What’s On

Planning is well underway for the Tavistock Festival 2023. Over a period of fifteen days audiences and participants will enjoy a variety of concerts and workshops. Tavistock Library is hosting a number of events and we see the welcome return of The Wheelhouse Folk Choir. Helen Porter returns this time with her Big Jazz Choir and, by popular demand, we host again Nina Savicevic, a young concert pianist. Thanks to generous sponsorship we will be able to offer free entry to all the lunchtime concerts and some evening events but donations will be welcomed to offset costs.

Two new ventures this year include a Mad Hatter’s Tea Party at the Bedford Hotel and a large children’s choir, who are presently rehearsing in their own schools in preparation for their concert during the Festival. Dr Sean Sweeney (Chairman) and friends will also present a lunchtime concert with a ‘Coronation’ theme and we hope Tavistock will turn out with flags ready to sing some wellknown songs!

The Festival commences on Saturday 22nd April and ends on Friday 6th May, a day before the Coronation. In preparation, three free lunchtime events have been scheduled in March and details of these and the full Festival programme can be found on the Festival website www.tavistockfestival.org. Tickets will be available on line and at the door.

We look forward to seeing you.

Dr Sean Sweeney Festival Chairman

YOUR LOCAL INDEPENDENT TRAVEL AGENT

Here for you when you are ready to explore the world once more!

² 01409 253962 HOLSWORTHYTRAVEL sales@holsworthytravel.co.uk

It’s all about Snowdrops…

Friday 13th January marks both the first open day of our 2023 season and also the start of our popular Snowdrop Festival at The Garden House. With a collection of 350+ species and varieties housed here there is no better place in the South West to explore the intricacies and variations of these midwinter beauties.

The festival runs every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 10.30am to 3.30pm, starting from the 13th January and continuing through till Sunday 12th March. As well as the outdoor displays and vis is from specialist nurseries we also have talks from renowned snowdrop experts, Dr Julian Sutton (January 21st at 3.30pm) and former head gardener and inspiration behind the initial collection Matt Bishop (February 10th at 3:30pm).

There are also a number of other themed events on weekdays during the festival – so do take a look at the What’s On page of our website, for details of these, admission and talks www.thegardenhouse.org.uk/whats-on

We look forward to seeing you all but beware, snowdrops are very seductive, and it’s all too easy to be lured into ‘galanthophilia’ - the love of them.

Snowdrops may be the stars of the winter months but they’re far from the only flowering interest in the garden. Look out for the carpets of crocus in the Acer Glade, cyclamen in pink and white mingling with the snowdrops, early narcissus and iris, early camellias and rhododendrons, and white flowered Clematis urophylla ‘Winter Beauty’ on the tower in the walled garden.

What better place for a weekend winter walk – especially if followed by a warming bowl of soup and delicious slice of cake in the café!

John Richmond

Stone Lane Gardens, Chagford, TQ13 8JU RHS Partner Garden Open all year round

Woodland and Water Gardens National Collection of Birch and Alder Summer Sculpture Exhibition w w w. s t o n e l a n e g a r d e n s . c o m

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Custom Made Footstools

Collection & Delivery Available µ @fabricandfurniture ² fabricandfurniture  Linda 07484 093494

Sweet Smell of Success!

West Devon Borough Council have come up with an innovative - and incredibly fun - way to raise for Mountain Rescue’s North Dartmoor Search & Rescue Team: The Big Sniff!

The virtual game for all the family will see you help out rescue dog Tio in the hunt for Mr and Mrs Baggator, a couple who set off on a tour of West Devon and haven’t been seen since. You have to follow the trail of clues they’ve left to ‘sniff’ them out…and win a prize!

The adventure will take you all over West Devon, from Lydford to Okehampton; Chagford to Tavistock. But don’t worry, you don’t have to trek to all those places in person, you can do it digitally and on Google Maps Streetview.

“I hope people will enjoy entering the spirit of the game and that they enjoy visiting the various towns and locations across the borough,” says the Mayor of West Devon, Councillor Caroline Mott. “The search and rescue teams all work incredibly hard to raise funds and do To take part get a copy of the virtual trail, available from The Toy Shop and Donald’s Menswear in Okehampton, The Original Pasty House in Tavistock or the West Devon Borough County councillors. And PDF copies are available from virtualtrail@ndsart.org.uk.

such a valuable job, often at great risk to themselves. I was lucky enough to be part of the team many years ago and the work they carry out is largely unrecognised. What is often missed is the work they carry out in the urban environment as their expertise is called upon by other emergency services. They receive no government funding and rely solely on public donations or other events such as this. Priced at £5 I hope this will make an activity for all the family to enjoy.”

