Moor Links August/September issue 2021 by Links Magazines

MOOR LINKS August/September 2021 Issue 52

WHAT’S ON

TAMAR VALLEY FOOD HUB

DTTV & DEVON OPEN STUDIOS DARTMOOR WALKING FESTIVAL

Connecting local producers & customers

BRITISH FIREWORK CHAMPIONSHIPS THE HATCHLING VISITS PLYMOUTH

HERITAGE OPEN DAYS

OUTDOOR THEATRE

10 days of local history & culture

LOCAL PEOPLE Cheryl Russell of Kingston Preserves

COM

ITY

BUS I NESS

Egoitz Fernández of Quernstone Bakery

BUY LOCAL & SAVE

HEALTH

YEARS

JOBS

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Wild swimming benefits

HISTORY

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Food for thought Food is a fascinating subject – it satisfies us on so many levels from the basic requirement to eat enough to survive, to its ability to delight our senses when we see, smell and taste it, to the enjoyment of cooking and creating meals. We can’t live without it but what we eat and how we produce our food is becoming more and more important. ‘Sustainable food’ is a frequently mentioned term but what does that really mean? It seems it can encompass many things such as helping local economies, ensuring the welfare of animals and plants, providing good quality food and supply The deadline date for any inclusions in the October/ chains, protecting the environment, but in essence it’s about not using up resources November issue of Moor Links faster than they can be replaced. will be 2 September 2021. For all editorial enquiries please contact Rosemary via email: rosemary.best @linksmagazines.co.uk

THE LINKS TEAM: Publisher: Tim Randell Editor: Rosemary Best Writers: Nichola Williams, Kaye Rogers Design: Sara Venner, Julian Rees Advertising: Jane Daniel, Olivia Breyley, Joanne Mallard

Our feature article is about Tamar Valley Food Hub and the work of Tamar Grow Local to encourage people to eat and grow local food. I also had the opportunity to meet two local food producers who both share an interest in sustainability: Cheryl Russell uses the fruit and vegetables grown by her husband to make jams and chutneys, while Egoitz Fernández bakes bread and cakes using UK grown and milled organic flour. Sue Fisher explains how you can grow your own fruit and veg no matter how small your garden is, while the Biodiversity Project and naturalist articles spell out the dangers of losing our insect population and the effect on our food industry. Our charity focus explores the work of Devon & Cornwall Food Action, which diverts surplus supermarket food from landfill and helps to fight local food poverty. On top of that it’s wonderful to have a full what’s on section with Heritage Open Days, outdoor theatre, open gardens and open studios, exhibitions, markets and food events this summer!

Rosemary Best

Tim: 07450 161 929 Jane: 07772 619 808

Editor

Contents 6 Feature

33 K ids’What’s On

8 Local People

34 History

13 Health & Wellbeing

36 What’s On

16 Charity

50 Food & Drink

18 Gardening 22 Farming News 23 Naturalist 24 Law 25 Community News 32 Education

46 Music & Art

52 Book Review 53 Business

55 Trade Secrets

56 Outdoors & Active 62 Business directory

@moorlinks

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August/September 2021 | Issue 11

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An educator from Shaugh Prior A Sparkwell stalwart

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Disclaimer: Whilst every reasonable care is taken with all material submitted to Olijam Communications Ltd the publisher cannot accept responsibility for any loss or damage caused by such material. The opinions expressed in articles are strictly those of the authors. All content is fully covered by copyright laws and reproduction in part or whole is strictly forbidden without the written permission of the publisher.

FEATURE

Tamar Valley Food Hub This not-for-profit, social enterprise connects local, small-scale food and drink producers to customers, via a weekly delivery scheme. Tamar Valley Food Hub’s online community shop works in a very similar manner to an online supermarket site, except customers have the satisfaction of knowing they are helping local businesses, and that their fruit and veg will be picked the day before, or even the morning before they receive it, so it will keep longer, and won’t have travelled hundreds of miles; customers are also buying delicious, high quality produce which has been ethically and sustainably produced. Established in 2009, Tamar Grow Local CIC is a not-for-profit umbrella of various community organisations and small enterprises encouraging people to eat and grow local food. Established as a governing group for two allotment sites in Calstock and St Budeaux, it also facilitates community orchards. After developing to incorporate an educational aspect through a bee-keeping cooperative, which runs three courses a year, a commercial layer soon followed - Tamar Valley Food Hub. The food hub was formulated in 2013 to support local producers with an online platform where they could sell their goods collectively. This not-for-profit, producer-led venture provided customers with easy access to sustainable and affordable local produce, as well as publicising the benefits of local food, while helping producers engage with a ready-made market. By providing marketing, collating orders and distribution, Tamar Valley Food Hub now relieves some of the strain from small-scale producers so they can focus on what they do best - making their products. Over 100 producers now use the platform over the course of the year, some of whom have approached Tamar Valley Food Hub, while others have been recruited by the hub to fill 6

gaps in the range of goods on offer. Producers load their own products on the site, and set their own prices and availability; they then receive an order on Tuesday for delivery to the hub on Friday morning. A portion of their profit goes to cover the organisational costs, but this supply-to-order scenario has the added benefit of zero waste. The CIC has also teamed up with Good Food Exeter to share produce – so for example, the hub takes fish to Exeter and returns with organic chicken, and since both organisations use Open Food Network software, the process is seamless for producers and customers. Apple juice made by the CIC apple co-operative is sold through the platform and the food hub has recently played a supporting role to the community orchard in Harrowbarrow and Metherell. With normal fundraising impossible, Cheryl of Kingston Preserves made the apples into chutney which was then sold on the hub platform to raise much-needed funds for the orchard. Customers also have an option to support Callington Food Bank by adding a donation or buying a veg bag to be delivered to a food bank client, while Tamar Grow Local works with Plymouth City Homes on the Grow, Share, Cook project, supplying fortnightly bags of seasonal vegetables to help people disadvantaged by Covid-19. Keen to nurture new producers, Tamar Grow Local started the Farm Start scheme in 2015, by leasing eight acres in Metherell and then renting out the land in plots, ranging from a half-acre up to two acres. Prospective tenants apply with a new start-up horticultural business plan, and if successful, their rental costs can be under £1 per day, with no long-term commitment, and the promise of an engaged market once they have a product to sell. The scheme currently has seven tenants occupied in various endeavours, including a vineyard, an orchard, several market gardens and an acre of flax destined for linen.

FEATURE

Combining the mentoring support of other growers and the CIC team, the scheme fulfils an important stepping stone between an allotment and a business, and its success can be measured by the waiting list and Defra’s interest in replicating it in other parts of the country. Lockdown affected many local producers, causing them to rethink their business and find a new market. Pre-lockdown, Good Earth Growers grew micro-salads and herbs for highend London restaurants. When that requirement ground to a complete halt, they had to quickly adapt and start cultivating larger salad produce for the local market, using the hub platform. After the initial panic buying in supermarkets, customers also realised the value of a local and consistently available supply, and Tamar Valley Food Hub experienced an exponential surge in interest – in one week there was a 300% increase in orders. The hub had to source a huge extra fridge, Callington Town Council gave them permission to use the council chamber to pack bags, customers volunteered to help and Plymouth Raiders basketball team even did a delivery stint. Although orders have settled down since then, the pandemic has prompted people to re-evaluate the food they eat and where it comes from, resulting in a noticeable and long-term shift in shopping habits. Rosemary Best

Orders can be placed from 6pm on Friday to 9:30am on Tuesday for a Friday delivery across the Tamar Valley and Plymouth (£1.50 - £3.50) or free collection from Bere Alston Post Office, Mole Valley Farmers in Tavistock, The Count House in Weir Quay, plus various locations in Cornwall and Plymouth. For more details visit tamarvalleyfoodhubs.org.uk.

See our community website www.dartmoorlinks.co.uk

LOCAL PEOPLE

What a pretty pickle! Cheryl Russell of Kingston Preserves started cooking when she was six, and is still just as passionate about food now as she was in those first years of discovery. After an introduction to cake baking, Cheryl’s appetite was whetted, and as an avid reader she started following recipes, gradually learning how to cook staple meals, and taking over the household cooking at an early age. With cooking still very much at the forefront of her interests when she left school, she went on to train as a chef at a catering college. She met her future husband Simon when she was 16 and they married three years later. Simon was in the navy, so Cheryl chose to fit her career around family needs, working part-time at a bank for 12 years and then later moving on to an HR role in the Civil Service for 15 years, as well as training and practicing as a counsellor, therapist and spiritual healer. Simon has always been a keen gardener and enjoyed growing fruit and vegetables. His career took the family to various

locations in the South West, and in Bath, Cheryl found a use for their various fruit trees and prolific vegetable plot, by cooking jams and chutneys. Even after giving numerous jars to family and friends there was often more than they could consume themselves. So Simon constructed a small hutch outside the house, which Cheryl kept topped up with her wares, for passers-by to purchase. The couple had fallen in love with Devon when Simon was appointed to Britannia Naval College in Dartmouth, and always hoped to return; when the opportunity arose ten years ago to buy a former

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LOCAL PEOPLE

Photo by Toby Russell

daffodil farm on the Bere Peninsula, they knew it fitted the bill perfectly. A greenhouse and polytunnel were already in place, and after a considerable amount of work, a fully grown orchard now arches around the house, resplendent with apple, pear, quince, mulberry, plum and cherry trees, adjacent to a fertile vegetable plot. Naturally, with an even larger harvest of fresh produce, Cheryl carried on experimenting with jams and chutneys, and re-established the hutch outside the house for passing trade. In 2016, a series of events persuaded Cheryl to take the plunge and launch her business to the wider public: a postcard praising her strawberry jam arrived from Sierra Leone, addressed to ‘The house on the walking path… selling homemade jams and other things’; a photograph of her produce hutch appeared in Devon Life; and she carried out a successful trial sale at Ivybridge Market. Cheryl got in touch with Devon Life and the resulting article helped to launch her business, Kingston Preserves, as she established her range and attended a circuit of local markets, including the Pannier Market and Farmers’ Market in Tavistock. She was soon approached by local B&Bs for regular deliveries and also started supplying the local shop in Bere Alston. Her business was ticking over well, until suddenly the pandemic took hold and Cheryl had to pull out of market trade due to her low immunity, cutting off a large part of her turnover. However as often happens, when one door closes, another opens, and she was approached by Tamar Valley Food Hub in May 2020 to sell her produce on their online platform. The relationship developed well and Cheryl used this new shopfront to promote her goods, which were well received - at

Photo by Toby Russell

Christmas her hampers were snapped up, attracting even more regular custom for 2021. Cheryl’s business has weathered the trials of the last year and she still derives great pleasure from what she does. She cooks everything herself using home-grown produce wherever possible, or locally bought produce – Continental Fruits deliveries were a huge boon for her during lockdown. Even though she has been cooking her marmalade recipe for the last 45 years she has taken courses to consolidate her knowledge and swap ideas with other cooks. She thoroughly enjoys the challenge of devising a new recipe, and her commended lime pickle (Taste of the West Awards 2021) was created to reflect her Anglo-Indian heritage, while the recipe for her silverwinning mango chutney is a closely guarded secret! Cheryl has never wanted Kingston Preserves to become too large, and although the garage and part of her house are overflowing with jars and boxes, and there are times in the height of summer when the greenhouse yields an unrelenting quantity of tomatoes destined for chutney, all in all she is very satisfied with her work-life balance. She still loves talking about food, and if a customer wants to ‘talk jam’ then she is more than happy to engage. Her advice to anyone with a passion and a business idea, is to just ‘give it a go’. Rosemary Best

Cheryl’s products are available at Dot-Teas in Tavistock Pannier Market, Bere Alston Village Shop & Bakery and Gunnislake Stores, plus delivery via tamarvalleyfoodhubs.org.uk or By The Park Cafe in Plymouth. For details visit kingstonpreserves.co.uk. 9

LOCAL PEOPLE

Putting bread on the table Earlier this year some rather tempting baking smells starting emanating from the café connected to The Leaping Salmon in Horrabridge. Local residents knew the pub was closed during lockdown, so it was quite intriguing! In March all was revealed when Quernstone Bakery started trading from the former café, selling artisan sourdough and rye bread, along with empanadas and a delicious, eclectic range of Spanish, Scandinavian and British cakes, buns and biscuits.

