Moor Links February/March 2021 issue

WALKS | ARTS | EVENTS | PEOPLE | HERITAGE | LOCAL FOOD & DRINK | HOMES | BUSINESS

Feb/Mar 2021 | Issue 49

THE HEN HOUSE FARM

Helping people connect with nature

THE GLASS CEILING

A new online magazine

by Lola Francis

ROTARY ACTION GROUP AGAINST SLAVERY Modern slavery on our doorstep

10 YEARS

In this issue:

MUSIC & ART: ‘SHOW UP’ - IMPROVING MENTAL HEALTH THROUGH DRAMA

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CHARITY FOCUS

BUS I NESS

ITY

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Our tenth year!

This year it will be ten years since Lizzie Watt asked me if I would write a few articles for a new local magazine she was setting up. Little did I know what it would turn into when the first Moor Links was published in 2011. Since then, the Links magazines have expanded to include Tavy, Oke and Plym, evolving over the years but still retaining Lizzie’s basic concept of local magazines for local people.

The deadline date for any inclusions in the April/May issue of Moor Links will be 26th February 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

We find ourselves in lockdown once again, with much of the UK going through difficult times. We are all ready to see an end to Covid-19, and the restrictions to our freedom and way of life. However perhaps our recent experiences have also given us a unique insight into the adversity others encounter all the time. Modern slavery is probably not something you associate with Devon, but in our feature article Geri Parlby explains there could be currently up to 136,000 victims in the UK. While Harriet Davis describes how her husband’s suicide following mental illness led her to found ‘Show Up’, supporting better mental health in young people through drama. As we move towards the end of winter and vaccinations are being rolled out, Dr Jo Coldron explains some of the science behind the vaccines, and Helen Dobby of the Environment Agency, shares details about a pilot trialling more natural techniques to reduce flood risk locally. We also hear from some enterprising local people: Paul and Sandy McEvoy of The Hen House Farm are helping people enjoy their own freshly laid eggs, while Lola Francis completed her A-levels last year before launching a new feminist online magazine.

Rosemary Best

Editor

Tim: 07450 161 929 Jane: 07772 619 808

Front cover image: Barnaby the dormouse by Cheri Hunston – see more of her work at Wildwood Arts, wildwoodartsdartmoor.co.uk

Contents 6 Local People

35 Music & Art

10 Feature

38 Tech Help

13 Health & Wellbeing

39 Business

14 Charity

43 Food & Drink

16 Gardening 20 Farming News

44 O utdoors & Active

21 Naturalist

46 Local authors

22 Law

47 Book Review

23 Community News

48 History

16

41 Trade Secrets

8

20 5

53 Directory

29 Education 30 What’s On

@moorlinks Delivered by Royal Mail to: Bere Alston, Bere Ferrers, Buckland Monachorum, Clearbrook, Crapstone, Dousland, Horrabridge, Meavy, Milton Combe, Postbridge​, Princetown, Sampford Spiney, Sheepstor, Walkhampton, Yelverton.

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.

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LOCAL PEOPLE

The chicken or the egg?

Paul and Sandy McEvoy of The Hen House Farm have come up with a simple yet very effective concept, helping to demystify the secrets of raising hens and enable people to enjoy their own freshly laid eggs.

Watching a newborn enter the world is one of the most amazing feats of nature you can witness. The ethos of The Hen House Farm has grown out of a desire to share such experiences with others and help them take time out of busy schedules to reconnect with the wonders of the outdoors.

Paul and Sandy have put together a range of hire packages for incubators, coops and hens, allowing the complete novice to dip their toe in the water and find out whether this taste of The Good Life is for them. If it isn’t then they just hand everything back, but if the experiment goes well and they decide to invest in their own coop, then the farm offers a discount on a starter kit, including a bespoke coop from Piers’ Sheds & Animal Housing, along with everything else needed to get going. They also sell a large range of beautiful, vaccinated hens in large and bantam varieties all year round.

Paul and Sandy have been together for 20 years, and until recently they were both pursuing mainstream professions: Paul as a PE teacher and Sandy as a nurse. However, the call of the outdoor life has become harder and harder to resist - Paul has been keeping hens for ten years and running The Hen House Farm business part-time for the last five years. The catalyst for this change of direction was when Sandy arranged for Paul to go on a smallholder’s course for a week at South Yeo Farm East, run by Ian and Gillian Dixon. Looking to escape the paperwork and get back to nature, Paul realised an outdoor, hands-on approach was just what he needed, and offered to continue labouring at the farm one day a week, in return for learning farming skills. The couple continued their professional careers, while exploring farming life; initially they rented land in Cornwall as part of a collective, but quickly realised the scheme and the commute weren’t working in their favour.

Closer to home near Bere Ferrers, they rented a few acres which had formerly been used as a flower farm in the heyday of the Tamar Valley’s market gardening industry, and following that as a venison farm. However, 30 years of disuse had taken its toll and the weeds and vegetation had taken over.

Paul and Sandy have worked very hard to redevelop the site over the last three years, investing only their profits to expand

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LOCAL PEOPLE

the business. Although they have had to progress slowly it has also given them the chance to learn as they gradually built up a viable business. Taking inspiration from the ground’s previous usage, Sandy also started growing her own flowers on a scale large enough to supply weddings. Her natural flair has also recently inspired her to retire from nursing and take on a role as a professional florist at Morrisons in Liskeard, in the first of their new instore florist stations.

As a teacher Paul understood the value of bringing the ‘outside’ into the classroom and was able to organise classroom incubation hire with local schools so that children could watch the eggs hatch in front of their very eyes. He was also proud to take part in Farm Wise each year at Westpoint in Exeter, helping to educate children on the ‘farm to fork’ concept through hands-on activities. The Hen House Farm incubation hire-packages quickly became popular with families, and even care homes, arousing huge interest as residents gathered round to share stories from their youth about keeping hens.

Paul and Sandy gradually grew the business, building a reputation for guiding people through the process so they could make the most of their new hobby and avoid the pitfalls.

‘CLUCK & COLLECT’

When covid-19 arrived though, it forced Paul to step aside from supply teaching at Tavistock College and focus on the business. He normally sold hens and equipment through Mole Valley and Mole Avon, but with shops closed he needed a new approach. His brother Neal helped him set up a website and as people sought to reconnect with some of the more fundamental aspects of life during lockdown, demand for mailorder hatching eggs soared. As restrictions began to ease over the summer Paul and Sandy came up with ‘cluck & collect’, allowing people to buy their hens online and collect them at a covid-safe pick-up point. Paul has also been able to restart incubation hire with schools, although he now leaves the kit with detailed instructions so the schools benefit from working through the whole process themselves.

The Hen House Farm has had to adapt in recent times, but Paul and Sandy have found a way through it, and adversity has even encouraged them to streamline their offering. They love the life they have created together and are immensely grateful to the many people who have helped them along the way, especially Fran Davies of FD Garden Machinery, whose grandfather used to farm their land and has been invaluable in keeping their equipment up and running. They still feel as if they are on a journey, but with a larger, professional housing system waiting in the wings for the hens (pardon the pun), as well as a new school portal, their journey is definitely going places.

Rosemary Best

The Hen House Farm is taking bookings for one/two-month incubation hire for the spring; it supplies hens and coops for sale or hire all year round and also offers hen boarding (hire periods: 10, 20 or 30 days). For more information visit thehenhousefarm.com.

HENS FOR SALE PRE PAID ‘CLUCK’ & COLLECT SERVICE AVAILABLE TO KEEP YOU COVID SAFE AND AVOID QUEUES

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LOCAL PEOPLE

Challenging the glass ceiling Lola Francis completed her A-levels last year looking for a worthwhile outlet for her creative talents, she came up with the idea of a new feminist online magazine, The Glass Ceiling, which was launched in September 2020.

As a young person, life sometimes feels as if it’s already mapped out for me. From the national curriculum to UCAS, I was beginning to feel restricted. Though I am immensely lucky and privileged to have received an education, I had also wanted to feel part of something meaningful and creative for a long time, and I knew that many other people I have met in my life felt the same.

And so, in the middle of the first lockdown with the culmination of BLM protests, political crisis and an everlooming climate crisis like a dark cloud above the world, I ran into my sister’s bedroom and said: “How about an online intersectional feminist magazine. I’ll be the editor, you can do the website and let’s get loads of writers and artists from all different backgrounds to work together to publish something badass.”

“Nice,” she replied.

Our first issue was published in September 2020, with topics ranging from body image, immigrant family dynamics and ethnicity in a predominantly white county, as well as comic strip style feminist art and a portrait to celebrate a local charity ambassador. It received over 1000 downloads - and we even went on BBC Spotlight! After months of working so hard we pulled it off! I had never felt so lucky to have collaborated and worked with such amazing creatives and friends. So, obviously, we are now creating Issue 2.

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LOCAL PEOPLE

Members of The Glass Ceiling team,

by Arna Kristjánsdóttir

I do think that being a feminist, and immersing myself in feminist culture, politics and relationships means that I see inspirational women all around me, and that truly energises me. I also see young people challenging the stereotype that they are apathetic. We are not apathetic, though often frustrated. There is much evidence to show that young people can be powerful and fiery. Our idols consist of young women like Greta Thunberg, Malala Yousafzai, Florence Given, and our friends, sisters and mothers… who constantly show us that every action you take means something. I hope that the magazine demonstrates that although we may feel disconnected, and look like we are addicted to technology, something as simple as internet access and a bit of creativity can empower you.

cousin Nina, and my mum. Nina is an ultramarathon runner who recently spent a whole year of her life running every single day. My mum is a badass yogi and likes to relax by cold water swimming. Nina and mum show me that endurance is good for your mental and physical health, and demonstrate the different ways to enjoy the outdoors. Training over winter, alongside a fulltime gap year job, means that investing in a head torch and fluorescent gear is a very good idea. And when it’s chucking it down and pitch black, I can still go out.

Emboldened, I’ve started training for a marathon, with a route mapped out on Dartmoor. I decided that this would be my next challenge (after completing Tour De Moor last year, and a half marathon the year before) because of my inspirational

Lola Francis

Once you start to do something, it becomes easier to do something else. There are people you meet along the way who take you with them, and there are people you know or meet, who you can take along too. My mum now does half marathons to support me to do my run. I am excited for the future; I hope it’s filled with action and creativity. This year has taught me to take nothing for granted and, though the world is sometimes a difficult place in which to thrive, you can live meaningfully and make a positive contribution.

You can read the magazine Lola started at www.theglassceilingmag.co.uk

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FEATURE

Modern slavery on our doorstep It’s easy to think that slavery is a thing of the past but, sadly nothing could be further from the truth.

