Rooms are unfurnished with en-suite facilities and a kitchenette area. The houses have a communal laundry, dining room and lounge. Traditional home cooked meals are served in the

At our Abbeyﬁeld houses residents ﬁnd friendship and support without losing their independence and dignity. There are various activities, events and entertainment that take place throughout the year which the residents can join in if they wish. Each room has its own 24hr emergency call system for residents peace of mind.

To arrange a visit or for more information telephone the Manager at: Park House, Paignton 01803 557732 or for Sanders Court, Torquay 01803 316164. Or visit our website: www.abbeyﬁeld.com Registered Society No: 23413R under the Co-operative and Community Beneﬁt Societies Act 2014

Out & About

SATURDAY 27 JULY Paignton’s beautiful 18th century harbour will be buzzing as Paignton Harbour Festival gets underway. Julia Pearce of South West Group Travel tells us more.

s Paignton, Torbay’s Forgotten Harbour? When most people think of Torbay’s harbours, they think of Torquay Marina and harbour with its yachts and pleasure boats bobbing within the harbour walls. Or maybe they think of the trawlers and the Golden Hind in the fishing port of Brixham. However, unless you’re walking the South West Coast Path, you could easily miss Paignton Harbour; more’s the pity. Lots of visitors don’t realise that Paignton has a lovely harbour and many residents of the Bay may have forgotten it’s there too. Paignton Harbour Festival aims to change all that. The harbour was really unusual in the fact that the first Paignton Harbour Master was a woman - daughter of a local shipbuilder Louis Gale. Stella was Paignton Harbour Master from 1921, when she was just 21 years old, until she retired from the position in 1941 (the local authority

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took over the harbour ownership in 1936). Stella was the very first female Harbour Master in England. The harbour has a history of wooden boat building as well as fishing with wonderful, high quality shellfish. Browse Brothers crab factory (now the Blue Sea Food Company), was situated on the South Quay of the harbour (it has now moved premises to Torbay Business Park). The factory dated back to 1951, but Browse Brothers was originally founded in the early post war years. Paignton Harbour dries out at low tide and is known as one of the only harbours in England where you approach by the port side of the fairway instead of the starboard side. The recent announcement that St Austell Brewery is purchasing a long lease on the Harbour Light building is great news for the regeneration of the harbour area. On Saturday 27 July you can join a day of free, fishy family fun with food and music at Paignton Harbour Festival. Now in its 5th year, the festival was founded by a group of local Paignton townspeople to highlight the heritage harbour area and all it has to offer - for locals and visitors alike. The festival’s chosen charities are the Fishermen’s Mission and the South Devon & Channel Shellfishermen Welfare Fund. Paignton Harbour Festival is a family-friendly event with plenty for everyone to enjoy. There will be cooking demonstrations of locally caught seafood by chefs including Silla Bjerrum, founder of Feng Sushi, in London, with others to be announced. You can also take part in crab dressing classes. Live music will be playing all day and through the evening. There will be children’s activities including circus skills and lots more. You can also enjoy craft and artisan food stalls, as well as Devonshire cream teas, plus the traditional beer tent. You can take part in boat races and fishing on Fairy Cove and the RNLI lifeboat will be visiting the harbour. Visitors can arrive in style from Brixham and Torquay, avoiding the traffic with the Paignton Pleasure Cruises ferry. ¢  facebook.com/PaigntonHarbourDay

June/July 2019 | 39

Revolution Skate hosts open roller skating sessions for all ages at Torbay Velopark, every Tuesday from 4-6pm. Anita Newcombe gives it a go.

haven’t put on a pair of roller skates since I was about 12 years old but I’m very excited about the chance to have a go at the Velopark where you can skate for miles along a lovely, smooth track. I’m meeting Mitch Knight, who runs Revolution Skate, as well as Volunteer Coach Steph Jephson, for this afternoon’s Veloskate. Steph kits me up with a splendid pair of roller skating boots plus a helmet and wristguards. When I try to stand up, I find that I have forgotten everything I used to know about roller skates, most importantly that they are very ‘rolly’ and I feel extremely wobbly. Steph shows me how to gain a safe stance in a T-position with with my toes pointing outwards. To get going I must waddle like a duck (or a penguin), toes pointing outwards. I soon remember the feel of skating though and start to push out and glide. We are skating across The Apron (the reception area of the Velopark) at the moment. So far I’ve just been slowing down and stopping myself on the fence posts as I reach each end. However, once I’ve got going, Steph shows me a proper method of stopping. She knows that I’m a skier so she suggests that I try the roller skating equivalent of the ‘Snow Plough Stop’. With legs apart and knees bent, I point my toes inward and slowly bring them closer together. This does have the effect of slowing me down to

40 | June/July 2019

a gradual stop although I’m still wobbling quite a bit. Once I get the hang of skating smoothly, we head out onto the Velopark track, which is an adventurous 1.5 km long. You have the feeling of skating out in the countryside here as the centre of the track is a large grassy area and there’s a green field, nature reserve and woods right behind the Velopark. Whizzing round here is a wonderful experience, much nicer than anything I remember in my junior roller skating career when I kept tripping over bumps in the pavement. I can feel my muscles working as I make 3 or 4 laps of the track. Although this primarily feels like a fun activity, it is clearly going to be really good for my balance, agility and co-ordination. Talking to Mitch afterwards, he explains that roller skating is also very beneficial for the core muscles. It is known to burn lots of calories (apparently 600 calories an hour) and is a wonderful stress-reliever too. I’m feeling quite joyful and light-hearted and can’t resist having just one more circuit of the track. Coming back into The Apron, I spot some more experienced skaters practising fancy moves like backward skating through cones, and crossing over their skates to perform impressive circular figures. Most people are just

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Give It A Go! Roller Skating having fun skating round the track though and I see all ages skating from quite young tiddlers right through to those who are likely to be well past retirement. Everyone is cheerful and friendly and it’s a great atmosphere. Here on The Apron, Mitch is playing music from his mobile disco. It’s a great sound – but overall, Veloskate feels very much like an outdoorsy, countryside skate rather than a roller-disco event. I like this balance – I’m enjoying the music but it’s not at all intrusive. My mother and father actually met at an outdoor roller skating rink in Wales where they had both been

“

Although this primarily feels like a fun activity, it is clearly going to be really good for my balance, agility and co-ordination.

evacuated during the war. My father was a good skater and my mother noticed him performing an arabesque (where you raise one leg parallel to the floor). This became an oft-repeated family story. Now I understand the attraction and feel-good quality of this amazing sport. I just love gliding along and the Velopark is fantastic for this because you can just keep on skating. The course is long enough to never feel repetitive. What a great experience! It’s definitely one that I’d be keen to repeat. I used 4-wheeled skates but inline skates are also available. Maybe I’ll try those next time. Veloskate is open to most wheeled devices except bikes. Mitch Knight on the decks

Volunteer Coach Steph Jephson gives Anita some tips

So this includes skates, skateboards, longboards, scooters and hoverboards. It takes place every Tuesday from 4-6pm at Torbay Velopark next to Torbay Leisure Centre. It costs £5 per person to skate and £18 for four people. Skate hire is £1 extra per person but you are welcome to bring your own. Helmets are compulsory – they do have a supply of helmets and pads but they often go quickly so bring your own if you have one. You’ll find plenty of car parking here (pay & display). You can also bring a picnic if you wish. Revolution Skate also offers birthday parties at various venues including the Velopark. ¢  revolutionskate.co.uk

Did You Know? The first roller skates were used in a London stage show in 1743; the inventor was unknown. The first known inventor was John Joseph Merlin in 1760 – he crashed into a mirror at a London masquerade party. The first skating rink opened in The Strand London in 1857. The roller skate has long been popular in Amish communities, who refrain from ‘wordly’ things like motorcars. A 1916 Charlie Chaplin film features an early roller skating party. englishrivieramagazine.co.uk

June/July 2019 | 41

Your Future, Your Degree ucsd.ac.uk | 08000 21 31 81 University Centre South Devon Long Road, Paignton, TQ4 7EJ

Out & About

The hugely popular Occombe Festival is back on 14 & 15 June at Occombe Farm with a great lineup of live music, a tempting range of beers, ales, ciders, Pimms & Prosecco plus a feast of local food.

ccombe Festival is Torbay’s only festival on a working farm and all proceeds are going to Torbay Coast and Countryside Trust’s vital conservation work. The Trust’s many members will be out in force as well as lots of other local residents and many of our visitors. This year’s musical lineup of rock, pop and blues includes a collection of top regional and national cover bands and original artists too. New to the Occombe stage are The Trees, Rum Puppets, Mr Tea and the Minions, Dr Oz, Daisy Clark, Jake Morrell, the Kaizens and Black Water County. Returning are Firekind, Mafia 4 the Blues Brothers Collective and Mammoth. There will be a scrumptious selection from some of the area’s favourite local street food vendors. You can choose from a mouthwatering assortment of traditional festival foods such as gourmet burgers and hot dogs, handmade pizzas and delicious noodle dishes. There will be over 40 varieties of beers and ales to try alongside a selection of local ciders and a choice of wines plus Pimms, and Prosecco. Tickets booked in advance are: Friday £13.50. Saturday 18.50, weekend £30. Tickets will cost more on the gate at £15 and £20 respectively. New for this year, the Saturday gate is opening at 12 noon with three young Devon performers opening the festival. As last year, drink tokens can be purchased online in advance at the same time you buy your tickets (minimum 10). Bus transport to and from the festival is free with your ticket and there will be a selection of drop off and pick up points on routes through Torquay and Paignton. Occombe Festival is restricted to adults, over 18 years only. ¢  occombefestival.co.uk/tickets

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Torbay Coast & Countryside Trust is there for you:

Torbay Coast & Countryside Trust is there for you: • Bringing Occombe Festival and many other annual events to you • Keeping 100s of your favourite local walks open and safe • Conserving Berry Head as a world-class National Nature Reserve • Providing educational fun at Occombe Farm • Protecting 76% of Torbay’s public open spaces • Maintaining the Bay’s coastal footpaths • Looking after the parklands of Cockington • Helping conserve the Bay’s UNESCO Geopark status • Working Independently as a conservation charity Membership of Torbay Coast & Countryside Trust (TCCT) means you are directly involved in keeping the Bay’s green spaces beautiful and ensures tranquil and well-maintained havens for wildlife and people at all times. TCCT Membersonly are entitled to buy a Benefits Card that gives free parking at Trust sites.  countryside-trust.org.uk June/July 2019 | 43

Need to know

Views & Vistas A

fantastic walk for experiencing some of the Bay’s finest uninterrupted views of the coast to Teignmouth, East Devon, across Lyme Bay to Portland Bill on a clear day, as well as some of Torquay’s most dramatic geology. Much of the South West Coast Path section of this walk has been improved by Torbay Coast and Countryside Trust over the past two years after consultation with local residents identified views that had long been lost to uncontrolled undergrowth and tree cover.