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Setting Boundaries

Dartmoor is a nationally recognised landscape with its mix of moors, craggy tors and deep river valleys. However a unique and sometimes under valued stand that weaves its way across the landscape are the myriad of boundaries framing countless fields, newtakes and commons.

There are many variations on a similar theme across Dartmoor from single and double skinned drystone walls, corn ditches, stone faced Devon banks to our wonderful woody hedgerows. Many are ancient and some relatively modern, but all contribute to a rich heritage and perform a functional role in keeping livestock in or out of a field. They also create wonderful wildlife refuges and act as the ‘veins’ which connect different habitats forming corridors and highways throughout the countryside. In a world where a climate change and a biodiversity crisis have been declared these boundaries are an invaluable resource for key species, shade and carbon sequestration.

As part of Our Upland Commons a Lottery Funded initiative, the Hill Farm Project, has been running free 2-day training courses in a range of different boundary skills. These are undertaken on working farms with common rights across Dartmoor and provide the core skills to construct a wall or to lay a hedge. As well as being social and informative participants get to discuss commoning and to contribute to the maintaining Dartmoor’s fantastic wealth of boundaries. The courses are designed to be inclusive and open to all.

Increasing we have seen a desire to go on from the training to fine tune skills and we have therefore launched a walling club. These sessions are free, informal and are open to all and the group meets monthly throughout the year working on specific projects such as restoring a corn ditch. As well as the practical skills we are now looking at recording hedges and the modern ‘farmscape’ and will be running some webinars this winter.

If you would like to attend a course or join the Walling Club, please drop an email to hfp@dartmoor.gov.uk or call 01822 890913 or do get in touch for details on our other events.

David Attwell

'One of the finest gardens in Britain...'

SNOWDROP FESTIVAL 13th Jan to 12th March

Visit 10 acres of stunning gardens with over 350 varieties of snowdrop on display See website for opening details

www.thegardenhouse.org.uk

Buckland Monachorum, Yelverton PL20 7LQ. Reg Charity: 203722

4 North Street, Okehampton EX20 1AR Okehampton.library@librariesunlimited. org.uk Tel: 01837 52805

SPECIAL EVENTS MINI WINTER CHALLENGE - 1 DECEMBER - 20 FEBRUARY

A reading adventure from the Reading Agency, which encourages children to continue reading over the winter holidays with a free, digital platform offering rewards and prizes for continuing to read. Take part online via the Challenge website: summerreadingchallenge.org.uk

SEATED EXERCISE WITH FUSION LIFESTYLE – FRIDAY 20 JANUARY, 2-3PM

Libraries for Life – Health & Happiness Free session of gentle seated exercise and stretch - open to all - just turn up.

1-1 DIGITAL SUPPORT – JANUARY – FEBRUARY

Libraries for Life – Opening the Digital Door Book onto one of our free digital skills sessions to learn some basic digital skills or improve and refresh existing skills. Bring in your own device or use our public access computers. Contact Okehampton Library to have a chat about how we can help, and to book a digital session. Booking essential.

NATIONAL STORYTELLING WEEK - 30 JANUARY – 4 FEBRUARY

Join us for lively songs and stories based around this year’s Book Trust Storytime books. Collect stickers for your Storytime sticker book, vote for your favourite story, and enjoy fun activities. Just drop in. No booking necessary. Monday 30, 2pm stories and activity

Tuesday 31, 10am & 11am Bounce & Rhyme plus a story and activity

Wednesday 1, 9.30am Duplo, stories, and activity Saturday 4, 10.30am Stories and activity

FAMILY HISTORY RESEARCH – WEDNESDAY 8 FEBRUARY, 9.30AM-12.30PM

Libraries for Life – Opening the Digital Door Come along to our free session for advice on family history research and for help using the Ancestry website. For more information or to book a space please contact Okehampton library. Booking essential.

FEBRUARY HALF TERM – CHILDREN’S ACTIVITY TBC

Regular Events

BUSINESS & IP CENTRE DEVON, OKEHAMPTON HUB

BIPC Devon provide free business support to Devon-based small businesses and start-ups. Through BIPC Devon you can access market research and funding databases, learn from our experts by booking 1-1 sessions, and join our regular webinars and workshops. Events – Resources – Guides – Expert help.

Staff at the Okehampton hub will be available to assist you with finding out how to access small business support.

Okehampton Library has a meeting room available for you to book so you can spread out and break the work-fromhome cycle.