Centuries after slavery was officially abolished, thousands of people are still being exploited and sold as slaves from Asia to Australia and Europe to the Americas - even here in the UK right on our own doorsteps. In fact, without realising you probably see people trapped in slavery on a regular basis. It might be someone working in a private home on your street, the man working in the car wash in town, or the cleaner who empties your office bin every night. It can be difficult to spot the signs. Modern slavery in the UK can take many forms, including forced sexual exploitation, domestic slavery or forced labour on farms, in construction, shops, bars, nail bars, car washes or manufacturing. The number of people identified as victims of modern slavery has been rising year on year.

According to the Global Slavery Index it is thought there are up to 136,000 victims of modern slavery in the UK.

So how do people get trapped in slavery?

According to the world’s oldest international human rights organisation, British based Anti-Slavery International, vulnerable people often take big risks in order to provide for their families. Typically, they can be offered an apparently good job in the UK. Often they take a loan from the traffickers in advance. However, when they arrive in the UK, the situation is completely different. Their passport might be taken away and they’re told they need to pay off the debt before they can leave. Violence and threats are common. They are trapped here with no possessions, no means to return and totally reliant on their traffickers. Vulnerable British people are also targeted,

especially children from disadvantaged backgrounds, to be groomed into drug criminal gangs in so-called ‘county lines’ trafficking. A prime example of how slavery can exist in plain sight is the case of the Rooney family who ran a slave ring right under the noses of a UK town in Lincolnshire. By taking advantage of vulnerable populations such as the homeless, the elderly, and the mentally ill, the Rooney family slave ring managed to run under the radar for over two decades, netting the family a huge profit while sending their victims through unspeakable injustices. In all, 11 Rooney family members ended up in prison. These horrific crimes have even inspired recent episodes of Radio 4’s The Archers which has helped to raise awareness of the evil pervasiveness of modern slavery.

For the police, modern slavery and human trafficking is a challenging crime to investigate. The complexity of cases, the variety of crimes, the multi-national and multi-ethnic background of participants, the multiple occurrences of abuse, the different forms of deception and coercion used to control victims and the way offences are interwoven with other forms of criminality, sets modern slavery apart. This led to the Modern Slavery Police Transformation Programme being set up in 2017 to help support and train the police in how best to tackle this problem and share intelligence both regionally and nationally. In fact, Devon & Cornwall’s Chief Constable Shaun Sawyer is the police lead for the Modern Slavery and Organised Immigration Crime Unit, based in Exmouth. Last year they unveiled new figures showing that despite Covid, investigations into modern slavery-related offences were at their highest ever level. More than 2,000 cases were live in September alone.

Image by Pexels via Pixabay

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FEATURE

Forced labour in cotton industry, Uzbekistan - image

by Simon Buxton for Anti-Slavery International

“Modern slavery and trafficking are cruel crimes that see perpetrators target some of the most vulnerable people in our society. Perpetrators range from international and national serious and organised crime networks, through to single individual exploitative relationships. This is arguably the most pernicious crime type of our generation,” says Chief Constable Sawyer.

Throughout the UK, many different organisations are working alongside Anti-Slavery International to prevent slavery, promote identification of victims, provide support services to survivors, and ensure that slavery cannot flourish. The Salvation Army has its own anti trafficking and modern slavery unit providing specialist support to all adult victims of modern slavery in England and Wales via safehouses or through outreach support.

Bonded labour, India - image by Bharat Patel for Anti-Slavery International

75-year-old Rotarian Simon John, is embarking on a 1,000-mile Freedom Ride, a speaking/cycling tour from Land’s End to John O’Groats to raise awareness of human trafficking and modern slavery. The ride is a homage to abolitionist Thomas Clarkson who in 1791 rode on horseback to towns across Britain, raising awareness of the horrors and suffering in the transatlantic slave trade and, raising support for the 19th century antislavery campaign. Little did Clarkson realise that 230 years later, the horror of slavery would still be with us.

Geri Parlby Rotary Club of Tavistock Rotary Action Group Against Slavery

For more information please visit antislavery.org; salvationarmy.org.uk/modern-slavery; ecpat.org.uk; unseenuk. org; hopeforjustice.org; ragas.online.

ECPAT UK is a leading children’s rights organisation working to protect children from trafficking and slavery. Bristol-based Unseen provides safehouses and community outreach, as well as running the modern slavery and exploitation helpline, 08000 121 700. Hope for Justice works in the UK and internationally, helping to rescue trafficking victims, assist in aftercare, hold traffickers accountable, and campaign on a wider level to improve awareness and legislation.

The Rotary Action Group Against Slavery has been working both internationally and in the UK, helping to raise awareness in the community and fund anti-slavery charities while working alongside them to protect the vulnerable from slavery and its consequences.

Working with Anti-Slavery International, the Chair of RAGAS,

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Cocoa farm, Ghana -Image by Nile Sprague for Anti-Slavery International

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HEALTH & WELLBEING

The Covid-19 vaccines Dr Jo Coldron explains how the new Covid-19 vaccinations work.

As I write this at the start of 2021, much of my time is spent thinking about and facilitating the Covid-19 vaccine roll out. After months of our communities being trapped and threatened by this disease, the chance to actively fight it on a huge and life-changing scale by vaccinating as many people as possible feels like a gift and a task I, and all my colleagues are throwing ourselves into. As you can imagine we have been answering many questions about the vaccines and I hope that this article will help explain the science of them a little more.

At the time of writing, we have three vaccines we can use: the Oxford University/AstraZeneca Vaccine (AZV), the PfizerBioNTech Vaccine (PBV), and the Moderna Vaccine (MV) which has also just been licenced for use. It may be that by the time you read this there will be others. The way all of these vaccines work is to show a bit of the spike protein of the coronavirus (the outside of the virus that attaches onto our cells) to the immune system of the body, so that if we come in contact with the actual virus we can immediately destroy it. Although the initial immune response to the vaccine then fades we are left with an ‘immune memory’ so our immune system very quicky reacts to any coronavirus exposure. The PBV and MV introduce this on a little bit of synthetic RNA, the AZV on a harmless chimpanzee adenovirus (common cold virus). Neither of these vaccines contain any harmful virus that can infect us and cause us to be ill. We can’t infect anyone else after the vaccination. It’s also safe to have the vaccines even if you have underlying health conditions or are very frail.

All the vaccines quickly break down in the body and have degraded and gone within a few days.

All the vaccines are extremely effective – around 90-95% however it’s not complete cover and they do not reach full strength of response until about 2 weeks after the vaccination.

Until this pandemic is fully controlled, we will still need to continue with all our social distancing, masks and hand hygiene. A booster sometime between 3 (PV) or 4 (AZV, MV) and 12 weeks after the initial vaccination strengthens our immune response. We are not quite certain how long we retain this high level of immunity and it is certainly possible

that we will need yearly vaccinations – just like the annual flu vaccination that we are all familiar with.

There are some possible side effects, again just like the flu vaccine, but they tend to be mild and short-lived. An achy arm is the most likely result of the vaccination, and some people experience viral like symptoms for 24 hours or so, which is not an infection but our immune system responding to the vaccine, just as we want it to. All three vaccines are very safe and effective with very few occasions where they can’t be given.

There won’t routinely be a choice of vaccine, as it depends on what vaccine is available at the time you are offered it.

It seems that these vaccines have been developed very quickly and this certainly increases the anxiety surrounding having them. However, it is more reassuring when you look at how they have been developed by these incredible scientists working tirelessly around the world. These vaccines aren’t completely new but are all based on existing vaccine technology and design which has been developed over many years. In addition, a lot of the time taken to develop a new vaccine is spent on seeking funding for development, getting study participants for trials, reviewing the evidence and approving the vaccine and then getting it into national vaccination programs. The roll out of these vaccines is so critical for the whole world that money has been plentiful, many of thousands of people were enrolled in trials very quickly and the evidence has been reviewed thoroughly but critically without any delay.

I don’t know what 2021 is going to bring, but with our first vaccination clinic in mid-December I became a lot more hopeful that it is going to be a better year for a lot of us.

Dr Jo Coldron Tavyside Health Centre, Tavistock

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CHARITY FOCUS

Colebrook Support Services Improving lives - putting people first

Colebrook has been supporting vulnerable adults for over 35 years. Over the years, like other charities we have had to respond to local need, take opportunities as they’ve arisen and adapt to a changing world, so we look quite different now than we did then!

What is Colebrook Support Services? get to know the person better and aim to teach people the skills to meet other needs, while developing a plan with our clients to address other areas: for example, do they have any debt? Can the client look after their home and keep safe? Are they meeting their nutritional and health needs? Can they understand any medication and manage any symptoms? But life isn’t all about paying the bills and running a home! We also support people to improve their quality of life through their friends and relationships. Hobbies, recreation and spiritual needs are addressed and of course, meaningful activity and good citizenship, such as work, study and volunteering. Throughout all this we support our clients emotionally and signpost them to other services as appropriate.

We are a local charity which supports vulnerable adults to lead independent and fulfilling lives. Some people find managing a home, having relationships and being healthy and happy quite challenging, so at Colebrook, we aim to teach everyone the skills needed to live as independently as possible. Our clients are usually people who have a severe and enduring mental health condition, a learning disability, or are vulnerable in some other way - maybe they have experienced trauma in their lives or were never quite taught the skills that are needed to manage in everyday life.

How we do this?

We find out what area a person may have difficulties in – initially, we all need shelter, food and warmth. We then

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Where do we do this?

We have eight supported living projects in Plymouth – but some people receive support in their own home.We have many success stories – here’s a letter of thanks from one of our clients: ‘When I first moved into a Colebrook accommodation, I was a complete mess, and without any direction. But in time, I started a journey to get my life in check a journey my support workers were with me on. They believed in me when I did not. It was enough to spur me on and to fight my battles and demons. Very early on I knew my support workers were with me, and not going to do it for me - I had to do it for myself. They of course encouraged me.

‘At first, I did start slipping back, but I spoke to all my support workers and started to believe in myself. I found strength and the fight I never knew I had, but with thanks to Colebrook, I knew I could do it, I just had to put my mind to it. So, I worked hard, and I made a commitment to myself to never hurt myself ever again, to never give up like I did in my past – giving up is not an option!! Today I am finally free from my past affecting me like it did. Life is to be cherished and lived to the full, with my dog I never thought I would have. Thank you to you all for being with me on my journey.’

Then and now When we opened in 1983, our organisation only provided the direct support services described above. Now we have many other teams and services

including the Healthwatch service for the whole of Devon, the Headspace and Headscount, community centres, a Wellbeing Hub, self-help groups funded by the lottery, and a gardening project.

We have been working with individuals, communities and organisations in and around Plymouth for more than 35 years now and pride ourselves in putting people at the heart of everything we do.