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LOCAL PEOPLE

Egoitz Fernández has been perfecting his skills as a baker for 11 years, and is delighted with this opportunity to run his own business. 2020 didn’t start well - he was made redundant in January, just as the country entered its third lockdown of the pandemic – and only 18 months after he had arrived in the UK from Spain. Fortunately, he has a good network of friends and when Fred Andrews of The Leaping Salmon heard about his predicament, he offered Egoitz the unused café premises. Egoitz grew up in the Basque Country in the north of Spain and at 18 he already had an interest in baking bread, but without any official baking courses or artisan baking apprenticeships in the area, he took work in forestry management. His grandmother had always made her own bread though, and she taught him the basics. But when it came to quantities, she told him there was no such thing – he just needed to feel when the dough was right. He joined a Spanish bread forum and after various recommendations he managed to source the sort of flour he was looking for and start baking. A couple of years later the forum alerted him to a government funded scheme encouraging under-25s to become craftsmen, which included a pop-up bakery in a series of shipping containers in San Sebastian, called ‘The Loaf’. Egoitz successfully applied for a place and spent three months working with baking mentors, and networking with the multitude of bakers who flocked to visit the venture from all over Spain and further afield. Most bread was mass-produced locally, so after the placement, Egoitz went to work in Cantabria at a small artisan bakery, where he worked hard for the next year. However the lack of social life was tedious for a 21-year-old, so when he was approached to work in a new bakery in San Sebastian, with its backdrop of sea and mountains, along with a much younger vibe, he leapt at the chance. For the next five years, he mixed with talented chefs who came to learn how to bake bread, while aspiring to meet the requests of Michelin-starred restaurants who sought out the bakery’s breads but continually pushed for more. One of his chef friends went on to spend some time in Denmark and returned with a loaf of bread from Copenhagen’s Mirabelle Bakery, famous for its bread, croissants and organic

baked goods. He told Egoitz he should spend some time at the bakery - so after managing to secure a month’s apprenticeship, he went to learn how to work with a very different bread made with rye and formed into massive loaves that required little handling. Following this exciting experience, he ended up taking work at an industrial scale bread factory in Valencia, which he disliked intensely and abandoned nine months later, questioning what he wanted from baking. Hearing Egoitz was unemployed, the same chef friend, suggested he join him in England where there was a vacancy for a baker in Chagford. Egoitz talked to the bakery owners and the terms sounded perfect – a flexible working environment, a lovely setting, and the chance to make bread by hand exactly as he wanted. He settled in North Bovey and thoroughly enjoyed the role, until the pandemic took hold, and he and his partner Esme set up Quernstone Bakery in Horrabridge. Most flour for large-scale bread production comes from China or Canada because it is easy to work with and produces consistent results. Egoitz is determined to only use flour which is grown and milled in the UK - currently from Gilchester Organics. One batch of his dough is never exactly the same as another, which is where his skill as an artisan baker is so important. He purchased his own oven and fridge for the business, and spent the first two weeks experimenting with the flour and tweaking the fermentation until he was successful. He says that ‘bread is alive and every loaf has a character’ – even the weather can change the outcome. He is loving this new life and enjoys the interaction with customers which he hasn’t experienced before. He says it is imperative to source all ingredients very carefully but then the key is to keep it simple – rather similar to his outlook on life. Rosemary Best You can buy direct from Quernstone Bakery on Wednesdays, 12-3pm (side entrance to The Leaping Salmon, Horrabridge); place an order at info@quernstonebakery.co.uk for delivery on Tuesdays & Thursdays; or Quernstone products are available at The Game Larder, Yelverton and Country Cheeses, Tavistock. For more details see quernstonebakery.co.uk.

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HEALTH & WELLBEING

Cold water is good for you! Over the last few weeks, I have been trying to emulate two women who I have a great respect for and find hugely inspirational. The first is one of my GP partners who always seems so calm and cheerful no matter what the day throws at her, and radiates such an intense enjoyment of life and its adventures. The other is a woman who is learning to live with the grief of her partner’s death, and working out how to navigate this new world with such a huge, permanent hole in it. Both these incredible women credit wild swimming with bringing resilience and joy to their lives, and after an entire adulthood of avoiding anything cooler than a hot bath I decided I had to leave my inner wimp at home and literally dive into the world of wild swimming. Admittedly I chose to do this on the hottest day in May on record, but we’ve all got to start somewhere. And I haven’t looked back. I’ve found I love it. Now walks are planned around a dunk in a river or the sea, something my children and dogs are very happy about. Wild swimming feels good for me, but what does it actually do? A lot of the evidence people quote is a bit removed from the situation of wild swimming in Devon - it’s either in extreme sports environments, or immersing in ice water - but the following conclusions seem to be valid. Cool and coldwater immersion seems to cut down on muscle soreness and possibly joint pain; aids our immune system - especially decreasing our risk of contracting viral respiratory infections; improves our mood helping relieve anxiety, depression and stress; and boosts our metabolism which can in turn lead to weight loss, lower blood pressure and result in better cholesterol and blood sugar readings. Scientifically no mention is made of the difference between dunking in an ice bucket, having a cold shower and swimming in a beautiful bay, but there must be one. Add to these basic metabolic effects the excitement of swimming in the sea at dawn, or laughing with your children and friends as you dive into a deep pool, and the sense of accomplishment when you

do something you’ve been too scared to do for many years, and my hunch is that this is every bit as powerful when it comes to making us feel better. It takes some working up to though, and as good as wild swimming is, it can also be dangerous. We have an innate ‘cold shock response’ which means that as soon as we immerse in cold water, we take an involuntary breath in, we breathe fast and our heart beats harder. Although this is just at the start and fades, it’s important not to have your head underwater when you first get in, otherwise you might drown, and be careful if you have underlying cardiac disease or are on medications. Please also swim with a companion to improve safety for each other. With repeated cold immersions over some weeks, it’s possible to decrease this cold shock a little and increase your tolerance for staying in the cold water. Initially start with very short dunks, but as you get hardier and stay in longer beware of hypothermia. Luckily all the health benefits seem to come within the first minute or so. Make sure you have warm dry clothes to change into and do it relatively quickly after exiting the water because as long as you are still wet you are losing a lot of heat. Have a warm drink and something to eat, as both increase your core body temperature. But most of all enjoy it - it really is wonderful. There is a wealth of information and there are groups out there for those wanting to start wild swimming but devonandcornwallwildswimming.co.uk is a great place to start, and has a wonderful section called ‘Top Tips for New Swimmers’.

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HEALTH & WELLBEING

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CHARITY FOCUS

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ending up in landfill, and at the same time, help to tackle poverty by using the surplus food to feed local people who were going hungry. Originally DCFA collected food from supermarkets and distributed it to charities and organisations who work directly with people in need of help. More recently, and particularly over the last year due to the vastly increased need caused by Covid-19, DCFA now distributes boxes

of donated surplus food, directly to families and individuals experiencing food poverty. All the food is sourced from supermarkets and other branded food producers; edible food can be discarded by supermarkets for various reasons, such as oversupply, damaged or incorrect packaging, discontinued lines, or food which is close to or past its bestbefore date, but still safe to eat.

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We may think that food poverty should not exist in today’s society, but unfortunately it does and Covid-19 has made the situation significantly worse. Low incomes, the uncertainty of zerohours contracts and seasonal work, or unemployment and delays in receiving benefits, place huge strain on people and at best make it difficult to provide for themselves and their families, while at worst can lead to debt, family break-up, homelessness, dependency on drugs and alcohol or other issues. Long-term illness or bereavement of a family member can also have huge repercussions on a family’s ability to cope financially. DCFA has a team of chiller vans which volunteers use to collect surplus food on a daily basis. The food is then sorted at the DCFA warehouse, which includes storing some of it in the new industrialsized freezer and chiller cabinets. Boxes of food are then packed with a range of food such as vegetables, fruit, bread, eggs, pasta, rice, frozen and tinned food, pasties and crisps. Any food which is past its sell-by date or not suitable for human consumption is sent to Langage Farm’s anaerobic digestion facility where it is converted into electrical power, heat and bio-fertilisers which are used to run the factory and the farm. DCFA is not government funded so although all the food donations are free, it relies on fundraising, grants and donations to cover its overheads,

such as rent, vehicle running costs and utility bills. Its fundraising scheme Pay It Forward, helps to cover the cost of delivering boxes - every £10 raised means someone in crisis will receive a food box to feed a family for a week. DCFA can also deliver boxes of basic household cleaning and sanitary products if required. Approximately 10,000 boxes were delivered last year to individual households. Based in Roborough, much of DCFA’s recent focus has been on the Plymouth area, but it also provides relief elsewhere based on need and urgency, such as Princetown, Tavistock, Bovey Tracey, Torquay, Saltash, Callington and Liskeard. In addition, DCFA is about to partner with Dartmoor Community Kitchen Hub, which is based in Bovey Tracey and runs a hot meals service across the Dartmoor region for the vulnerable and elderly. The charity was founded by Stella West-Harling, who is its CEO and also the founder of Ashburton Cookery School. Alan Dunne is the current chairman of DCFA’s active board of trustees. He is also extremely involved in the day-to-day running of the operation, and fighting poverty has become a very personal mission for him. He is no stranger to poverty himself, having grown up in a large family with an alcoholic father. Despite having a successful career in London, he has also struggled with

addiction and went through rehab in Plymouth where he experienced his ‘lightbulb’ moment when out sailing, realising he needed to conquer this ‘disease’ and get his life back on track. Volunteering at DCFA provides him with the sense of purpose he needs, but his experiences also mean he understands the pitfalls of life and the harm they can cause. He is determined to do everything he can to help people in crisis, and he was absolutely delighted when Devon and Cornwall Food Action was named as the Chief Constable’s Charity of the Year for 2021. Rosemary Best

DCFA is run by a hardworking band of volunteers, including husband and wife team, Peter who is 86 and Sheila who is 85. The huge increased need during the pandemic has seen up to 100 people helping out, however as people have gradually returned to work this number has decreased sharply although the number of people requiring help has not changed. So if you can spare a few hours to help, please get in touch on 01752 651800 or info@ devonandcornwallfoodaction.org. You can also make a donation to help feed people in need at justgiving.com/ campaign/PayItForwardwithDCFA

GARDENING

Grow a good-looking edible garden One of the positives to come out of the pandemic is much greater awareness of our food: where it comes from, how it’s been produced, and how rewarding it is to grow our own. Not just vegetables, but fruit, herbs, even edible flowers to give a pretty and personal touch to all kinds of dishes. Plenty of crops can be sown or planted now to give a harvest this year, particularly leafy crops like lettuce, rocket, mixed salad leaves, parsley, Oriental vegetables, radish, Swiss chard, and spinach. Hardy veg that tolerates frost can be planted or sown outdoors to harvest next spring or early summer, particularly brassicas such as spring cabbage and kale, and onion sets or seed that are suitable to stand over winter. Fruit trees and bushes are best planted in autumn, but you can order plants now and prepare the ground thoroughly with plenty of time. Regardless of the size of your outdoor space, whether large or small, there are plenty of ways to pack in plants. Any vertical surface such as walls, fences, posts, or trellis can support ‘living wall’ planters: innovative designs that vary from flat panels to troughs on frames, which can be as small or as extensive as space, time, and budget permit. Traditional containers like hanging baskets and window boxes can be

made more productive and easier to manage with products such as special composts; ‘self-watering’ designs with integral reservoirs; and a variety of watering devices from low-tech bottle top watering spikes to fully automatic irrigation systems. A ‘no-dig’ bed system is the easiest and most soilfriendly way to grow crops in the ground, while raised beds are great for patios and small gardens.