1 From the car park on Anstey’s Cove Road take the

Bishop’s Walk path 10 metres to the right of the road that drops down to Anstey’s Cove. This will eventually emerge on to Ilsham Marine Drive. Along the way there are numerous viewpoints, some with benches and shelter, affording fantastic sites of Long Quarry Point, and Hope’s Nose and further afield along the East Devon Coast. There is an extended route taking you down towards the edge of the woods and cliffs which eventually leads back up to the main path for those who’d prefer a longer walk. 2 When the path reaches Ilsham Marine Drive, cross the road and take the elevated grassy path up the hill back toward the coastline. More uninterupted views across

Distance - 2.8 miles Exertion - Moderate Time - Allow between 90 minutes and 2 ½ hours if including Hope’s Nose Terrain - Coastpath. Steep and rutted in places. Dogs - Near to roads in places and some road crossings. Refreshments - Cafés at Anstey’s Cove and Meadfoot Beach Accessibilty - Not suitable for pushchairs or very young children. Be wary of unfenced drops. Parking - Anstey’s Cove Road car park Start Postcode - TQ1 2JE Lyme Bay from here. The path follows above the line of the road around to Hope’s Nose. The path down to Hope’s Nose is steep and narrow in places and a little scrambling is required to get all the way to the water’s edge. The way down is the way back up so for a less strenuous walk you might want to miss this section although it’ll tire the children out! 3 From the top of Hope’s Nose, follow the road downhill for 30 metres until you see the sign for the coast path towards Thatcher Point on the right. The path takes you down past the stunning Thatcher House with its beautifully kept grounds and out to Thatcher Point. Here you’ll have a close-up view of Thatcher Rock and its seabird colonies (take your binoculars) and long views across the bay. Take care here there are some long drops. Follow the path back up to the road. 4 Follow Ilsham Marine Drive down to Meadfoot Beach and turn left to follow the valley back up towards Anstey’s Cove. This long grassy route is known as Manor Gardens and Lincombe Slopes and is both a popular summer picnic location and a good opportunity for a spot of cricket or football. At the top of the green space, follow the road once more for a couple of hundred metres before crossing over and following the next area of parkland back to the car park.

Walk Refreshments

Viewpoint

Ordnance Survey ÂŠ

Crown copyright. Media 082/14

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June/July 2019 | 45

TOADS THEATRE COMPANY @ ST MARK’S ROAD MEADFOOT TORQUAY TQ1 2EL

2019 | 2020 SEASON T

D S O A

5-17 August 2019 Directed by John Miles

20-25 April 2020 Directed by Sarah Caplan

It’s all change for the sleepy village of Dibley!

Classic Noël Coward comedy

9-21 September 2019 Directed by Alec Stokes

9-14 December 2019 Directed by Martin Waddington

18-23 May 2020 Directed by Andrew Kenyon

A classic Agatha Christie whodunnit set on a River Nile paddle steamer

The famous farmyard fable by Dick King-Smith comes to life onstage

Life changing encounters at a London lodging house

14-19 October 2019 Directed by Anna Reynolds

13-18 January 2020 Directed by Cora Gant

15-20 June 2020 Directed by Alan Tanner

More plot twists and turns than a tornado!

Three generations, one Italian restaurant

Riotous comedy about dirty money

11-16 November 2019 Directed by Jill Farrant

16-21 March 2020 Directed by Jill Pettigrew

Intergenerational comedy drama full of fun and tenderness

A down at heal author plans on stealing a plot then events takea sinister turn

Also: The Sorcerer - booking now (Gilbert & Sullivan Society Torbay). 9-13 July 2019 The New Jersey Boys - booking now. 20 July 2019 ABBA Tribute - Take A Chance On Us 25 & 26 October 2019 A Celebration of Christmas 16 December 2019 Genesis Visible Touch - Tribute 19 January 2020 The Wolves of Willoughby Chase A Tadpoles production 12-15 February 2020

Taking bookings from 1st July 2019 Why not become a Theatre Club member £95 for all ten plays? Details available online or at the Box office:

Tel: 01803 299 330, Email: boxoffice@toadslittletheatre.co.uk Performance details and Online Booking: toadslittletheatre.co.uk

June & July around the Bay Greenway Literary Festival On till 9 June

Why not get inspired at the very ﬁrst reenway Literary Festival in celebration of the ten-year anniversary of reenway House being opened to the public for the ﬁrst time See website for the full programme which includes events for children and for adults with many visiting authors and illustrators.

Greenway House, Greenway, Brixham TQ5 0ES 01803 842382 nationaltrust.org.uk/greenway

Exhibition: Ipplepen, Torquay Museum On till 8 September

pplepen: ew Discoveries on the Edge of the Roman Empire has been created with the British Museum and the niversity of Exeter to interpret some of the ﬁnds from the recent excavations at pplepen for the ﬁrst time. dmission fee applies.

Torquay Museum, 529 Babbacombe Road, Torquay TQ1 1HG 01803 293975 torquaymuseum.org.uk

Exhibition: Bare Bones, Torquay Museum On till 8 September family-friendly, national touring summer exhibition that

Torbay Airshow, Paignton Green 1 & 2 June

Saturday Flying Programme runs from 2-5pm. The show opens with the Tigers Freefall Parachute Display Team followed by Twirlybatics (Pitts Special), Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, R F Chinook Display Team, R F Red rrows, Fire ies, R F Tucano T1, Royal avy Black Cat, Strikemaster, The Blades Display Team and closes with the the R F Typhoon Display Team. Sunday Flying Programme runs from 11.30am-3pm. The second day of the show will open with the R F Red rrows, R F Chinook Display Team, Twirlybatics (Pitts Special), Tigers Freefall Parachute Display Team, Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, Strikemaster, Fire ies, R F Tucano T1, The Blades Display Team, Royal avy Black

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Riviera What’s On

explores the fascinating world of animal skeletons, which have evolved into a mind - boggling variety of forms since the ﬁrst vertebrates appeared around 520 million years ago. dmission fee applies.

Torquay Museum, 529 Babbacombe Road, Torquay TQ1 1HG 01803 293975 torquaymuseum.org.uk

Daily Summer Garden Walk, Greenway 1 June – 31 August

Why not join the garden team at reenway for a free walk and talk through the glorious woodland garden Free event but admission applies for the venue. Children and dogs on leads are welcome.

Greenway House, Greenway, Brixham TQ5 0ES 01803 842382 nationaltrust.org.uk/greenway

Newton Abbot Wellbeing Show 1 June

Enjoy ten wellbeing workshops from shamanic healing to yoga, tai chi to chiropractic clinics. Time: 10am-5pm, cost: free. Free parking and caf open for lunch.

Newton Abbot Racecourse , Newton Road, Kingsteignton Newton Abbot TQ12 3AF 01626 353235 newtonabbotracing.com

Cat and closes with the R F Typhoon Display Team. The Event illage is open from 11am-6pm on Saturday and 10.30am-6pm on Sunday. The village will feature a live music stage, air display team stands where visitors can meet the pilots, trading stands featuring everything from artwork and books to toys and furniture, family activities, simulators, a fairground, food stalls and bars.

torbayairshow.com

June/July 2019 | 47

at Kents Cavern

BREAKFAST

LUNCH

AFTERNOON TEA

OPEN DAILY FROM 9AM

ILSHAM ROAD, TORQUAY, DEVON, TQ1 2JF

GROUP BOOKINGS AVAILABLE

Have you ever thought about fostering? We urgently need foster carers in Torquay, Paignton and Brixham. There are children needing stable and loving homes in Torbay now. Please get in touch to find out more. The Fostering Foundation is a small, friendly fostering agency who provide regular training and support locally in your area.

Call: 03300 10 20 45 (local call rate) Or email: info@fosteringfoundation.co.uk

www.fosteringfoundation.co.uk

48 | June/July 2019

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Riviera What’s On Daily Garden Walk or Talk, Coleton Fishacre 1 June – 31 August

Every day at 2pm you can join a 45-minute garden tour or a 15-minute talk. Find our more about the plants in ower and the history of this beautiful place. Free event but admission applies for the venue. Children welcome when accompanied by an adult, dogs on leads welcome. Time: 2-2.45pm.

Coleton Fishacre, Brownstone Road, Kingswear, TQ6 0EQ 01803 842382 nationaltrust.org.uk/coleton-fishacre

with Families for Children and how they can support you for life. Time: 10am-12 noon for ﬁrst 2 dates and 5-7pm for 22 July. ou can also join them at Buckfast bbey arden Fayre on 1 June. Call to book.

Higher Mill, Buckfastleigh TQ11 0EE 01364 645487 familiesforchildren.org.uk

D-Day 75th Anniversary, Torquay 6 June

PHOTO © : National Trust/Tony Cobley

To celebrate the 75th nniversary of D-Day there will be a parade at 11am in the presence of Brigadier W Fraser MBE DC RM with an address by LT Col T Courtenay BE DL RM and music by Riviera Brass.

Beacon Quay, Torquay TQ1 2BG

D-Day 75th Anniversary Mini Talks, Greenway 6 June

Brixham Future’s D-Day Commemoration 1-9 June

To recreate a 1940s atmosphere, Brixham Future is encouraging local residents and visitors to dress up in 1940s style. There will be free tours of the historic vessel Motor Torpedo Boat 102. The 68-foot boat will be moored in Brixham Marina from 3-9 June and is the fastest and smallest vessel ever to serve as a agship for the Royal avy. Dont miss the Lympstone Military Wives Choir at 2pm on 8 June at the Baptist Church. Call John Brennan for further details.

01803 852270 johnjosephmbrennan@hotmail.co.uk

National Hunt Racing, Newton Abbot Racecourse 5, 14 & 25 June, 5, 13, 21 & 29 July

Enjoy jump racing at one of the country s leading summer jumps racecourses. Discounts for booking online, children go free. See website for times and prices. 25 June is Ladies Day with a Ladies Day illage and a Best Dressed Lady Competition. 21 July is Family Day with additional entertainment for children and a great fun Mascot Race.