Our mission is to inspire and empower people and communities to achieve their independence and aspirations. We will achieve this by supporting people to achieve skills, realise goals and improve independence, support community independence and sustainable growth and involve people, providing them with a voice to help shape our services.

If you are interested in receiving a support service from Colebrook, you would usually need a social worker to refer you – but some people also pay for their own support. We do not provide any personal care and support is a

minimum of two hours – contact us via email on referrals@colebrooksw.org for more information.

We are currently looking for board members who volunteer some time to help steer our organization; we also have other volunteering opportunities available. If you are interested in volunteering, please email us via enquiries@colebrooksw.org or call on 01752 205210.

Finally, we are always interested in hearing from supportive and passionate people with the right ethos to help us achieve our mission and join our fantastically dedicated staff team. If you think this could be you please have a look at the vacancies on colebrooksw. org/jobs and see the wonderful and varied work our colleagues do at colebrooksw.org/colebrook-services.

Shelley Sanderson Senior Support Services Manager

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c f 15

GARDENING

Late winter gardening As winter draws to a close, this year it is more vital than ever to steal a march on the year and get ahead in the garden. I’m not talking about the usual jobs of weeding, soil prep and sending the mower for servicing – although these are always worthwhile.

This year, a combination of stock shortages and delays due to Covid, along with increased demand (almost 3 million people discovered gardening in lockdown) mean it’s a very good idea to get your skates on with advance planning and ordering, with everything from seeds and plants to materials for garden projects. So, have a think about what you’d like to do this year.

Adding features is a great way to make your garden more useable and attractive, such as a paved seating area, surrounded by raised beds to create a more intimate feel: make wide tops to the beds and they can double as informal seating and somewhere to park a glass or plate. In a sunny spot, add a beamed pergola or arbour, planted with wisteria or a grape vine to cast leafy, dappled shade and recreate that feeling of the Med. A pond or water feature brings a whole new dimension to the garden and can be made to almost any size to match the site and your garden style. A simple submersible pump creates the soothing splash of moving

water, which not only focuses attention on the feature but also helps mask intrusive background noise. Water is wonderful to attract wildlife of all kinds too.

A covered area for growing is a real asset, so if you’ve been debating whether to get a greenhouse, now’s the time to treat yourself – especially as some manufacturers are already quoting lead times of months rather than weeks.

Greenhouses come in many shapes, sizes and designs, from space-saving little lean-to models (a bit like a large cupboard) to walk-in houses from 6 x 4 ft upwards, in metal or wood. Do go as large as your site and budget permits as once the growing bug bites, a small one will soon be outgrown; also add into your budget accessories like staging (benches) and automatic roof vents.

With indoor socialising likely to remain out of bounds for some time, making the garden more decorative and personalised is a big trend. If your budget permits, a piece of garden art from one of the many talented artists in this part of the world will give many years of pleasure. For a cheap and cheerful garden facelift, use coloured wood stain to transform wooden furniture and features, and recycle all kinds of throwaway items into plant containers. One cause for optimism in 2021 is that increased awareness in sustainability is becoming a way of life, not just a trend.

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GARDENING

Easy ways to grow your own veg Vegetable growing soared in popularity during lockdown no. 1, and with more months of restrictions, it’s a great way to do something positive. There’s the delight of sowing seed and watching a crop grow to maturity; the incomparable taste of produce picked and eaten in minutes; the knowledge that what you eat is packed with nutrients with no harmful chemicals; food metres rather than miles… the list of positives goes on. Many gardeners are keen to expand their veg growing this year and by far the easiest way is to grow on a no-dig bed system which involves far less work, is easy on the back and good for the environment too, as the soil structure is undisturbed, and carbon remains locked in the soil.

The principle of no-dig is that beds are a maximum of 1.2m (4ft) wide and worked from a path either side rather than being trodden on and compacted, plus the organic matter (garden compost or well-rotted manure, ideally) is spread in a layer on top to be taken down by worms and soil organisms. Beds can be made at ground level, but if you want to ease wear and tear on backs and knees, or want to convert grass into veg beds, the simplest and most labour-saving way is to go up. Use a wooden frame – from 15cm high and upwards depending on your budget – and cover the grass

with flattened brown cardboard boxes (there are lots of them around with all the current internet shopping). The grass underneath is killed by the cardboard which then rots down and adds more structure to the soil. Then simply fill the bed with soil mixed with organic matter, and get sowing and planting. Garden centres and nurseries remain open at the time of writing so there should be plenty of seeds and ready-grown plants to choose from.

Sue Fisher GARDEN DESIGNER & HORTICULTURAL SPECIALIST

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GARDENING

Gardening jobs for the season Order bare rooted plants as soon as possible as they can only be supplied whilst dormant, during the winter months. Trees, shrubs, roses, hedging plants and fruit are cheaper and often bigger and better than container grown plants, and more sustainably produced too without plastic pots.

up and started into growth under cover; perennials like Michaelmas daisy can be divided to make more plants for free.

Boost bulb displays for next year by feeding with a general fertilizer. Remove dead flower heads and do allow the leaves to die back naturally as this is how the bulb builds up energy for next year.

Many veg and flower seeds can be sown now, in a propagator if you have one, or on a well-lit windowsill if not.

Reuse old plant pots but wash first in hot water to avoid pest and disease problems. Food containers like yoghurt and margarine pots, or mushroom punnets are great for growing seeds, so long as holes are made for drainage.

Grow a patch of flowers for cutting and never again feel guilty about raiding the borders to fill a vase. Annuals like sweet peas and cosmos can be sown now and dahlia tubers potted

Sue continues to be available for garden advisory visits and design work, operating according to Covid-19 social distancing

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19

FARMING NEWS

Hoping for better times ahead A bit like the first Star Wars movie - A New Hope - we all entered the year 2021! I think everyone was looking forward to the new year and hopefully a light at the end of a dark 2020 virus-shaped tunnel. Despite lockdown three (worst trilogy ever!) the vaccine has arrived and is being administered with haste. Let’s hope by the time this magazine arrives at your door the lines on the BBC graphs are all heading downhill fast and we can get back to the new normal, whatever that may look like.

The pandemic has affected us all, but once again I would like to personally say a massive thank you to all the NHS staff and key workers. You have all been a shining beacon of hope with your shoulders to the wheel for such a long period of time. I would also like to give a shout out to all the local businesses and their teams of staff who have sacrificed so much this year. It seems ironic that the only winners have again been the big boys. Local businesses, shops, pubs, restaurants are on their knees whilst the likes of Amazon has cashed in, shipping the profits to whichever tax haven is fashionable this week. I dearly hope that once the dust settles, we all have a time for reflection and realise the value around us and in our communities. Our small towns and their thriving small businesses are the beating heart of our community and going forward they will need us!

On the farm we have endured a very wet autumn again with springs rising all over the place, even in the middle of our lane. But Christmas came and we had some relief with a lovely cold snap at the start of the new year. It makes our job so much easier and I would happily have cold dry weather until March if I could. The grass stops, the ground has time to dry out and gets a rest, and 20

the hard frosts help kill off the ticks in the rough grazing which can plague the animals through spring and summer. The snow can stay away though!

As usual the great unwashed descended onto Dartmoor the minute they could see a snowcapped North Hessary Tor. Snow is great fun if you are playing in it, I give you that, but the collateral damage to gates, fences and our pregnant animals is not - plus litter, dogs worrying animals, parking and traffic Armageddon, not to mention 4x4s popping up like mushrooms everywhere there is a road closed sign! I’d better stop there... But when there is snow on the ground, please try and have some consideration for the animals and us farming folk who find the invasion quite hard to deal with during an already stressful situation.

The ewes will start lambing in March and usually we would be shouting from the roof tops about our Greenwell Lambing Live event, but once again due

to the restrictions we have decided to cancel our 2021 event. We worked so hard last year to get the event ready and even had two days of visits only to cancel the event halfway through due to last spring’s lockdown. But Lambing Live will rise again for 2022, hopefully!

We will endeavour to share as much of this special time of year on the farm with you on our social media and let’s hope lambing this year goes well. It is always a very special time of year on the farm with so much new life everywhere.

Let us hope by then we can, like the lambs, have a spring in our step and move forward to a brighter spring and summer!

Stay safe and buy local!

Mat Cole, Greenwell Farm

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NATURALIST

Tavistock Woodlands On the Devon bank of the Tamar, south from Horsebridge to the parish boundary of Bere Ferrers and upriver on the Tavy as far as Shillamill, on the Crowndale road, the landscape is dominated by the trees of the Tavistock Woodland Estate. It is part of the Tamar Valley AONB and includes many artefacts that belong to our industrial past, a key part of the World Heritage Site. Visitor attractions at the Tamar Trails Centre and Morwellham Quay are surrounded by the estate, a commercial woodland owned by the Earl of Bradford.

I first explored the woodlands exactly 50 years ago when I began my career teaching science locally. It was truly private in those days, but access was allowed to interested individuals - I still have my typewritten permit! A ground-breaking system of arboriculture had been developed after the Second World War, the Bradford-Hutt plan, which avoided clear-felling whole hillsides, replacing it with selective use of individual tress in rotation, and allowing native hardwood trees to become established. Loss of the soil and the life within when forests are cleared is now a major concern worldwide.

Mixed woodlands of this kind, rather than the dark serried ranks of many commercial conifer plantations provide a wider variety of habitats for wildlife and a far more interesting environment for human visitors too. These are the places where our larger mammals hide away during daylight hours, so early mornings and evenings are when they are most often sighted. Roe and fallow deer are commonly seen while red deer pass through while travelling between resident herds in other parts of Devon and Cornwall. The woodland badgers were commonly seen until recently, crossing roads at night-time or sadly ending up as roadkill victims. I assume the government’s culling programme has probably been responsible for the current absence of these sightings.

Smaller mammals and birds are well catered for, especially where a dense undergrowth has been allowed to develop.

Rodents remain hidden from view leaving evidence of their presence in the form of discarded nut shells and fir cones.

In early spring birds are often located by their song; with a pair of binoculars handy, it soon becomes possible to identify the songster and with practice most of the tits, finches and especially the nuthatch can be recognised by sound alone.

The rare and elusive nightjar can also be heard, or if you are really lucky, seen in the woods on summer evenings. But it is the bats that are one of the star turns of the Tamar Valley with over a dozen species having been identified. Most are nocturnal, emerging in the evening from their roosts amongst the old mine-workings. They are often seen skimming over the surface of the river and around the trees, lining the banks, navigating their way using ultrasound. Each species emits a unique call, catching the reflected echoes in their over-sized ears to ‘picture’ the locality.

