Oke Links Magazine May/June 2019 by Links Magazines

May/June 2019 | Issue 15

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From harps to horns - it’s music all the way Welcome to the May/June edition of Oke Links - a jam-packed issue which celebrates the delights of music in all its diverse forms.

The deadline date for any inclusions in the July/August issue of Oke Links will be June 7th 2019.

It was a pleasure to meet international harpist Elizabeth-Jane Baldry, whose passion for her instrument is truly a joy. Collector extraordinaire Ian Hayes is a fascinating man who has developed an encyclopaedic knowledge of handbells and an Aladdin’s cave full of mechanical music treasures - while Bev Hilton’s love of Morris dancing and shanty singing is an example of how traditional music can provide comradeship and good old fashioned fun!

Okehampton Music Centre, the subject of this edition’s feature, is doing amazing work in introducing children to the pleasure of playing instruments, many of them termed ‘endangered’ and a bit different, like French horn or tuba. The young people who attend the centre have had the opportunity to play with professional For all editorial enquiries orchestras - and gained immeasurably in social terms as well as musical skills. please contact me via email at: jane.honey@ linksmagazines.co.uk or 07971 917071. THE LINKS TEAM: Publisher: Tim Randell Editor: Jane Honey Design: Sara Venner and Julian Rees Customer Services: Rachel Rees Advertising: Jane Daniel, Olivia Breyley, Joanne Mallard

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And on page 20, you can read how Wren Music, formed more than 35 years ago by folk aficionados Marilyn Tucker and Paul Wilson, is still going strong, building an appreciation of our cultural heritage amongst young and old alike. Early summer sees a huge variety of events taking place throughout the area there’s Okehampton’s Festival of Food and Music, Bluebell Sunday at the town’s historic castle, the Spring Woodland Festival at East Dartmoor Nature Reserve and Moreton Music Day in Moretonhampstead to name but a few - take a look through our What’s On Listings and What’s On Extra - you’ll be amazed at how much is going on! If you’re feeling lucky, turn to page 51 to be in with a chance of winning tickets for Chagstock - the music extravaganza that began life in a back garden and has grown to become known as ‘the best little festival in the South West’. With so much to look forward to in the next few months, let’s hope the weather plays ball - I hope you enjoy a great English spring in our beautiful part of the world! Please contact me with your events and news via email at: jane.honey@ linksmagazines.co.uk or call 07971 917071.

Jane ,

Jane Honey - Editor

9 Contents 5 NOTICEBOARD 12 LOCAL PEOPLE 17 SPORT 18 EDUCATION 20 CHARITY 23 HEALTH 26 GARDENING

20 60

16 29 FARMING 31 FINANCE 32 FOOD & MUSIC FESTIVAL 35 WHAT’S ON LISTINGS 43 WHAT’S ON EXTRA 51 CHAGSTOCK COMPETITION

52 MUSIC AND ART 58 FEATURE 60 WALKS WITH WINNIE 62 FOOD & DRINK 66 HISTORY 70 TRADE SECRETS

Delivered by the Royal Mail to the following towns and villagers: Okehampton • Moretonhampstead • Chagford • Chichacott • Stockley • Belstone • Bondleigh • North Tawton • Sampford Courtenay • Taw Green • Sticklepath • South Zeal • Throwleigh • Wonson • Lydford • Lewdown • Bridestowe • Gidleigh • North Bovey • Sourton • Meldon • Boasley Cross • Bratton Clovelly • Portgate • Lewtrenchard Front Cover image courtesy of Tom Wallis - Tavistock Camera Club.

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Calling all rural business women! Do you work on your own? Would you like to network with like-minded businesswomen? Are you looking for support and collaboration? Would you like to exercise more but don’t have time? A new networking group for rural businesswomen will take place on the third Friday of every month at Sourton Village Hall. The Walk & Talk Network is the brainchild of Chris Heron from Time Well Spent www.time-well-spent.co.uk. Chris works with women business owners and found that many of them felt isolated working and living in a rural area. Networking in the cities of Plymouth and Exeter is very time consuming and therefore a network closer to home is needed. Chris said there would be a quick one-minute introduction from each businesswoman attending the meetings - women can then choose who they wanted to connect with while walking.

Once on the move, they can speak with a different person every five minutes or so. Refreshments will be provided after the walk, when networking can continue. Remember to bring business cards and suitable clothing! The first meeting will take place on May 17th between noon and 2pm. The cost of each meeting/walk is £5, to include tea, coffee and biscuits. Meetings for the rest of the year will be on June 21st; July 19th; September 20th; October 18th; November 15th and December 20th. In case of bad weather, the meeting will remain in the hall. To book visit Eventbrite or email chris@time-well-spent.co.uk

Bernard’s Acre Mattress Appeal A small West Devon charity is appealing for support from the public to help finish a three-year refurbishment programme. Bernard’s Acre offers families, walking, church or youth groups self-catering chalet-style accommodation near Belstone. Less than ten minutes from the A30, yet at the foot of some of the highest and wildest parts of Dartmoor, Bernard’s Acre has an unrivalled setting. The centre accommodates up to 24 in six bedrooms with the option of three group camping pitches, and a hook-up for a campervan. Groups use it for many different purposes – some needing somewhere where lively young people can let off steam and learn something at the same time, extended families looking for joint holidays or celebration venues, artists looking for landscape or nature subjects, adult groups looking for team building or outward bound activities, and some just looking for a quiet and beautiful place to rest and relax.

A spokesperson for the charity said: ‘We are just coming to the end of a complete refurbishment programme. Our aim remains to keep the charges affordable for our guests, many of whom come back year after year. To this end we provide a mattress and pillow on each bed intended for use with guests’ own bedding or sleeping bag. ‘We have had good use out of our navy blue mattresses over the years, but new legislation means the time has come to replace them as soon as we possibly can.’ The mattresses cost £100 each so the charity needs to raise £2,000 in total. So far, the mattress appeal has raised £1,500, so they have nearly reached their target. If you can help please go to https://mydonate.bt.com/events/ bernards-acre-mattresses/479719. For more information about Bernard’s Acre and its work visit www.bernardsacre.org.uk and follow the blog from there or on Facebook.

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NOTICEBOARD

Helping bees this summer We can encourage insects by including pollen and nectar producing plants in our gardening regime. This spring I sowed a wildflower mix in one area of the garden, producing a wide variety of blooms to nourish pollinators. National Bee Supplies at Okehampton recently joined Suttons Seeds and the store now also sells bee-friendly plants and seeds. Lavender is a great favourite with bumblebees. Cat-mint also attracts butterflies. Borage, a self-seeding annual is very popular with honeybees. May into early June is the prime season for honeybees to swarm. Swarms on the move in a great brown cloud or settling in a buzzing cluster in your garden are a slightly alarming sight, but bees in a swarm are rarely aggressive and unlikely to harm you. Swarming is part of their reproduction so is very natural. The swarming bees are not at all interested in you. They are on their way to a new home. Before they left their old one, they gorged themselves on nectar to prepare for the journey ahead, so are generally full up and contented. If a swarm arrives in your garden, contact your local branch of Devon Beekeepers. They will put you in touch with Swarm Liaison and a beekeeper will visit you to assess and ideally shake the swarm into a suitable container. This will be left in position until evening to collect the stragglers and is then taken away so the bees can be introduced to a new beehive.

There is sadly a new threat to our native insects. The Asian Hornet was inadvertently released in southern France in 2005 and has since spread throughout France and beyond. There have been nearly a dozen instances of nests being discovered and destroyed on the UK mainland during the past couple of years. Although these were found and killed before they could raise next year’s queens at season’s end, we suspect some were undiscovered and we are expecting problems this year. The Asian Hornet is about 2cm - 2.5 cm long with a dark abdomen with one orange/yellow band. The head is black with an orange/yellow face and the lower sections of the legs are yellow. They are not just a threat to honeybees but predate on a wide variety of native insects, butterflies, bumblebees, moths and dragonflies. If you see an Asian Hornet, try to photograph it and send it to the Non Native Species Secretariat.

For more information on Asian Hornet identification and to report sightings go to www.bbka.org.uk/Pages/FAQs/ Category/asian-hornet-faqs Will Pyne Devon Beekeepers’ Association Okehampton Branch

The Asian Hornet has a dark abdomen with one orange/yellow band - the lower sections of the legs are yellow. Image courtesy of The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), Crown Copyright

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Could you be a community champion? NEDCare – the not-for-profit care agency for North East Dartmoor - is looking for volunteer ‘community champions’ in towns and villages across the area. Director Julia Darby said: ‘We were established entirely on donations from our local communities and we want to continue to make sure that people have ways that they can get involved and support our work. We are looking for people who can help us to connect more closely with local communities across North East Dartmoor.

‘Community Champions could be doing things like helping with coffee mornings and events, helping us to connect with local groups, helping us to make sure that our leaflets and posters on village notice boards are up to date and recommending us to potential carers or clients - it’s a varied role and can include as much or as little as suits our volunteers.’ Anyone can apply to become a Community Champion for NEDCare, which has a ‘Good’ rating from the Care Quality Commission.

Locations where NEDCare Community Champions are needed include the Teign Valley (including Bridford and Christow), Lustleigh, Manaton, North Bovey, Chagford, Moretonhampstead, Whiddon Down, and Spreyton. To apply or to find out more, get in touch via email info@nedcare.org or call 01647 279211.

Moor Well Being This is an exciting new initiative for both the Moretonhampstead and Chagford communities. A weekly by donation community support group for anyone who would like to enjoy more social interaction, get healthier physically, mentally and emotionally, explore empowering mind sets, reduce stress and become involved in enjoyable activities. Whatever your age this group is for you to get reconnected to your inner strength, resilience and a joyful life.