Newton Abbot Racecourse, Newton Road, Kingsteignton Newton Abbot TQ12 3AF 01626 353235 newtonabbotracing.com

Families for Children Adoption Events 5 June & 3 July, 22 July

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To mark the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings, short pop-up talks in the house will share the story of reenway s connection to this key historic moment of the Second World War. Free event but admission applies for the venue. Times: 11am-4pm. Parking must be prebooked.

Greenway House, Greenway, Brixham TQ5 0ES 01803 842382 nationaltrust.org.uk/greenway

Murder Mystery Night, Imperial Torquay 7 June The action begins over pre-dinner drinks followed by an exquisite three-course dinner then the actors will lay the clues that you need to solve a heinous crime! It is up to you to investigate and accuse a suspect. Tickets: £40 to include drinks, three-course dinner plus tea, coffee and mints.

Parkhill Road, Torquay, TQ1 2DG 01803 294301 theimperialtorquay.co.uk

Torbay Local Entrepreneurs’ Forum 7 June

The ﬁrst part of this event runs from 2.00 pm to 5.30/6pm. The programme is on Rejuvenating our Local Economy . t will include opportunities to network and talks from a couple of local hero successful businesses. t will end with a shared buffet meal and some entertainment. The second part is the Community of Dragons event, which runs from 6-9pm. Local entrepreneurs or growing businesses which meet certain criteria, pitch to an audience who become the Community of Dragons. ou ll have a chance to offer whatever you d June/July 2019 | 49

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like to invest - time, expertise, contacts, encouragement or money. Tickets by donation – book online or on the door.

Lucky 7 Club, Dendy Road Paignton TQ4 5DB localsparktorbay.org/lef/

The John Ayres Ukelele Proms, Babbacombe 8 June

Riviera What’s On D-Day at Brixham Battery Heritage Centre 9 June Enjoy a free visit to this wonderful heritage centre in Brixham with museum and military gifts, weapons display, living history displays plus tours of the grounds and gun oors. Times: 11am-4pm. lso regularly open on Sundays, Mondays & Fridays 2-4pm with free entry. Dogs on leads are welcome across the whole site.

ddicombe Beach will be ﬁlled with the sound of hundreds of ukuleles with an event named after its late founder John Ayres. Enjoy a fantastic sing-along in spectacular surroundings with a great atmosphere.

Battery Gardens, Fishcombe Hill, Brixham TQ5 8RU brixhambattery.net

Babbacombe Cliff Railway, Babbacombe Downs Road, Torquay TQ1 3LF 01803 328750 babbacombecliffrailway.co.uk

Enjoy a fabulous family day out in Rowcroft’s beautiful gardens with live music and entertainment, a child’s sensory area, face painting and costume entertainment, stalls plus food and drink available all day. Free parking at Torquay Boys’ Grammar School with a free shuttle bus. Tickets: adults £2 online in advance or £4 on the gate, children are free.

Marina Day, Torquay 8 June

Marina Day will be held along Torquay Promenade, Harbour, Abbey Sands and Abbey Park and is a free family fun day out. Enjoy live music, jet ski safari rides, velocity RIB rides, stand up paddleboard lessons, a beer & wine bar, and an exclusive members’ 777 Yacht gin bar. Come and meet the water sports schools, browse the Food & Drinks Court and take advantage of RNLI Lifejacket inspections. There will be sea safety stands, boat brokerages, marine & market stalls, airboats, face painting, an n atable theme park, a kids fun one, carousel and English Riviera Wheel rides and an RNLI Lifeboat Display is expected.

MDL Torquay Marina, Vaughan Road, Torquay TQ2 5EQ 01803 200210 @torquay.marina

Wild Kayaking Expedition 8-9 June

Setting off from the heart of the South Hams, your group will navigate the gentle meandering Dart Estuary taking in its dense wooded banks and abundant wildlife. As you pass Dartmouth you will leave the estuary and head out onto the open sea, exploring sea caves and spotting wildlife before pitching up at a secluded camp. Here you will enjoy a hearty meal cooked on an open ﬁre. spot of mackerel ﬁshing as the sun goes down provides the chance to catch an evening snack before a night under the stars on the remote beach. A gentle paddle back the next day will offer the chance to see seals. Times: 10am Saturday until 4pm the following day. Cost: £155 per person.

Reach Outdoors, The Seashore Centre, Tanners Road, Goodrington Sands TQ46LP 01803 524950 reach-outdoors.com englishrivieramagazine.co.uk

Rowcroft Hospice Garden Party, Torquay 9 June

Avenue Road, Torquay, TQ2 8DN 01803 217450 rowcrofthospice.org.uk

Galmpton Open Gardens & Scarecrow Trail 9 June

Entry to about a do en fascinating gardens is by Garden Passport costing £5 per adult with children under 18 free. Time: 11am-4pm. All proceeds to Rowcroft Hospice. Passports can be purchased on the day at the Village Hall, Greenway Road, Galmpton TQ5 0LT, or in advance from the Manor Inn, Galleon Stores, or Eric Lloyd & Co. Refreshments will be available in the Village Hall and from the Manor Inn.

rowcrofthospice.org.uk/event/galmpton-open-gardensscarecrow-trail

Babbacombe Vintage Fayre 12 June

Organised by The Rotary Club of Babbacombe and St Marychurch, there will be a wide variety of stalls from local charities and other community groups. The local vintage car and motorbike display offers a chance to see some rare and beautiful vehicles up close. There will be an entertainment stage with local bands and school choirs. Refreshments available. Time: 10am-4pm.

Babbacombe Downs, Torquay TQ1 3LN 01803 327154 rotary-ribi.org June/July 2019 | 51

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Brixham’s Famous Fish Market Tours 12 & 26 June, 10, 17, 24 & 31 July

Go behind the scenes on England’s Seafood Coast to view the hustle and bustle of Brixham’s world famous Fish Market. Your tour will be followed by a delicious breakfast at Rockﬁsh including grilled bacon, smoked haddock, local scallop, market ﬁsh of the day, fried egg and toast plus tea or coffee. The market is regretfully unsuitable for wheelchairs. ver 14 years only. Time: 6am prompt, cost: £15 includes breakfast and donation to the Fishermen’s Mission. Email: bfmt2014@gmail.com to book.

The Quay, Brixham TQ5 8AW

Occombe Festival 14 & 15 June See full page feature in this issue.

Brixham Trawler Race 15 June

Skippers dress the boats with bunting and battle it out with a two lap race around the Bay creating quite a spectacle for locals and visitors alike. There will also be fun and festivities on the quayside, all raising money for local charities. Brixham’s famous trawler race is a key highlight in the port’s year and celebrates its maritime excellence. The after-party on the quayside is always fun for all the family and lets the ﬁsherman have a catch-up but the event also raises thousands of pounds for local charities.

The Harbour, Brixham TQ5 9TH

Riviera What’s On Fathers’ Day, Imperial Hotel 16 June Make Father’s Day a truly special occasion with a Father’s Day 3-course Sunday lunch In the Regatta Restaurant. Time: 12.30-3pm, cost: adult £17.50, child £8.75.

Parkhill Road, Torquay, TQ1 2DG 01803 294301 theimperialtorquay.co.uk

Lupton’s Holistic Festival 15 & 16 June

Lupton’s Holistic Festival – The Spirit of Wellbeing offers an inspiring selection of stands, talks and workshops. Time: 10am-5pm, cost: £7.50 adult, £3.50 child. Lupton House is a Grade II* building set in beautiful parkland on he outskirts of Brixham. To the south of the main house there is a formal talianate garden, also listed.

Lupton House, Brixham Road, Brixham TQ5 0LD 01803 845800 discoverlupton.com

Berry Head Bat Walk 21 June & 12 July

A unique opportunity to see the rare greater horseshoe bats at Berry Head. The greater horseshoe bats live in the caves formed in the 400 million year old limestone cliffs. The tour will begin at the rtillery Store at the end of the headland, where a short talk will be given about the greater horseshoe bat before heading out onto the reserve. Cost: £5 (plus carpark fee), suitable for: adults and over 13s (children must be accompanied by a paying adult), book online.

Berry Head National Nature Reserve, Brixham TQ5 9AP 01803 520022 countryside-trust.org.uk

PHOTO © : Chris Slacl/www.chrisslack.com

Countryside Walk with a Ranger, Greenway 21 June & 25 July

Why not join one of the countryside rangers for a walk through Greenway garden out to part of the estate? On the walk you will ﬁnd out about the work that the ational Trust rangers do to care for this special place. Time: 11.301pm, free event but admission applies for the venue.

Greenway House, Greenway, Brixham TQ5 0ES 01803 842382 nationaltrust.org.uk/greenway

Fathers’ Day, Berry Head Hotel 16 June

Treat Dad to a traditional carvery lunch with live jazz – 3 courses and coffee for £19.95. Or choose from the Bistro Menu. Call to book.

Berry Head Hotel, Berry Head Road, Brixham TQ5 9AJ 01803 853225 berryheadhotel.com englishrivieramagazine.co.uk

Armed Forces Day 22 June

The Torbay Veterans will be hosting Torbay Armed Forces Day at Babbacombe Downs. There will be a parade, stalls, military stands, a large marquee, food drink, and musical entertainment all day. Time: 10am-6pm. June/July 2019 | 53

Two days of great live music & a feast of local food and drink!

tickets on sale now! www.occombefestival.co.uk 01803 520 022 raising funds for:

Torbay Coast and Countryside Trust

www.countryside-trust.org.uk 01803 520 022

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Riviera What’s On Contact: Ronnie Carter 07877 600403.

Babbacombe Downs, Torquay TQ1 3LN armedforcesday.org.uk/event/torbay-armed-forces-day

Beneath the Bay, Living Coasts 22 June

Join Living Coasts for an exclusive marine-themed evening of talks, art displays and local conservation. Meet local experts to learn more about the important eco-system and bio-diversity that lies beneath Torbay’s beautiful waters. Time: 7-9pm, cost: £5 per person, book online. Aimed at adults, guests must be at least 12 yrs+. Drinks can be purchased separately on the evening.

Torquay Harbourside, Beacon Quay, Torquay TQ1 2BG 01803 202470 livingcoasts.org.uk

Pink Flamingo Day, Paignton Zoo 23 June

of colour in the garden. Self-led outdoor family trail. Daily from 10.30am to 4.30pm. Booking not needed. Free event but admission applies for the venue. Children and dogs on leads are welcome.