Sue’s tips for growing your own Choose a site that gets sun for at least several hours a day and is sheltered from strong winds. Don’t feel you have to grow everything from seed. Readygrown plants are fantastically easy and particularly good if you only want a few plants. Local markets and nurseries usually offer a good range of excellent value plants. Most crops need a regular supply of water. Collecting rainwater in butts or tanks saves using valuable mains water. Keep on top of weeds – they’ll compete with your crops for water and nutrients.

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GARDENING

Sow seeds into moist soil, rather than watering afterwards which can disperse seeds where they won’t grow. Slugs and snails are very active in summer and can demolish seedlings overnight. There’s a wide range of barriers, traps and baits available to buy: choose wildlife-friendly to avoid harming creatures such as birds and hedgehogs (which will also demolish the pests for you).

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Summer-flowering bedding plants can be encouraged to keep blooming until well into autumn by regular deadheading plus a liquid feed every week or two, using a fertilizer high in potash. If you have bare spots in borders or your patio needs a lift, add bursts of colour with a few bedding plants. Although it’s comparatively late in the season, if the autumn weather is kind you could enjoy up to three months of colour. Order bulb catalogues or even bulbs themselves for next spring. Early flowering bulbs like crocus and narcissi are best planted by the end of September to make lots of root growth. If you have a greenhouse, give it a thorough clean inside and out before it fills with plants for the winter.

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GARDENING

How to grow more plants for free Late summer is the perfect time to take cuttings of lots of different plants. As well as giving you new plants for little outlay, they also provide excellent ‘insurance’ in case the parent plants don’t survive the winter. These new plants from cuttings occupy very little space and can be kept over winter on a windowsill or porch, or in a greenhouse. Many frost-tender plants come very easily from cuttings, including

geraniums, fuchsias, osteospermums and shrubby salvias; fleshy-leaved succulents such as Aeonium; and silvery-leaved plants like lavender and helichrysum that dislike winter wet and may well give up the ghost if we have a cold, wet winter. You’ll need a sharp knife, a bag of seed & cuttings compost, some pots (any size, though 13cm wide is ideal), as well as clear polythene bags or a propagator. To boost your success

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rates, mix perlite in with the seed compost at the rate of 1:3. Prepare pots by filling with compost, firm gently, water with tap water and allow to drain. Now select healthy, non-flowering shoots and take cuttings around 8-10cm long. Do this early in the day and when the ground is moist, or give plants a good watering the day before, so the cuttings have maximum moisture levels. Prepare straight away, using a knife to cut just below a leaf joint, and removing leaves on the lower two-thirds of the cutting. Use a pencil or dibber to make holes around the edge of the pot, pop the cuttings in so the bottom half is in the compost, firm in, then put a polythene bag over the pot. With fleshy or sappy plants like geraniums and aeoniums, prepare the cuttings but then leave on a shaded bench for half a day so the base starts to callus. Put your pots in a shady spot inside or out and then in a few weeks, pot up your baby plants into individual 9cm pots. Sue Fisher

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Sue continues to be available for garden advisory visits and design work, operating according to Covid-19 social distancing guidelines. Contact Sue on 01822 841895 or email at suefisher@ talktalk.net. Website: suefishergardens.co.uk

FARMING NEWS

The life of a farmer It is always interesting to me how our industry is portrayed in the media and we are all used to the rather dull, scripted portrayal of the countryside presented by Countryfile on lazy Sunday evenings. It has some good stuff, but to be honest I don’t watch it and if I do the only good bit is Adam Henson’s own farm. I don’t think Countryfile is honest with the viewers and presents a simplistic, greenwashed agenda with very little balance or understanding of the real issues and complexities facing our farmers, the countryside and the rural communities of the UK. We then have the polarised portrayal of a farmer in fiction on television with the grass chewing, cider drinking, cheese rolling, down-trodden farmer at one end of the scale and on the other, the Edward Horton, Range Rover driving, shot gun carrying, tweed wearing, large farmer, landowner living in the manor house, owning half the county! There are characters in our communities, loved and loathed in equal measure, but on the whole most farmers I know are hard-working people trying their hardest to run a small family business to make ends meet like everybody else - but I suppose they don’t make good characters in a drama or comedy! One of the best TV shows in recent years has been This Farming Life, which

follows a group of Scottish farmers through the seasons. It is much more honest, showing how complex their lives are and the infinite variety of challenges that can be faced every day! It is a real eye opener and a credit to the makers. We then have Channel 5’s offering, Our Yorkshire Farm, following the life of Clive and Amanda Owen and their nine children. It is easy on the eye and sees numerous small children frolicking around the farm in the beautiful Yorkshire dales being very helpful and seemingly oblivious to health and safety. They put my boys to shame and I hope that sometimes they can be difficult once the cameras stop! Again, a good watch and going by the amount of new machinery around the place, the farm is doing very well out of it and good on them. But my most recent fancy is Clarkson’s Farm. It features Jeremy Clarkson and his Cotswold farm. He decides to run his thousand-acre arable and sheep farm on his own once his farm manager retires. It is full of capers and a great

team of staff who play their roles in his circus very well. It is very entertaining in a Top Gear sort of way and he holds no punches on how hard it is to run a modern farming business and make money. But you can also see how much he has enjoyed the journey; it is honest and it has shone a light on our industry in a different and innovative way – and I laughed out loud a lot! I suppose in our small community on and around Dartmoor I am trying to provide a window into our farming lives in my own way by writing to you all every other month. It is a tough life. I spend far too much time looking for things I don’t want to find, the weather can be rubbish, prices rise and fall, cost always go up, but I love the job I do. Many smarter folk than me spend their whole lives working hard to afford to buy a small farm and run it in their retirement. It does not escape me that I am living the dream! Mat Cole, Greenwell Farm

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NATURALIST

‘Lush woodbine’ One of the most widespread climbing plants in woods, hedgerows and scrub in Devon is the honeysuckle, or woodbine, Lonicera periclymenum. It flowers from June to September and may climb to 20 feet (6 metres). The unmistakeable scent of honeysuckle is best at night, probably to attract night-flying moths to pollinate it - they can detect the scent up to a quarter of a mile away. As with some other plants, when the flowers of honeysuckle are ready to exchange pollen, they change colour to white, which is easily seen by moths. Once they have been pollinated, the flowers turn yellow and wither. Honeysuckle is the foodplant for the larvae of at least 40 of the larger moths, including the Beautiful Golden Y, Copper Underwing, Early Grey and Green Arches; I have seen Elephant Hawkmoths, Hummingbird Hawkmoths and Silver Y moths visiting the flowers on our honeysuckle. The larvae of the White Admiral butterfly, as well as about a dozen leaf-mining moths and flies, also feed on honeysuckle, the latter living inside its leaves. Some birds – such as thrushes, bullfinches and warblers – feed on the berries, though these are slightly toxic to humans. The plant is much favoured by nectar-feeding bumblebees, especially those with long tongues such as the garden bumblebee Bombus hortorum. Older more dense clumps of honeysuckle are used by birds for nesting. If you find a honeysuckle with some of the bark removed, it may be that dormice are responsible; they shred the bark and use it to weave their summer nests, usually in a tree hole or old bird’s nest. It has also been used to make beautiful walking sticks, created as the plant twines around the branches, causing the branches to become twisted. In Shakespeare’s ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’, he mentions honeysuckle twice: Oberon’s bank “Quite over-canopied with lush woodbine”, and when Titania says to Bottom: “…so doth the woodbine, the sweet honeysuckle, gently entwist…”.

Beetles Have you ever looked at the beetles in your garden? There are over 4000 species of beetles in Britain, some of which are very common. They are mostly found in ground vegetation, leaf litter, in the compost heap or under logs and stones. The Wildlife Trusts and Royal Horticultural Society have recently appealed to gardeners to report beetle sightings via the iNaturalist phone app, to help get a better sense of beetle numbers after a cold April and wet May. Numbers of ladybirds seem very low, due to aphids being killed by cold weather. In particular, sightings of soldier beetles, click beetles and longhorn beetles are requested. Just like bees, beetles have been badly affected by habitat loss, pesticide use and unpredictable weather. Gardeners are encouraged to leave a small area (about 3 feet long) of raised earth or a pile of dead wood for beetles in the garden. It also helps if you can leave cutting back your flower beds until late winter; the dead plant stems will be used by overwintering beetles and spiders. You can find out more about beetles at www.wildaboutgardens.org.uk Anthony John

LAW

legally speaking...

your behalf when/if you lose mental capacity. There are two types of power of attorney ‘property and affairs‘ and ‘health and welfare‘ It is strongly advisable, no matter your age, that everyone puts in place a Lasting Power of Attorney to someone you trust, so they can act on your behalf when you’re no longer able to make decisions at the time they need to be made. People can lose mental capacity at any age during their lifetime although, this is most common when a person is suffering from one of the many forms of dementia but, can also happen in younger people if, for example, they

Our regular law column with

annual supervision fee ranging from £35 up to £320, dependent upon the level of supervision required. This is signiﬁcantly more than the fee for registering a Lasting Power of Attorney which is currently £82 per document accompanied by your Solicitor’s fee. The consequences of not making a Lasting Power of Attorney are not worth leaving to chance. Essentially, you have no power over who is given the authority to deal with your affairs if you are unable to do so and, there is no guarantee that a deputyship application will even be accepted by the court. They may