Gwen, who founded the group, said: ‘I think it is important and beneficial to interact with other age groups for learning, evolving, enlivening, caring and providing a sense of belonging, meaning and contributing. I welcome anyone who is interested, those who feel fine or lonely, a sense

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of loss or abundance, isolated or in the midst of things, overwhelmed or relaxed, unwell or healthy, directionless or on target, without a purpose or on a mission, and anything in between.’ The goal of the Moor Well Being groups is to offer emotional, mental, physical and spiritual support and development in a caring, warm and relaxed atmosphere, building inner strength and resilience. You can join either the Chagford or the Moretonhampstead group. Please contact Gwen for times and location or any questions by email welcome@ inherentwellbeing.co.uk or phone 07394 889 3. 7

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Chagford Conservation Group The group was formed about 18 years ago as a result of a campaign by the Keep Britain Tidy group. Two or three Chagford persons managed to gather about 35 volunteers for a litter clearance and general town tidyup. Scouts, guides and the local National Park ranger were involved and it was decided to try and form a conservation group on the lines of Sticklepath and Okehampton group (STOC). One of our members had already been assisting this group on their regular Friday meetings. Their chairman was asked to do a presentation in Chagford, as a result of which CCG was formed with about ten members. We of course at this stage had no tools or money, just enthusiasm! We did, however, manage to obtain a grant for ÂŁ400 from a charity. We were up and running! At first with low numbers, the amount of work we could undertake was limited but we met every fortnight on a Wednesday, working from 9.30am until about 2.30pm with a picnic lunch. Storage for our tools was given to us and new volunteers soon appeared. The National Park and National Trust rangers were able to guide us with much of our work.

Footpaths were cleared and invasive plants tackled like Himalayan Balsam, Japanese Knotweed and Rhododendron. We built an otter holt and did some charcoal burning. Other tasks were tackled like clearing gorse for butterfly habitat, hedgelaying, drainage and footpath repair and clearance of scrub around stone circles - in fact, we began to have fun! We always finished up each work day with some refreshment in a local hostelry - a team-bonding exercise! We normally have about 15 members out on a project, including several lady members and we work from 9.30am until around 12.30pm on alternate Wednesdays. If you are interested in helping, please phone me, Mike Palmer 01647 433464. You will receive a warm welcome. Mike Palmer, Chagford Conservation Group

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NOTICEBOARD

Cancer services in Okehampton all under one roof Wednesdays between 10am and 4pm to provide support and counselling, complementary therapies and information.

Services provided by FORCE Cancer Charity in Okehampton now have a new base at the town’s hospital. Since June 2014, the charity has offered support for anyone affected by cancer in West Devon at Castle Ham Lodge every Wednesday. In February 2018, FORCE also began funding the delivery of chemotherapy once a week at Okehampton Hospital. From April 3, all services funded by the charity in the town moved from Castle Ham to run alongside chemotherapy sessions at the hospital. Meriel Fishwick, FORCE chief executive, said: ‘Castle Ham Lodge provided a lovely setting for our services but we know there are greater benefits in having the support services and chemotherapy under one roof. Our thanks to Castle Ham Lodge for being such great hosts for nearly five years.’ A team of professional staff and volunteers will be at the hospital on

They will be working alongside specialist nurses from the Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital who administer some of the more straightforward chemotherapy treatments to patients, saving them the journey to Wonford whenever possible. The move to the hospital was overseen by Ali Newcombe, the new FORCE outreach co-ordinator. She loves the new challenges that her job with FORCE brings, seeing first-hand how important providing support closer to home can be to local people affected by cancer. ‘I believe that the friendly, face-to-face support, together with the convenience of locality offered by FORCE helps patients and their families feel more in control of what could be a very challenging and difficult time,’ said Ali. FORCE offers all support free of charge. The charity’s commitment to making its services available to as many people affected by cancer in Devon as possible was reinforced after its board of trustees has agreed to another three years of funding. They have committed to raise nearly £200,000 to pay for two specialist nurses to run chemo services in Okehampton, Tiverton and Honiton.

New

In 2018 there were 1,037 visits to FORCE in Okehampton, where the team delivered 149 complementary therapy sessions, 157 counselling appointments and led 107 people on walking group outings. FORCE is grateful to the RD&E NHS Foundation Trust, Devon Partnership Trust and Okehampton Hospital for helping them to bring all their services together in one place.

Thanks from Lions Okehampton and District Lions Club would like to thank the people of Okehampton for supporting the Big Breakfast on March 16th in the Charter Hall, which raised over £1,050 for FORCE. More than 250 breakfasts of various types were served plus endless teas and coffees. The giant Easter Egg was won by a lady from Bow. At the event, Lions Club president Lion Martin Jewell handed over a cheque for £500 to Steve Bolt. The money is towards the cost of maintaining the Christmas lights in the town each year.

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NOTICEBOARD

Unfair dismissal? I’m 3 months pregnant and just showing. Last week I thought I’d sit down with my manager and let them know before any speculation could take place. My manager was really happy for me, but this week I’ve been pulled aside and told they’re letting me go due to poor performance. I’ve worked here for two years and never had any negative feedback - could they be sacking me just for being pregnant? Is this legal? It doesn’t matter how long you’ve been working for your employer, being fired because of pregnancy, or pregnancyrelated issues, is automatically classed as unfair dismissal. Although your employer said you were being sacked for poor performance,

you’re right to be suspicious as this only came to light after you told your manager about your pregnancy. If your employer says your dismissal has nothing to do with you having a baby, you need to prove it was. Ask your employer to send you written reasons for your dismissal. As you have been employed for two years, your employer can only dismiss you for specified fair reasons, such as gross misconduct or persistent poor performance. Except in the most serious cases of gross misconduct, your employer will be expected to follow a fair process and show the dismissal was for a fair reason. If you want to challenge the dismissal, you can take your case to an employment tribunal. You should first

raise a grievance with your employer and contact the Advisory Conciliation and Arbitration Service about Early Conciliation. Be sure to act quickly as time limits in employment tribunals are short. To prepare for the tribunal, gather as much evidence as possible. This includes emails with your employer about your pregnancy, previous performance appraisals, and correspondence about you being dismissed. The new Citizens Advice Discrimination Toolkit, found on their website, can help you with this. For up-to-date advice, visit www. citizensadvice.org.uk or call Adviceline on 03444 111 444. Alternatively visit Okehampton Citizens Advice (Ockment Centre) Tuesdays & Wednesdays, 10am4pm and Friday 10am-1pm.

Gearing up for summer May tends to be a really busy time on the moor with two bank holiday weekends, half term and Dartmoor’s biggest organised event, the Ten Tors. Youngsters from all over the South West have been training hard, in often wet and difficult conditions, since the beginning of the year in anticipation of tackling the 35, 45, 55 mile routes and the Jubilee Challenge. Organised and monitored by the military, this year’s event will be on the weekend of May 11th and 12th.

With the moor getting busier now seems like a good time to remind everyone of our Love Moor Life – The Ranger Code campaign which focusses on six key points to remember: • Keep your dog on a lead • Close gates • Camping: Use a recognised campsite • Bag up litter and take home • Share roads and bridleways • Don’t feed the ponies

This time of year is important for ground nesting birds and in order to help rare bird species like Snipe and Lapwing, it’s important to keep your dog under close control and not let it run through the grasses and heather where the nests may be disturbed. I hope everyone manages to get out and enjoy Dartmoor’s special qualities and of course the better weather! Simon Lee, Ranger Team Manager Dartmoor National Park

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LOCAL PEOPLE

Elizabeth-Jane Baldry Telling stories through music and film Music runs through Elizabeth-Jane Baldry’s veins like Brighton through a stick of rock. A harpist with a love of fairies, folklore and home-made marmalade, she ‘absolutely fell in love’ with Devon after studying at Exeter University and has lived in Chagford full time, when not globe trotting to concerts, recitals and festivals, for some 15 years. Sat in her book-lined living room, she recalled she wanted to play the harp from a very early age: ‘I remember saying to my Mum when I was about three: “If only I could play the harp!” ‘If you look around there are images of harps everywhere, from church windows, in fairy tales, to Christmas cards - it’s quite a strong image in our culture - but that sound, it does something to my heart, I just love it.’ After university, Elizabeth-Jane was determined to become a professional

musician, forging a path in an industry she believes is still ageist and sexist. ‘To start with there were a few years of cabbage soup, you just have to be prepared to live quietly,’ said ElizabethJane. ‘Many of my fellow musicians from college slowly gave up on their dreams - it’s a tough life, you are often away, you work evenings and weekends, but I’ve stuck with it and I feel I am incredibly lucky to be where I am now. Elizabeth-Jane has worked with groups, orchestras and as an individual all over the world, not only playing the harp but composing and arranging original pieces. She also teaches three evenings a week locally. One of the assignments she enjoys most is playing the harp as an accompaniment to silent film. She is the only harpist in the world doing this kind of work - something she finds fascinating, sometimes challenging, but always inspiring.

‘When you watch these films, what you are seeing is real, not like the digitised productions we are used to now,’ she said. ‘Everything you see is actually happening, which makes it quite exciting. It was a huge industry in the 1920s and they made some absolute masterpieces. ‘Also, you are seeing landscapes as they were 100 years ago. I’ve just come back from Nuremberg where I played for this incredible film shot in 1919 in Northern France, in the aftermath of the First World War. It’s probably some of the finest footage of what the world looked like then; scenes of cities where the cathedrals were boarded up, people trying to survive, camping out in city squares that are now tourist hotspots where people sit and drink coffee. The social history is amazing.’

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LOCAL PEOPLE

She said she can’t imagine a life without music: ‘Even on a day I don’t practise, I play for fun. There’s something in me that needs to feel that sound vibrating through me as I play.’

AMBER & MALLOW Generally Elizabeth-Jane will be given a synopsis of a film in advance so she can compose music to match the pictures - but occasionally it can be a case of making it up as she goes along, which, as she admits, at a live performance can be unnerving! A history lover, she has been privileged to play recitals in some amazing buildings, from ancient churches to historic country houses. She intersperses her performance with anecdotes and stories about the composers or the music she is playing in an effort to provide a night out to remember. When composing, she is inspired by visual images, particularly when it comes to her silent film work, but sometimes inspiration comes from the unexpected. Stuck while working on a saxophone and harp duet, she explained how walking through the site of an ancient Civil War battlefield provided the ideas she was striving for. ‘There was beautiful wood sorrel in this old place where hundreds of young men lost their lives for no conclusive victory. The loss and dreaminess of those woods in spring somehow matched the sadness

of the harp and the slightly militant tone of the saxophone,’ she said. Alongside her interest in history, Elizabeth-Jane is passionate about English folklore - all manner of quirky and mystical facts can be learned each day at 4pm on her Old Weird Britain Twitter feed. Folklore is also at the root of Chagford Filmmaking Group, founded by ElizabethJane in 2004 and through which nine films have been produced, shot locally and involving local children and actors, all accompanied by music she has composed herself. Not surprisingly for a creative person, she loves to cook - her annual marmalade making sessions in February have become a family tradition. Another of her passions is trees - she has her own small piece of woodland near Chagford, to where she escapes nearly every day and where she keeps bees. ‘Caring for my trees is a really big thing for me. A lot of my life is all high heels and lipstick, so it’s wonderful to muck about in nature and talk to my trees,’ she said.