At the heart of the woodland around the post-industrial wastes of the nineteenth century Devon Great Consols Mine workings, plants still struggle to colonise the dry, sandy residues over a century later. These still carry traces of copper, tin and poisonous arsenic extracted from the rocks below. However, on the fringes of this area a heath-like flora has developed and where conifer needles carpet the ground red wood-ant colonies, with a level of sophistication which matches that of the hive-bee, construct extensive ant-hills in which to raise their brood.

At the time of writing, there is some concern for the future of the estate with both the ownership and management of the woodlands under discussion. Our hope should be that its value in terms of landscape, protected habitats and species, as well as its history and public accessibility should be taken into consideration for all who live and work in the area.

Pete Mayston

21

LAW

legally speaking...

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Health and Welfare Advocacy

COMMUNITY NEWS

Light at the end of the tunnel…

As I write this lockdown 3 has just been announced and some may find it harder this time around not being able to enjoy the warm temperatures that we were fortunate to have during last spring’s lockdown. With shorter and darker days, light and colour seem to be the tonic to boost our sense of wellbeing with many choosing to leave Christmas lights on.

Nature can also provide us with light and colour. I know just being outdoors on a crisp, sunny day watching wildlife makes me feel good. Whilst checking our reptile monitoring mats at Burrator late September, I found a glow-worm larva under one mat. I haven’t seen a glow-worm for years, so was very excited to discover that they are present at Burrator. Did you know that glow-worms aren’t actually worms but beetles!

The larvae can live for 1-2 years paralysing small snails with a toxic bite and then sucking them out. However, once they reach adulthood they don’t survive very long (just to breed) as they can’t feed. During June and July, the adult females emit a bright glow to attract males, so this summer I’ll be out at night searching for nature’s light beacons.

For me, colour during the darker winter months can be uplifting too. I’m never one for plain white walls - I have to have colour around me. Animals also use colour as warning, attracting a mate, or as camouflage. Even the smallest of creatures can be colourful.

Whilst walking an

area of cleared conifer at Burrator in early October, a brightly coloured beetle clinging to a thistle flower head caught my eye; the black and orange stripes were quite striking - it was a Common Sexton beetle. It inspired me to find out more about this species – often described as the ‘undertaker’ of the animal kingdom. Male and female are attracted by the smell of a decaying animal, pairing up at a carcass (usually a mouse or small bird) to bury the dead body and then the female will lay her eggs on or beside the buried body enabling their larvae to feed off the corpse. Fascinating!

Spring is just around the corner, when willow and blackthorn will begin to blossom attracting pollinators looking for an early nectar source, and primroses and violets will emerge bringing colour back to our landscape. Stay positive and look for opportunities in nature to uplift and inspire.

Deborah Deveney Burrator Biodiversity Officer, South West Lakes Trust

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COMMUNITY NEWS

Natural Flood Management Helen Dobby, area director at the Environment Agency, is really keen to share with readers some of the opportunities and environmental challenges that we find ourselves contemplating as we start 2021.

I am hugely proud of the work of the Environment Agency and its partners, and this new year more than any other has reminded us of the huge responsibility we have to look after our environment. We have seen many reminders of the climate and biodiversity emergencies we find ourselves facing, and we also experienced the health and wellbeing benefits of the nature on our doorstep in 2020. We know that if we don’t stop damaging our stunning, unique and giving world we will see the impacts more frequently and more seriously each year.

The Dartmoor Headwaters Natural Flood Management Pilot is a project we are running in partnership with Dartmoor National Park Authority, Devon County Council, Natural England, Highways England, Westcountry Rivers Trust and the Woodland Trust. The intention of the pilot is to trial more natural techniques to reduce flood risk than we are used to.

We want to learn how to apply these techniques to many more locations and projects in the future to help protect properties and save lives. The pilot is due to conclude in March this year, having initially secured funding in 2018. In that time we have

Peter Tavy flooding

used our £834,000 budget to identify areas that would provide the greatest learning: we have conducted surveys of land, habitat archaeology and soil condition, carried out detailed engagement with landowners and community flood groups and installed the trial solutions in a variety of locations across the moor, aiming to reduce flood risk to Buckfastleigh, Peter Tavy, Walkhampton, and Ivybridge. We have also funded a PhD at Plymouth University to help further our understanding of the hydrology of woodlands on Dartmoor.

The techniques we are trialling are more appropriate to use in a landscape such as Dartmoor than the traditional flood walls and storage reservoirs we are used to working with, they can also provide much wider benefits, helping enhance biodiversity, restore habitats, capture and store carbon dioxide and improve water quality. By the end of the pilot, we are aiming to have planted 3,000 trees, installed 500 leaky dams, and aerated soils across two river catchments. We have also been working closely with the South West Peatland Partnership team to fund an additional 75 hectares of peatland restoration. These techniques differ greatly from the flood walls and storage reservoirs we are used to building, they are often smaller scale, with many of them each storing a small amount of flood water. They are spread across the upper river

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COMMUNITY NEWS

Peter Tavy - Colley Brook catchment

catchment to try and tackle the flooding issues at their source rather than when they start to cause damage, and potentially fatalities in communities. The pilot has proven that we can use these techniques in areas which may not traditionally have been able to access government funding for more expensive engineered defences. They can also be used in areas where engineered defences already exist, enabling them to provide a higher level of flood resilience for longer and take account of climate change increasing river flows over time.

It’s fair to say that Covid-19 has impacted work significantly.

It’s been harder to carry out the works in the collaborative manner we had originally intended during the delivery phase, and it has meant we had to stop work altogether for a short period during the first lockdown. However, the learning we have generated has been very useful in helping secure a further allocation of funding to extend the partnership into a new phase of works working on the entire moor, not just the trial catchment, to do more natural flood management work between 2021 and 2027.

Our area team are keen to hear what you think of the schemes that are already happening in your locality, or to hear your ideas for environmental schemes for the future. The most lasting environmental changes come when we join forces

Walkhampton Common

Buckfastleigh flooding

to work together. Our local stories inspire new action and lasting change. To get in touch please email DCISEnquiries@ environment-agency.gov.uk Here’s to a 2021 where we work together to care, share and prepare for a greener future.

Helen Dobby Environment Agency Area Director

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COMMUNITY NEWS

Please continue to support Tavistock Despite missing out on the annual Dickensian Evening, Christmas 2020 saw good footfall in the town and provided businesses with much needed custom in those important trading weeks. Our ‘Keep Christmas Local’ campaign was well received, and we are very thankful to you all for supporting the high street whenever and wherever possible. The launch of the Tavistock Gift Card exceeded expectations in the weeks leading up to Christmas and will make a big difference to the businesses of the town during this period of uncertainty and beyond. The Gift Card is not just for Christmas though, with over 50 participating business, it makes a great gift for any occasion. You can purchase a card at tavistockgiftcard. co.uk or from Lawsons, Tavistock. As we are thrown into another national lockdown, we remind people that you can still continue to support local businesses. Essential businesses remain open; many others have a presence online and offer local delivery. You can find a list of how you can continue to #shoplocal at visit-tavistock.co.uk/ open-for-business-categories In the weeks ahead, we are planning to once again adorn the windows of the town in our annual ‘Paint the Town’ event beginning on 20th March. This year, with many people facing extended periods of isolation, we recognise the increased

need to involve the wider community as well as schools in this lovely event. With the help of West Devon Art Workshops, we will also be incorporating light into the displays - we hope - to signify the easing of coronavirus restrictions. It should be a sight to behold and bring the town alive for spring. Over the Easter holidays you can expect another egg-citing town hunt!

The hunt will run from Saturday 3rd to Saturday 17th April.

See Visit Tavistock on Facebook for more details. As well as all this, Tavistock BID is working hard to continue supporting businesses and looking ahead to the coming months when the town is able to re-open fully. Please continue to support the businesses of Tavistock!

20 MARCH - PAINT THE TOWN WITH LIGHT Local businesses, in conjunction with local primary schools and community groups, will create bright and wonderful window displays to bring Tavistock alive for spring. Activities will be taking place on Bedford Square.

28 MARCH – 11 APRIL, TAVISTOCK EASTER EGG HUNT Another egg-citing and free trail brought to you by Tavistock BID. Collect your sheets from Kaleidoscope, The Visitor Information Centre and the Toy Cupboard, and find all the eggs to earn yourself a goody bag. visit-tavistock.co.uk

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COMMUNITY NEWS

Yelvercare goes the extra mile In the period leading up to Christmas, YelverCare organised two special Christmas functions. Covid-19 guidelines meant that it was impossible to hold the monthly Lunch Club’s Christmas event, so volunteers took the meals to guests instead. Fifteen YelverCare volunteers delivered traditional Christmas meals to 60 local residents, many of whom live alone. The meals were prepared by three local pubs, Buckland Monachorum’s Drake Manor Inn, The Rock Inn at Yelverton and The Walkhampton Inn. The following day, Rev. Andy Bowden kindly organised a socially distanced carol service at St Andrew’s Church, Buckland Monachorum, specially for YelverCare and The Charleston Club. YelverCare volunteers drove 38 participants to the service. Both events were masterminded by YelverCare’s Ann Davis and were hugely appreciated by those who took part.

YelverCare also distributed £4,000, that was kindly donated by the Maristow Trust, to residents in the area. It was distributed in the form of 80 Co-op gift cards to people who Yelvercare thought might particularly benefit from support in this difficult year. (The photo shows Mandy Hall delivering a Christmas meal to Beryl Cole.)

Buckland Monachorum Parish Precept Each year, parish councils receive a ‘precept’. This is a sum of money, paid by residents of the parish which is collected through the council tax. For the Parish of Buckland Monachorum (Yelverton, Crapstone, Milton Combe and Clearbrook) the precept for 2021 will be £34.18 for a band D property.

It is the job of the parish council to use this money for the benefit of the residents of the parish and the pie chart shows where the money was spent this year. The only paid member of staff is the clerk who arranges parish council meetings, keeps the accounts and administers the contracts for ground maintenance, which is where the majority of the budget is spent.

The 12 parish councillors are elected to represent the residents, whether this entails responding to planning applications (we look at every single one), ensuring footpaths are properly maintained and play parks are safe, or caring for the cemetery. Where we can’t fund things ourselves, we apply for funding from other bodies who might be able to, and while the parish council is not responsible for roads, we do liaise

closely with the borough and county councils to report issues and raise concerns.

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ONLINE TUITION FROM YOUR OWN, PERSONAL TUTOR

things for everyone. If you’d like to get involved, why not consider becoming a parish councillor? We’ve currently got a vacancy so if you’re interested contact the clerk on clerk@bmpc.info. pl A h ac a e t pp ob y

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EDUCATION

New CEO for Dartmoor Multi Academy Trust In January 2021, Dan Morrow started as the new chief executive officer for Dartmoor Multi Academy Trust, a family of 17 primary and secondary schools including Tavistock College.