Coleton Fishacre, Brownstone Road, Kingswear, TQ6 0EQ 01803 842382 nationaltrust.org.uk/coleton-fishacre

Coleton Fishacre Jazz Party 29 June

Sip cocktails on the bowling lawn, listen to jazz music from the Park Lane Stompers and soak up the beautiful surroundings of the D’Oyly Carte’s 1920s country home. Cocktails are included in the ticket price but bring your own picnic if you wish. Time: 6.30-9pm, tickets: £25. Children over 12 are welcome. Assistance dogs welcome.

Coleton Fishacre, Brownstone Road, Kingswear, TQ6 0EQ 01803 842382 nationaltrust.org.uk/coleton-fishacre

Enjoy a special amingo talk at 11am or 3pm at the Flamingo Lake.

Totnes Road, Paignton TQ4 7EU 01803 697500 paigntonzoo.org.uk

Torbay Half Marathon 23 June

Turn out and cheer along the half marathon runners – or if you re fit enough, why not enter The Torbay Half Marathon has a traffic-free two-lap route, which starts and finishes on Paignton seafront – start time is 9am. Starting with one lap of Paignton Green runners will then head towards Torquay, where the course will pass historic Torre Abbey and Princess Gardens, where they will start the return back to Paignton. Around 1,500 runners are expected to compete. There will be road closures in the area.

Paignton Green, Paignton TQ4 6ED torbayhalfmarathon.co.uk

Trust10 Trail Run, Coleton Fishacre 23 June & 28 July

A free monthly 10k trail run along the rugged South West Coast Path and through Coleton Fishacre garden. Free, fun, informal and for everyone. Time: registration 8.30am, start 9am, dogs on leads welcome. Wear trail running shoes and bring your own timing device if you want to record a time.

Coleton Fishacre, Brownstone Road, Kingswear, TQ6 0EQ 01803 842382 nationaltrust.org.uk/coleton-fishacre

Nature’s Colour Palette Trail, Coleton Fishacre 29 June – 7 August

Follow ‘Nature’s Colour Palette Trail’, for a fun exploration englishrivieramagazine.co.uk

Antiques Fair, Newton Abbot Racecourse 29 June

Wander amongst the stalls in search of a hidden treasure in one of the many antiques stalls inside and outside of the racecourse. Time: 9am- 2.30pm, cost: free.

Newton Abbot Racecourse, Newton Road, Kingsteignton Newton Abbot TQ12 3AF 01626 353235 newtonabbotracing.com

Summer Story Maker Outdoor Quest, Greenway 29 June

Make a story for your summer by following a self-led trail round the garden at Greenway. Spot all the story points to complete your quest. Free event but admission applies for the venue. Parking must be prebooked online.

Greenway House, Greenway, Brixham TQ5 0ES 01803 842382 nationaltrust.org.uk/greenway

Dartmouth Art & Craft Weekend 29 & 30 June

Browse arts and crafts stalls and enjoy a wide range of June/July 2019 | 55

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01803 853225 THE PERFECT VENUE FOR YOUR SPECIAL DAY Weddings ~ Birthdays ~ Christenings Private Dining 56 | June/July 2019

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Riviera What’s On musical and dance performers plus teas, homemade cakes and snacks provided by Children’s Hospice volunteers and supporters. This event raised over £5,000 for Children’s Hospice South West last year. Time: 10am-4pm.

Royal Avenue Gardens, Dartmouth, TQ6 9PS 01803 770730 tweed833@btinternet.com

Classic Car Show, Torre Abbey 30 June

The Jaguar Enthusiasts’ Club of Devon brings its annual classic car show to Torre Abbey. You can expect over 100 classic cars from all of your favourite marques, and as a special feature for this year’s show, the club will also be celebrating the 60th Anniversary of the Jaguar Mark 2. Suitable for all ages, free entry, time: 10.30am to 4pm. To exhibit your car visit jec.org.uk/devon

The Kings Drive, Torquay TQ2 5JE 01803 293593 torre-abbey.org.uk

BLDSA Long Distance Swimming Championships 6 July

The 8-mile race starts from Meadfoot beach in Torquay across to the turnaround point at Fishcombe Cove near Brixham. It’s recognised as one of the toughest swims on the BLDSA calendar with a history dating back to the 1950s. The event still has records that stand from the 1980s, when Karen Toole set a record time of 2 hours 42 minutes (1983) and Lyndon Dunsbee in 2 hours 40 minutes (1986). The event remains only one of two sea swims that the association runs annually and is a nonwetsuit event.

Tor Bay, TQ2 5JG

White Rock Primary Summer Fete 6 July

A wonderful family day out with creative crafting stalls, market stalls, delicious food vans, in atable assault courses, half size traction engines, miniature ponies, performances in the main arena area and lots more. Time: 12-4pm, cost: adults £1, accompanied Children free. Everyone welcome.

White Rock Primary School, Davies Avenue, Paignton, TQ4 7AW 01803 577940 wraps@white-rock-primary.torbay.sch.uk englishrivieramagazine.co.uk

Rowcroft Sleep Walk 7 July

et the girls together to complete a fabulous ﬁve-mile night walk or totter your way around a full ten miles, while raising vital funds for thousands of families living with life-limiting illnesses in South Devon. Starts and ﬁnishes at Torbay Leisure Centre. Women and girls over 8 years only.

Torbay Leisure Centre, Penwill Way, Paignton TQ4 5JR 01803 217641 rowcroftsleepwalk.org.uk

Geopark Triathlon 7 July

This event starts with a great 1,500-metre sea swim in the warm waters of Goodrington Sands. Then it’s onto the bikes for a challenging 44km loop around the Torbay area and ﬁnally a stunning out and back 12km off-road coast run over towards Brixham. Be warned it’s a challenging course.

Goodrington Sands, Paignton TQ4 6LP sportivaevents.co.uk

Paignton Zoo Bee Week 9-14 July Join Paignton Zoo for a hive of bee-themed activities. Learn more about the importance of various bee species and ﬁnd out what you can do to help these incredible pollinators.

Totnes Road, Paignton TQ4 7EU 01803 697500 paigntonzoo.org.uk

Buckfast Abbey Children’s Book Festival 11-14 July

Famous authors and illustrators, including several from the Westcountry, will be appearing at this festival. Note: the first 2 days are for school groups only with the weekend open to all. Cost: free with free parking.

Buckfast Abbey, Buckfastleigh TQ11 0EE 01364 645500 buckfast.org.uk/whats-on/childrensbook-festival

Coastal Cleanup, Goodrington 13 July

Join Living Coasts’ Coastal Crew and help them to keep our shores clean. This free event will give you the chance to help the environment and learn more about local species, biodiversity and the shores around us. Time: 10am-12noon. Sign up online.

Goodrington Sands, Paignton TQ4 6LN 01803 202470 livingcoasts.org.uk June/July 2019 | 57

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Riviera What’s On Flower & Vegetable Show, Brixham 19 & 20 July

Enjoy the wide variety of owers, fruit and vegetables on display, have a cup of tea and some home made cake, win a pri e on the Tombola and admire the mouthwatering baking. The famous oral displays are a sight to behold and there are usually some very interesting handicrafts. Have you always wanted to show off your own produce Well, why not enter The schedule and entry forms are available from Brixham Horticultural Society. Call Helen for further details.

01803 856531 brixhamhorticulturalsociety.co.uk

Big Butterfly Count, Coleton Fishacre 19 July – 7 August

Can you help with The Big Butter y Count by ﬁnding a quiet spot and seeing how many butter ies you can spot in 15 minutes isitors will be able to pick up a basic butter y D sheet and map with some of the best spots to sit and count butter ies marked on it. Event is free but admission applies for the venue. Children and dogs on leads are welcome. o booking, times: 10.30am-4.30pm. lso running at reenway.

Coleton Fishacre, Brownstone Road, Kingswear, TQ6 0EQ 01803 842382 nationaltrust.org.uk/coleton-fishacre

Tots Go Wild Summer Club, Occombe 24 July - 28 August (Wednesdays)

Brixham. o aboard on one of their pen Days, see how they did things in 1895 and explore Brixhams unique ﬁshing and sailing heritage. uided tours are free, donations welcome. Times: 10.30am-12.30pm and 1.30-3.30pm.

Town Pontoon, Brixham TQ5 9BP pilgrimofbrixham.co.uk

Occombe Summer Activity Pack 25 July – 30 August

Torbay Coast Countryside Trust invites you to come and explore ccombe Farm with your very own activity pack. Discover mega and mini beasts, brass rubbings, fun and more. Cost: £2.50, suitable: all ages, no booking needed.

Occombe Farm, Preston Down Road, Paignton TQ3 1RN 01803 520022 countryside-trust.org.uk

Kids Summer Cookery School, Occombe 25 July – 29 August

Drop your kids off with Torbay Coast Countryside Trust every Tuesday or Thursday n the summer holidays for a fun ﬁlled, themed cookery day at ccombe Farm Cookery School. Times: 10am-4pm, cost: £36 per session, suitable for: 7-12 years, book online.

Occombe Farm, Preston Down Road, Paignton TQ3 1RN 01803 520022 countryside-trust.org.uk

Brixham Yacht Club Regatta 26-28 July

Brixham acht Clubs popular acht Regatta takes place in the excellent sailing arena that is Tor Bay.

Join Torbay Coast and Countryside Trust every Wednesday in the summer holidays bringing your tot for a morning of fun on the farm. Times: 9.30-11am. Cost: £5. Suitable for: toddlers 5 years (baby siblings come free). Children must be accompanied by an adult.

Overgang Road, Brixham TQ5 8AR 01803 853332 brixhamyachtclub.com

Occombe Farm, Preston Down Road, Paignton TQ3 1RN 01803 520022 countryside-trust.org.uk

Meet the ccombe Farm animals and get a taste of what it s like to feed and care for them. n these special hour-long sessions.. ll attendees must pay and a paying adult must accompany all children. Wellies are highly recommended for all ages. Cost: £3, time: 10-11am,

Penguins and Prosecco, Living Coasts 24 July

Meet the Animals, Occombe 26-29 July

Enjoy P access and a glass of Prosecco on Penguin Beach where you will watch the playful penguins feeding time. fterwards enjoy a presentation and Prosecco in the Terrace Cafe. Time: 6.30-8.30pm. Tickets: £22, booking essential, over 18s only.

Torquay Harbourside, Beacon Quay, Torquay TQ1 2BG 01803 202470 livingcoasts.org.uk

Pilgrim Open Day 25 July

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June/July 2019 | 59

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Burger Night Friday 28th June

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Riviera What’s On booking essential. Suitable for 3-years plus. A Torbay Coast & Countryside Trust event.