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COMMUNITY NEWS

All creatures great and small The UK supports over 24,000 species of insects, all of which play an integral part in sustaining the diverse and healthy ecosystems that we humans rely upon for our water, food, energy, clothes, shelter, health, etc. Insects are often overlooked and tarnished with the term ‘pest’ particularly when they sting or bite us - believe me I’m not a fan of midges, mosquitoes and horseflies as they love me, but all insects have a role and are particularly vital for our food industry. They can break down and decompose organic matter to maintain healthy soils, pollinate our crops, fruit and vegetables; they break down livestock dung and provide natural pest control by feeding on aphids. In fact, the economic value of these pollination services to the UK crop industry is estimated at £500 million a year (UK insect declines & extinctions, UK Parliamentary Office of Science & Technology, March 2020). However, we are witnessing huge declines in insect numbers, changes in their distribution and even species extinctions which is threatening the viability of these ecosystems. The loss and fragmentation of species-rich habitats, the increase in chemical use, impacts of climate change and threats from non-native invasive species are all interconnected. Over the summer months we have been out and about across the Burrator catchment recording insects, and have been joined by professional entomologists (insect surveyors) to see whether the site supports any rare Dartmoor species such as: Blue Ground Beetle (Carabus intricatus), Bog Hoverfly (Eristalis cryptarum), Marsh fritillary (Euphydryas aurinia) and Southern damselfly (Coenagrion mercurial). So far we have found Marsh fritillary. The Devon Fly Group have also been out on the ground to record flies, although the unseasonal cold and wet weather during May seems to have affected a few species

Small Pearl Bordered Fritillary by E. Scotney

this year. By gaining a better understanding of what insects the site supports we can help rebuild these insect populations to ensure healthy ecosystems for humans and wildlife, as birds and mammals also rely on insects for food. Buglife is leading on a project to identify nationally or internationally ‘Important Invertebrate Areas’ and parts of Dartmoor are recognised for their important invertebrates and specialist habitats. More information is available at: buglife.org.uk/ our-work/important-invertebrate-areas I can’t imagine a world without the buzz of a bee as it goes from flower to flower or catching a glimpse of a butterfly or moth as it flutters by, and just learning about their complicated life cycles is so fascinating. We must all take responsibility to ensure that we farm and garden with nature not against it. Just leaving some wild areas in your garden for native flowers and allowing trees and hedges to flower and fruit, can provide food and a safe refuge for insects enabling them to perform these vital services that we all rely on. Deborah Deveney Burrator Biodiversity Officer, South West Lakes Trust

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01822 678010 / 07413 531000 www.santecareathome.co.uk • info@santecareathome.co.uk • Located in Yelverton See our community website www.dartmoorlinks.co.uk

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Tavy Links, Moor Links, Oke Links and Plym Links magazines have joined forces with neighbouring magazines including Launceston Life, Bude Life, English Riviera magazine (Torbay) and By the Dart (Dartmouth) to form the South West Independent Publishers’ Alliance. The Alliance will work to ensure that quality, reliable publications will continue to serve their communities, promoting a range of fantastic independent businesses, reporting on local news and supporting businesses, organisations and groups within their communities.

Tim added: ‘I am really excited to have helped create the formation of this Alliance, which is the first established independent publishing alliance spanning the Cornwall-Devon border. The Alliance is all about local people publishing local community magazines for local people.’

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The Alliance will cover Bude, Launceston, Tavistock, Okehampton, Yelverton, North Plymouth, and the South Hams including Dartmouth and Torbay. Tim Randell from Links Magazines said: ‘This is a great opportunity for local businesses to use neighbouring magazines and be guaranteed that the quality of publishing is of the highest level.’ In total the Alliance will cover 60,000 homes and businesses across

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After 18 months of uncertainty within our communities, the pandemic has shown the importance of coming together and supporting the local independent businesses that take centre stage within our small towns.

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This year is our 10th anniversary of publishing local community magazines and we asked our advertisers what they thought of our service – here’s what a few had to say: I have been using Links magazine for a number of years, and have found it much the most useful publication… Philip Hartnoll DO FSCCO, Osteopath We have been advertising with Links magazines for nearly a year now and have been very impressed with the service from Joanne and the team. Jessica Sampson, Alliance Garage Doors Ltd We have been advertising with them for a while and we find them to be informative, high quality and a great vehicle for our advertising. Will Giles, Woollcombe Yonge Solicitors Our family of local magazines are delivered to more than 32,000 homes and businesses by the Royal Mail

LOCAL MAGAZINES FOR LOCAL PEOPLE BY LOCAL PEOPLE 130 26

To promote your to 20,700 readers - call 07450- call 161929 or 161929 email advertising@linksmagazines.co.uk To business promote your business to 13,800* readers 07450 advertising@linksmagazines.co.uk

COMMUNITY NEWS

Rock Methodist Church window vandalised To everyone’s horror the window of Rock Methodist Church in Yelverton was vandalised on May bank holiday Monday night. Large rocks and pieces of breeze blocks smashed large holes in the precious glass, and buckled the lead holding it in place. The window is over 100 years old, depicting the Road to Emmaus and is very unusual for a Methodist church. Many people know the beautiful stained-glass window, and whilst it obviously means a lot to the church congregation, it also holds a special place in the hearts of the Yelverton community and beyond. The window has been lit virtually every

night for the last 25 years, providing a focal point for the village. People comment that they love to see it and it provides comfort and reassurance in difficult times, and that they know they are home when they see the light at night. The window is badly damaged and will have to be removed for repair and renovation. A stained-glass window expert has quoted around £20,000. Whilst insurance will pay for some of the work, there will be a shortfall, so if anyone would like to make a donation to help restore this iconic window, we would be extremely grateful. Any excess monies will be used to repair the wall in

Buckland Monachorum village hall Buckland Monachorum village hall management committee has vacancies for two volunteers to join and help run the hall - one for the post of treasurer. If you are interested in helping run this important community asset, please contact the secretary, Nigel Rendle on 01822 853260. It is hoped that with the removal of lockdown rules, the monthly coffee shops can restart, probably in September. The committee is also planning to organise some film shows and talks, following the purchase of a brand-new projector. Those wishing to play snooker can now book the table. For further information see bucklandmonachorumvillagehall.co.uk.

which it sits. Please send donations as follows: Bank transfer: Rock Methodist Church; sort code: 205040; account number: 10047295 Cheques: made payable to ‘Rock Methodist Church’ can be put through the letterbox or posted to Rock Methodist Church, Yelverton, Devon, PL20 6DW

Devon Air Ambulance

The Yelverton night landing site on the field between the tennis club and the Memorial Hall has now been commissioned and is ready for use should the air ambulance need to land to respond to an emergency. The parish council coordinated fundraising to pay for the lights and local donors included

THE SOUTH WEST’S LEADING SPECIALIST IN

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Mansbridge Balment and the Rapid Response Team. Yelverton Tennis Club permitted the lights to be installed on their lighting poles and connected to their power supply. The lights will be operated remotely by the helicopter crew. Well done to all involved!

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COMMUNITY NEWS

Enjoy Tavistock this summer! There are lots of reasons to visit your local town this summer and you can be assured of a safe visit, with all the open spaces to escape to and explore, plus plenty of ways to continue being COVID-secure. The hanging baskets around the town look blooming marvellous and there are a number of new businesses to discover.

Now is also a great time to redeem those Tavistock gift cards from Christmas! Or pick one up for that special occasion from any participating business – using the ‘load this card’ scheme. Find out more and where to spend at: tavistockgiftcard.co.uk

Our brand new and exciting summer trail – Tavistock Time Traders – is a family adventure for all. The Duke of Bedford needs help finding items for Goose Fair – located on trader cards throughout the town. Everyone receives an exclusive Tavistock Trader Card and goody bag plus 5 lucky participants will find prize-winning golden cards! In collaboration with Learn Devon, there will be workshops to design your own family coat of arms, and rounding off the holiday, the amazing Bubbleman and Bubble Faerie come to town on Monday 30 August. Moving into September, the town will be hosting a Cream Tea Festival on Sunday 12 September. Set to become an annual event, this is an occasion not to be missed with our very own Tavy tuff taking centre stage in the town’s first ‘Tuff-off’!

Workshops with Learn Devon - free entry but tickets must be reserved:

Family Coat of Arms workshops Tuesday 10 August & Monday 23 August, 10:30-12:30

10 August at The Alexander Centre, Tavistock: eventbrite. co.uk/e/family-coat-of-arms-workshop-tickets-163021466595 23 August at Bedford Square, Tavistock: eventbrite.co.uk/e/ family-coat-of-arms-workshop-tickets-163024690237 Bubbleman and Bubble Faerie Monday 30 August, 11:00-15:00 The amazing Bubbleman and Bubble Faerie face-painting in Bedford Square, Tavistock Tavistock Cream Tea Festival Sunday 12 September ALL DAY festival in Tavistock

To promote your business to 13,800* readers - call 07450 161929 advertising@linksmagazines.co.uk

COMMUNITY NEWS

Rotary helps with children’s safeguarding The Rotary Club of Yelverton has provided our local primary schools key stage 2 pupils with a book entitled ‘Watch Out’. Children growing up today face more than the problems of developing relationships, safety in the car or by water, good hygiene etc. They also have to deal with diversity, the benefits (and otherwise) of social media, drug usage and the possibility of being exploited by criminals, amongst many other facets of modern life. Written by experts and illustrated by primary school children, ‘Watch Out’ helps children, families and teachers talk about these things in an unalarming way and provides accurate information on where to go for help. The book is accompanied by a ‘snakes & ladders’ type game for up to six children to play

together - and helps promote discussion of the issues. The book has been published by the charity ‘OK Our Kids’, whose mission is: ‘To help our young children deal confidently with the challenges and dangers of staying safe at home, school, and in the community: to empower them with the skills they need to face everyday situations knowing what is the right thing to do and leading others by their example’. The Rotary Club of Yelverton has distributed 230 books along with the board game, to four local participating primary schools in Meavy, Horrabridge, Walkhampton and Princetown, at no cost to the schools or pupils. If you would like to find out more about Yelverton Rotary Club visit www.yelverton.rotary1175. org or contact president@yelverton.rotary1175.org

Buckland Monachorum Parish Council Buckland Monachorum Parish Council would like to hear residents’ views on two issues. If you would like to comment, please contact clerk@bmpc.info. Devon County Council is currently considering measures to limit the use of Meavy Lane by large (40 tonne) lorries. However a weight limit would apply, not only to lorries, but possibly to vehicles such as removal vans and other vehicles delivering heavy cargo. Additionally, requiring the current heavy traffic to use main roads would increase their mileage and therefore their carbon footprint. So, do we save Meavy Lane or the planet?

of Mutton are owned by Maristow Estates. The estate derives no benefit from them and not unreasonably questions why the cost of providing car parks falls to them. The parish council’s view is that as the car parks offer a service to all those using Yelverton (for shopping, going to church, or using the bus services) then perhaps the parish should ‘step up’ and maintain them. This would require a modest increase in the precept (the amount the parish council receives from its share of the council tax). Do you think a few pounds each year is a price worth paying for decent car parking facilities or are you happy navigating the potholes?

Weddings flowers for life’s events creating georgously romantic & unique designs.

Workshops & demonstrations by an Academy of Floral Arts Tu t o r w i t h m a n y workshops to choose from

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RHS Chelsea Gold medalist Master Florist UK & US

The forecourt car park in Yelverton is owned and maintained by Devon County Council but the car parks at St Paul’s and Leg

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See our community website www.dartmoorlinks.co.uk

THE local chartered surveyors with a wealth of experience in residential property within Devon and Cornwall

As fully qualified impartial experts we offer: • RICS Homebuyer Surveys • RICS Building Surveys

Extensive, accurate and helpful reports. Efficient same day feed-back available. Reports e-mailed within 72 hours Vince Keep MRICS 07789 110 360

• Valuations for Probate, Divorce and Tax purposes • Schedules of Condition and Dilapidation reports • Party Wall Act 1996 legislation.