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LOCAL PEOPLE

Bev Hilton Singer, dancer and sailor As a career soldier with the British Army, I bet Bev Hilton never imagined that one day he would spend many hours of his retirement singing sea shanties and dancing with a Morris side. Coming from a services family, Bev joined the forces in 1964, doing his training at Catterick with the Royal Tank Regiment. During his military life, he travelled extensively, serving in Germany, Canada and Libya and finishing his career with a retired officer’s position at Lulworth, around the time of the first Iraq War. But both he and his wife Jo, a midwife at Poole Hospital at the time, felt the time had come for change - they took early retirement and set off, quite bravely some would say, on the trip of a lifetime in their 36’ yacht, sailing for some eight years around the globe. ‘It was a big decision, but we’ve never regretted it,’ said Bev. ‘We met some amazing people and learned some great life skills.

‘We basically followed the coast down to Gibraltar and on to the Canary Islands. We stayed there a year and decided to cross the Atlantic. We had a fantastic crossing, we had no trouble at all, we just kept heading west, the wind was lovely, we travelled along at a sensible rate and it was fine - yet we met people later who had travelled just after us and they’d had a dreadful journey - we were lucky! ‘We did the whole of the Caribbean, all the islands like the Windward and Leeward, Trinidad, went to Venezuela for the hurricane season, then all the way up the American coast to Chesapeake.’

The couple have many happy memories of their sailing days, but one in particular sticks in Bev’s mind, when they were finally on their way home. ‘We could see the lights on Scilly but by the time we got to the Lizard, there was

thick fog. The only way we knew we were close to the UK was that we could smell new mown grass or hay - I hadn’t smelled that in all the time we’d been away. It was the most amazing thing and it’s something I will always remember.’ Bev and Jo’s sailing adventures ended when they came to South Zeal in 2000 to care for her elderly parents - it was almost like coming home for Bev too, as his mum had lived at Sampford Courtenay when he was a teenager and he actually met Jo in South Zeal’s Victory Hall.

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LOCAL PEOPLE

South Zeal, at least 22 miles from the sea, might seem an odd base for a shanty group, but the village is actually on the ancient Mariner’s Way, an old route used by sailors travelling between the ports of Dartmouth and Bideford. He joined the Tinner’s Morris side about 12 years ago and derives huge enjoyment from this most traditional of dancing styles. ‘It takes up quite a bit of my time but I’ve loved every minute of it,’ said Bev, who explained how his other great hobby started. A fellow sailor had been asked to host the annual dinner of the local branch of the Cruising Association and instead of the normal, somewhat highbrow musical entertainment, he asked folk expert

Bill Murray to come up with something different. Mariner’s Away, the singers of sea shanties, was born! Bev said: ‘We did this party for Mike and we all enjoyed it so much we said “Can we do it again?!” ‘Shanty singing has really taken off since the Fishermens’ Friends became famous. When we first went down to Falmouth for the sea shanty festival there were about 20 groups - last year there were 67.’

Mariner’s Away practise every Thursday evening in the King’s Arms - there are about 14 singers in all, each one having a selection of songs in which they take the lead role, backed up by the enthusiastic chorus singing of the other members. As Bev said, once you have a good bunch of guys behind you, nerves at singing alone soon vanish. ‘We just love doing it, we really do,’ he grinned. Jane Honey

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LOCAL PEOPLE

Ian Hayes A collector extraordinaire! Ian Hayes is probably the first to admit he’s a bit of a hoarder, not too keen on throwing anything away - it could come in useful after all . . . That’s why he’s ended up with an astonishing collection of around 800 handbells, ranging from a set of rare Chinese models some 2,000 years old, to one of the largest sets of American Deagon tap bells in the world. And when it comes to mechanical music, there are just as many incredible finds in his Okehampton home, from an antique symphonium to horn gramophones and phonographs - even an instrument that allegedly once belonged to one of the Brink’s-Mat bullion robbers! Ian, originally a motor mechanic from the London area, first became interested in handbells when he lived at Mells, near Frome in Somerset. Having volunteered to wind the local church clock every day, he became involved in a new tower band and decided to branch out into handbells after being invited to attend a ringing rally by a friend. ‘I thought it was brilliant!’ said Ian. ‘I acquired a set of handbells and started a town ringing group - Mells Bells.’ Inspired by his new hobby, he began doing work for the famous Whitechapel Foundry, casting bronze bells and learning how to tune them. The more he learned about handbell ringing history, the greater his collection grew, as he purchased bells from all over the world. ‘The Chinese ones came from the Zhong Dynasty unbelievably they are more sophisticated than the bells we have today, which basically have one note,’ Ian explained. ‘My Chinese ones are so elaborate you can actually strike them in two different places and get two different notes.’ Ian owns sets of bells originating from Switzerland, Holland, America - even Pakistan - and his knowledge on his subject is positively encyclopaedic. He also has piles of handbell music books, comprising pages and pages of spidery ink copperplate handwriting, dating back to the mid 19th century. ‘They were all written by hand in those days,’ explained Ian, who has exhibited his bell collection all over the country.

Having moved to Okehampton in 1988, Ian set up a handbell ringing group in the town which has been running ever since. Two members, John and Jane Willis, became so enthused by their hobby they were recently awarded British Empire Medals in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours list for services to handbell ringing. Recently, Ian has diversified musically, starting a new group called Pan-Tastic. Ian said: ‘I’ve always been interested in steel bands - they were started in Trinidad and Tobago in the 1960s. There were lots of old oil drums around after the war and they found by carefully shaping them they could get 19 or more notes from the top of each drum pan. ‘I bought an old set, had them re-tuned and my partner and I played them at a handbell event. It went so well I wanted to start a larger group - I’ve now bought more pans and we are looking for more people to join. We rehearse in the Table Tennis Club in Castle Road every Monday - it would be lovely to see some new faces!’ While he loves to make music, his feels his talents veer more to the practical - in repairing, restoring and tuning. Having worked as a mechanical and marine engineer - he was involved in the ill-fated Spirit of Teignmouth boat project - it shouldn’t have been a surprise to hear that he also collects old motor homes, saving them from dereliction and re-building them - he has six so far! Ian said he has learned a huge amount thanks to his handbell hobby - more than that, he has got to know so many fellow enthusiasts. ‘I’ve made friends all over the country, which is quite wonderful,’ he said. Anyone interested in joining Pan-Tastic or The All Fours handbell group should call Ian Hayes on 07810 301155. Jane Honey

SPORTS CLUB NEWS

Club going from strength to strength In 2017, thanks to many years of fundraising and physical effort by club members and non-club members alike, North Tawton Bowling Club was able to open its brand new club house. The original club was formed in 1955 in the grounds of the old rectory gardens. Following the annual meeting in November, John Kinsey was voted chairman and the first lady ever as overall club captain is Jan Summers. At the meeting, special mention was made of the club’s pub fun day, which raised a huge amount. The surprise of the evening was the award of life membership to Robert and Margaret Arscott. This was for all their hard work over many years. The coffee morning in the town hall plus quiz evening in the club raised the combined total of £1,000. This will help towards the spending of approximately £4,500 on the green, mainly on drainage, edging and seeding, plus a new mower and work parties. The club dinner, held in the new club house, was well attended and successful - with no long speeches! Indoor short mat continues to go forward with club days on Tuesdays at 2pm and Thursdays at 7.30pm. We have two teams in the league now.

The green opened for the summer season on April 20 club nights will be held every Monday evening from 5.30pm - new and old members welcome. Since the opening of the new club house, North Tawton Bowling Club has experienced a new lease of life with enthusiasm on and off the green. Hopefully this will transfer to all our teams in their leagues this year. We also feel we have a new rapport with North Tawton itself, with many outside functions taking advantage of our new facilities with bar and pleasant surroundings and ample parking. For more information go to www.northtawtonbc.btck.co.uk Mike Thwaites, President

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SCHOOL SPOTLIGHT EDUCATION

Small schools with big expectations They are miles apart - but have much in common Lydford Primary School and Black Torrington Church of England Primary are delighted to be part of The Dartmoor Multi Academy Trust (DMAT), a trust consisting of three secondary and 13 primary schools. Both schools are also proud members of The Dartmoor Teaching School Alliance (DTSA), one of the largest teaching school alliances in the South West.

Situated at opposite ends of the trust’s geographical area, Lydford Primary and Black Torrington Church of England Primary are small schools with big expectations, committed to collaborating across the larger group of schools. The DMAT mission statement runs through all the rural primaries - to provide the highest possible quality of education for all local children, in order to ensure pupils form all backgrounds are able to succeed. Our schools engage in Trust-wide staff training and development as well as sharing resources and ideas for improving teaching and learning. The children at both schools benefit hugely from this co-operative work, particularly as we prepare our older pupils for their transition to Okehampton and Holsworthy Community College.

Lydford Gorge as part of The National Trust’s Guardianship Scheme. This includes monthly trips to the gorge by Class 2 and regular trips by Class 1 to enrich their learning. School staff and stewards at the gorge work together to plan a range of activities for the children; including conservation work, art activities and geography fieldwork. When children move on from Lydford Primary School, they are often complimented on their independence, resilience and fantastic attitude to learning as a direct impact of this local collaboration. At Lydford, every child is able to access enriching experiences – recently we had an inspiring trip to the Eden Project based on the rainforest and Fairtrade and a cultural visit from Daya, offering immersion in Islam culture. Enrichment helps develop pupils’ character, resilience and motivation. Sporting events and outdoor learning can have a positive impact on attainment. Our on-site forest school sessions are proving to do just this. The area is currently under development and the children have a say in how their space will take shape, investing in their ideas and allowing them to be masters of their own space. Our close relationship with other DMAT primaries ensures collaboration to provide what might otherwise be unachievable. Residential trips, competitive sporting events and festivals, after school clubs, school council conferences are but a few of the opportunities open to our pupils.