Occombe Farm, Preston Down Road, Paignton TQ3 1RN 01803 520022 countryside-trust.org.uk

Marldon Apple Pie Fair 27 July

A great day out for all the family with a giant apple pie, arena events, craft stalls, music, performance, children’s rides, sideshows and local food & drinks including a beer tent. Time: 12noon – 5pm.

The Village Green, Marldon TQ3 1SL facebook.com/Marldonapplepiefair/

Paignton Festival 27 July – 4 August

A long-standing and much loved local event, Paignton Festival brings a host fun and games, a carnival procession, a Party on the reen and a superb ﬁreworks display.

Paignton Green and other locations. paigntonfestival.com

Gilbert & Sullivan Summer Soiree 28 July

What better way to enjoy a summer’s evening than a 1920s cocktail party with performances of Gilbert and Sullivan at Coleton Fishacre? Sip cocktails from the Savoy Cocktail Book and enjoy delicious canapés in the opulent Art Deco house. Tickets: £30, time: 6.30-9pm. Come dressed in your 1920s best or smart casual attire but no stiletto heels please, to avoid damaging the delicate ooring.

Coleton Fishacre, Brownstone Road, Kingswear, TQ6 0EQ 01803 843235 nationaltrust.org.uk/coleton-fishacre

Classic Motorcycles at Cockington Court 28 July

The VMCC Dartmoor (The Vintage Motorcycle Club) will be displaying an array of vintage and classic motorcycles on the front lawn and in the Sea Change Craft Studios area.

Cockington Court, Cockington TQ2 6XA cockingtoncourt.org

Riviera Classic Car Show 28 July

Enjoy viewing hundreds of vehicles through the ages with a sprinkling of the exotic and quirky. Part of Paignton Festival. Stage entertainment, food and a licensed bar are all on site. Spectator entry on the day by voluntary contribution £2.50 for adults, accompanied children free. No spectator bicycles or children’s scooters permitted on the site because of risk of damage to exhibits.

The Sea Front, Esplanade Road, Paignton TQ4 6BQ towc.club

National Whale & Dolphin Watch Week 28 July – 2 August

The Torbay Coast and Countryside Trust’s Berry Head National Nature Reserve is the perfect place for cetacean watching and each year, the ranger team, with the help of lots of volunteers take to the headland with their binoculars and notepads. No prior knowledge is needed. All equipment is provided and you’ll receive a training session from a cetacean expert. Cost: free, suitable for 16 years+ (or 13 years+ when accompanied 1-1 by an adult). Email berryhead@countryside-trust. org.uk

Berry Head National Nature Reserve, Gillard Road, Brixham 01803 882619 countryside-trust.org.uk

Global Tiger Day, Paignton Zoo 29 July Global Tiger Day is a perfect opportunity to join Paignton Zoo in helping raise awareness for the largest of all big cats and the beautiful Sumatran tigers at the Zoo.

Totnes Road, Paignton TQ4 7EU 01803 697500 paigntonzoo.org.uk

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June/July 2019 | 61

EST D 1904

R EDCLIFFE H OTEL

«««

PAIGNTON

Hamiltons Redcliffe Hotel

Hamiltons on Babbacombe Downs From light bites to a main meal, the offers modern contemporary cuisine Redcliffe Hotel offers everything you with a friendly service and warm need for a perfect luncheon treat. atmosphere. Enjoy a relaxed lunch or Enjoy the superb views from our sea dine in style from our delicious menu view terrace overlooking the beach and with the theatre just a small step and choose from our extensive lunch away, it’s perfect for a pre-theatre time bar menu. On Sundays a 3 course meal or drink. With private function traditional sunday lunch is available suites Hamiltons is the ideal venue in our Paris Singer Restaurant, which for every occasion. Choose from our again enjoys panoramic sea views. unique club style function room or The Redcliffe is also an ideal venue for take in the spectacular views from our all types of functions. first-floor function suite with a balcony overlooking Lyme Bay. The Redcliffe Hotel

4 Marine Drive Downs Road 63 Babbacombe PaigntonTQ1 TQ33LP 2NL Torquay 01803 316300 526397 01803 www.hamiltonsclub.com www.redcliffehotel.co.uk

PAIGNTON

Hamiltons Redcliffe Hotel

Located on Babbacombe Downs, our From light bites to a main meal, the relaxed café bar and elegant restaurant Redcliffe Hotel offers everything you provides a sophisticated space to need for a perfect luncheon treat. catch up with friends over coffee, or Enjoy the superb views from our sea simply indulge in our great selection view terrace overlooking the beach of food and drink. Hand-crafted with and choose from our extensive lunch fresh local ingredients our menu time bar menu. On Sundays a 3 course includes breakfasts, light lunches, traditional sunday lunch is available refined dinners, Sunday lunches in our Paris Singer Restaurant, which and small plates that are perfect again enjoys panoramic sea views.for sharing. Withisprivate suites The Redcliffe also anfunction ideal venue for and a dedicated team, we can create all types of functions. unique events for small and large The Redcliffe parties alike. Hotel

463Marine Drive Downs Road Babbacombe Paignton TQ3 2NL Torquay TQ1 3LP 01803 526397 01803 316300 www.redcliffehotel.co.uk www.hamiltonsclub.com

Occombe Farm Café Family-friendly café set on an organic working farm. Famous for farmhouse breakfasts, hearty lunches, seasonal specials and Sunday roasts. Enjoy free parking, an outdoor adventure play area and why not explore the farm and walk the 2km nature trail after lunch? All profits from the café go to local charity Torbay Coast and Countryside Trust. Open daily from 9am – 4:30pm.

Occombe Farm Preston Down Road PaigntonTQ3 1RN 01803 520022 info@countryside-trust.org.uk

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Riviera What’s On Early Diary Date!

The British Firework Championships, Plymouth 15 August

Enjoy a trip to see this fabulous ﬁreworks display with Rotary Club of Tormohun (Torquay). Join a coach departing Torquay at 5.45pm from St Matthias Church, Wellswood or departing 6pm from Livermead House Hotel. Drop off and pickup up will be at The Barbican in Plymouth. Bring your own picnic, drinks and chair and dress warmly. Tickets: £13 adults and £8 children (must be accompanied by an adult). For tickets or further details contact David Rowe, Conroy Couch Jewellers, Torquay on 01803 292950 (9.30am-5pm Mon-Sat) or message/text 07787 527149 or email david@gordonrowe.co.uk Cheques payable to: Rotary Club of Tormohun (Torquay)

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June/July 2019 | 63

ArtsRoundUp

We bring you a roundup of arts events and workshops happening locally.

Latest from Torquay’s Artizan Gallery

Imaginary Drawn with Light 4-15 June. Tues-Fri 11am-6pm, Sat 10am-6pm Dr Martin Raskovsky presents a collection of his best, selected digital art works created over the past three years, available in low number, limited edition prints. Martín’s work has been characterised by imagination, surrealism and impressionism, with his photographs on many occasions mistaken for paintings.

MTS Student Exhibition

Optimized-Shipwreck Dr Martin Raskovsky

18-19 June 10am-6pm MTS is an alternate provision for students with medical conditions. In the Garden Gallery, students aged between ten and ﬁfteen years have selected pieces they wish to share with the public. n the main gallery you will ﬁnd the 2019 GCSE group exhibition. Students have explored their own ideas in a range of media including digital media, installations, and photography. Rooftops and Rocks Claire Harmer

Chapters 21-29 June. Tues-Fri 11am-6pm, Sat 10am-6pm Commencing with ‘Cathedral Cove’ an oil painting executed in New Zealand, 2006, Chapters showcases a selection of works exploring distinct periods in Claire Harmer’s artistic career. The exhibition features an eclectic mix of work including landscape oil paintings, print making, mixed media, character illustrations and sketchbook studies.

On the Edge of Infinity & Coastal Resonance 3-23 July Tues-Fri 11am-6pm, Sat 10am-6pm Husband and wife duo Andrea and Jerry Shearing are showing two distinct exhibitions with a shared theme of coastal-inspired works featuring the South Coast. Jerry Shearing presents ‘On the Edge of nﬁnity and ndrea Shearing presents ‘Coastal Resonance’. Spring Waterfall Andrea Shearing

64 | June/July 2019

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Arts Pest and the Profound 25-31 July. Tues-Fri 11am-6pm, Sat 10am-6pm Sarah Vaci is a contemporary artist based in Devon and London. In this exhibition and among other works, her provocative portraits and sculptures confront the viewer with their dynamic explorations of power, transformation, gender and politics.

Artist Private Views 28 June, 6 July & 24 July 6-8pm Pop in and enjoy these exhibition preview evenings with a complimentary glass of wine and exclusive preview evening commission reductions, should you be in the mood to buy.

Stanza Extravaganza

24 June & 22 July. Doors open 7pm for a 7.30pm start Monthly poetry at Artizan Gallery welcoming a wealth of local talent and national headliners, Stanza Extravaganza is one of the highlights of the Torbay poetry calendar. With regular hosts Robert Garnham and Becky Nuttall at the helm, these events are always guaranteed to be a night of wonderful whimsy!

All at: 7 Lucius Street, Torquay, TQ2 5NZ 01803 428626/07522 509642 juliebrandon@artizangallery.co.uk artizan gallery.co.uk f artizangallery Also check out art-hub.co.uk

by traditional afternoon tea in the Kingsley Suite. Time: 2.15pm, cost: £20.

Livermead House Hotel, Torbay Road, Torquay TQ2 6QJ 01803 200703 / 394179

Chudleigh Literary Festival 10 July There’s a morning workshop led by Historian of the County of Devon, Dr Todd Gray. In the afternoon there will be networking and you’ll have a chance to pitch your novel to three literary ‘Dragons’. The evening session entitled, Jeopardy and Medieval Murder, includes speakers: Wilfred Emanuel Jones, aka The Black Farmer, and historical novelist Michael Jecks. A literary supper will run in the evening.

Chudfest Marquee, Chudleigh Play Park (behind Parish Church), Fore Street, Chudleigh TQ13 0HZ chudleighwriterscircle.wordpress.com

Silence Between Waves 9 June Enjoy a dance performance led by Richard Chappell Dance with three Singaporean dancers plus a cast from Torbay. It will explore through movement and sound what it means to be ‘home’, connecting two places across the sea. Time: 3.30-4.30pm, cost: free.

Napoleonic Fort, Berry Head National Nature Reserve, Gillard Road, Brixham TQ5 9AP eye-view.org.uk

Other Great Arts Events

Lecture - The Arts Society, Torbay 13 June The June lecture by Chloe Sayer is Aztec Art and Textiles. Time: 2.15pm, visitors welcome, cost: £8 (deducted if joining the society).