Already a highly regarded education leader with a national reputation, Dan was the trust leader and CEO for Woodland Academy Trust, an educational charity serving several thousand children in the South East of London and employing 350 staff. He is passionate about removing as many challenges as possible for children to believe and achieve, following his own experience of being a free-school-meal pupil who went on to be the first in his family to go to university, reading history at the University of Oxford. Dan explained why the post at Dartmoor Multi Academy Trust attracted him: “I have spent a lot of time in Devon previously and have always been stunned, not just by the beauty of the landscape, but also by the strength and bonds of community. I wanted to find a role that I can really invest in and one where we can make a change together

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- having such a strong community as a basis really is a privilege.”

Dan already has big plans for the schools within the trust, to reach out even further to the communities that they serve. His favoured metaphor for talking about the children in his care involves ‘invisible backpacks’. Inside those backpacks are all the negative experiences and difficulties children have faced which need to be unpacked - no child leaves their bag at the door when they come into school under Dan’s leadership. Children are at the heart of all that Dan does. He said: “I was a bit lost as a child myself; nervous, anxious and often not confident to speak out. I may have grown past that, but we must always remember that every child is gifted and talented - it’s our job as the adults in charge to find what that is for each and every unique learner.”

Dan recognises the most valuable and valued resource under his leadership is his staff. Listening to what staff teams need has ensured Dan creates a framework allowing children to believe and achieve, while also ensuring staff

can grow and develop. This supports a climate and culture based on excellence for all. Additionally, he believes that it can often be one adult or teacher that can make a difference for a child: “Without the belief and support that teachers gave to me throughout my own journey, I wouldn’t be having this conversation with you now.”

Building on the superb support that Dartmoor MAT has given to the community throughout the pandemic, it looks like a truly exciting time for the direction of the schools within the trust and for the future of its children. Under Dan’s leadership, the trust is confident 2021 will be a much better year for everyone.

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Yelverton Golf Club Once described as a ‘good walk spoiled’, golf has now become THE sport in this very difficult year. Throughout the coronavirus pandemic, it has been one of the only sports that has continued.

Your local club, Yelverton Golf Club, has seen a huge increase in membership this year, with many people taking up golf and discovering for themselves how wonderful the game of golf really is. Not only are the health benefits, both physically and mentally immeasurable, but social distancing can be practised with ease.

Established in 1904, the club was designed by Herbert Fowler, one of the greatest course designers of his time. Using old mine workings as natural hazards, he created a challenging course for even the most discerning golfer. The views across Dartmoor stretch as far as the eye can see, where ponies, cattle and sheep have happily co-habited the fairways with golfers for more than a hundred years. The clubhouse, beautifully traditional, is friendly and welcoming, offering a fine selection of food and drinks to members and visitors alike. The carvery, served every Sunday is a must, but booking is essential. The raised decking area, is perfect

for summer, whilst the spacious dining room offers a fabulous setting for any special occasion, be it weddings, birthdays, christenings etc. Set menus are available, however bespoke packages can be arranged. Conference room facilities are also available. Contact General Manager Sarah George on sarah@yelvertongolf.co.uk or 01822 852 824.

The golf team runs a fun and vibrant golf shop, headed up by PGA professional Adam Frayne, who along with assistant Matt Cooper, offers a variety of coaching packages including the junior coaching programme which takes place every weekend. A full custom fit experience and repair service is also available using the recently launched workshop and the simulator room which includes Trackman technology and can be hired for private use. Further golf facilities include the practice range, short course, chipping and putting green.

The golf team also arranges visitor and society bookings and can help with any membership enquiries. Contact Lauren Chapman on membership@yelvertongolf.co.uk or 01822 853 593.

01822 852824 Golf Links Road • Yelverton • PL20 6BN www.yelvertongolf.co.uk

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WHAT’S ON

Tavistock Local History Society The society, founded in 1984, exists to advance the education of the public in relation to the history and heritage of Tavistock and the surrounding area. In normal times, we usually meet monthly on the second Tuesday from September to April, and during the summer, we organise external visits to places of local historic interest, including an all-day coach trip. However, due to the pandemic our meetings have had to go online. During 2020, we successfully used Zoom to host talks on: ‘The Victorian construction of history and the Drake Statues’ by Andrew Thompson, a society member, archaeologist and historian ‘The remarkable Lady Shelley: socialite, traveller, close friend of Wellington - and visitor to West Devon’ by Clive Charlton ‘On the Road in 17th Century Devon’ by member and leader of the Thorington Collection project Kevin Dickens

Tuesday 9th March 7.30pm (Zoom) AGM followed by ‘A History of the Census’ with Tony Vigars. The census will happen again on Sunday 21st March 2021 and will be online. The 1921 census is the next one due to be released to public view in 2022.

Tuesday 13th April 7.30pm (Zoom) ‘White Horse Hill’ with

‘The Traders of Tavistock’ by Linda Elliott, the author of two books on the past Tradesmen and women of Tavistock, and the ‘Windows in Time’ initiative

Dartmoor National Park Authority archaeologist Dr Lee Bray.

‘Tavistock’s Policing Past’ by member and former society chairman Simon Dell.

activity’ with member Andrew Thompson – heritage consultant, archaeologist and historian.

Our programme for 2021 has been planned with Zoom meetings from January to April, outdoor meetings from May to August, and (hopefully) meetings back in the Parish Centre from September to December. (There will not be a coach outing in June)

2021 programme: Tuesday 9th February 7.30pm (Zoom) ‘Understanding Landscapes

Archaeology at Calstock, Cothele & Bere Alston’ with Chris Smart who is a landscape archaeologist specialising in the heritage of Roman and medieval in Devon and Cornwall.

Tuesday 11th May 7.00pm (outdoor visit) ’The Merrivale Landscape 5,000 years of human

Tuesday 8th June 7.00pm (outdoor visit) ‘Lydford: Burgh, Mint & Stannary Prison’ with Andrew Thompson.

Tuesday 13th July 7.00pm (outdoor visit) – ‘Powdermills:

19th Century Gunpowder Factory’ with Drew Campbell, author of ‘Powdermills – The story of the Dartmoor gunpowder factory’ (2019).

Tuesday 10th August 7pm (outdoor visit) ‘Gunnislake Chapels & Church’ with member Stephen Docksey.

Tuesday 14th September 7.30pm (Parish Centre) – ‘Powdermills:

See our community website www.dartmoorlinks.co.uk

Its History & People’ with Drew Campbell.

Tuesday 19th October 7.30pm (Parish Centre) – ‘Turner in Cornwall & Tavistock’ with Dorothy Kirk.

Tuesday 9th November 7.30pm (Parish Centre) – ‘The Railway to Princetown’ with Brian Poole.

Tuesday 14th December 7.30pm (Parish Centre)Social & Members’ Projects Evening.

All are welcome to try out our Zoom meetings by using the ‘contact us’ link on our website tavistockhistory.co.uk and requesting a link for a particular meeting. Our membership comes from all over West Devon and beyond, and we encourage anybody with an interest in local history to join us. Annual membership is £16. For more information go to our website, or for general enquiries, contact the secretary, Tony Vigars, on 07746 577598 or tony.vigars@ hotmail.com. We have also published a number of booklets, including an index to all 27 of Gerry Woodcock’s ‘Tavistock’s Yesterdays’ and the bestselling ‘About Tavistock’. We are actively engaged in a number of local historical projects, including preserving the Thorington photographic archive, digitising the Ward and Chowen archive, and transcribing and mapping all the burial memorials in Tavistock.

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WHAT’S ON

Tavistock Library online events The library is offering a full programme of online events (until further notice) with information on Facebook @ TavistockLibrary, and at www. devonlibraries.org.uk/web/arena/ tavistocklibrary, including a book group meeting on the first Monday of the month, weekly Bounce and Rhyme sessions, craft events and talks with

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Andrew Thompson looking at the history of Tavistock from prehistory to current times. All information about services available will also be posted on our Facebook page and on posters in the library windows for people not using social media. Contact the library via email tavistock.library@ librariesunlimited.org.uk or ring 612218 for further information.

February 1 February:Tavy Tales Book Group 4 - 5pm

2, 9, 16 February: Bounce and

Rhyme 1.30 - 2pm

March

1 March: Tavy Tales Book Group

2, 9, 16, 23 30 March: Bounce and

Rhyme 1.30 - 2pm

4 March: World Book Day - a

stories extravaganza with stories and poems being shared online by staff and friends in costume all day from 11am to 3pm Three talks before Easter by Andrew Thompson

April 12 April: Tavy Tales Book Group 4 - 5pm

6, 13, 20, 27 April: Bounce and

Rhyme 1.30 - 2pm

Three talks after Easter by Andrew Thompson

4 - 5pm

27th March to 11th April

National Parks Fortnight

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Plans are being put in place for people to celebrate National Parks Fortnight which is scheduled to take place from 27 March to 11 April. Covid-19 restrictions permitting, it is hoped people will take the opportunity to enjoy the Dartmoor safely during ‘Discover National Parks’ fortnight. Dartmoor National Park Authority is monitoring the latest coronavirus advice and responding accordingly. It is hoped

that, should restrictions lift or change, some events can be put on for people to enjoy safely within the rules. For the time being, people are encouraged to keep an eye on the national park’s social media pages and website as information will be updated on a regular basis. Alternatively, sign up to receive newsletters with the latest updates at dartmoor.gov.uk.

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WHAT’S ON

Until end of March

Hunting for Harvest Mice nests I​n autumn 2016, Devon Mammal Group began a pilot project looking for harvest mice in Devon. It came to our attention that this charismatic species is under recorded in our county. With just a handful of records we wanted to change this and we would like to survey as many tetrads (10 x 10 km grid squares) as possible in Devon. Devon is a large county, and with over 90 tetrads this is no small challenge. However, we offer training sessions for anyone who wants to learn, in the hope that the new found knowledge will be put to use and more records will come flooding in! We have been running a number of dedicated training days, as well as smaller training sessions across the county, plus Zoom training sessions during lockdown. We have also made a 3-minute YouTube video showing how to look for them, but

please don’t forget to let us know if you find any. Between now and the end of March 2021, while the harvest mice aren’t nesting, it’s a great time to look out for evidence of their nests. If you would like to take part in this year’s search and training, or sign up to the mailing list for updates on how the search is progressing, contact Sarah Butcher at harvestmouse@devonmammalgroup. org. We also have a Twitter feed and Facebook page @HarvestMiceDVN.