Lydford Primary is a small, rural school, nestled in the heart of the village on the edge of the Dartmoor National Park. Children receive high quality teaching and learning tailored to their individual needs by staff who truly care about their welfare, safety, progress and achievement. The school is frequently praised for its friendly, welcoming, family atmosphere. The school has the unique privilege to have a partnership with 18

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SCHOOL EDUCATION SPOTLIGHT

Black Torrington Church of England Primary School is a small, village school dating back to 1894. We seek to help every child to achieve their full potential and to foster a respect for other people, their cultures and beliefs. Our philosophy is underpinned by our school motto, thought up by one of the children - ‘A small school with a big heart’ - as well as Christian values of co-operation, respect, achievement, friendship and trust. At Black Torrington we pride ourselves on our family feel and sense of community. We have close links with the church and enjoy weekly assemblies from the wonderful church volunteers as well as services in St Mary’s to mark important festivals throughout the year. We work hard to ensure the children benefit from a range of curriculum enrichment and exciting opportunities to bring learning alive and give the children experiences they can remember. These experiences span the whole curriculum, for example, Year 6 writing days where all Year 6 children from our Holsworthy Cluster including Bradford and Bridgerule come together for themed writing days, specialist PE and dance lessons, science days and ‘Wild Tribe’ learning. We have a dedicated and supportive PTFA group who regularly fundraise and then provide fantastic opportunities for classes or all of the school! We have been able to take all of the children to Clip and Climb in Exeter, pay for a multi-

cultural day and more recently Class 1 spent the whole day having a Forest School Experience in nearby Cookworthy Forest. Since joining the Dartmoor Multi Academy Trust, we have been able to benefit from the support and opportunities that come with being part of a larger organisation while retaining our individual school identity. The children have been able to experience the fantastic sporting facilities at Tavistock College and our school council members have been invited to participate in MAT school council events, learning about Fairtrade and single use plastics. Our teachers have access to and are benefiting from a range of professional development opportunities and training including maths mastery, mental health and safeguarding. As we look towards the future we are exciting about how the collaboration,

support and opportunities will continue to grow and develop for our small schools within The Dartmoor Multi Academy Trust. For more information please visit our websites www.dartmoormat.org.uk/,www. lydford-primary.co.uk/, www.blacktorrington.devon.sch.uk Deirdre Petersen, Acting Head of School, Lydford Lisa Paton, Executive Headteacher, Black Torrington

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CHARITY FOCUS

Wren Music Building community identity by making music together Wren Music was started in Okehampton 1983 by Marilyn Tucker and Paul Wilson. Nowadays you see a lot of folk music around - at festivals and even in the charts. But in the early 1980s folk music didn’t have the profile it has today. Marilyn said: ’We saw the potential for using folk music to help people learn about local cultural heritage and value their community and so we looked for ways of taking folk music to places it might not have previously been - like schools and care homes.’ Wren moved into an office on St James Street in January 1985, and relocated to Ebenezer Hall on North Street in January 2015. Marilyn said: ‘At Wren we believe our role is even more important in 2019: we still use folk music to build community identity, but we also are helping tackle some of the big issues of today. The benefits of taking part in singing or playing an instrument are well documented - breathing, balance and having a reducing effect on your brain age, amongst other things. ‘The workshops we provide also help people make friends, have fun, and reduce their isolation. ‘Being aware of and proud of local cultural heritage can help to reduce feelings of fear towards other cultures, and we can have fun finding out about songs, tunes and dances from around the world.’ Anyone who saw or took part in the recent Wren Okehampton Lantern Procession knows that the charity delivers some very special big projects. Wren also goes into residential care homes and schools to run short projects, and the charity is a specialist in working in schools for children who have special educational needs or disabilities. It also runs regular groups for people who want to make music together more often.

For young people Wren has just had plans approved to run the Devon-wide youth folk ensemble on behalf of Devon Music Education Hub, which will be starting just after Easter 2019. The ensemble has two components, a choir and a folk orchestra. They will meet at the same place at the same time (but in different practice rooms!) and these are open to children aged 13 and over. If you would like to find out more contact jondyer@wrenmusic.co.uk. For adults there are five Wren folk choirs - Okehampton, Exeter, Torquay, Sidmouth, South Molton - and three Wren folk orchestras at Broadclyst, Torrington and Paignton. There are never any auditions to join any of these groups, and you don’t have to read music or have any previous experience. For people who are a little more confident on their instrument, there are two Wren specialist orchestras for mandolins and fiddles and a special men’s choir called MenSing. All these groups meet here in Okehampton. Check the website if you want to join in www.wrenmusic.co.uk/Groups Two major Wren events happen in Okehampton. Each October the Baring-Gould Folk Weekend takes place, bringing some of the best folk performers from the UK - and around the world to the charity’s home town. This year, Friday, October 25th to Sunday, October 27th, is the folk weekend’s 20th anniversary. There are plans for the return of some special visitors from Iceland and Sardinia, along with new visitors from Ireland and Latvia - an international gathering with lots of opportunity to join in singing, playing and dancing. The spring Lantern Procession brings together lots of Wren’s work, taking music onto the street, making the dark streets and park feel safe for families, and learning about local

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CHARITY FOCUS

folklore. This year the images in the procession were inspired by the English folktale ‘Tattercoats’, a version of Cinderella that involves a goose-herd and a sad grandfather. The images from this story were blended with the idea of welcoming in the spring and the people of Okehampton took to the streets to say farewell to dark evenings in style. Marilyn said: ‘We are very impressed with the way some young people have returned to us year after year and are developing their skills in making the pyramid lanterns. ‘Next year we plan to build on this and make some new and different types of lanterns with this age group of 12 years upwards.’

The Wren Ten Appeal was launched in April. This is a fundraising challenge for supporters of Wren Music. Marilyn explained: ‘We need to raise £10,000 by March 2020 to secure Wren’s place in the future and to enable us to deliver more and better music and folk arts opportunities for people in Okehampton and across Devon and the South West. ‘Visit our website at www.wrenmusic.co.uk to see how you can get involved in the Wren Ten Appeal, and help us continue to work towards our vision of a world where every voice is heard.” Pictures by Trevor and Christine Munkenbeck

Rose Festival

15 June – 21 July A celebration of colour and scent in the largest rose gardens in the South West. Book garden admission online at rhs.org.uk/rosemoor and save 10% Great Torrington, Devon, EX38 8PH Your visit supports our work as a charity RHS Registered Charity No: 222879/SC038262. Image: © RHS/Oli Kite Photography

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HEALTH & BEAUTY

Wellbeing in Okehampton Below are a few of the wellbeing resources which are available at Okehampton Medical Centre. We will also be launching a GP Chaplaincy service after Easter and will soon be able to offer free counselling sessions with a student counsellor, in addition to the low cost counselling service which is currently available. Wellbeing Co-ordinator Francesca Bliss is a Wellbeing Co-ordinator based at Okehampton Medical Centre. This is a new initiative helping people identify what really matters to them and seeing if there is anything we can do practically to make what matters to them happen. GPs and the Community Health and Social Care Team are able to refer people to Francesca - she then gives people time, focusing on ‘what matters to me’ and taking a holistic approach to people’s health and wellbeing. She can connect people to community groups and statutory services for practical and emotional support. Francesca says: ‘There are so many wonderful services in Okehampton it can be difficult to know what is available. My job is about helping you to look at what would make the biggest difference to you and helping you connect with activities that are meaningful. ‘I work with a wide range of people with long-term health concerns, those who need support with their mental health or who are lonely or isolated. ‘If you think this service would help you or a family member, please speaks to your GP.’

Drink Wise Age Well Drink Wise Age Well in Devon, as part of its programme to help reduce alcohol abuse amongst the over 50s, seeks to develop opportunities for people to meet and join communitybased activities. DWAW, in partnership with Okehampton Medical Centre, has developed and enabled patients and staff over the last nine months to attend a four-week Mindfulness Course, a six-week Well Being Course and a singing group which delivered a singing performance to a Residential Home for older people.

Okehampton Well-being for All Okehampton Well-being for All is a new initiative by three local complementary practitioners - Eve Oliveira, Anna Georghiou and Xristiana Kalouli. They say: ’As complementary health practitioners, there are sections of the community that we rarely see in our private practices. A private session costs between £25 and £50 which is inaccessible to many people, especially as one session is usually not enough for most conditions. ‘With the support of Okehampton Medical Centre, we have set up a low-cost complementary clinic for those on low incomes, elderly people and generally folk who don’t see these therapies as relevant to themselves.’ It is also an attempt to approach issues from a well-being perspective rather than an illness one and promote prevention rather than cure. Okehampton Well-being for All has been running on a weekly basis for two months and the feedback is very positive! It takes place in the Medical Centre on a Wednesday afternoon. For more information contact okehamptonwellbeing@pm.me or message Okehampton Well-being for All on Facebook. In the past we at the medical centre have worked with Learn Devon and West Devon Art Workshops to offer ‘Creative Ways to Wellbeing’ and art taster sessions at the medical centre - and we would like to continue to work with community organisations to do so in future. If you are interested in working with us or finding out more about wellbeing services at the Medical Centre, please speak to reception or contact Kiran Bakhshi, practice manager, by email at kiran.bakhshi@nhs.net Dr Emma Chapman Okehampton Medical Centre

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HEALTH HEALTH & WELLBEING & BEAUTY

An introduction to hypnotherapy by Mary Lovell

Hypnotherapy combines hypnosis with therapy. Hypnosis utilises trance, a form of focused attention, to produce an emotional response which can change feelings, thoughts, habits and behaviours. Trance states have been accessed since ancient times and are still part of everyday religious practices such meditation in Buddhism. In the West, the first known proponent of the practice was Franz Anton Mesmer (1734-1815). Although Mesmer used various tools which he believed had curative powers, eg magnetic fluid, lighting and music, it was clear that the power of suggestibility and the imagination of his patients played a major part in their recovery. When you are hypnotised you are mostly in the first stage of sleep known as the hypnogogic state. Your muscles relax and heart rate slows but you still have some awareness and hear sounds and words. Your brain will be producing alpha and theta waves associated with mindfulness and meditation. Alpha waves are considered to be the gateway to meditation - some people think they link the conscious and unconscious mind. Theta waves are associated with deeper meditation. In this relaxed trance state you can react creatively to suggestions and imagine new ways of being. The parts of the brain which question and criticise new ideas and concepts will be quietened.