The Peter Larkin Hall, St Matthias Church Centre, Babbacombe Rd Torquay TQ1 1HW 01803 298440/311648 torbay.theartssociety.org

Cultural Afternoon - The Arts Society, Torbay 2 July The July event by Lisa Lloyd is: A History of Costume Jewellery Created for Hollywood Stars and The Rich & Famous (with items from Lisa’s collection) followed englishrivieramagazine.co.uk

Cockington Court’s Sculpture Trail On till 8 September Sculptors from across the South West are featured in Cockington Court’s popular sculpture trail. The Sculpture Trail leads around the grounds of Cockington Court as well as some of the favourite hidden treasures, such as the Walled Art Garden. It extends inside Cockington Court, into the Kitchen Gallery and Manor House.

Cockington Court, Cockington Lane, Torquay TQ2 6XA cockingtoncourt.org/whats-on/sculpture-trail June/July 2019 | 65

Raskovks y

Exhibition

Claire Har mer

Dr Marti n

Student

2019 SUMMER EXHIBITIONS

Imaginary Drawn with Light | Works of Martin Raskovsky 3rd - 15th June // art-hub.co.uk/june19 MTS Student Exhibition 2019 17th - 19th June // art-hub.co.uk/mts19 Cabbage Tree Studio | Works of Claire Harmer // 21st - 29th June // art-hub.co.uk/ch19 Artist Preview: 20th June / 18:00-20:00

Welcome to Art on the English Riviera 7 Lucius Street, Torquay, TQ2 5UW 01803 428626 | artizangallery.co.uk

Letting your holiday home? • Competitive commission rates • Friendly, expert advice and support • Comprehensive marketing • Bespoke service to suit your needs • Over 97% of our owners would recommend us - find out why...

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Martin Dutton

Arts

A Lifetime of Painting Local artist Martin Dutton, who turned 80 in December, is celebrating a life in art with a major retrospective of his work at the TAAG art gallery in Teignmouth plus a 222 page illustrated autobiography. Anita Newcombe finds out more.

artin Dutton has a beautiful and well-established studio at Nutcombe House in Stoke Road, Maidencombe and welcomes visitors – just call for an appointment. Over the years he has produced a large body of both figurative and abstract work. His travels have produced some stunning artwork with Venice, Provence and Dartmoor among his favourite locations. The first thing I notice about Martin’s paintings are the colours, both vibrant and soft simultaneously with plenty of painterly flair. His use of light is masterful, creating a truly romantic feel; these are paintings to warm the heart and give joy to the owner. There’s a poetic, lyrical quality that makes you look and look again and which really conveys a frisson of delight. Martin has had plenty of time to develop his ideas and his style, having started his career in art a full 64 years ago. Born in Staffordshire, he lived and worked in the North of England as a painter and lecturer in Further and Higher Education, and was a Head of Department at Bradford College for many years. This provided a regular income and allowed him to be more experimental than the gallery system would allow. Martin explains that galleries want you to regularly produce the same type of work and this he felt would be too restrictive for his personal ambitions. He also enjoyed working with his students and helping them to develop their own art. Martin’s teaching role enabled him to experiment with more avant-garde work. He was interested in both figurative and abstract themes and this worked well for his students. He wanted to produce more of his linear landscapes but due to the pressure of his day job, needed to reduce both the time and the emotional input needed. He tells me that he found a way to ‘downskill’ the process so that it was a more relaxing and therapeutic exercise. He

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could plan the geometrical composition and then use a methodical way of working that didn’t require emotional input. Martin explains that this non-emotional approach was very fashionable at the time. He was never a ‘seat of the pants’ type who rushed to complete work to a deadline. For a one-man art show he always had the work completed before arranging the event. He says, “I have to work in a responsive way according to how I feel and the ideas I have at the time – I can’t work to a timetable.” Martin is also very interested in the concept of intuition, when you start a picture and just follow wherever it seems to lead you. He heard a lecture on this subject early on in his training and was very struck by the idea.

“

I have to work in a responsive way according to how I feel and the ideas I have at the time – I can’t work to a timetable.

After retiring from education, he moved to the South West, initially buying a house in Galmpton before moving to Maidencombe. He and his wife Jean found the landscape here in the south much softer and more rounded than the rugged north. Martin tells me, “The romantic English landscape began to appeal and my work became much more intuitive.” But once out of the academic environment he wondered where he could find art collaboration in Devon. He joined the Devon art Society and the Torbay Guild of Artists and served on their committees for many years. He was elected to The South West Academy of Fine and Applied Art in 2008 and has recently stepped down after ten years as President of the Teignmouth Art Society. Martin is still actively painting. In the summer he June/July 2019 | 67

MD•RivieraAdvert.qxp_RivieraAd 22/05/2019 11:13 Page 1

MARTIN DUTTONSWAc Celebrating 64 years of painting

Parallel Themes

RETROSPECTIVE EXHIBITION 29Jun-12Jul 2019

at TAAG Gallery, Teignmouth TAAG Arts and Community Centre 4-5 Northumberland Place For more information visit : www.teignmoutharts.org or phone Martin on 01803 323640

made in the English Riviera Explore Agatha Christie's holiday home Greenway, delve into life at Compton Castle, seek out medieval Bradley Manor and step back to the Jazz Age at Coleton Fishacre.

| Phone 01626 779251

e: nitram@live.co.uk

A journey into the past

Teignmouth TQ14 8DD

These are the places that make us. nationaltrust.org.uk/ or call 01803 842382 68 | June/July 2019

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Arts goes out into nature to gain inspiration and then brings a landscape back to his studio to complete. In the winter, he tends to work on more abstract and experimental work. When he’s painting outdoors he takes his oil paints but when on an overseas trip he may use materials found locally like lava sand in Lanzarote or autumn leaves in France. He might bond them to the page using PVA glue and then blend them into his artwork with acrylics or watercolours. The final product will be very much a response to the experience he has enjoyed in these places. His early Venice works were more figurative about people together enjoying romantic times but after his wife Jean died he produced more abstract paintings that represented his memories and his emotional recollections of Venice. In the last few years, Martin’s work has burst the boundaries of his studio and gallery and has started taking over the entire house. There is art all around and there’s plenty to see on a visit to the Maidencombe studio where his work is on sale. He enjoys company and collaboration; he often has art groups to visit bringing their works to discuss and swap ideas with other artists. He says, “Artists often work for long periods in isolation so it’s great to get together as often as possible.” Of course with Martin’s experience as an art lecturer, he can also offer valuable advice and ideas. In the Bay, Martin is amongst the regular stable of artists represented at Torquay’s Artizan Gallery and his work is regularly on display. He also sends work to the Torbay Guild of Artists’ annual exhibitions at Torre Abbey’s Spanish Barn. His paintings depicting Torbay are immensely popular and he’s currently working on scenes of Paignton Pier and Paignton Beach. So what’s it like being a venerable 80 years old? Martin seems to have more energy than many people half his age. His home and studio at Maidencombe are in a lovely rural location. There’s a farm opposite where he gets fresh eggs and he can see his neighbours’ Arabian horses through his bedroom window. People in the area are very friendly and community-minded, often popping in for a chat or issuing invitations. He enjoys wonderful walks around the area and does all his own gardening and housekeeping. He has a son, three grandchildren and one great grandchild and although they live in the north, they all get together for holidays and seasonal celebrations. It’s definitely time to celebrate and review a life well lived! All Martin’s work is for sale so why not visit his studio (ring for an appointment) or drop in to his major retrospective exhibition at TAAG gallery in Teignmouth (29 June – 12 July). It’s free to enter and opening hours are 10am-5pm daily. ¢  martindutton-devonartist.co.uk teignmouthsarts.org englishrivieramagazine.co.uk

June/July 2019 | 69

Treading the boards... the editor’s pick of local theatre

Babbacombe Theatre

Box Office 01803 328385 Editor’s pick STARBURST On until 23 October (Tuesdays & Wednesdays) 2019 marks a special anniversary at Babbacombe Theatre. This historic venue, originally a concert hall, opened its doors 80 years ago in May 1939. This all-new family, variety production celebrates some of the most iconic names in music, TV and the movies, performed by a talented cast.

Also worth seeing… I ♥ MUSIC - on till 3 October (Thursdays) Jimmy Tarbuck OBE Shares 50 Years of Memories - 19 July

Palace Theatre, Paignton

Box Office 01803 665800 Editor’s pick AGATHA CHRISTIE’S BLACK COFFEE 4 June – 25 July This is Agatha Christie at her best; a plot so clever and full of twists and turns exercising Poirot’s little grey cells to their limit. A group of relatives and friends of the famous scientist Sir Claude Amory are gathered for an afterdinner coffee when he announces that his secret formula for a new explosive has been stolen from his safe during dinner. Soon Sir Claude is dead and Poirot is on the case. A Bijou Theatre production.

Also worth seeing… The Merry Wives of Windsor - 8 July The Carole King Song Book - 20 July

Little Theatre, Torquay Box Office 01803 299330 Editor’s pick THE SORCERER 9 – 13 JULY

A tale of mirth, magic and mystery set in rural England. A love potion is administered to unsuspecting villagers by a 70 | June/July 2019

local firm of sorcerers causing them to fall in love with the first person of the opposite sex they meet on waking up. A Torbay Gilbert & Sullivan Society Production.

Also worth seeing… The Browning Version & Red Peppers 10 – 15 June All The World’s A Stage - 21 – 22 June

Princess Theatre, Torquay Box Office 0844 8713023 Editor’s pick FAME THE MUSICAL 1 – 6 July

Based on the 1980 phenomenal pop culture film, Fame The Musical is the international smash hit sensation following the lives of students at New York’s High School For The Performing Arts as they navigate their way through the highs and lows of life.

Also worth seeing… Rhythm of the Dance - 14 July Some Guys Have All the Luck – The Rod Stewart Story - 24 July

Brixham Theatre

Box Office 01803 415987 Editor’s pick A J’S BIG BAND 6 June Enjoy a D-Day Anniversary Tribute Concert with the music and songs of the war years and memories of Glenn Miller and Vera Lynn.