Bere Ferrers Spring Flower Show

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Unfortunately, we do not expect the pandemic situation will have improved enough to hold our normal show in late March 2021. However, it may be possible to celebrate our daffodils in other ways, such as outdoor displays or daffodil trails. Please keep a watch on local media as spring approaches. (Bere Ferrers Spring Flower Show committee)

Princetown Group is ready - as soon as we get clearance from the government that we can meet again without coronavirus restrictions, we shall be organising our regular monthly meetings on the first Thursday of each month.

Unfortunately, that won’t be until after March - but keep reading Moor Links for news of our first 2021 meeting in the restaurant of the Prince of Wales Hotel, Princetown. You will also notice a few changes as the pub has undergone a refurbishment following a massive flood last year.

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MUSIC AND ART

Rocky Shoreline near Godrevy by Shirley Kirkcaldy

Evening stroll, Michael Hill

March to June

Wildwood Arts Exhibitions Organising exhibitions during lockdown is difficult. However, Wildwood Arts will be holding a ‘shared exhibition’, combining a joint exhibition of Michael Hill and Shirley Kirkcaldy’s work, together with the annual Spring Exhibition.

A ‘Shared Perspective’ brings together the works of Michael Hill and Shirley Kirkcaldy, in an exciting collaboration that promises a fascinating insight.

With their individual styles bridging the gap between abstraction and realism, they both remain authentic to their subject matter, focusing on the mood it evokes and their unique perspectives.

From seascapes to landscapes, painted in oil and mixed media, the exhibition will encompass the true essence and energy of the southwest environment:

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its changing light, alternative weather conditions and different yet common viewpoints.

Whilst the Spring Exhibition will comprise of Wildwood artists and an array of work bringing the promise of brighter times, with a spectrum of colours representing the Southwest and spring.

The exhibition catalogue and virtual exhibitions can be viewed online at www.wildwoodartsdartmoor.co.uk from 6th March until June, or in the gallery should Covid-19 restrictions be lifted.

You can also find details of all our artists and their work on the website. In addition, Wildwood is offering a ‘click and collect’ or local delivery service.

Horse among the seed heads, Richard Slater

Sea trout, Michael Moss

A Shared Perspective & Spring Exhibition: March 6th 2021 Featuring new work from Michael Hill & Shirley Kirkcaldy and other Wildwood artists.

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MUSIC AND ART

Show Up and the Edwin Davis Memorial CIC On April 28th 2018 my husband, Edwin Davis, took his own life by jumping from the viaduct in Tavistock. It was a brutal end to his lifetime battle with a form of bi-polar illness and left me and my four children devastated. Right from that first day though, I was determined to find a way of using this experience to help support better mental health in young people: to try and be part of slowing down the appalling rate of suicide in this country, the biggest killer of men under 45 with an average of 16 men a day finding this their only way out.

But how? I didn’t want to be a ‘fire starter’. One person I approached about setting something up pointed out that most charities started following a death in the family or a trauma, last

18 months on average. Whatever I did, I wanted to have longevity. Over the next year, travelling to meet people who worked in the field of mental health, who had started up their own charitable endeavours, or who were creative thinkers, it dawned on me that I was actually doing work in this field already. I have worked as a teacher in secondary schools for 35 years and seen the impact high-quality arts and drama education can have on young people, their sense of self, and their confidence which has such a profound impact on good mental health. I have also always done outreach work in primary schools. Over the last few years funding for the arts in secondary schools has got smaller and in primaries has, in some cases, pretty well dried up and so I could see a niche for providing this.

But where to get the funding? This is when the seeds of Show Up started to grow. A company that would provide the weekly workshops, the scripts and the productions - as I had done over the last decade - and another company that would provide the funding for this work: the Edwin Davis Memorial Community Interest Company.

On the second anniversary of Ed’s death – d-day as I call it – I handed in my notice at Okehampton School so that I could devote my time to achieving my goal and setting up the two companies.

It was a leap of faith, but one I had to take. I knew that a decent website was my first priority – my calling card if you will. In this digital age it is essential

36

to look professional online as this is the first place most people will see you. A business acquaintance and now friend put me in touch with the design company FatCalf Media based in Tavistock, and I met Tim, the director, who immediately grasped what I was trying to do. I invested my own money in this and Tim backed me all the way, giving me a discount and providing not only the name for Show Up and its tagline - all about the drama - but also the fantastic look of the website which really captured the company’s intention.

Check it out!

We met a few obstacles starting as we did in summer 2020: making the films for the website in lockdown was pretty interesting, as for example children in one school had to balance on the edge of a sink to be seen clearly on camera, and stay two metres away; and we had to create a social distanced film studio in my kitchen! But what I learned, very rapidly, was when I reached out to past students, members of staff I was working with, parents and the students themselves, they were only too happy to help and came to support immediately.

Some of what they said about the effect of the drama work they had done with me was deeply moving. In essence, for many, they said, it was what gave them a sense of self and a confidence to be that self. This was what Ed and many like him lose, somewhere along the way, so they don’t have the inner self-esteem that builds resilience in our oftendifficult world. Their words made me

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MUSIC AND ART

more determined than ever to ensure as many children as possible in Devon and beyond would get the opportunities that the Show Up experience brings.

The website was launched on September 12th 2020 and much to my delight donations immediately came in to the linked Just Giving page set up for the Edwin Davis CIC. This money is very welcome of course, and I can’t thank donors enough, however these funds are a drop in the ocean compared with the amounts needed to keep Show Up delivering to schools across the Tavistock, Plymouth and Exeter area who have already signed up. I want to work with schools for a minimum of one academic year because the longer I am part of the fabric of a school, the more profound the impact on students.

I am also keen to expand as much as possible, for example I want to develop digital projects, and I want to train up

another teacher, who I am working alongside at the moment so we can double delivery by next year. My weeks are now spent delivering workshops for four days and seeking out funding wherever I can in the remaining time. I am not yet a registered charity so can’t apply for funding to many of the ‘big boys’ like Comic Relief and Children in Need. As a result, I am looking to local manufacturers, retailers and individuals who see the importance of what I am doing. Any contribution is very welcome and will immediately help one of the schools. These are difficult and unpredictable times for all of us but being part of a community and helping that community is one of the best ways to navigate our own mental health and wellbeing. We all need to ‘Show Up’ for our young people and for each other. I leave you with these thoughts:

See our community website www.dartmoorlinks.co.uk

‘The true purpose of arts education is not necessarily to create more professional dancers or artists. It’s to create more complete human beings who are critical thinkers, who have curious minds and who can lead productive lives.’ (Kelly Pollock 2019) ‘If you think your child’s academic studies are more important than the arts, think again. (Plato 400BC) Harriet Davis

If you are interested, know of any funding streams or just want to find out more, please go to showupnow.co.uk or email harriet@showupnow.co.uk.

37

TECH HELP

Tech tips from Chezvous PC If you subscribe to Microsoft 365 – what used to be called Office 365 - and you have multiple users, you will have noticed that you see each other’s documents. This is not brilliant, particularly in an office environment. In order to change this, the owner of the subscription needs to ‘share’ Office with you rather than you ‘using’ one of their installations. From their Office account they ‘share’ with you to an email address. Once the email is received, the new user needs to have or create a Microsoft Account. That will then enable you to use what they share, in your own right, but keep other files separate from each other.

Winzip and WinRAR are programs that I regularly see on computers. They are 3rd party programs that do the job of software ALREADY on your computer to compress a folder and its contents for transmission usually by email. You may even end up paying for it after a while, unnecessarily. Folder compression was built into Windows a very long time ago – simply right click on the folder you want to compress and choose ‘send to’ then ‘compressed (zipped) folder’ and

Windows will do it for you. When you receive a compressed folder just right click on it and choose ‘extract all’, then follow the wizard.

Wi-Fi printers are very useful, but really frustrating if you cannot get them to work as intended. The first issue is where it can go in the house. My rule of thumb is quite simple – same room, no problem; one room away and it will work well, but two rooms away is often asking too much of it, especially if you add in granite walls etc. Unfortunately, the transceivers in printers are never as good as they might be in our computers, so it does not always follow that ‘my computer works so why not my printer?’ You can always set it up in the same room as the router and then move it to where you would like it to be, then you will soon know whether it works. There are also repeaters and extenders you can employ to improve the Wi-Fi at distance if you really can’t change the printer location.

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BUSINESS

Communities invited to ‘take control’ In England the average house price in 2019 was £240,000 and average earnings were £30,667. However, in Devon the picture is very different. The average house price was £253,000 (5% higher) and average earnings were £26,234 (15% lower) making it much harder for the average person to afford their own home here in Devon. Rent is similarly affected. After paying rent people in Devon have nearly £4,000 per year less than people in other regions to pay for everything else.

The Diverse Regeneration Company (a not-for-profit CIC) has successfully worked with communities over the past 15 years to help meet the local need for new sports facilities, village halls, playgrounds and more. They are now working with Resonance, a social impact investment company headquartered in Cornwall, to continue this work with the launch of a new community asset fund which will put local people at the heart of the process to decide what their communities need most. The new fund is called Resonance Community Developers (RCD) and its purpose is to help communities design and deliver the assets they need, bringing local stakeholders together to address local infrastructure needs such as affordable housing, sports and leisure facilities or renewable energy generation.

Although this is a new fund with a slightly different set of parameters, Resonance has previously worked with community groups in Devon to successfully deliver affordable homes – in Holsworthy and Broadhempston– through their Affordable Homes Rental Fund (AHRF). In Broadhempston a community-led organisation - Broadhempston Community Land Trust - embarked on developing six self-build homes that were completed in 2016. Each household received a 25% stake in the property they built in return for their labour and then continued to pay rent on the remaining portion. Rents were then set at 20-25% below the open market rate for the area, making the homes affordable. A small proportion of the rent payment each year buys further equity and means

occupiers own a little more of their house. Applicants had to prove residence in the parish for the preceding two years (or for five years at some time in the past). They also had to have a total household income of less than £60,000 and commit to regular construction training, completion of their building work on time, and helping others on the site. Around 50% of the self-builders now work in the local community and a community playground is also being constructed.

The RCD is a new, follow-on initiative to the AHRF, and invests capital into community groups which will be structured as ‘Community Benefit Societies’ that can issue community shares. It aims to invest multiple times in the same community groups, with small incremental investment in the early stages leading to larger investments as groups secure land and planning consent and commence the actual construction of homes or sports facilities.

The Diverse Regeneration Company (The DR Company) is expert at working with communities across Devon; from the first initial project ideas through to turning those ideas into reality. DR Company is now encouraging communities to get in touch even if they’re unsure where to start.