In order for trance to be powerful it is essential for the therapist to create a positive safe atmosphere. When a person feels safe the primitive part of the brain is calmed. The primitive brain guides a person to react using previous patterns of behaviour which may be inappropriate, almost as if it has been programmed. Hypnotherapy is a way to re-programme the mind and change those unhelpful beliefs. When you feel safe you are able to use the intellectual part of your brain to be creative and imaginative. You will work with your therapist to identify small incremental changes towards achieving your goals, managing stress levels or changing any habits which may be preventing you from reaching your potential. Hypnosis will embed these goals, making them easier to achieve. Modern sports psychology uses the power of the imagination to prepare for events and it’s been found that when you imagine an activity, you use exactly the same areas of the brain that are used when you are actually physically doing the activity. When the mind and body are relaxed in trance this ‘previewing’ can be a powerful tool for change. Between sessions, clients are encouraged to reinforce the benefits by listening to a hypnosis CD and practising selfhypnosis or mindfulness. If you enjoyed this article follow Mary Lovell Hypnotherapy on Facebook and visit www.marylovellhypnotherapy.co.uk. If you would like make an appointment call 07514 055512 or email marymyhypnotherapist@gmail.com for a free initial consultation.

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GARDENING Pyracantha ‘Orange Glow’ RHS/Graham Titchmarsh

Shady area conundrums Help is at hand for problematic parts of the garden

As horticulturists here at RHS Rosemoor, answering people’s questions is part of our role and a very common query from our visitors is: ‘Wwhat on earth can I do with a dark, cool, shady area of my garden”? Gardens shaded by trees and buildings are increasingly common as gardens get smaller and housing developments become more crowded. Although north or east facing gardens can be cool and shady for much of the year, they can present some creative opportunities with well-chosen shade tolerant plants. To grow healthy plants in shady areas, it is important to match the degree of shade that a plant will tolerate with available light. Unfortunately, very few plants will thrive where shade is very dense, particularly when coupled with dry, impoverished soil. From experience, most shady areas can be defined as either 1. Dappled shade, which is mainly reflected or diffused light, for example through fairly open tree canopies, or 2. Moderate shade, which may receive sunlight for two or three hours a day in midsummer. North or East facing walls and fences often receive very little direct sunlight, but that doesn’t mean you can’t grow climbers or wall shrubs; here is a small selection that are tried, tested and easily sourced:

Garrya elliptica ‘James Roof’ AGM. Racemes of silky tassels in late winter. Hedera helix ‘Oro di Bogliasco’. Pink stemmed, with golden centred leaves. Hydrangea anomala subsp. petiolaris AGM. Showy white flowers in clusters. Lonicera japonica ‘Halliana’. Highly fragrant, white/yellow flowers. Pyracantha ‘Orange Glow’ AGM. Long lasting, showy bright orange berries. Shade loving plants will perform well, but may need watering. The addition of plenty of well-rotted farmyard manure, garden compost or leaf mould will help improve soil structure and moisture retention and aid in the establishment of the plants. This can be either dug in before planting or applied as mulch every year after planting. If conditions are excessively dry or waterlogged for prolonged periods, try using pots to grow plants in, keeping them well watered and use a John Innes No 3 compost. Particularly robust plants for deep shade include, Dicentra ‘Stuart Boothman’ AGM, Dryopteris affinis AGM, and not forgetting the ever lovely Snowdrop: Galanthus nivalis AGM. Here are a few more plant suggestions, well worth a try in your shady spots:

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GARDENING

Anemone × hybrida ‘Honorine Jobert’ RHS/ Herbarium

Dappled shade Anemone × hybrida ‘Honorine Jobert’ AGM. Branched stems with single white flowers with golden stamens in late summer. Geum rivale ‘Leonards Variety’. Copper-pink orange-tinged flowers mid and late summer. Brunnera macrophylla ‘Jack Frost’ AGM. Large, heart-shaped silver leaves, and sprays of small blue flowers in spring. Astilbe ‘Fanal’ (× arendsii) AGM. Dark stems bearing redgreen, divided leaves with dense spikes of crimson flowers in early summer.

Moderate shade

Do the ‘Chelsea chop’. It’s time to take the secateurs to later-flowering herbaceous perennials. Prune about a third of the stems by a third, another third by two thirds. This delays flowering in those stems, and increases the overall flowering season. Support your tall growing perennials like delphiniums, peonies and Fuchsia with circular plant support hoops, or bamboo canes with string.

Look after your finished spring bulbs for next year. Once they’ve gone over, let the tops die naturally and add liquid fertiliser all around the clumps. Mow and edge your lawn - it makes your garden look better instantly.

Garden jobs to consider throughout May and June

Plant out tender perennials once you’re sure there will be no hard frosts.

Give your container plants a balanced liquid feed every two to four weeks to promote healthy growth.

Start slug prevention. Biological Nematodes are a very effective alternative to slug pellets.

Geranium phaeum ‘Lily Lovell’. Purple-mauve flowers on branched stems in late spring and early summer. Pulmonaria ‘Blue Ensign’ AGM. Blue-violet flowers in spring. Alchemilla mollis AGM. Rounded lobed pale green leaves and tiny greenish-yellow flowers from early summer to autumn. Tricyrtis formosana. Spotted lance-shaped leaves, clusters of star-shaped white flowers, spotted purple in autumn. Continue to divide congested perennials and keep on top of weeding.

Geranium phaeum ‘Lily Lovell’ RHS/Wendy Wesley

Remember to open greenhouse vents and doors on warm days. Deadhead roses and herbaceous perennials as often as you can when they’re in full flower. Optimise your watering regime, watering early and late. Start collecting and recycling water. Richard Wilson, Horticulturist, RHS Garden Rosemoor

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FARMING DIARY

The ‘Red Hoof Gang’ return to the lambing shed... Stuart Luxton reflects on one of the busiest times in the farming year Hello again everyone. The clocks have just changed and there is definitely spring in the air. We have just survived one of the most important spells on the farm, lambing. The weather at this time of year can make or break this busy time. With our system, the ewes are taken into a big shed about six weeks before lambing starts. This will give the fields a break and hopefully the grass will start to grow. The expectant mothers are then provided with good food and a dry bed until the lambs are born. After this the new family then gets an individual pen with their lambs for at least 24 hours. If the mother and her newborn babies pass all relevant checks then they are then taken out, in small batches, to a nice sheltered field. Problems start if the weather is poor, as young lambs can’t be put out in wet cold weather. The shed space can then become over subscribed very quickly. This year the weather has been very

kind, virtually every lamb has had a great start to life. This has made it much easier to manage than some years. Our lambing percentage this year was a little lower than normal, but I think we still had 12 sets of quads. One of them is in the picture. We only let a ewe leave the shed with a maximum of two lambs, any extra are hopefully fostered onto ewes that only have one or in some sad cases loose their babies. I was hoping that we wouldn’t have any tame lambs this year but we have still ended up with nearly 40. Lambing is one of the most family orientated times of year on the farm. As well as Adrian, George and Joe who work hard on the farm, my wife Lynette, my sisters Susie and Rachael and mum and dad are owed thanks for their help. My children have been lending a hand at weekends, there is always a lamb to feed or a water bucket to fill. If you can’t find anything to do you probably haven’t looked hard enough. There is always a bit of fun to had down the lambing shed. There is usually a

WE’RE EXPANDING AND EVOLVING OUR VETERINARY PRACTICE TO PROVIDE SPECIALISED CARE FOR COMPANION ANIMALS, EQUINE AND FARM ANIMALS

tame lamb who is a bit of a character or one of the pregnant ewes gets very friendly and chases you for attention all the time. This year we have had a return of the red hoof gang, Patch, Poppy, Coco, Jenny and Rosie. They were my sister’s tame lambs in 2017 and this year have produced their first offspring, two each no less. While there is lots of work to do it always seems sad when the lambing shed is nearly empty and all the ewes and lambs are out in the fields. All we have to do then is pack up all the equipment, tidy up, then start the next job. We were afraid that there would not be enough food in store for the animals over the winter, but is looks as if we will just scrape by, the mild winter and early spring has helped enormously. All we need now is a nice drop of warm spring rain to keep things growing and make sure that we have plenty of food for the animals for next winter. See you next time . . . Stuart Luxton

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WHAT’S ON FINANCE

Equity Release Misconceptions - and possible impacts to consider Equity Release is available to people over 55. The amount that can be raised is based on age and property value - the older you are, the more you can borrow. Broadly, there are two types of scheme – Home Reversion and Lifetime Mortgage. With a Home Reversion Plan, you sell part of the value of your property to the plan provider while retaining the right to remain in the property. The value released can provide you with a tax free lump sum or regular income. Your home remains yours with no interference from the plan provider and you remain responsible for its upkeep. The percentage you retain in your property remains the same regardless of any property value change. The plan ends when you leave the property, either because of death or moving into care. The property is then sold and proceeds shared according to the proportions of ownership. With a lifetime mortgage, you don’t sell anything. It is simply a long term mortgage with no compulsory monthly repayments. Instead, interest is added to the balance of the loan and repaid when you sell the property. Any value above the outstanding loan amount is paid to you or your estate. A common misconception with equity release is the fear of being forced to sell the home. Nowadays, equity release is regulated by the FCA and tightly controlled. All lenders who are part of the Equity Release Council offering lifetime mortgages offer a ‘No Negative Equity Guarantee’. Therefore,

if the amount owing grows beyond the value of the property, it does not become a debt to you or your estate and you won’t be forced to sell it. Initially a Lifetime Mortgage helped you borrow money without needing to make monthly repayments, unlocking some of your home’s value without moving. However, with many Interest Only mortgages maturing without repayment plans in place, Lifetime mortgages can be a lifeline to homeowners who can’t repay the mortgage but don’t want to sell the home either. And there are now options allowing you to make repayments if you wish, avoiding interest roll-up. When considering equity release, remember the possible impact on next-of-kin. It can be a shock if family members expect to inherit the proceeds of a property sale, not realising an equity release debt must be paid first – potentially leaving no inheritance. We strongly recommend you consult with your family prior to entering into any Equity Release plan. There are alternatives, like downsizing, that would avoid the need to incur debt. If you are considering equity release, make sure you talk to a fully qualified equity release adviser working for a firm regulated by the FCA. They have the knowledge to help you through your options and you will have the protection of FCA rules should things go wrong. Craig Davidson, Davidsons IFA

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MARVELLOUS MUSIC AND FABULOUS FOOD!