Also worth seeing… Genesis (Tribute by Afterglow) - 19 July

Flavel Arts Centre, Dartmouth Box Office 01803 839530 Editor’s pick ROHLIVE ROMEO AND JULIET 11 June

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Theatre Romeo and Juliet fall passionately in love, but their families are caught up in a deadly feud. They marry in secret, but tragic circumstances lead Romeo to fight and kill Juliet’s cousin Tybalt. As punishment, he is banished from the city. Kenneth MacMillan’s wonderful choreography for Romeo and Juliet shows The Royal Ballet at its dramatic finest.

Y OU TUESDAYS & WEDNESDAYS 8.15pm AN EXCITING EVENING OF EXTRAORDINARY ENTERTAINMENT Tickets £22/£20/£11

Also worth seeing… NTLIVE Small Island – 27 June NTLIVE The Lehman Trilogy 25 July

Open Air Theatre! Wrap up warm for these performances!

Greenway

THURSDAYS 8.15pm NON-STOP MUSICAL HITS A 5 «SHOW Tickets £19/£18/£11 1 child FREE with paying adult

WUTHERING HEIGHTS 26 July 01803 842382 nationaltrust.org.uk/greenway Join Heartbreak Productions for Emily Brontë’s iconic tale of a timeless love affair between two restless souls as wild and untamed as the bleak Yorkshire moors.

Also worth seeing… Ali Baba – Illyria Theatre Company - 7 June

Torre Abbey

Gary Delaney

Gagster’s Paradise

Saturday 8th June 7.30pm Tickets £17

ON TOUR WITH ELVIS starring MICHAEL KING Friday 5th July 7.30pm Tickets £20

The Darkside of

Pink Floyd

THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS 27 July 01803 293593 torre-abbey.org.uk Join Mole, Ratty and Badger on their madcap adventures in this heart-warming tale of friendship, mishap and mayhem in Quantum Theatre’s brand new adaptation of Kenneth Grahame’s family favourite.

Also worth seeing… Ali Baba – Illyria Theatre Company - 7 June

performing the classics Friday 12th July 7.30pm Tickets £18/£16

Jimmy Tarbuck

OBE

shares 50 years of memories Friday 19th July 7.30pm Tickets £23

Dartmouth Castle

Macbeth 23-27 July theinntheatrecompany.co.uk The Inn Theatre Company presents Dartmouth Shakespeare Week in the open air at beautiful Dartmouth Castle – a stunning location for a performance.

Friday 2nd August 7.30pm

Tickets £20

The

George Michael story

- back by popular demand

Saturday 10th August 7.30pm Tickets £22

£2 booking - NO CARD CHARGES APPLIED £2 Bookingfee Fee PerCREDIT Ticket Online

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Box Ofﬁce (01803) 328385 June/July 2019 | 71

Retail therapist... Julian Rees meets Rowcroft Hospice’s Head of Retail, Caroline Wannell and finds out about the people, places and science behind the charity’s 16 South Devon shops and how they contribute to helping Rowcroft support thousands of local people each year.

’m meeting Caroline at Rowcroft’s retail distribution centre in Brunel Road, Newton Abbot. I’m a few minutes early so I have a browse around the furniture store and I’m amazed at the quality of the items available. Caroline comes to find me and we make our way to the small office administration area adjacent to a voluminous warehouse. We sit down with a cuppa as she sets out her story. Caroline has worked with Rowcroft for 16 years, for 5 years in her present position as Head of Retail and previously in a variety of roles supporting senior staff and managing volunteers. She tells me she is driven in her work by compassion and empathy, as both of her parents have benefited from the hospice’s services. Caroline looks after 16 shops and all serve a particular audience. There are furniture outlets, fashion boutiques,

high street shops, an online shop and the popular Churston Broadway café concept shop. The latter has just had a refresh with the café sporting the smart new Ella’s branding, designed to honour the connection with Ella Rowcroft. Caroline excitedly tells me about the new Chelston based Ella’s café which is opening later this summer. Caroline’s vision is for a range of shops that are all fresh, colourful and inviting. She tells me it’s not about how many shops there are but about having the right shops in the right place, selling the right goods. This benefits the charity not only by contributing to funds through retailing but also by raising awareness of Rowcroft’s work and engaging with the local community. This ‘thinking outside the box’ attitude to the charity retail concept doesn’t stop here either as Caroline tells me about her latest scheme - a trendy Citroën H-Van.

Staff sorting donations at the retail distribution centre

72 | June/July 2019

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Charities & Volunteering Currently undergoing restoration with the help and generosity of several local businesses, the hipster vehicle will provide the basis for a pop-up shop and Ella’s café. It will support Rowcroft’s own events as well as other functions around south Devon, taking Rowcroft’s retail offering out and about in a bang-on-trend format. As well as planning for the future, Caroline and her team are kept busy stocking the shops with the right goods. I’m shown around the spacious warehouse, which is stacked high with incoming donations at one end and neatly arranged rails of goods, all labelled for specific destination outlets, at the other end. In every area people are beavering away, sorting garments, testing electrical goods, stocking rails and loading and unloading vehicles. Caroline tells me the charity are fortunate enough to receive some high quality items and there is real skill

“

It’s positive news like this that drives our staff and volunteers to keep moving forward and enhancing the customer experience

involved in ensuring each item’s full value is realised to benefit the charity. The distribution centre is staffed by a small team of paid employees and many volunteers, all of whom have an eye for quality and know their brands and fashions. I pass rails of items awaiting allocation that are complete with their original tags and price labels and have clearly never been worn. By reusing good quality garments (and recycling anything that’s not suitable for sale) these shops really are the antidote to today’s throwaway fashion problem! It’s quite mind-boggling to realise that a great many of the items that pass through the retail system are individually catalogued and labelled. This is for a number of reasons: firstly to make sure stock is rotated. For instance, if an item doesn’t sell within a particular time frame in the first shop stocking it at then it will be sent to another shop that attracts a different clientele. Secondly, the labels ensure that the items donated under the Gift Aid scheme (enabling the charity to reclaim tax on a donation made by a UK taxpayer) can be properly attributed to a donor and the tax claimed. This effectively makes every £1 donated worth an extra 25p. So how does all this hard work impact the charity? Caroline proudly tells me that last year retail activities

contributed around £500,000 to the hospice, which more or less funds the charity’s Hospice at Home service. She says, “It’s positive news like this that drives our staff and volunteers to keep moving forward and enhancing the customer experience.” Caroline lives in Teignbridge with her husband and when she’s not working enjoys the coast, taking relaxing holidays and of course enjoys regular retail therapy sessions! ¢  www.rowcrofthospice.org.uk

Get involved! Rowcroft Hospice has many opportunities for volunteers; it’s a great way to make new friends, learn new skills and improve your CV. Retail volunteers - There are 16 shops, 8 of which are in Torbay. If you are good with the public, can commit to a regular time slot, provide good customer service, steaming, sorting, hanging and displaying goods then call into your local shop. Distribution Centre Volunteers - Are you a book enthusiast or a bric-a-brac expert? You’ll be sorting donations and looking out for special items. Collection Box Volunteers - You’ll look after the collection boxes in pubs/restaurants and businesses in your local area. Inpatient Unit Reception Volunteers - You’ll meet and greet patients and visitors to the hospice and answer the telephone. Database Administrator Volunteers - You’ll provide administration assistance performing basic office tasks working under your own initiative. Event Support Volunteers - You’ll work with the fundraising team at Rowcroft events, building and preparing event villages. You could offer on-the-day support, event village support or en route support for runners and walkers (plenty of smiling and cheering required!) If you are interested in getting involved you can apply online at www.rowcrofthospice.org.uk/ vacancies or just call into your local shop. Don’t miss the Rowcroft Hospice Garden Party on June 9 (see What’s On pages for details).

Look out for Rowcroft’s event H-Van, coming soon!

t the ntre

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June/July 2019 | 73

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Green Heart Project

“And the award goes to...” Torbay Coast & Countryside Trust’s Green Heart Access Officer sheds a tear of gratitude.

ou know that bit in award ceremonies when the person winning says something like, ‘I couldn’t have done it without…’ and goes onto list their mum, the director, make-up artist, their babysitter, etc.? Well our project may not be up for an Oscar or Ivor Novello, but it does feel a little bit like we’re winners and this is the bit where we get to say our ‘we couldn’t have done it without…’ speech. A bit of history first though. We started the Cockington Green Heart Project in 2015. Its aim was to restore key heritage assets in Cockington for the benefit of the local community and visitors, including: rescuing the derelict Linhay and Gamekeeper’s Cottage; desilting the park’s three lakes and re-establishing the ornamental landscaping around them. It also aimed to enhance the visitor experience by improving signage and heritage information and offering a programme of events and activities in the park. As we draw to the close of what has been an amazing four years, evaluation of the project is highlighting just how much of an impact it has made. Our visitor survey results are showing that the proportion of visitors agreeing: - “there is a lot for me to do” is up from 73% to 87% - “that this is an imaginative and exciting place” is up from 45% to 82% - “I gain new knowledge and understanding when I visit” is up from 36% to 66% - “that visitor facilities are excellent” is up from 51% to 71% (Results compared with same survey questions asked prior to commencing the project). The volunteer programme has been a significant factor in delivering the project and achieving all its original aims. Our community volunteers have donated tens of thousands of hours of their time to help with different aspects of the project. Our youngest volunteer is 21 and oldest is 87. They volunteer with us come rain or shine, helping us to do tasks and deliver activities that we just couldn’t do without their support. Over the course of the project we have also been able englishrivieramagazine.co.uk

to offer volunteer placements and on-site accommodation for thirteen people who have volunteered with us from between 5 months to a year-and-a-half each. These longterm volunteers have ranged in age from 21 to 45, and they have helped us with all the different aspects of the project: from leading school visits to practical landscape management tasks, and from welcoming visitors to organising events plus walks and talks to highlight the wildlife and heritage of the country park. Between them they have donated nearly 10,500 hours of work helping care for Cockington Country Park. We have been able to offer them training and access to courses as well as valuable on-the-job experience, all aimed at helping them to go on to employment in this sector. The long-term volunteers have been supported on this journey not only by Torbay Coast & Countryside Trust, but also by our community volunteers. They have been welcomed into the community and shown kindness and appreciation for the commitment they have made to the park and the hard work they put in. Of course it has worked the other way too, with the long-term volunteers being able to share their knowledge and understanding as well as friendship. So, that thank you speech we referred to? Well, here it is: We really couldn’t have done it without our volunteers, without their amazing enthusiasm, hard work and their drive to make Cockington ‘The Beating Green Heart of Torbay’. Our volunteers truly have made the country park feel loved and cared for again. Thank you. Now, who’s got the tissues..? ¢

countryside-trust.org.uk Visit the website for membership details, volunteering opportunities, to donate and for gift vouchers, plus information about other Trust sites to visit and enjoy. June/July 2019 | 75

d r a o b A e Welcom

.. .