Liz Abell at The DR Company says: “This is a very exciting opportunity for our local Devon communities to be a part of, allowing them a real say in the type of project they would like for their area. These projects will help communities become more self-sustaining over the longer term, whilst also supporting those in their local communities who may have little or no choice in terms of existing housing. We are very pleased to be working with Resonance, which has a strong track record both here and across the UK, for successfully delivering these kinds of projects. This is also a valuable means of independent funding, during a time when council budgets are greatly stretched. As such we are really keen to hear from anyone with ideas for their community, either great or small, so we can assess the ideas and help them move forward to a successful outcome.”

Contact the Diverse Regeneration Company by email at community@drcompany.co.uk or visit drcompany.co.uk

See our community website www.dartmoorlinks.co.uk

39

BUSINESS

Home of the Mall It would be right to describe Jodie Gray as an entrepreneur, and this is not the first time she has set up a company from scratch. She explains how Home of the Mall came about.

I started a cleaning company when I was twenty years old in the Midlands, so I have always dipped my toes in some business project or other. I ran the business for ten years and, at its peak, employed 20 staff, all whilst bringing up my children. I also created and designed a clothing range for small babies and pregnant ladies. I relinquished these businesses when I moved down to Devon; the move was a great re-set for me. I joined Amano Technologies, based here in Tavistock and met Paul my new business partner. He is director and coowner of Amano Technologies and the technical brain for the new venture. We work well as a partnership - I am more the customer facing part of the business and Paul is the technical wizard.

Our new business is called homeofthemall.com – we wanted to create a name that would be an ‘umbrella term’ for a space where independent producers can sell their goods. It’s a website where small creative businesses can upload their products and sell online. The sales order is processed through the website and they then deliver those orders direct to the customer. The website

specialises in independent businesses that create great products. It appeals to businesses that don’t own their own e-commerce website and gives them a platform to operate from. We also find that businesses that do have their own website also want to be with us, as the traffic and volume of visitors we generate gives their products greater exposure. We wanted to create a platform that truly supports independent businesses, so we only charge our retailers when they sell an item and there is no up-front joining fee. Similar national and international platforms can be very expensive to operate from.

retailer has their own login and area of the site where they upload their products. At the time of writing, we have over one hundred businesses on the site from across the UK - from Scotland through to Cornwall.

If you would like to see for yourself what Jodie and Paul have achieved go to www.homeofthemall.com, or if you know someone who is creating great quality products then let them know about the site. Jodie and Paul have had the vison to create something that helps small, local, independent retailers and producers. One can’t help wondering what the next project is for Jodie?

It’s really easy for our clients to upload their products on our simple-to-use content management system, each

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TRADE SECRETS

Yuli Somme, MA (Textiles) Shroud and coffin manufacturer: Bellacouche When did you start working with felt?

What services do you offer your clients?

I started in 1988 when I trained as a handloom weaver, working primarily with wool.

I offer a very personal service; often clients are distressed and unhappy at what is conventionally being offered.

For instance, last week a client wanted something very simple and functional and was unhappy at the cost and aesthetics of what she had been offered by a funeral director. After some discussion she decided that a simple woollen shroud on a bier was the most appropriate solution for her relative.

She was very pleased with how easily the burial went at a local natural burial site, with the aid of an old established independent funeral director from Exeter.

Where do you work?

I rent a beautiful chapel in Moretonhampstead.

How did the idea of wool coffins come about?

Through my interest in the history of the woollen industry, and the environment I learned about a 17th century law which decreed that the dead must be buried in wool. I wanted to offer a more comforting and aesthetic alternative to a conventional coffin by designing a shroud that would fulfil a contemporary function in a more environmentally compatible way.

How do wool coffins help the environment?

Two of the main environmental problems in the funeral industry are the current drive towards cremation, and the carbon footprint of the coffins. Cremation takes a vast amount of fossil fuel to keep the furnaces going all day; emissions from crematoria include mercury, dioxins and nitrogen oxides, adding to the atmospheric burden. Most coffins are made of MDF and include plastics and glues that add to the chemical mix of emissions both in manufacture and cremation. Shipping, predominantly from the far east, adds a further environmental burden. My products are handmade from locally sourced materials, no plastics, and all 100% natural. A movement towards natural burial will benefit us all. Sensitively done, this can be part of a livestock grazing system, wood pasture or creation of woodland. This can even take place in towns and cities - Arnos Vale in Bristol is an imaginative example.

What is the most interesting project you have worked on?

I think the most interesting commission was a funeral at Widecombe. The deceased was passionate about hares, so I made a hare-themed cocoon and

B

she was buried in the churchyard. The whole event turned into a beautiful ceremony, with pall bearers wearing felt animal masks made by a local artist.

There was singing, laughter and tears a pageant of mourners, and yes, why not a bit of theatre, when a person’s life is being remembered and marked.

What is the best thing about your job?

The potential for people to do things their own way, whether with the help and guidance of sympathetic funeral directors, or on their own. It can be simple or dramatic, and often the unexpected happens - in a good way, as with the Widecombe burial.

ellacouche down to earth - using wool

Shrouds and soft cocoons for a gentler return to the earth A sustainable choice, working direct or with local funeral directors

Ask for a brochure

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41

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FOOD & DRINK

Quality wine - or not?

Dave Anning has some clues about what’s in your wine rack Because you’re lovely people you’ll have given wine away over Christmas, and received some in return - so there will be newbies in your wine rack. But are they any good? When should you drink them? Where are they from?

It might feel impolite to check prices, but price is a pretty good start. You see, wine is a product with a direct link between quality and price - within reason! If a wine is made from one grape variety, bottled and sold immediately it’ll probably be cheap. If it’s a blend of several grapes and gets aged in oak barrels for years before sale, it will cost more. But is it better?

Well, if it wasn’t, people would just buy the cheap stuff! Dearer wines survive because generally they’re better. Many German wines grow on steep slopes, so have to be hand-picked; labour is expensive and the climate is ‘marginal’, meaning grapes might not ripen. But when they do the effort is justified.

quality standards - AOC, DOCG etc.

Terms like ‘Reserve’ may indicate wines that are aged to improve quality - though impressive-sounding terms aren’t always valid. ‘Grand Vin’ on a bottle of Bordeaux means … absolutely nothing!

It may mean it’s a chateau’s top wine, but it’s not a legally recognised term.

Ageing wine is often misunderstood.

Most wines should be drunk within a year or two, but there are both reds and whites that will age for a century.

The grape alone means nothing as age-worthy wines require skill and the right ingredients - they are rare and expensive! Wine changes as it ages and usually becomes more complex.

Bordeaux may develop flavours of leather, tobacco and earth, so if

you’re not expecting this you could be unpleasantly surprised! Only ‘lay down’ wine you know will age, and know what to expect.

Place names can confuse. It’s all to do with ‘terroir’ - the growing conditions.

Generally, a wine labelled by country eg ‘Wine of Australia’, will be basic.

A regional name e.g. Chianti, is a step up, and an individual village name is likely to be high quality. In Burgundy, producers may put their name next to the village name. The more specific, the less wine produced and the greater the price! For Johnny English fans, a bottle of Romanee-Conti costs thousands (over £400,000 for a 1945 bottle). Perhaps you should just check those new bottles once more . . .

Dave Anning

The world’s quality-classification systems are too complex for this article, so here are some clues. Ordinary wines usually come in mass-produced bottles as every penny counts - so thicker/ heavier glass often indicates quality.

And consider the label’s quality and printing - is it bare essentials or does it ooze quality? Look for initials indicating

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43

OUTDOORS AND ACTIVE

Out and About with Tavistock Ramblers An easy 4½-mile walk with John Noblet of Tavistock Ramblers, with great views to blow the winter cobwebs away.

The granite quarries around Princetown were a major source of employment up until the 1930s and a few, such as one at Merrivale, continued until the 1990s.

There was a whole community here with houses for workers’ families, a chapel and a school. This walk, mostly on old tramway and railway tracks, visits the two larger quarries whilst enjoying superb views as far as the sea.

Start at the small parking area at the end of the track to Yellowmeade Farm on the Tavistock to Princetown road almost opposite the old pump house building. (SX567750)

1. Walk along the track towards Yellowmeade Farm with views to the west towards the Cornish hills of Bodmin Moor. Soon, you see two conifers rather out of place in this moorland landscape - this was the site of a row of cottages for quarry workers.

The track to a small quarry on the right is still visible.

Pass the entrance to Yellowmeade Farm and the granite sleepers for the old tramway are obvious as the huge waste

tip (known as Big Tip) for Foggintor quarry grows closer. Opposite Big Tip and the remains of the row of cottages is one of the entrances to the quarry.

If you venture in, take heed of the warning sign as the quarry is flooded.

There are remains of more ruined buildings, loading platforms and spoil heaps before reaching another entrance to the quarry workings. The track is sometimes flooded here but only for a short distance.

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OUTDOORS AND ACTIVE

2. On a bend, just after the last spoil tip, bear right on a grassy

path towards Swell Tor. Cross a tramway siding in a cutting and then the former Princetown branch line. Continue ahead before taking the second of two grassy paths on the left (another tramway siding) that contours around Swell Tor. 3. Walk above one small quarry and then bear left on a grassy

path just before a lone hawthorn tree. (However, continue ahead for another 100m to reach a high-level viewpoint where you can look down into Swell Tor quarry. From here there are great views towards Plymouth Sound and the bridges over the Tavy and Tamar rivers). Walk down the hillside to meet a further track which bears right towards a ruined workshop building. Here is the main entrance/exit to the quarry workings.

4. Continue past more ruins and loading platforms to reach

a cutting. There is a good view of the extent of the Foggintor quarry ahead.

5. Turn left at the point where we crossed the line of the old

railway on the way out. Retrace your steps back to the start.

one of the best known relics of the quarries. On the side of the track are a row of huge corbels destined for the widening of London Bridge (the one now in Arizona) in 1903 but never delivered.

Tavistock Ramblers normally walk on Saturdays and Sundays and some Wednesdays. Usually there is variety of walks from short strolls to all-day hikes. However, with the likelihood of continuing Covid 19 restrictions there will possibly be some alterations to the planned programme of walks.

The siding meets the Princetown branch line and goes gently uphill around King’s Tor. Just after a bridge, notice the line of the original horse drawn tramway on the left. The curve was too sharp for the later steam trains but avoided the need to dig

Check the Tavistock Ramblers website at www.tavistockramblers.org.uk for the up-to-date situation and for a selection of local self-guided walks to enjoy.