Okehampton’s Festival of Food and Music makes a welcome return Make June 29 a date in your diaries, as Okehampton stages its seventh annual festival of food and music, with a multitude of stalls offering delightful delicacies to tempt the tastebuds, singers and dancers to entertain and a cracking community atmosphere to soak up. The festival, run by Everything Okehampton, starts at 9.30 am and runs until 3pm. The food stalls will be set up in three areas of the town - in Red Lion Yard, around St James’ Chapel and in St James’ Street and street food will be available in the Plume of Feathers courtyard. A short road closure will apply to the area between the DIY store and the chapel in St James’ Street, to enable stall holders, musicians and pedestrians to enjoy the festival in safety. You can try spices, pickles and chutneys from India in a Jar, scrumptious cheese from Curworthy Cheese, home made cakes from Tracey Gee or luscious Jersey ice cream from Taw River Dairy. Then there is a large selection of tipples to taste, from the likes of Tors Vodka, Brimblecombe Cider and Dartmoor Gin, or delicious non-alcoholic cordials and juices from Devon Orchards. The musical entertainment will be provided in four areas of Okehampton this year - in the museum courtyard, Red Lion Yard, St James’ Street and the courtyard of the Plume of Feathers. Take time out to enjoy Uke n Play, The Electroleles, Panic Pete and the Roughbeats, Fae of the Flute, All Bar One, Brian Higbee and Meand’er, plus many more artists to be confirmed. More musical entertainment will be on offer with performances by Okehampton Community Dance Project and the children will be entertained with storytelling and activities thanks to the Harvest Workers’ Co-operative. Following the fourth renewal of Fairtrade Town status, the Okehampton Fairtrade Group continues to promote knowledge and understanding of Fairtrade and the impact our shopping choices can have on farmers in the developing world.

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Fairtrade gives them a better deal and means that they can make their own decisions, control their futures and lead the dignified lives we all deserve. The Fairtrade Group will be outside St James Church in Fore Street with goods to sample and a hamper to raffle. There will also be the opportunity to learn a little more about the coaching history of various of Okehampton’s hostelries, as a wandering storyteller makes his way from pub to pub. More stall holders and musical acts are being added to the festival by the day, so check online for the latest news. The organisers of this year’s festival are Christine Marsh, Jade Oliver-Deacon and Mish Flexman of Everything Okehampton, supported by a loyal band of volunteer helpers. Christine said: ‘This is a new set-up in the way we manage the festival, but we are very much looking forward to making a huge success of the day and to growing the event year on year. ‘It’s a great opportunity to showcase our local food and drink producers and provide a great community day out for all the family, demonstrating what a marvellous place Okehampton is to live and work - we look forward to welcome both residents and visitors to the festival.’ For the most up-to-date information on Okehampton Festival of Food and Music, go to the event’s Facebook page or visit the website at www.everythingokehampton.co.uk

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The heart of Great venues and events at the heart of our beautiful bustling market town

UPCOMING EVENTS

May 4th Tavistock Arts Market (free entry) 6th Dartmoor Radio Rally 18th The Artisan Food & Gift Market (Miss Ivy Events) 25 – 27th Butchers’ Hall Food & Drink Market (free entry) 26– 27th – Tavistock Annual Garden Festival (free entry)

June 1st – Tavistock Arts Market (free entry) 15th - The Artisan Food & Gift Market (Miss Ivy Events) 26th – 29th – Art Exhibition

For more information call 01822 616134 or email butchershall@tavistock.gov.uk 34

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WHAT’S ON

Regulars TUESDAYS (DURING TERM TIME) Tai Chi for good health, relaxation and vitality, 11.40am - 12.40pm, Church House, South Tawton. Everyone welcome. Contact Kate Dixon, kate@forestchi.co.uk Tel: 01837 840959 www.forestchi.co.uk TUESDAYS At Okehampton Library - 10am until 10.30am, Bounce & Rhyme for over one year olds; 11am until 11.30am, Bounce and Rhyme for under one year olds. Last Tuesday of the month, Bookworms - a book club for children aged seven to eleven between 3.45pm and 4.45pm. Free, no booking necessary. KNIT AND NATTER At Okehampton Library between 1.30pm and 2.30pm. Bring along your knitting, stitching, crochet or other portable project, for a chat with like-minded crafters. Tea and coffee available at 50p a cup. 1ST TUESDAY ART GROUP A friendly place to meet artists with a variety of skills and abilities. Bring your own materials and have fun. Tea and coffee available or BYOB. We will ask for a contribution to room hire. 7.30-9.30pm The Community Centre, Barton Street, North Tawton. organiser@themusicandart.co.uk 07890 850877

Bracken Tor House A beautiful countryside venue on edge of Dartmoor

3RD TUESDAY BLUES JAM SESSION A chance to meet like minded musicians and gain experience of playing in a group. This is not an open mic, there are no slots. 12 bar Blues will be the predominant genre and all players must be prepared to play with anyone else there. Drum kit, amps and PA provided. Tea and coffee available or BYOB. £2 contribution to room hire. 7.30pm-9.30pm The Community Centre, Barton Street, North Tawton. organiser@ themusicandart.co.uk 07890 850877 WEDNESDAYS At Okehampton Library, 9.30am until 10.15am, Duplo Builders and Storytime for children up to five. Free, no booking necessary. BALLROOM DANCE CLASSES The ‘Strictly Social’ dance club is holding ballroom dance classes for beginners at the Nicholls Hall in Lydford, every Wednesday starting at 7.25pm. £5 per person for one hours lesson. Contact Terry Flannery on 07891 614491, or email strictlysocialdanceclub@gmail.com for further details. THURSDAYS SNAP (SPECIAL NEEDS ACTIVITIES IN THE PARK) SNAP is a social club for children and young people with special needs. The club

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offers a fantastic opportunity to try lots of fun activities, socialise and make new friends. 7pm - 8.30pm, term time only, at the Pavilion in the Park and Okehampton College Gym. Contact: snap.okey@gmail. com, 07851 257733 or 01837 659990. FOURTH THURSDAY PARKINSON’S SUPPORT GROUP This friendly support groups meets at Castle Ham Lodge, Okehampton. Tea, comfort and mutual support are on offer. Newcomers are welcome. For more information call 01837 55813. FRIDAYS OKEHAMPTON COMMUNITY DANCE PROJECT A dance group that is open to all, bringing the community together through dance, music and laughter. A variety of dance styles. Have fun learning new routines and be part of a dance group taking part in local events if you wish. 3.45pm until 4.30pm at The Pavilion in the Park. Contact Lynne Rogers & Ellodie Stott at okedanceproject@hotmail.com SATURDAYS LEGO BUILDERS At Okehampton Library between 10.30am and 11.30am, for children aged 5+. Free, no booking necessary. OKEHAMPTON SATURDAY MARKET In Red Lion Yard. A wide range of stalls - everything from fresh eggs and home-made soap to bike spares and leathergoods. For more information call market manager Ron Clarkson on 07514 631891 or email ronclarkson@hotmail. co.uk

Cycle hire for all the family Open every day 9am-5pm

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See our community website www.dartmoorlinks.co.uk

WHAT’S ON

THIRD SATURDAY OF THE MONTH WHIDDON WIDE COMMUNITY CHOIR This friendly choir has been running for several years - if you are interested in singing around the parishes you are welcome to join the choir at their regular meetings between 10am and 12.30pm. For more information email ruthfcurtis@ icloud.com FIRST SUNDAY OF THE MONTH RUN IN THE PARK Joint the regular 5k and 2.5k runs around stunning Simmons Park in Okehampton. Suitable for adults of all ages, young people and families, leaving the Pavilion in the Park at 9.30am. LAST SUNDAY OF THE MONTH OKEY FOLKY FOLK SESSIONS At the Plume of Feathers in Okehampton. Singers, musicians, poets, step dancers and audience all welcome! The fun starts at 8pm. For more information call Debbie Jessop, 07773 479375.

May

County Archaeologist Bill Horner will update and expand on the extraordinary findings of the excavation of the Roman site on the outskirts of Okehampton. The talk begins at 2pm. Admission £4 to include refreshments. Booking advisable on 01837 52295. 3 MAY HIGHER SHILSTONE ILLUSTRATED TALK Chris Chapman presents memories of a medieval farmstead on Dartmoor, illustrated with film, at Throwleigh Church, 7.30pm. Refreshments available. Tickets £5, contact Dawn Hatton 01647 231051 for information. 4 MAY FAMILY DOG SHOW AND CAR BOOT

4-6 MAY BEER AND GIN FESTIVAL Organised by the Lions Club of Okehampton, and held at Okehampton Golf Club. Live music, real ales and a Real Ale Golf Competition on the Sunday. 5 MAY MINI MUSIC DAY Full day of music in The Horse at Moretonhampstead. 5 & 6 MAY OPEN GARDENS Andrew’s Corner, Belstone EX20 1RD is open from 2pm to 5pm. This is a well established, wildlife friendly, well labelled plantsman’s garden in a stunning high moorland setting. For more information see www.ngs.org.uk

Being held at Sampford Courtenay Village Hall, both start at 1pm. Dog Show – entries taken on the day. Car Boot – Cars £4, Vans £6 and any cars/vans towing a trailer or bringing a gazebo £10. Please ring 01837 851269 for details.