David Balment FRICS 07836 681 703 INDEPENDENT CHARTERED SURVEYORS, TAVISTOCK, DEVON AND CORNWALL.

Morris Bros (Tavistock) Ltd Your Local Independent Funeral Director

Arranging any funeral can be distressing, which is why choosing the right funeral director to ease you through the process can make all the difference. At Morris Bros, we understand the pain of loss and open our doors to you, offering both practical guidance & personal comfort. Simon & Lucie Luke live at the Foundry & are available to you 24 hours a day. Your loved one will stay with us; their care, attention and preparation only provided by us.

Telephone 01822 612023 (24hrs) The Old Bedford Foundry Lakeside Tavistock PL19 0AZ

www.morrisbros.co.uk

A pre-paid funeral plan with Golden Charter gives you and your family peace of mind with a range of plans to suit all budgets from just £1950. Your plan will be allocated to Morris Bros here in Tavistock. We also offer bespoke plans to suit specific requests. Contact us for further details or to make an appointment. To promote your business to 13,800* readers - call 07450 161929 advertising@linksmagazines.co.uk

COMMUNITY NEWS

Sanctuary in Walkhampton, 1941-43 It is 75 years since Plymouth’s blitz - the heaviest period of bombing occurred in March and April 1941. I remember living through it as a small boy, hearing the sirens at night and running down the road to the shelter. With planes overhead and bombs exploding it was very frightening. Not surprisingly, my grandparents, who my mum and I lived with while my father was in the Royal Navy, leapt at the chance to be evacuated to Dartmoor. Thus I moved from war-damaged Hyde Park to Walkhampton School. I was happy there, but it was different - just two classes, under-nines and overnines. We had slates and chalk rather than pen and paper. The adjacent field was great for playing and older children especially were encouraged to grow veg on the large allotment. A succession of rabbits in hutches were always a source of interest as well as a supplement to the meagre meat ration. In summer we picked rosehips – for the war effort! Mr Govier was the headteacher, and kids were expected to be seen and not heard so classes were subdued and the building was cold. A coal range heated the air - as well as our daily 1/3-pint milk bottles.

abigail’s @The Knightstone Tea Rooms

Home was a rented, detached bungalow, between Dousland and Peakhill, shared with two other unrelated families. It was a nice property, but without electricity, gas, phone or running water. And no car! Cooking and lighting were powered by oil, and water was pumped from the well. We had a radio powered by large accumulators and my mother played a piano for sing-songs and village socials. Of course the war dominated everything. Soldiers under training were frequently in the area, as were armed sentries guarding the approach to Burrator, and wooden posts on Yennadon Down deterred invasion by gliders. In Walkhampton rural life continued much as ever. The stream powered the water wheel which drove the machines in Mr Veale’s workshops. Farm implements and machinery continued to be made and repaired, with the staff categorised as essential workers and exempt from call-up. They included Clarence Woon, the wheelwright who had been asked to let and maintain our bungalow by the Oldham family in New Zealand – hence its Maori name, ‘Te Whare’, The Homestead. He brought us heavy shopping in the works lorry and smaller

Freshly Prepared Hot Lunches & Light Bites Always a Good Selection of Home-made Cakes Cream teas & High Teas plus Prosecco Afternoon Teas & Roast Dinners Served Every Sunday Demand for tables is always high - especially during peak hours so, to avoid disappointment, we strongly recommend booking tables in advance. Visit c @theKnightstone for booking details.

items were bought from the village shop or Trathens Post Office when mother met me from school. Once we’d passed the interesting horsey activity at the blacksmiths, it was a long way for tired 5-year-old legs past Dousland soldiers’ barracks to home. My father had been away at sea for over 3 years, with infrequent letters delivered by our postman on horseback. As an engineer, he entered the airlock for each watch and descended the vertical iron ladder knowing if the ship was hit, death by scalding steam was the likely outcome. To say he, and we, were pleased when he came home in 1943 was a gross understatement! But we appreciated the sanctuary of Walkhampton and ‘Te Whare’. Colin May

Crapstone R0ad, Yelverton PL20 6BT

01822 853386/07447 744427 modwan@sky.com

See our community website www.dartmoorlinks.co.uk

EDUCATION

Reflections on a Covid year This has in many ways been a tumultuous year. The pandemic cleaved it in two, obscuring the past and separating us from our usual touchstones. Reviewing the year, we might be reminded of the well-known opening words from Charles Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities: ‘It was the best of times, it was the worst of times’. The easiest way to proceed would be to claim that the best times came before the pandemic and the worst after the lockdown was announced. Certainly, the first half of the year was full of the ‘best of times’; just as the virus was enveloping the nation, joyous activity was crowned by Mount Kelly’s victories in the Arena League swimming and Choir of the Year competition. And certainly, the second half had plenty to suggest the ‘worst of times’; riven with insecurity and anxiety, most keenly felt by those taking public examinations and our oldest pupils, cruelly robbed of final rites of passage. This dichotomy between best and worst is neat but misleading. In fact, it has been during the worst time of lockdown, or rather in the collective response, that we may have seen the very best of Mount Kelly. Staff created a remote learning programme in a matter of days, but more impressively adapted constantly to the unanticipated demands of a medium that had never been explored at teacher training college; pupils found hitherto unmined reserves

of application and undoubtedly many stood more on their own feet than they had ever done before, exposing in the process a steel that older generations claim exclusively for their own; and whilst all this was going on, parents rallied to the support not only of their children, but the school itself. It is often at the times of greatest stress that we discover who we really are and what we can do. We have at a dark moment in our history affirmed our values as a school community. We have learned that how we respond to challenges beyond our control is utterly within our control. Guy Ayling Mount Kelly Head Master

Open Days 2021 Years 3 to 8 Friday 24 September 09:30 Prep

Years 9 to 11 Saturday 25 September 10:30 College

Year 12 Saturday 9 October 10:30 Sixth Form

On Campus

Webinar

To find out more or to book a place register at www.mountkelly.com/open-days 01822 813193 or admissions@mountkelly.com 32

Mount Kelly | Parkwood Road | Tavistock | Devon | PL19 0HZ

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KIDS WHAT’S ON

TIME FOR NATURE CHALLENGE Until March 2022 Celebrating DNPA’s 70th anniversary, Time for Nature encourages people to discover, enjoy and protect landscapes. Download an activity sheet or pick one up at a DNPA visitor centre, and choose your activities. For details got to dartmoor.gov.uk. MOOR OTTERS ARTS TRAIL Summer 2021 ‘Otter spotters’ can find 81 sculptures of otters with cubs by following trails in Okehampton, Lydford & Tavistock; Ashburton, Buckfastleigh & Princetown; Bovey Tracey, Haytor, Moretonhampstead & Chagford; the Yelverton area; Plymouth’s Mayflower Trail. For details visit dartmoor. gov.uk/moorotters or join the Moor Otters Facebook group.

RHS ROSEMOOR SUMMER HOLIDAYS FAMILY FUN Until 5 September Discover the wonderland at Rosemoor, including a garden trail and sculptures inspired by the original works of Lewis Carroll. Children can sneak through the rabbit hole, peek through the door in the tree, transform themselves into a Queen (or King) of Hearts. Plus weekly welly walks & bug hunts for little ones. Activities vary daily so please visit rhs.org. uk/rosemoor WONDER WITH GRIMM 11 August, 5pm Grimm used to live in the Black Forest, but now travels through UK forests looking

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for children’s voices to steal. To prevent it, we gather to re-tell the fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm. Join Heartbreak Productions for an evening of storytelling full of magic, puppetry, and music. Age 8+; Book at theploughartscentre.org.uk THE THREE MUSKETEERS 31 August, 5pm Follow the young D’Artagnan as he travels to Paris to join the legendary musketeers in a thrilling production brimming with excitement, danger, comedy, and in true Immersion Theatre style, bags of audience interaction. Age 8+; Book at theploughartscentre.org.uk

SHREK THE MUSICAL 20, 21, 28, 30 August 7.30pm

(Also 23 Aug, 5pm at Sterts, Liskeard sterts.co.uk)

SOAPBOX THEATRE, PLYMOUTH

(www.sterts.co.uk or 01579 362382 Mon-Fri 10am - 1pm)

THE THREE LITTLE PIGS 24 July to 7 August

TAVISTOCK HERITAGE OPEN DAYS

With A HUFF and A PUFF... Join the three little pigs on the adventure of their lives, hotly pursued by the Big Bad Wolf. Packed full of thrills and spills, and lots of audience participation, Stiltskin Theatre Company’s summer show is sure to be a great hit for all the family (children under 1 year free) For details see stiltskin.org.uk

STERTS LITTLE RED AND THE BIG BAD WOLF 5 August, 2pm Little Red sets off through the forest to visit Grandma. The three pigs are building their homes, Goldilocks is on the run from some bears and to top it all, the Big Bad Wolf is out on the hunt for dinner! Filled with live music, puppetry and audience interaction.

Edgemoor Nursery School & Day Care Centre

7:30am to 6:00pm • Monday to Friday • 51 weeks a year • From birth to 8-years old • Offering the extended 30 hours of funding

CHILDREN’S HERITAGE STAMP TRAIL 11 to 18 September Pick up details from the Visitor Information Centre at Court Gate and follow this trail organised by Tavistock Subscription Library. ‘STRAWBERRIES, CREAM & STEAM’ 11, 12, 18 & 19 September, 11am-4pm Enjoy steam engine trailer rides complete with strawberries and cream, between The Bedford Hotel and The Works, Pixon Lane, organised by The Robey Trust. VICTORIAN CHILDREN’S GAMES DAY 18 September, 2.30-4.30pm Enjoy games the Victorians played at Tavistock Guildhall, Guildhall Square, organised by Tavistock Heritage Trust

Preschool for 2-4 year olds • 9am-3pm Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday 9am-1pm Thursday - Term time only

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Illyria presents a brand-new musical with the Doctor’s FURTHER adventures with Jip the Dog, Dab Dab the Duck, Gub Gub the Pig and Polynesia the Parrot. Where in the world will they go? Which new animals will they help along the way?

‘Once upon a time, there was a little ogre named Shrek…’ And thus begins the tale of an unlikely hero who finds himself on a life-changing journey alongside a wisecracking donkey and a feisty princess who resists her rescue.

‘Excellent, reliable, punctual and confidence given to my child, fantastic and will recommend.’ M. Davey, Plymouth

01752 776622

THE FURTHER ADVENTURES OF DOCTOR DOLITTLE 7 August, 5pm

pl A h ac a e t pp ob y ...