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LOCAL AUTHORS

A Book of Round Yer - the world starting in Horrabridge Editor Chris Benfield says in his introduction: There have been local histories and memoirs, but not a consumer guide as you might call it. Seemed to us there was a vacancy for a reappraisal of this solid little village, along with a bit of a guide to understanding round yer if you just moved in. At the time we started, everything looked rosy. The Leaping Salmon and the Walkhampton Inn were refurbished and refreshing the night life. The London Inn was settled in to stay the course with its respected local landlord on a new lease. Wildwood Arts was flourishing, on Chapel Lane. The football club was thriving and working on plans for a new clubhouse. All those reasons for optimism are still here but, the only thing that is clear is that it will be some time yet before anything is clear.

Tor, near Princetown, painted by Yelverton artist Shirley Kirkcaldy. Chris Benfield was born in Sidmouth and worked in newspapers for 45 years, ‘on the far northern fringes of the old Fleet Street’, before retiring to Horrabridge, which he knew a little from being a junior reporter on the Tavistock Times in 1969. His wife is from Torbay and they moved ‘home’ seven years ago, after he took redundancy from the Yorkshire Post in Leeds. He ended up publishing a local online newspaper, The Horrabridge Times, which has been published weekly for more than three years and has a couple of hundred regular readers, plus extra visitors amounting to about 1800 readers a month.

And that led into talking with village historians, fishermen and naturalists.

The 70-page collection of essays and pictures includes illustrations by the doyen of the Horrabridge artists community, Robin Armstrong, and by professional photographer Maxwell Law, who also lives locally and blogs as Maxwell Dailypics Law. The picture on the cover of the book is of Bearsdown

Round Yer can be ordered through Horrabridge shops, some local pubs and Book Stop in Tavistock. Mail order can be arranged online through a new store link on the Horrabridge Times website at horrabridgetimes.net/index.php/store-2 (postage £2).

46

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BOOK REVIEW

Book recommendations for winter & spring

By Katya Church of Book Stop, Tavistock

The Thursday Murder Club

By Richard Osman Richard Osman’s bestselling debut novel is an absolute joy to read from start to finish, and the ideal companion for the chilly days and nights still ahead of us. Set in a retirement village in Kent, we are introduced to Elizabeth, Ibrahim, Ron and Joyce - an unlikely group of friends who meet weekly to discuss and attempt to solve cold cases. Their meetings have remained purely in the hypothetical realm until a murder takes place in the village, and the friends spring into action to aid and often surpass the police in their

enquiries. Hilarious, clever and often very touching, The Thursday Murder Club proves Osman to be a wonderful new voice in crime fiction. Penguin, £14.99

More recommended reads from Book Stop: A Promised Land by Barack Obama Baracks presidential memoirs; £35

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig Wonderful new fiction. Which life will Nora choose from the library? £16.99

Entangled Life by Merlin Sheldrake Fascinating read about the secret life of fungi; £20

The Mermaid of Black Conch by Monique Roffey Recently announced Costa Novel Award Winner 2020; £9.99

The Voyage of the Sparrowhawk by Natasha Farrant Recently announced Costa Children’s Winner 2020; £7.99 Guidelines permitting, we will maintain our ‘click and collect’ and mail order service throughout lockdown periods. Call us on 01822 617244, email bookstoptavistock@ gmail.com or order online at uk. bookshop.org/shop/bookstoptavistock

Step into Learning www.steplearning.org.uk

Never too late to learn!

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47

HISTORY

Hallsands: a predictable disaster Hallsands was once a lively fishing village but now lies in ruins.

In the 1890s, Hallsands was a thriving village with 159 people living in 37 owner-occupied houses. The village was perched on the 25ft wave cut fossil platform backed by a cliff, protected from the sea by a wide expanse of shingle beach, where their fishing boats were beached. Tucked in to the east of Start Point, Hallsands was well protected from the prevailing southwesterly winds and storms. There was a grocer/baker, post office and pub – The London Inn. The main occupation was inshore fishing, but dairy products came from local farms, with the butcher visiting from Torcross. Even during storms like ‘The Great Blizzard of 1891’

48

the village suffered little damage, due to the protection of the shingle beach.

All that changed in 1897, when Sir John Jackson was appointed to construct the new Devonport North Dock Yard. He decided to source the shingle needed to make the concrete from the Start Bay area, offshore between Hallsands and Beesands. Dredging commenced immediately, without prior consultation or warning. The first the villagers knew was when the dredger arrived offshore.

They protested vehemently via the Devon Fisheries Committee and to local MP Frank Mildmay, concerned at the loss of their fishing grounds and the protective beach. Sadly, the shoreline landowner Mr Cole had agreed to it, and the area below high-water mark was controlled by the government. Eventually Sir John agreed to pay the village £125 a year for the loss of the fishing, with a further £200 at Christmas. Sir John reassured them the beach would replenish naturally in time. The villagers continued to press for the dredging to be stopped, so Sir John appointed Captain Vereker to investigate - a report was made to the Board of Trade which has, suspiciously, since been lost. In all 60,000 tons of shingle was removed.

On New Year’s Day 1902, the frustrated fishermen surrounded the dredger - eight days later the licence was withdrawn and dredging ceased.

However, it was too late to prevent disaster. Southeasterly storms in February 1903 and the winter of 1903/1904 washed over the village, destroying several houses and causing much damage. An area in front of The London Inn became a huge water-filled void. Luckily there were no fatalities but much work was needed to repair the houses and some villagers were left homeless. Besides Frank Mildmay and Mr H Ford of the Devon Fisheries committee, the villagers enlisted the help of Plymouth engineer and geologist Richard Hansford Worth to construct new sea walls. Hansford Worth made a detailed study of the whole area.

By analysing the shingle from the beach, he demonstrated it would never replenish as it was a ‘fossil’ beach from interglacial periods. To demonstrate how great the loss was, he used before and after photographs. Eventually some compensation was paid by the government. The greatest help to the villagers was a fund set up by the Western Morning News. This enabled the building of four new homes on the cliffs near the coastguard cottages. For some years, life returned to pretty much normal for the villagers, although the beach was much lower and narrower than it had been before the dredging.

On 26th January 1917 there was another violent southeasterly storm, which, although Hansford Worth’s wall held,

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HISTORY

overtopped the houses. With water pouring down their chimneys, and doors and windows caving in, many thought they would die. Some managed to escape via the rear of their houses and scramble up the cliff to safety. This time, only the Prettijohn family house, highest up the path out of the village, remained intact. Again, amazingly, no one died, but most were homeless; and their way of life was destroyed along with their homes. Help continued to come from Frank Mildmay, Mr Ford of Devon Fisheries, R Hansford Worth, and the Western Morning News, who again set up an appeal for funds.

The authorities dragged their feet over funding and building the promised Fordworth Cottages in North Hallsands.

Eventually, they were ready for occupation in 1923 but were to remain in the ownership of the local council, so the villagers had to pay rent. This was not a good outcome, as the villagers had all owned their houses. In the six years they had waited, many lived in the ruined village or doubled up with friends and relatives. The three Trout sisters were more enterprising, and built a hotel on the cliffs, which opened to guests in 1925. The last of the sisters died in 1975, when it was sold and became holiday flats. Until their deaths in the 1960s the Prettijohn siblings lived in the last remaining house in the old village. It too became a holiday home.

Since the loss of the village, the sea has continued to erode the coastline.

Little shingle remains in the immediate vicinity of the old village, and at Greenstraight it continues to be eroded.

The road at Greenstraight was also destroyed by storms in 2014. Without the protection of the beach the cliffs are rapidly eroding, with the area in front of the Trout Hotel badly affected. A large landslip in 2012 made the old viewing platform unsafe and undermined the outhouse of the old Prettijohn house.

Years ago, the path to the old village was declared unsafe and the South West Coast Path route has been moved

See our community website www.dartmoorlinks.co.uk

further inland. With coastal erosion it seems likely the cliff-top buildings will fall into the sea. This sorry tale of coastal mismanagement arose because, for economic reasons, Sir John Jackson used dredged shingle for the concrete rather than gravel from pits. Nowadays we are better informed and understand the impact of beach loss and climate change, but once again, Hallsands may be sacrificed for financial reasons if the money required to halt the erosion is not forthcoming.

Ursula Myers

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To make sure your business is featured in the next issue of Moor Links magazine, call us today on 07450 161 929 or email tim.randell@linksmagazines.co.uk 53

Quick decisions can be the best decisions!

First day house hunting and we found our new home. Marc and Chloe Williams, both 32, and a local couple from Tavistock found their dream home within the first day of their house hunting journey! The couple, along with their children and pet dog Vinnie moved into The Burrows last year and since then they have made it very much their home. Here is their story: Our house hunting experience was a quick one! On the first day of house hunting, The Burrows was just the second development we visited. And that was it, we fell in love with our house and within a week we had paid our deposit! We have both lived in Tavistock all our lives and know the area well. For us, we really wanted to move out of the main town but stay within a short distance of our families. Buying a house in Tavistock can be expensive, so moving out of town was more of an affordable option for us. Marc’s commute to work took him past The Burrows development. We kept an eye on how the site was shaping up and as soon as we could, we went to take a look. From our experience looking at new-build homes, we found that for the price, you got a lot more as standard in the specification, appliances, turfing and flooring compared to many developers; this was perfect.

From our first visit, to signing the reservation paperwork and moving in, throughout the whole process we were reassured and made to feel important - nothing was too much trouble and we felt valued. The service from the Harrington Homes team was brilliant; we cannot fault it. Even when we turned up unannounced, they always spent time with us and made everything so exciting! We love how quiet it is during the evening and how much community spirit there is here. The house really fits in with the look of the village. Would we recommend Harrington Homes – yes! And we did and it resulted in another house on the same development being sold.

The Burrows is home to 19 beautiful new homes, ranging from 2, 3 and 4 bedrooms and is located in the village of Mary Tavy.

The development is proving popular with homebuyers. There are a limited amount of homes for sale, so if you are looking to move don’t hesitate to book your appointment to view today.

Prices from £135,000 to £449,500. Ask for details on Help to Buy, which is available to help you make your move sooner.

Contact Kirby Estate Agents in Tavistock for a viewing on 01822 612010.

Secure your financial future with Charles Stanley Plymouth Whatever life stage you are in, now is the time to ensure you have the right plans in place to secure your financial future.

With a presence in Plymouth since 1997, our team of highly qualified investment managers are ready to build you a tailored investment portfolio that continues to work hard as your priorities change.

Book your free consultation today 01752 545 969 | www.charles-stanley.co.uk/plymouth-office The value of investments can fall as well as rise. Investors may get back less than invested.

Charles Stanley & Co. Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

54

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ome Yo ur H

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cdl

ur Y g o AR atin RS ebr IVE Cel NN A TH 10

Tavistock Bathrooms & Tiles

Amanda & James invite you to their showroom OVER 50 BATHROOM SETTINGS TO INSPIRE YOU We would like to thank all our customers past, present and future for their support

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BATHROOMS & TILES By amanda - james