6 MAY DARTMOOR RADIO RALLY

4 MAY SPRING PLANT SALE

An eight-week Mindfulness stress reduction course begins today at Moretonhampstead Sports and Community Centre, between 7pm and 9pm. Learn and develop a variety of guided practices to help cultivate awareness of how stress manifests in the body, mind and emotions. Booking essential. Email cat@ mindfuldevon.co.uk

1 MAY LIFE AT THE EDGE OF THE EMPIRE

In Moretonhampstead Village Hall, starting at 10am. All sorts of plants for sale plus a raffle and refreshments.

A talk at the Museum of Dartmoor Life, Okehampton. To complement the Museum’s new permanent exhibition,

4 MAY ARTS MARKET At the Butcher’s Hall, Tavistock. Free entry.

In the Butcher’s Hall, Tavistock. 7 MAY SPRING INTO MINDFULNESS

Vintage fairground fun for all the family. It’s fully undercover so you won’t get wet if its raining. It’s a fun day out for all the family!

The Fairground Heritage Centre, Milford Lifton Devon PL16 0AT 01566 783425 • www.fairground-heritage.org.uk 36

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WHAT’S ON

8 MAY OKEHAMPTON & DISTRICT LOCAL HISTORY SOCIETY TALK

Mary Tomes 01837 871541 or email poppetmary@gmail.com for further details. Donations of plants would be appreciated.

Jacqueline Sarsby will talk on A Dartmoor Farmer, His Daughter and his Diary. The event takes place at 7.30pm at The Ockment Centre, Okehampton.

12 MAY 26TH INTERNATIONAL CONCERT SERIES

9 & 10 MAY 00 DEVON ‘DIAMOND-CHEESEFINGER-FOREVER’ See Music and Art for more information. 9 MAY FING FUN What is a FING? Come along to Okehampton Library, find out about David Walliams’ latest character and design your own monster with our fun activity. One lucky attendee will win a copy of the book! Free event, donations welcome - suitable for children over 5 and their carers. 3.45pm until 6.30pm. 10-12 MAY TEN TORS See What’s on Extra for more information. 11 MAY BRATTON CLOVELLY PLANT SALE Lots of lovely plants, annuals, perennials, shrubs & vegetable plants on sale for charity at Bratton Clovelly Parish Hall, all at reasonable prices. Refreshments and raffle. Free entry. 11am until 2pm. Contact

Elizabeth-Jane Baldry presents a sparkling harp recital at The Duke of Cornwall Hotel, Plymouth, taking her audience on an journey through the history of harp music. She will perform harp solos from five centuries. Refined Renaissance, glittering Baroque, naughty Victorian Fairies and contemporary music all find their way into her recital programme, interspersed with the stories behind the music - tales of romance, scandal and tragedy. Tickets £14 from The Duke of Cornwall Hotel 01752 275850, enquiries@thedukeofcornwall. co.uk and www.wegottickets.com/ event/457786 12 MAY SAMPFORD COURTENAY TRACTOR RUN

Roadford Lake Open Day

15 MAY MORETONHAMPSTEAD LOCAL HISTORY SOCIETY An illustrated talk on Norman Castles in Devon by Professor Robert Hingham at the Union Inn, Moretonhampstead at 7.30pm. 15 MAY INFORMATION DAY Staged by Families for Children Trust, a specialist adoption agency, at The Plough Arts Centre between 4pm and 6pm. For more information call 01271 612004 or email devon@familiesforchildren. org.uk or go to the website, www. familiesforchildren.org.uk 15 MAY FREE DEFIBRILLATOR TRAINING

In aid of St Andrew’s Church, Sampford Courtenay and St Mary’s Church, Honeychurch. Meet at The Countryman, Sampford Courtenay EX20 2SA. £5 per tractor and £10 per person for carvery at The Countryman. To book in your tractor please phone Malcolm on 01837 880118 or Richard on 01837 851269. 15 MAY GIDSONG

Songs, music and stories from Dartmoor and beyond with Bill Murray and the likes of Tich Scott, Carl Allerfeldt and Ed Hamer at Gidleigh Village Hall, 8pm. Tickets £2 on the door, bring your own refreshments.

Oke PADS (Okehampton Public Access Defibrillators) is running free training to the public on how to use defibrillators stationed in publics areas. The two hour training sessions will enable participants to carry out effective CPR in an emergency. This session takes place between 6pm and 8pm at The Ockment Centre, Okehamton. To book please email okepads@gmail.com or visit okepads.wixsite.com/okepads for more information.

Entry: £5 per ca r • sailing trips • water zorbs • stand up paddleboarding • archery • high ropes • windsurfing • kayaking • canoeing • tours of the dam • hendra farm animal encounters • screech owl sanctuary • fishing taster sessions • nature activites • café & bar open all day

Sunday 26 May, 10am - 4pm

Pre-bookings available online from 22 April 2019 for sailing and windsurfing.

PLUS family fun with ‘Entertainingly Different’, face painting, giant games, bouncy castle, soft play, arts & crafts and more!

Visit www.southwestlakes.co.uk for details or call 01566 771930 See our community website www.dartmoorlinks.co.uk

WHAT’S ON 16-18 MAY DEVON COUNTY SHOW See the very best of the county showcased at the Westpoint Arena. See www. devoncountyshow.co.uk for all the latest information. 17 MAY QUIZ AND PUDDING EVENING At Sampford Courtenay Village Hall at 7.30pm. £5 to enter a team of up to five people for the quiz and £5 per person to sample the puddings. To book a table please ring either 01837 851269 or 82743. Donations of puddings welcome! Please bring your own drink. 17, 18, 19 MAY OPEN GARDENS Moretonhampstead Gardens, Moretonhampstead TQ13 8PW are open from 2pm to 5pm. Mardon is a four acre garden based on its original Edwardian design with long herbaceous borders,

formal granite terraces, fernery, bog garden and stream fed pond. Sutton Mead is also four acres with unusual planting, gothic concrete green house and sedum roofed summer house. Both have substantial rhododendron, azalea and tree planting and croquet lawns. For more information see www.ngs.org.uk 18 MAY GUIDED WALK - 1,000 YEARS OF TAVISTOCK MARKETS King Henry I granted Tavistock the right to hold markets in 1105 and for 700 years, markets were held in the King Street/ Market Street area. In 1859 the Tavistock Market Act was passed and a large area in the town centre was demolished to make way for the Pannier Market, as we know it today. The walk, organised by Tavistock Heritage Trust, starts at the Visitor Information Centre, Bedford Square, Tavistock at 2pm (unless notified otherwise on the THT website.) A charge of £5 per

person (children under 16 free but must be accompanied by an adult) is payable on the day or walks can be booked on PayPal through the Heritage Trust’s website atmwww.heritageintavistock.org 18 MAY COFFEE MORNING Held by The Moorland Group at the Victory Hall in South Zeal between 10am and noon. There will be various stalls, plus coffee and cake. All proceeds to Breast Cancer Care. 18 MAY ARTISAN FOOD AND GIFT MARKET In the Butcher’s Hall, Tavistock, staged by Miss Ivy Events. 19 MAY SPRING WOODLAND FESTIVAL A wild and wonderful day at East Dartmoor Nature Reserve. See What’s on Extra

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WHAT’S ON 24 MAY ELMER DAY Fun and games celebrating this patchwork elephant at Okehampton Library, between 9.45am and 10.30am. Come along to join in the fun! Free event, donations welcome - suitable for under 5s and their carers. 25 - 27 MAY FOOD AND DRINK MARKET In the Butcher’s Hall, Tavistock. Free entry. 26 & 27 MAY OPEN GARDENS Andrew’s Corner, Belstone – see above. 26 & 27 MAY TAVISTOCK GARDEN FESTIVAL

Moretonhampstead. www.greenhillarts. co.uk 30 MAY OKEHAMPTON U3A A talk on Hospiscare. In addition to residential facilities Hospiscare provides support to terminally ill patients and their families in their homes and communities. The talk will provide details of the wide range of facilities and support which Hospiscare can provide. The talk takes place at The Ockment Centre, Okehampton at 2.30pm. For further information call 01837 89209.

June

In the pannier market and Bedford Square between 10am and 4pm. Free entry.

1 JUNE ARTS MARKET

28 MAY CHANGE4LIFE SUGAR SWAP

In the Butcher’s Hall, Tavistock. Free entry.

Make some delicious chocolate fudge bites at Okehampton Library and take part in the Great Fruit and Vegetable Library Challenge! Each child attending will receive an activity book and recipe card to take home. (Fudge bites are gluten, dairy and nut free). £1 per child, booking essential – suitable for children over 5 and their carers. 3pm until 4pm. 30 MAY MINDFUL DRAWING WORKSHOP With John Danvers at Greenhill Arts,

2 JUNE PHIL BEER IN CONCERT Renowned folk musician Phil Beer, well known for his work with Show of Hands, performs at St John’s Church in North Bovey at 7.30pm. Bar and barbecue available. For tickets call 07887 932212 or email wendymkeesom@gmail.com 2 JUNE BIG LUNCH A joint event with the Okehampton Community Feast and the Community Garden, held at the Ockment Centre

See our community website www.dartmoorlinks.co.uk

between noon and 3pm. 07873 533106 4 JUNE BOOK TRUST PYJAMARAMA CAR, CAR, TRUCK, JEEP Join in Okehampton Library’s themed Bounce & Rhyme, story and craft session and take home a copy of the book (subject to availability). This activity replaces our normal Bounce & Rhyme sessions. Suitable for children under 5 and their carers. Free event between 10am and 11am. 5 JUNE DUPLO STORYTIME At Okehampton Library. Make some vehicles with the Duplo bricks then use them in storytime. Take home a copy of the book (subject to availability). Suitable for children under 5 and their carers. Free event between 9.30am and 10.15am. 6 JUNE MIND, MOUNTAINS & MARKING TIME A poetry reading by John Danvers at Greenhill Arts, Moretonhampstead www. greenhillarts.co.uk 7 JUNE VOLUNTEER COFFEE MORNING At Okehampton Library. If you are interested in volunteering with us, come along and have a chat over a free cup of coffee between 10.30am and 11.30am.