DARTMOOR NATIONAL PARK

Trimal House, Yelverton Business Park

01822 855644

Proprietors: Debbie & Keith Parriss

www.edgemoornursery.com

See our community website www.dartmoorlinks.co.uk

Buckland Monachorum Village Hall

Contact Jane Beard on 01822 853634

bucklandbeehive@hotmail.com www.bucklandbeehive.com

HISTORY

The story of the Tavy tuff and the birth of the cream tea One of the best places in England to enjoy a delicious cream tea is Tavistock, where legend has it that the very first ‘cream teas’ were served over 1,000 years ago by Tavistock Abbey’s monks. The town will be celebrating this legend as part of the national Heritage Open Days in September. This year’s HOD theme is Edible England and it has given Tavistock Heritage Trust a chance to dig a little deeper into the story of the cream-tea-making Benedictine monks and the long lost history of the Tavy tuff. We’ll come back to the Tavy tuff later but let’s first look at those benign Benedictines. It is said that when Tavistock Abbey was being re-built after being plundered and badly damaged by a horde of marauding Vikings in 997AD, the monks were so grateful to the local workers who helped them rebuild it that they rewarded them with bread and ‘clowted cream’. Apparently, this proved so popular the monks continued to serve the treat to passing travellers. In fact, if the story is to be believed, they would have handed out these delights from the now blocked-up window under Court Gate.

Photo credit Dundee Art Galleries and Museums Collection (Dundee City Council)

was shipped in by the ton by the East India Company using streamlined clipper ships like the Cutty Sark. There would certainly have been cream though, ‘clowted cream’ to be more exact, which had always been a speciality in Devon. Traditionally, clotted cream was created by straining fresh cow’s milk, letting it stand in a shallow pan in a cool place for several hours to allow the cream to rise to the surface, then heating it either over hot cinders or in a water bath, before leaving it in shallow pans to cool slowly. During this time, the cream content would rise to the surface. The name ‘clowted’ is thought to originate from ‘clout’, or ‘clowt’, an old word for a patch of cloth, which is what the crust on the cream resembles. Think of the saying ‘Cast not a clout till May be out’.

jams did become popular amongst wealthy folk thanks to the Crusaders who brought sugar back to western Europe, but jams were far too precious to spread on bread. Instead, they were eaten as ‘spoon sweets’; feasts were capped off with the distribution of delicate silver spoons laden with fruit preserves. The price of sugar fell in the mid-19th century after the abolition of sugar tax and this brought sugar prices within the means of the ordinary citizen, making jam more readily available to all. Though the original jam used in Devon was probably whortleberry or ‘urt’ the local name for the wild blueberries found on Dartmoor and Exmoor. So what about the scone? Devon certainly can’t claim to be the birthplace of the scone, it probably originated in Scotland in the early 1500s as a type of quick bread made with oats and griddlebaked. As for the origin of the word ‘skone’, some say it comes from the Dutch word ‘schoonbrot’, which means beautiful bread, while others argue it comes from the Stone of Destiny, where the Kings of Scotland were crowned. When baking powder became available to the masses in the mid-19th century, scones began to be the oven-baked, well-leavened items we know today. Before the scone arrived in the West

So what would a 10th century cream tea have looked like? Well for a start there obviously wouldn’t have been any tea with it - tea didn’t arrive in England until the 17th century when it was introduced via the coffee houses. It first became popular in the 1800s when it

Unfortunately for those hungry workers the monks wouldn’t have topped their bread and ‘clowted cream’ with strawberry preserve in the true Devon tradition. Sugar hadn’t made its way to England in the 10th century and so fruit preserves were made by mixing fruit pulp with honey and allowing it to dry in the sun, creating a texture more like that of a jellied sweet. So, it is more likely the workers’ treat would have been rye bread and clowted cream topped with dollops of honey. By the 11th century,

To promote your business to 13,800* readers - call 07450 161929 advertising@linksmagazines.co.uk

HISTORY

Tavi Tuffs made by Stuart Honey

Country in the 19th century the jam and cream delights were served on a type of yeast bun, less cakey than a scone and more like a semi-sweet roll. So popular were these buns that bakers across the county vied with each other for the best baked goods - so we have a wonderful variety of names such as cutrounds, chudleys, farthings, ashburtons, baps, butter biscuits, skits, soft cakes, nubbies, splits, halfpenny or farthing buns. Here in Tavistock, where the very best buns were baked, they were known as ‘tuffs’, no-one knows how the name originated, but until the interloper scone arrived, Tavy tuffs were top of everyone’s shopping list. In fact,

Medieval baker & apprentice: The Bodleian Library, Oxford

ironically, it seems to have been the Duchess of Bedford who brought about the tuff’s demise. In the 1840s it was the fashion for the evening meal to be served around eight o’clock, leaving a long period between lunch and dinner. One day Anna Maria Russell, the 7th Duchess of Bedford, was feeling faint from hunger during a visit to the Duke of Rutland and asked for a tray of tea and sweet breads, including Scottish scones, during the late afternoon. This became a habit and she began inviting friends to join her. Soon the fashion for afternoon tea spread across every level of society complete with cake, sandwiches and scones with jam and cream, and dedicated tea rooms and cafes sprang up across the country.

Following the 1850s’ tourism boom, brought on by the opening of the railway, it was in Devon that these afternoon treats became known as ‘cream teas’. Local tea rooms made a valiant attempt to keep using Devon buns, but over time the demand for scones became too great and the Tavy tuff and its cousins fell out of favour. Nowadays, thanks to the renewed enthusiasm for baking, old recipes are coming back into fashion. So it may not be long before the Tavy tuff retakes its rightful place as the key ingredient in any genuine Devon cream tea. Dr Geri Parlby Tavistock Heritage Trust Chair

Delicious

Pop in for a perfect coffee, linger over a lazy lunch, indulge in a classic afternoon tea, or book a table for dinner. The best local ingredients of the season, and our famously warm welcome.

The Bedford Hotel In the heart of Tavistock

See our community website www.dartmoorlinks.co.uk

www.bedford-hotel.co.uk 01822 613221

1 Plymouth Road | Tavistock PL19 8BB

Friday 10 to Sunday 19 September

Tavistock Heritage Open Days Friday 10 September Thanks to the annual Heritage Open Days, each September thousands of volunteers across the country invite you to experience local history, architecture and culture. All for free. This year’s theme is Edible England and along with a host of other heritage experiences, Tavistock will also be celebrating the history of two of its finest culinary triumphs, the cream tea and the pasty. Legend has it that the cream tea originated here in Tavistock in the 10th century, but during Heritage Open Days visitors will be able to experience what a genuine Devon cream team would have looked like, complete with wild blueberry jam, ‘clowted’ cream and a Tavy tuff. There will also be a chance to experience, thanks to the exodus of West Country miners in the 19th and 20th centuries, how the pasty made its way across the world giving rise to some interesting variations, such as the Mexican chilli and chocolate variety. Food will be the main focus of the opening weekend with a Heritage Food Festival extravaganza taking place across the town on Sunday 12th September. Over the following week there will be lots of opportunities to explore different parts of Tavistock and beyond with a variety of guided walks and talks led by heritage experts, together with a chance to visit some wonderful historic buildings not normally open to the public, and a chance to see some of the town’s historic treasures such as St Eustachius’ Church silver. There will also be several fun events for children and adults alike, including a Victorian children’s games day, a heritage stamp trail, the burial of a time capsule close to the Duke of Bedford’s statue, along with a rare opportunity to enjoy steam engine trailer rides complete with strawberries and cream, organised by The Robey Trust. Last but not least, for one day only on Tuesday 14 September, the recently restored and refurbished Tavistock Guildhall will be opening its doors for special pre-booked sneak previews. Full details of these events are available online at heritageintavistock.org and heritageopendays.org.uk or via the Tavistock Visitor Information Centre, Court Gate, Tavistock.

10.00 – 16.00 Tavistock Subscription Library Open Day – Guildhall Square 14.00 Discover Historic Whitchurch guided walk, organised by Tavistock Heritage Trust 16.15 – 17.45 Mount Kelly Tours, organised by Mount Kelly School

Saturday 11 September 9.00 – 14.00 Farmers’ Market, Bedford Square 10.00 – 16.00 Tavistock Subscription Library Open Day – Guildhall Square 10.00 Children’s heritage stamp trail runs all week. Pick up details from the Visitor Information Centre, Court Gate, organised by Tavistock Subscription Library 11.00 – 16.00 ‘Strawberries, Cream and Steam’ passenger trailer rides between The Bedford Hotel and The Works, Pixon Lane, organised by The Robey Trust 11.00 – 16.00 Our Lady & St Mary Magdalen Catholic Church Tour, Callington Road 14.00 Tavistock Town and Abbey Walk, organised by Tavistock Local History Society

Sunday 12 September 10.00 – 16.00 Heritage Food Festival –Butchers’ Hall, Bedford Square and Guildhall car park, sponsored by Tavistock Heritage Trust 11.00 – 16.00 ‘Strawberries, Cream and Steam’ passenger trailer rides between The Bedford Hotel and The Works, Pixon Lane, organised by The Robey Trust 14.30- 15.30 ‘Tavistock’s Policing Past’ book-signing by author Simon Dell – Subscription Library, Guildhall Square

14.30 Plymouth Road Cemetery guided walk, organised by Tavistock Heritage Trust

Monday 13 September 11.30 – 14.00 St Eustachius’ Church – church treasures on display 14.30 900 years of Tavistock Markets guided walk, organised by Tavistock Heritage Trust

Tuesday 14 September 11.00 – 16.00 Guildhall Heritage Centre – sneak previews (pre-booked via Visitor Information Centre)

Wednesday 15 September 11.30 – 14.00 St Eustachius’ Church – church treasures on display 14.00 Tavistock Wharves guided walk, organised by Tavistock Local History Society & Trevithick Society

Thursday 16 September 17.30 History of the Tavistock Subscription Library Zoom Talk by Simon Dell – pre-book via tavistocksubscriptionlibrary.co.uk

Friday 17 September 10.00 – 16.00 Tavistock Subscription Library Open Day, Guildhall Square 14.00 Tavistock Burial Grounds guided walk, organised by Tavistock Local History Society 16.15 – 17.45 Mount Kelly Tours, organised by Mount Kelly School

Saturday 18 September 10.00 – 16.00 Tavistock Upcycled Market, Butchers’ Hall, organised by Miss Ivy Events 10.00 – 16.00 Tavistock Subscription Library Open Day, Guildhall Square

11.00 – 12.00 Morris Dancing display outside Tavistock Guildhall, organised by Tavistock Heritage Trust 11.00 – 16.00 ‘Strawberries, Cream and Steam’ passenger trailer rides between The Bedford Hotel and The Works, Pixon Lane, organised by The Robey Trust 14.00 Tavistock Time Capsule Burial, Duke of Bedford statue, Guildhall Square, organised by Tavistock Heritage Trust 14.30 Discover Tavistock guided walk, organised by Tavistock Heritage Trust 14.30 – 16.30 Victorian Children’s Games Day, Tavistock Guildhall, Guildhall Square, organised by Tavistock Heritage Trust

Sunday 19 September 11.00 – 16.00 ‘Strawberries, Cream and Steam’ passenger trailer rides between The Bedford Hotel and The Works, Pixon Lane, organised by The Robey Trust 14.30 Plymouth Road Cemetery guided walk, organised by Tavistock Heritage Trust Tavistock Heritage Open Days are part-funded by the EU Regional Development Fund

WHAT’S ON

Saturday 14 & Sunday 15 August

RAF Harrowbeer 80th anniversary event 2021 sees the 80th anniversary of the opening of RAF Harrowbeer, the WWII fighter airfield at Yelverton, which opened on 15 August 1941. To commemorate this, the RAF Harrowbeer Interest Group (HIG) will be holding one of their popular 1940s weekends which, with the further easing of lockdown restrictions, now looks all set to go ahead. The plans recently received a huge boost with the news that the BBMF (Battle of Britain Memorial Flight) is sending their Avro Lancaster to give a flypast at the Sunday show. The 1940s weekend will feature period re-enactors, vintage displays, plus classic and military vehicles and will be centred around the dispersal bay at Axtown, restored by the HIG in 2011. Although entry and parking are both free, the event does need financial support and the HIG is asking for donations to help cover costs. Full details on how you can help are on the website, www.rafharrowbeer1940s.co.uk.