Email roomhire@librariesunlimited.org. uk or call 0333 2342123

CUPPA & A CHAT – EVERY TUESDAY, 1.30-3.30PM

Enjoy a natter with other customers over a FREE tea, coffee or hot chocolate, kindly supplied by Waitrose Okehampton. No booking necessary. Just drop in.

READ EASY – FIRST TUESDAY OF EVERY MONTH, 10AM-12PM

Come and chat with Richard from Read Easy, the charity that helps adults learn to read. Richard would love to talk to you, particularly if you are interested to know more about what Read Easy do and/or if you would like to introduce someone to their free 1:1 and confidential service.

READING GROUP - FIRST TUESDAY OF EVERY MONTH

Please contact library for details.

BOUNCE & RHYME – EVERY TUESDAY, 10-10.20AM & 11-11.20AM

Suitable for under 5s. Free, no booking necessary.

BABY WEIGH – EVERY TUESDAY, 9.30-11.30AM

Free self-weigh facilities for parents to weigh their babies, are available in a screened area within the library. This is in partnership with Devon Public Health Nursing. Parents and babies welcome to stay for Bounce & Rhyme!

DUPLO BUILDERS & STORYTIME - EVERY WEDNESDAY, 9.3010.15AM

Suitable for under 5s. Free, no booking necessary.

LEGO BUILDERS – EVERY SATURDAY, 10.30-11.30AM

Suitable for ages 5+. Free, no booking necessary.

THE SECRET BOOK QUEST

A completely FREE year-round reading challenge for 5-12 year olds across Devon. To take part, children sign up in the library, read 50 library books at their own pace, and collect stickers to solve the secret code. Finishers will receive a certificate and a small prize.

Children under 8 must be accompanied to all events by a responsible adult

Please see our library website or Facebook page for any additional events and library services devonlibraries.org.uk

THE PLOUGH ARTS CENTRE

7TH, 8TH, 11TH, 12TH, 14TH JAN FAMILY (FILM)

AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER

10:30, 2:00pm - The Plough Arts Centre 01805 624624

THURSDAY 12TH JAN

OPEN MOUTH MUSIC AND POETRY (IN THE GALLERY)

Thu 12 Jan 2023, 8:00pm Thu 09 Feb 2023, 8:00pm The Plough Arts Centre 01805 624624 FRIDAY 13TH JAN

BATTLE OF THE BANDS

Standing Gig + Bookable balcony seats £5.00, Under 18’s £3, 7:00pm - The Plough Arts Centre 01805 624624 TUE 17 JAN 2023, 7:00PM

BIOFORM DANCE THEATRE WITH MIRANDA JANKOWSKA

The Plough Arts Centre 01805 624624 Bioform Dance Theatre aims to explore dance,movement,musicality and theatre practice through a series of regular 2 hour workshops exploring ideas with an aim to create unique material to use in performance or for your own creative expression. Focusing on bodies in space, form, musicality and playfulness. Using various techniques inspired by contemporary dance and 20th century theatre practices to help create material. These workshops are open to dancers and non- dancers, artists, musicians and those interested in composition and creative exploration of movement, theatre and bodies in space.

THU 26 JAN 2023, 7:00PM

NATIONAL THEATRE LIVE: ‘THE CRUCIBLE’ BY ARTHUR MILLER

A witch hunt is beginning in Arthur Miller’s captivating parable of power with Erin Doherty (The Crown) and Brendan Cowell (Yerma). The Plough Arts Centre 01805 624624

FRI 27 JAN 2023, 8:00PM

MARK WATSON: THIS CAN’T BE IT

ADULTS ONLY (COMEDY) The Plough Arts Centre 01805 624624 THU 26 JAN 2023, 7:30PM

TOMORROW BIRD

A Gallery Gig with cabaret seating in the Gallery (via stairs or lift)The Gallery at The Plough Arts Centre 01805 624624

SAT 04 FEB 2023, 8:00PM

ADULTS ONLY (COMEDY)

GLENN MOORE: WILL YOU STILL NEED ME...

Will You Still Feed Me, Glenn I’m Sixty Moore The Plough Arts Centre Sat 04 Feb 2023, 8:00pm 01805 624624

TUE 14 FEB 2023, 8:30PM

CELEBRATE VALENTINE’S NIGHT IN 1930S STYLE WITH MOSCOW DRUG CLUB

The Plough Arts Centre 01805 624624

SAT 18 FEB 2023, 8:00PM

JOE STILGOE: 100 YEARS OF THEATRE

The Plough Arts Centre 01805 624624 “A truly remarkable singer songwriter, not to mention outstanding piano player... I thank you for creating that most exciting of moments when, as a lover of good music, you know you have seen and heard something remarkable.” Sir Michael Parkinson

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