Have you ever dreamed of dining aboard one of the world’s legendary ocean liners? Well now you can pop along to the Brixham Steam Packet Company & Chart Room First Class Coffee Lounge for a taste of the opulence and splendour of early steamship travel. Anita Newcombe drops by.

ucked off Brixham’s Fore Street at Foundry Court, this is a treasure trove of marine memorabilia and a real attraction for the town, albeit free to enter. Here you can enjoy browsing fascinating and carefully preserved items from world-famous ships, as well as treating yourself to a delightful lunch or afternoon tea with seriously yummy cakes. Everywhere you look you’ll see genuine items from ocean liners like Titanic, Olympic, Britannia, Lusitania, Carpathia, Coronia, Queen Mary, Queen Elizabeth and the QE2. On entering you’ll see that the whole of the first wall is actually the wall of a ship with its distinctive painted rivets. The many items on display here come from ships that have been scrapped in many different parts of the world. Their provenance is often well documented and they make not only fascinating collectables but also brilliant conversation pieces. You’ll find yourself gently wafted back in time when you study the Walls of Fame where officers and crew who worked on Cunard, P & O, White Star or Royal Navy ships have signed along with the details of when they served and in which capacity. Close relatives of crew who are no longer living can also sign and these are differentiated by the use of a purple pen. I’m meeting Bob Higginson, the creator and owner of this wonderful Brixham haven. He firstly introduces me to Shiny Roy, a key crewmember who is in charge of polishing and restoring – a very busy job I would think, judging from the excellent condition and high shine on all the items I can see. After giving Bob’s gorgeous Chesapeake Bay Retriever, Chester a pat, we retire into the Captain’s Quarters (open to all). This is where delightfully evocative china, silver, glassware and artwork from the ocean liners are on display as well as a selection of original uniforms and a bunk with cushions from the QE2. I’m already getting a sense of being aboard a transatlantic liner, maybe decked up in my evening dress,

Out & About jewels and elbow-length gloves, as my elegant 5-course dinner is served by a uniformed and well polished steward. Back here in the Captain’s Quarters I spot a box containing some delightful framed posters of these gracious ships, and these get me daydreaming even more. In fact the whole place is crammed with life rings, shipboard tables, chairs, vintage lighting, anchors, ship’s telegraphs, portholes, ships’ bells and plenty besides. If you fancy creating a nautical theme at home using the genuine items, then everything you could crave is right here. Yes I’m seriously tempted and almost everything is for sale. Bob spent many years at sea himself, having worked for Cunard on the QE2. He remembers a time when he visited 23 ports in 92 days, discovering places like Cherbourg, New York, Everglades, Curacao, Salvador, Rio, Cape Town, Durban, Seychelles, Bombay, Colombo, Singapore, Bali, Hong Kong, Kobe, Yokohama, Honolulu, Los Angeles, Acapulco, Cristobal and Cartegena. Now that he is semi-retired, Bob sees Brixham Steam Packet Company & the fabulous Chart Room First Class Coffee Lounge, as his contribution to the community - providing an attraction that appeals to residents and visitors alike and accords with the nautical heritage of our historic seafaring town. Once you’ve finishing browsing the marine artefacts

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Bob Higginson you can settle into the Chart Room First Class Coffee Lounge, which is also ocean-liner-themed and where you really must try Hayley Johnson’s home-made afternoon teas, high teas, cream teas, soups and other treats. Hayley also does takeaways for picnics on the beach or wherever you fancy and her tempting wares can also be delivered in

June/July 2019 | 77

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No children under 12 years of age • Dress Code: Smart Casual 78 | June/July 2019

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Out & About a specially branded Mini – fabulous! The Chart Room is very ‘old school’ and is a joy for lovers of this gentler, more gracious era. The beautifully varnished lounge seating is similar to the outdoor seating on a turn of the-century steamship; all the glasstopped tables have ephemera from the period such as postcards, letters and black and white photos from P & O liners and White Star liners in the pre-Titanic days. Collectables such as Main and Upper Deck signs from Cunard’s Caronia and a wheel from Cunard’s SS Malta (a passenger & cargo ship that sank off Cornwall in 1889) are all around. The service area of this amazing coffee lounge resembles the stern of an ocean liner with bar stools made from old ship’s telegraphs and Art Deco runway lights from the Ark Royal. Ron Warwick who was Commodore at Cunard as was his father before him (the only father and son duo to have achieved this high honour at Cunard), officiated at The Chart Room’s launch and signed the revered wall to the delight of over 100 assembled guests. Not too long after the launch of his unique attraction in 2017, Bob was embroiled in a bit of controversy

when he made it known that the place was not suitable for children under 12. In truth, most customers were delighted that this was destined as a rare haven of peace and tranquillity but the decision triggered quite a lot of debate and a couple of dollops of outrage at the time. Clearly Brixham Steam Packet Company and its sophisticated Chart Room First Class Coffee Lounge is not the place for toddlers or pushchairs; largely because of its precious and often high value pieces, which are stacked everywhere around. For adults, coming here is both an elegant and everfascinating haven and a ‘safe port in a storm’. It has achieved quite a following of regulars amongst the local residents here who simply love the experience it offers. Even the loo has the ‘wow factor’ here and is well worth a visit. As the only ocean-liner-themed first class coffee lounge in the country, it’s a real treat to have this unique facility in Brixham. You can also hire it as a venue for special occasions. It can host 30 people for a seated event and more for a stand-up reception. There would never be a shortage of sparkling conversation at events held here – there’s simply so much to talk about! ¢  brixhamsteam packet.co.uk @brixhamchartroom

Events Celebrating the 75th Anniversary of D-Day during June: 1 June - Book Signing by Cmdr Ron Warwick 1-3pm 6 June - 1940s music by Sandy Sparkle 12-4pm There will also be an Antiques Valuation event with Bearne’s Hampton & Littlewood (check web for details).

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June/July 2019 | 79

BusinessBreaks... BusinessBreaks...Bu New Principal for South Devon College South Devon College has announced the appointment of Laurence Frewin as its new Principal and Chief Executive Officer. Following the retirement of the existing Principal, Stephen Criddle OBE, at the end of the 2018/19 academic year, Laurence will take up this position with effect from 1 September 2019. Laurence is currently Vice Principal Corporate Services & Deputy CEO, having worked at South Devon College since 2010. He is a member of a number of national committees and is well known and respected locally for community partnerships and regeneration. Laurence lives in Brixham with his wife and three children. ¢

is this inclusive attitude towards education that caught the judge’s attention. ¢

Awards at the Cathedral

Riviera Tuition Wins Venus Awards Emma Walton, Director of Torquay-based Riviera Tuition, scooped the prestigious award for Business of the Year 2019 at the 2019 Devon and Cornwall Venus Awards. Riviera Tuition provides private tuition across Torbay, Teignbridge and the South Hams with over 200 pupils receiving tuition from its tutors every week. The award judges commended Riviera Tuition’s high academic success and ethos and particularly highlighted their unsung work with SEN children, children with mental health issues, children in care and children who have been excluded from mainstream schools. Riviera Tuition’s centre allows children to access specialised education on a one-to-one basis. One of its SEN pupils studying for his GCSEs with Riviera Tuition said, “I like coming here. It is quiet and I like the way that they explain things to me.” The company also offers home tuition for those pupils who are unable to make it to their learning hub on The Terrace in Torquay. It 80 | June/July 2019

Almost 500 leading members of the legal profession packed into Exeter Cathedral for a glittering awards evening. It was the first time the Devon and Somerset Law Society had used the magnificent cathedral to host their annual awards – and it was hailed a resounding success. Chris Hart, chief executive of Wollens and secretary of the Devon and Somerset Law Society, said, “It was a fantastic evening of celebration for the profession. We were delighted to have our merger team shortlisted for the Team of the Year award in recognition of an extraordinary feat of pulling off two mergers for the firm within the space of six months.” ¢

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...BusinessBreaks... BusinessBreaks... New Operator for Harbour Light St Austell Brewery has been chosen as the new operator of the Harbour Light restaurant on Paignton Harbour. The company plans to invest £1 million to create a stunning new bar and dining venue with outside seating overlooking the harbour. Matt Bettesworth, Bettesworths Chartered Surveyors, said, “It is clear that St Austell Brewery will bring an impressive offering to this historic building and have both the experience and investment ability to put this waterside property on the map. St Austell Brewery know Torbay well with several outlets trading successfully in the Bay and in particular the Old Market House at Brixham, which has many similarities to the Harbour Light property.” ¢

New Stagecoach Night Bus Stagecoach South West has reintroduced a late-night bus service for Torbay residents. The N12 operates every 30 minutes, between Newton Abbot, Torquay, Paignton and Brixham, from the late evening of Friday and Saturday nights until around 0430 the following day. The number 12 route benefited from a £4.5 million investment at the end of 2017 when Stagecoach invested in 22 brand new double deck vehicles for the route. The modern and comfortable vehicles, easily recognisable with their eye-catching red livery, feature USB charging ports and free complimentary Wi-Fi. Stagecoach now accepts contactless payments, so club-goers and late-night passengers can pay on their cards. ¢

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Networking Directory Get involved with Torbay business!

Torbay Business Forum First Tuesday of every month 7.30am RICC Chestnut Avenue, Torquay TQ2 5LZ Contact: Angela George 07717 316641 info@torbaybusinessforum.org.uk torbaybusinessforum.org.uk @TorbayBusiness Paignton Chamber of Commerce Second Thursday of every month. (check Facebook page for venue) Contact: Dean Kelly 07399 611643 c paigntondistrictchamberofcommerce Torbay Business Network Last Friday of every month 7.30am Pierpoint Restaurant Torbay Road, Torquay, TQ2 5HA Contact: Anthony Blackaby 01803 299935 events@torbaybusinessnetwork.co.uk @TorbayBizNet Brixham Chamber of Commerce Every 2 months Berry Head Hotel Berry Head Road, Brixham, TQ5 9AJ Contact: chair@brixhamchamber.co.uk @lovebrixham

Want New Clients in 2019? English Riviera Magazine Readers are looking for local products and services right now. Advertising campaigns from just £140 plus Vat per bi-monthly issue. Full design service included to get your message across. Call Anita on 01803 850886 for a friendly chat about advertising options or email sales@ englishrivieramagazine.co.uk for a media pack. June/July 2019 | 81

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