RAF Harrowbeer was operational between 1941 and 1946. Many different nationalities flew from Harrowbeer, mostly RAF squadrons but also Fleet Air Arm and US Navy. The airfield was eventually demolished in 1961 following the decision that it would not become a ‘new’ Plymouth airport. Today, visitors will mostly be aware of the airfield’s existence, alongside the A386 at Yelverton, from the taxiways and the aircraft bays that are virtually as they were 75 years ago.

Saturday 4 September, 2pm-4pm

Morris dancing workshop come & join the fun! Dartmoor Border Morris is holding a workshop in the hall of St Paul`s Church, Yelverton, for anyone who would like to give Morris dancing a go. Morris dancing is hundreds of years old, and Dartmoor Border Morris likes to practise the traditional form of Morris dance for various reasons: it`s a way to keep fit, and will certainly keep your heart pumping; for others it`s a form of escapism - after a busy week of work, putting on your feathered hat and tattered blue coat to dance is just what the good doctor ordered. The style of Morris dance is called ‘Border’, as it originates from the Welsh and English border counties; it’s very energetic with big stick bashing, high

stepping with arms linked and loud whooping whilst the band plays fast and furious music. You might also get involved with Chatterley, the side’s mischievous beast. Dartmoor Border has people ranging from 25 to 80 years old, and we’d love to see you at the workshop, or pop along any Wednesday evening at 8pm in Meavy Parish Hall from September. For details see dartmoorbordermorris.com or Facebook.

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WHAT’S ON

Saturday 28 August, 1pm

Walkhampton Cottage Garden Society Annual Show

Late summer blooms at The Garden House

The Garden House

The Garden House holds delights for both the seasoned gardener and for those who would simply enjoy exploring and immersing themselves in the beauty and tranquillity of 10 acres of stunning gardens. The Garden House is open daily (except Mondays) throughout the summer months, so why not come and stroll around the colourful, romantic gardens, which include the Cottage Garden area, the Acer Glade, the Walled Garden and the Jubilee Arboretum, where you’ll enjoy finding new views at every turn. August and September at The Garden House see the earlier summer blooms beginning to fade, and the glory of the later-flowering Hydrangea paniculata, the heleniums and dahlias come into their own. The Walled Garden is always a riot of colour at this time of year, and its profusion of garden perennials will give all gardeners some fantastic inspiration to take home and try themselves. Many of the garden’s plants are also available for sale in the plant sales area. The Garden House, Buckland Monachorum, open daily (except Mondays) from 10.30am to 5pm (last entry 4.30pm), also open on Bank Holiday Monday – 30 August; café and plant sales. www.thegardenhouse.org.uk

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With fingers tightly crossed, Walkhampton Cottage Garden Society is eagerly preparing a show for this year, but with a reduced number of classes to help us manage the space in Walkhampton Memorial Hall, assuming that social distancing measures may need to be in place. The show will be for vegetables, flowers and gardens only, the latter classes to include Most Welcoming Front Door and Scarecrows. There will not be any classes for cookery or handicrafts. All exhibitor and visitor entry fees have been cancelled this year making this a free event for all. In order to minimise the impact on the society’s funds, this also means that cash and voucher prizes have also been cancelled - there will still be trophies though! Any cups will be awarded after engraving, and there will not be a prizegiving on the day. It is hoped that these arrangements will enable gardeners from Walkhampton, Horrabridge, Meavy, Sheepstor, Yelverton, Sampford Spiney, Crapstone and Buckland Monachorum to enjoy showing their garden produce in a safe setting. Please be assured we are following Government guidelines and we will have any appropriate measures in place on the day. A decision on running the tea tent and raffle will be made nearer to the event. For details see www.walkhamptonshow.weebly.com. Printed schedules will also be available at the Walkhampton Saturday Market and Long Ash Garden Centre.

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WHAT’S ON

The Box Saturday 14 & Sunday 15 August

The Hatchling Theatre-makers Trigger will stage an extraordinary outdoor performance as a giant puppet in the form of a dragon roams through Plymouth. At over 6.5m tall and constructed from super lightweight carbon fibre, the Hatchling is the largest ever puppet to be solely human-operated. Designed by a palaeontologist, the dragon is based on the pterosaur, a prehistoric reptile and one of the largest flying animals. Upon hatching, the dragon will explore her environment, stopping traffic and meeting members of the public. At sunset on Sunday 15 August, she will undertake a miraculous metamorphosis into a kite. With a wing span of over 20m, she will fly across the sea in a once-in-a-lifetime spectacle for a live audience. For more information visit thehatchling.co.uk.

Friday 27 to Sunday 29 August

1 Big Summer This three-day music event on Plymouth Hoe caters to a plethora of musical tastes, with Ibiza Classics 2021 on Friday, the ‘1 Big Summer’ day festival on Saturday and ‘The Great British Sausage and Cider Festival’ for all the family on Sunday, with street food and entertainment. Visit www.1bigsummer.com for details.

Elizabethan House now open Wednesday 18 & Thursday 19 August

British Firework Championships The world-famous British Firework Championships returns to Plymouth’s waterfront with two nights of spectacular pyrotechnics illuminating Plymouth Sound, as six top firework companies battle it out, each putting on an awe-inspiring display in an attempt to be crowned the winner. The fireworks will start from around 9.30pm, with three ten-minute displays each evening. There is also entertainment, including a fun fair, and food and drink stalls on Plymouth Hoe before the spectacle begins. For details and latest updates see britishfireworks.co.uk or visitplymouth.co.uk.

Part of The Box family, Plymouth’s Elizabethan House reopened at the end of July following a six-year, £1.7m restoration as part of Plymouth’s Mayflower 400 commemorations. The Grade II Listed historic property dates from the late 1500s, and has survived the slum clearances of the early 1900s and the Blitz of World War II. Now one of Plymouth’s oldest buildings, Elizabethan House was built as a letting house and has been lived in by many people whose lives and livelihoods were based around the waterfront. The new attraction takes visitors on an immersive yet authentic journey through its history, as well as offering an insight into the history of Plymouth’s Barbican area. You meet the first owner, a washerwoman, a wig maker, get a glimpse at the house’s architecture and see what life was like for the rich and the poor. Projections, images and smells all add to the experience. June Marlow, the voice of the house, is a 90-year-old Plymothian who was actually born on New Street, where the house is located. Until 5 September

Reynolds at Port Eliot Sir Joshua Reynolds was born and lived most of his life in Plymouth; outside of London, The Box holds the UK’s single largest collection of his paintings. This new, free exhibition displays the Port Elliot Collection, a collection of rarely seen paintings by the leading portrait painters of the 18th century including Reynolds, George Romney and Thomas Lawrence. For ticket information visit theboxplymouth.com 41

WHAT’S ON

RHS Garden Rosemoor 13 to 15 August

Rosemoor Garden Flower Show The only RHS flower show in the South West, features specialist nurseries from all over the UK, even from Europe, together with carefully selected trade stands, live music, flower arranging demonstrations from the effervescent Jonathan Moseley, fabulous floral displays and scrumptious food and drink. Live music will also be played by the lake throughout each day of the show. A garden flower show is an altogether more relaxed experience than traditional busy flower shows - instead of one big marquee, all the nurseries have their own mini marquees and inspirational displays, and all set in 65 stunning acres of gardens.

2 September to 3 October

Rosemoor Open Art Exhibition Showcasing a wealth of West Country talent, this exhibition will focus on gardens and plants, as well as landscapes, wildlife and seascapes. There will be a range of naturalistic paintings, using a wide variety of media, all of which will be for sale. There will also be artists available to talk to on selected dates throughout the exhibition. New for 2021, we

will be displaying the artistic skills of Karen Arthurs, who creates stunning and fun, felted animals.

2 & 3 October

Apple Festival & the Taste of Autumn Food Fair Celebrating the 30th anniversary of Rosemoor’s Apple Festival this year, we have also combined it with the Taste of Autumn Food Fair. In addition to amazing apple displays, tastings, guided walks and talks about our apple orchards, Morris dancing and live music, there will be cookery demonstrations by local chefs and stalls selling wonderful culinary and applerelated products – truly something for everyone to enjoy. Also see Outdoor Theatre in What’s On for plays at RHS Rosemoor. The above events are included with normal garden admission. Please book online to avoid disappointment at rhs. org.uk/gardens/rosemoor

RHS members go free

Garden Flower Show Fri 13 – Sun 15 August

Discover specialist plants, be inspired by our experts and enjoy delicious food and drink Book online

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WHAT’S ON

Outdoor theatre 2 & 24 August

29 August

Much ado about nothing

The Tempest

Claudio loves Hero, and Benedick hates Beatrice. This is just as well, because Hero loves Claudio and Beatrice hates Benedick. Everyone laughs when Don Pedro plays a trick on Benedick and Beatrice, letting each think that they are secretly loved by the other. But it is no laughing matter when Don John plays a trick on Claudio and Hero, deceiving Claudio into thinking that Hero is not faithful to him. Murderous rage is unleashed, but perhaps one last trick may restore broken relationships. 2 Aug, 7.30pm at Sterts, Liskeard (sterts.co.uk) 24 Aug, 6pm at RHS Garden Rosemoor (theploughartscentre. org.uk), ticket includes garden admission from 4pm.

13 & 14 August

HMS Pinafore by Gilbert & Sullivan Set on board the warship HMS Pinafore, the opera cheerfully mocks such Great British institutions as Class, Patriotism and the Royal Navy. Josephine the captain’s daughter is in love with Ralph a common sailor, but her father wants her to marry Sir Joseph Porter. The couple are caught as they elope from the ship and Ralph is locked in the ship’s dungeon. Can the revelations of Buttercup, a dockside vendor, save the day in this wonderful comic opera from Illyria. 7.30pm at Sterts, Liskeard (sterts.co.uk)

Join the critically-acclaimed Pantaloons on a voyage to an enchanted island full of adventure, romance, magic and… monsters! Shakespeare puts the audience through charged emotional scenes as well as hilarious comedy in this play about transformation: from tears to laughter, from cruelty to forgiveness, from enslavement to freedom. “Shakespeare suggests that theatre itself is a kind of conjuring, summoning up whole imaginary worlds from just the shared creative efforts of actors and audience,” says The Pantaloons artistic director Stephen Purcell. “In our production, the cast create all the magical effects live onstage – with the help of the audience.” The whole family can enjoy one of Shakespeare’s most magical masterpieces – in the open-air. Bring seating, picnic, umbrellas, warm/waterproof clothing – the show will go on unless the weather is extreme! (check clearbrookvillagehall.co.uk for updates); cash bar available. Pre-book tickets via thepantaloons.co.uk/the-tempest (tickets NOT available on the door). 2pm & 6pm at Clearbrook Village Hall

1 September

The Jungle Book Immersion Theatre brings you its wildest show yet, a brand-new musical adaptation of the Rudyard Kipling family favourite. Filled with original music, audience interaction, and the chance to meet characters after the show, you are invited to join Mowgli and his friends, Baloo the bear and Bagheera the panther, on a madcap jungle adventure as they meet and attempt to outwit a slithering snake, cheeky monkeys, and the fierce tiger, Shere Khan! - the perfect treat for the whole family! 5pm at The Big Sheep (theploughartscentre.org.uk

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WHAT’S ON

Saturday 28 August to Sunday 5 September

Dartmoor Walking Festival 2021 Since 2016 the festival has been a great success and the very positive feedback received has really supported the idea of it becoming an annual event - which is absolutely fabulous. Since the early days it has grown and grown, and now regularly raises over £1000 every year for the Devon Air Ambulance charity. In 2021 we are again holding the Dartmoor Walking Festival and full details can be found online at www.moorlandguides. co.uk. As it is being held in the last week of the summer holiday which encompasses the August bank holiday weekend, it will hopefully allow our visitors to stay on through the week to enjoy all

that Dartmoor has to offer. We will be putting on several events each day during the nine-day festival ranging from modest guided strolls and children’s rambles to full day walks and more ambitious challenges! There really will be something for everyone, including ‘accessible’ events for the less mobile in partnership with the ‘Disabled Ramblers’ Association. The week is only limited by your imagination, so come along and explore Dartmoor on your Doorstep and find out much more about this incredibly special place. For more details about the full walking programme and how to book, go to dartmoorwalkingfestival.co.uk.

Until 5 September

BHS Ride Out UK’s Rideathon Join us for the British Horse Society’s Ride Out UK’s Rideathon. With a little BHS Devon ‘twist’, we want you to ‘saddle up’ and take part in B.H.S. Devon’s Olympic challenge ‘Topsham to Tokyo 6,060 mile/9750 km ride’. If you live in Devon, you and your four-legged friends are welcome to join us so we can clock up our combined miles to get our BHS Devon flag to Tokyo in time for this year’s Olympics Games. To submit the miles you have ridden simply email

a picture of your Rideathon tracking card to bhs.johanna@gmail.com or post a picture of your tracking card on the BHS Devon Equestrian Community Facebook Group. The Olympic challenge ends on 5 September to coincide with the closing ceremony of the Paralympics in Tokyo. You too, could be in with a chance to win a medal. Gold, silver, and bronze are all up for grabs to the highest fundraisers for the BHS Ride Out UK Fund, based on the amount of

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money raised: bronze £70 - £100; silver £101 - £200; gold over £201. There will be a special award for the participant with the most heart-warming story about taking part in the BHS Devon’s Olympic challenge, plus a certificate for the oldest and youngest riders. Our award ceremony takes place at The Westcountry Equine Fair in December 2021. Sign up for the BHS Ride Out UK’s Rideathon at bit.ly/3tUXsG7

The Box

Tinside Lido

Fri 30th July - Sun 1st Aug

Fri 20th Aug - Sun 22nd Aug

Thur 2nd Sept - Sat 4th Sept

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WHAT’S ON

13 & 27 August, 3 & 18 September

Love Local Upcycled Eco & Gift Market Fridays Our Friday markets are dedicated to the best handmade and upcycled gifts as we’re firm believers in upcycling, recycling, eco and hand-crafting, with a focus on quality products made locally. Butcher’s Hall in Tavistock from 10:00am to 3:30pm, free entry.

19 to 21 August

Arts and Crafts Fair

bad weather or changes in restrictions).

7,14,21,28 August & 4,11,18,25 September, 2pm

Tavistock Heritage Trust Guided Walks For £5 per person, you will be taken on a fascinating journey through the history of this World Heritage Site including all things Tavonian, from canals and railways to pubs and breweries! See heritageintavistock.org/events for details of the full programme.

Butcher’s Hall hosts a three-day celebration of all things arts and crafts - a great opportunity to buy that unique, handmade something for somebody special, or treat yourself!

Friends of the Wharf Lunchtime Lectures

Saturday 28 August, 5:30pm

9 August

Tavistock Street Food Festival

A talk by Peter Burkill on ‘Tyger, Tyger’ about the wildlife in three national parks of Madhya Pradesh.

An array of mouth-watering street food will be on offer from local West Country producers - including seafood, vegan, posh hotdogs, Mediterranean, Jamaican, and more. Join us for a delectable evening of food, drink and live music in Tavistock’s historic Bedford Square. Free parking & plenty of space for social distancing too. Entry is free, so shelve the diet and enjoy a fun evening.

29 August

Walkhampton Car Boot Sale Sellers: cars £5, vans £10, tables under cover £5; Buyers: free entry. In aid of Children’s Hospice South West at Walkhampton Village Hall & field PL20 6JX. Sellers to arrive from 1:00pm, gates open at 2:30pm. Refreshments will be available, restrictions permitting. Book in advance on 01822 855041 or pay on the day.

Organised by Dr Ann Pulsford, 2-3pm at Tavistock Wharf, cost £5 (FOTW £4)

6 September A talk by Simon Dell based on his books ‘Tavistock’s Policing Past’ and ‘Tavistock Guildhall - A Story of Policing’

13 September A talk by Richard Thomas on ‘A Day in the Life of a Thames Tug’

4 October A talk by Robert Hesketh on ‘Devon’s Railway Heritage’, exploring the rich local heritage with over 130 images.

Princetown History Club For details see princetownhistoryclub.

weebly.com/programme.html. Membership costs £5 per person per year. Outdoor events are usually £1.

3 August A visit to Whiteworks, with Andy Crabb, DNPA archeologist

7 September A talk on ‘Stone Men’ by Paul Rendell (tbc in the Community Centre)

5 October A talk on ‘The Trendle, Tavistock’ by Andrew Thompson

Tavistock Local History Society Please see www.tavistockhistory. co.uk for the latest updates & bookings. Meetings are free to members and £3 for non-members.

10 August, 7pm Outdoor visit to Kit Hill with member. A short walk around the summit of Kit Hill with Stephen Docksey, discussing the archaeology.

14 September, 7.30pm A talk by Richard Thomas on ‘Powdermills: Its History & People’ at the Parish Centre.

Tavy Turners and Carvers Club 3rd Monday of month Tavy Turners and Carvers Club has resumed regular meetings, 3rd Monday of the month, 7.30 to 9.30pm at the Scout Den, Pixon Lane, Tavistock. New members most welcome - see tavistockwoodturners.co.uk for details.

12 September

Duck Race In aid of Children’s Hospice South West at Huckworthy Bridge, nr Walkhampton, PL20 6LP. Ducks cost £2 and can be bought on the day or in advance from Mike Spry on 01822 852277. Refreshments including ice-creams available (event may be cancelled due to

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MUSIC AND ART

4 to 8 August

Drawn to the Valley Summer Exhibition It’s a busy month for the Drawn to the Valley (DTTV) network of artists, with two major events taking place, starting with their Tavistock Annual Summer Exhibition. Eighty artists from the 170-strong group are exhibiting at the event, which is being held in the fabulous setting of Butchers’ Hall in Tavistock (open daily 10am-4.30pm; Sunday 10am-2pm). The exhibition showcases the artists’ diverse range of work, which is often influenced by the inspiring Tamar Valley where all the artists live and work. Expect many different art forms and materials, from oil, acrylics and graphite to glass, ceramics and metals. The styles are equally varied, with landscapes, seascapes, figurative, contemporary and abstract artwork all on show. It’s an opportunity for members of the public Julia Odell

to buy original pieces from local artists, and view their work ahead of the open studios event.

25 August to 5 September

Drawn to the Valley Open Studios This year’s event has a mixture of individual open studios and studios shared by several artists. Among these is the open studio at Tavistock Library, where six artists will be displaying their work and offering demonstrations. They are Shelagh Brown (weaving, textiles), Dorothy Harris (photography), Stefania D’Amico (ceramics, pen & ink, prints), Lyn Edwards (mixed media, textiles), Jane Deane (weaving, textiles), and Gilly Spottiswoode (linoprints).

Tessa Jane

Down the road in Yelverton, there’s the chance to take in four studios which are happening in close proximity. They are contemporary figurative and landscape painter Jane Pine, fine art textile artist Tessa Jane; painter Alan Dax; and painter and mixed media artist Iain Grant. A short drive to Bere Alston will also bring you to the open studio of mixed media, painter and textiles artist Anne Crozier. At Peter Tavy, Angela Smith (painting and mixed media) and Jen Bradley (mixed media) are sharing Angela’s studio which boasts stunning views over Dartmoor. There are two open studios in nearby Mary Tavy Julia Odell (documentary-style painting and drawing); and husband and wife, Clark and Karen Nicol (landscape artist and textile artist). In all, there are 67 artists in 33 open studios - all are free entry, with various opening times. Visit drawntothevalley.co.uk for artist profiles and more information about the events.

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MUSIC AND ART

August & September

Wildwood Arts exhibitions Trailblazers of the Southwest: Post-war Art Too often the decade after the Second World War has been characterised by austerity and anxiety, but thankfully these labels did not apply to British art. The European artistic influences of Picasso and Matisse were to have a bedazzling effect on a generation of young British artists. This exhibition features the work of Allin Braund, Richard Slater RI, Arthur Homeshaw RWA and Eric Waugh RI. Three of the four saw military service. Allin Braund served in the Royal Marines and saw active service in North Africa and Crete. Both Richard Slater and Arthur Homeshaw did National Service. After the war they all either taught or were trained in the premier league institutions of British art education.

Braund’s signature medium was the lithograph but he was equally adept at watercolours and acrylic, as well as a qualified silversmith. Homeshaw’s two mediums were linocuts and pastels and his work consists of striking use of tonal contrasts and complex patterning. Of the four, Slater is closest to the British neo-romantics. His watercolours and oils are infused with workaday scenes of the English village, his ever-present sun, abstracted landscapes and plants. Finally, Eric Waugh worked with watercolours and acrylic, employing a bold use of colour with brush stokes applied as angled rectangles. These four trailblazing West Country artists do two

Eric Waugh

things that all good art should do: they make us think and feel.

Annual Contemporary Summer 2021 Exhibition What struck me most about submissions for this exhibition is that many of our artists had told me they found it difficult to create during lockdown - but they all seem to have found their mojo with increased fervour. That is what contemporary art is about - the emotions of the artists right now and you may find some of it resonates with you too!

Wednesday 8 to Saturday 11 September

Tavistock Group of Artists Exhibition Tavistock Group of Artists

FREE ADMISSION

Wednesday 8th September 2021 Around 30 local artists and crafters UNTIL will be showing their latest works Saturday 11th September 2021

alongside some retrospective pieces from previous years, from abstract to landscape, watercolour to oil, paintings and ceramics - all will be available for purchase along with prints, cards and small gift items. The 65th exhibition is in Butcher’s Hall, near the Pannier Market. Preview Evening is on 7th September

from 7 to 9pm, and the exhibition opens to the public from 8th to 11th September, 10am to 5pm daily. New members of all levels are always welcome at TGA. Meetings are held monthly in the Parish Rooms with speakers and practical demonstrations. For more details visit tgartists.co.uk.

10.00am - 5.00pm AT

FoxTorCafé BUTCHERS HALL - TAVISTOCK

Summer Exhibitions

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