WHAT’S ON

8 JUNE COFFEE MORNING Staged by the Friends of St Andrew’s, Moretonhampstead and held in the Community Club, Court Street, from 10am to midday. Entry is £1 and includes coffee or tea and biscuits. There will be a book stall and delicious home-made cake stall, not to mention a raffle, so please come along. The Friends is a charity that raises money to maintain the fabric of the church. JUNE 8-9 TWO-DAY BEGINNERS DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP LEARN MORE WWW.TOMMYHATWELL. COM/Ed/LEVEL-1 11 JUNE FREE DEFIBRILLATOR TRAINING Oke PADS (Okehampton Public Access Defibrillators) will be running free training to the public on how to use defibrillators stationed in publics areas. The two hour training sessions will enable participants to carry out effective CPR in an emergency. This session takes place between 7pm and 9pm at Okehampton Rugby Club. To book please email okepads@gmail.com or visit okepads.wixsite.com/okepads for more information. 12 JUNE OKEHAMPTON & DISTRICT LOCAL HISTORY SOCIETY TALK Professor James Clark will talk on The

14-30 JUNE FLAG FESTIVAL

Men, The Electroleles, Busk Don’t Beg, The Strange And the Beautiful and Tansy Rice and Charlie Mason. Refreshments available. BBQ or bring a picnic. Tickets: £6 adult and £2.50 child (includes entry to garden) www.stonelanegardens.com

Flag making workshops at Greenhill Arts in Moretonhampstead. See What’s on Extra for more information.

18 JUNE WINNIE’S WALK

Dissolution of the Monasteries. The event takes place at 7.30pm at The Ockment Centre, Okehampton.

Around Fernworthy Reservoir. See page 60.

14-16 JUNE FLOWER FESTIVAL Entitled Celebrations, the festival will take place at Fairplace Church in Okehampton between 10am until 6pm daily. Refreshments will be served all day with ploughman’s lunches on the Saturday. Special services on the Sunday at 10.30am and 6.30pm led by The Rev Liz Singleton. On the Saturday and Sunday afternoons from 2pm, the garden of Mr and Mrs R Partridge at 41, Leaholes Avenue will also be open for viewing! 15 JUNE ARTISAN FOOD AND GIFT MARKET In the Butcher’s Hall, Tavistock, hosted by Miss Ivy Events. 16 JUNE MUSIC FESTIVAL At Stone Lane Gardens. Starting at noon until 6pm, in aid of Stone Lane Gardens charity, this annual music event raises money towards the up keep of the gardens. Taking part are Mountain

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19 JUNE DARTMOOR PIXIES A talk at The Museum of Dartmoor Life, Okehampton, by Phil Badcott. A new guest speaker for the Museum, staff are delighted to welcome Phil, who will introduce the intriguing world of the Dartmoor Pixie - or are they piskeys? The talk starts at 2pm, admission £4 to include refreshments. Booking advisable, call 01837 52295. 22 & 23 JUNE OPEN GARDENS Corscombe Gardens near Belstone, EX20 1SD are open from 1pm to 5pm. Two very different gardens. Corscombe Barn has a little bit of everything; a cottage garden, an orchard with a mix of trees and a wildflower area and a bog garden. The Old Cottage has two ponds, herbaceous planting, a lavender walk, rose and clematis arches and a woodland area. Home-made teas at Corscombe Barn. For more information see www.ngs.org.uk

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WHAT’S ON 26-29 JUNE ART EXHIBITION

28-30 JUNE FLOWER FESTIVAL

In the Butcher’s Hall, Tavistock.

At St Andrew’s Church, Moretonhampstead. Spacious window sills and granite pillars inside the church are wonderful sites for some 40 or so exhibits on the theme of A Celebration of Rural Life. Musical entertainment by local choirs and musicians each afternoon and a closing service at 6 pm on Sunday presided over by the Bishop of Plymouth. Open 10am to 6pm, entrance free. Tasty light refreshments are available in the nearby parish hall.

27 JUNE OKEHAMPTON U3A MEETING Brunel’s South West Legacy - a talk by Janet Cowlard. Brunel’s name is linked to Victorian ingenuity and he was one of the most successful British engineers. Many are unaware that several of his greatest achievements were here in the West Country. His inventions have inspired many and continue to fascinate us to this day. The talk takes place at The Ockment Centre, Okehampton at 2.30pm. For further information call 01837 89209. 27 JUNE ARTIST’S WORKSHOP - GLASS PAINTING Local artist, Vicki Highet, will be teaching the art of glass painting at Okehampton Library between 6pm and 8pm. Using a template or your own design, create a uniquely decorated wine glass to take home. Vicki will also be bringing some pieces of her own artwork which will be available to purchase. £7 per person, places limited – to be booked and paid for in advance. 01837 52805. 28 JUNE OPEN EXHIBITION A fantastic selection of arts at Greenhill in Moretonhampstead. See Music and Art for more information.

30 JUNE OPEN GARDENS At Sampford Courtenay. Come and enjoy 12 beautiful gardens in this lovely historic village between 11am to 5pm. Programmes and refreshments from the Church Rooms, £5 entry.

July

13 JULY LYDFORD SUMMER FAIR & DARTMOOR SAFETY DAY Held on Lydford Sports Field between 11am and 4pm. There will be a bouncy castle, ice cream, candy floss, cream teas, licensed bar, Pimms and bbq, dog show and hot air balloons from the British Balloon Club, plus the 5-mile cross country run, the Lydford Dash. See the July/August edition of Oke Links for full information about this great day out.

August 17 AUGUST LEAWOODSTOCK MUSIC FESTIVAL Charity fundraising festival to be held at Leawood House, Bridestowe. See the July/August edition of Oke Links for more information.

10 JULY OKEHAMPTON & DISTRICT LOCAL HISTORY SOCIETY TALK Ciaran Stoker will talk on A Great and Desperate Venture: Belgian Refugees in Devon During the First World War. The event takes place at 7.30pm at The Ockment Centre, Okehampton.

We have included as many events as possible here in the magazine but for a full and comprehensive list please see our new community website: www.dartmoorlinks.co.uk All event listings are FREE. Send details to editorial@okelinks.co.uk or upload directly to our website by pressing the SUBMIT button

Spring Jazz Event

Sunday 26th May - 12-2pm Join us for a fantastic lunch accompanied by live Jazz from the Dart Valley Stompers. £35 per person for 3 courses. Always a popular event so book early to get a place!

History & Garden Tour

Tuesday 4th June Enjoy a guided tour of the house and gardens, £35.00 per person including lunch

A Family Run Hideaway in Devon 42

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June 1 & 2

A truly exceptional weekend too – the English Country Garden Festival is a chance for visitors to take valuable time away from everyday life, enjoy the eclectic fruits of country living and a pleasant pause in our gardens.’

The beautiful gardens and grounds of Coombe Trenchard, near Lewtrenchard, will be open to the public this June when owners Sarah and Philip Marsh play host to their popular annual event - The English Country Garden Festival. A meticulously curated collection of exquisite stalls with exhibitors sourced from all corners of this wonderful region will be nestled within the tranquil gardens of this very special Edwardian Arts and Crafts country house, promising a feast for the senses and the soul. Sarah Marsh and co-organiser Lorna Vanier work hard to deliver an exceptional two day-event, bringing together a heady mix of specialist garden nurseries, artists, craft makers, food and drink producers. Lorna said: ‘The festival offers something for everyone, with artisans and artists, gifted growers, home and garden treasures galore - and this year we’re thrilled to have the Tamar Historic Transport Club and their classic vintage and veteran cars.’ Sarah added: ‘I just love to see the festival come to life - from the young to the young at heart, faithful four-legged friends

More than 60 stallholders and exhibitors, the friendliest brigade of staff, volunteers and supporters are a fine example of good old fashioned community spirit at its best. Foodies won’t be disappointed with the scrumptious range of homemade lunches, teas, cakes, coffees and ice-creams available to fuel them as they wander or sit to gaze at magnificent Dartmoor views. Sarah and Lorna also invite charities from the region as part of their outreach programmes and the 2019 festival will welcome Children’s Hospice South West, Paws 2 Freedom, Made-Well, The Peredur Trust and Send a Cow. Ticket details and festival information can be found at www.coombetrenchard.co.uk

Set in the stunning gardens of this lovely Edwardian Arts & Crafts Country House on the edge of Dartmoor. This traditional English Garden Show brings together specialist nurseries, beautiful crafts and artisan food producers from throughout the South West. G A R DEN A DM ISSION £6 CH I L DR EN U N DER 14 FR EE

Coombe Trenchard Lewtrenchard Devon EX20 4PW www.coombetrenchard.co.uk 01566 783179 Dogs on lead welcome

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WHAT’S ON EXTRA

May 11 & 12

All set for the big adventure... Almost 3,000 youngsters will take part in the famous Ten Tors and Jubilee Challenge on Dartmoor between May 11th and 12th. The challenge, now in its 59th year, is one of the biggest outdoors adventure events for young people in the UK, in which they are tested to their limits by trekking unaided over different 35, 45 or 55 mile routes, encountering some of the wildest landscapes and highest peaks in Southern England. They not only have to rely on team work and navigational skills but sheer grit and determination to succeed. There can be no use of mobile phones or GPS and definitely no adult intervention. However, safety is paramount and each team is monitored

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in a military operations room manned 24 hours a day by military and civilian staff via a GPS tracker, which not only gives their location but also enables them to contact the organisers in an emergency. Although known as the ‘Ten Tors’, the event has another name and another purpose, as it serves as the backdrop for Exercise WYVERN TOR, a high-level military resilience exercise led by the British Army’s Headquarters Southwest based in the heart of Salisbury Plain in

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Wiltshire. The exercise involves 700 Reserve and Regular personnel from all three services across the region along with partner agencies such as the Duchy of Cornwall, British Red Cross, Dartmoor National Park, Devon and Cornwall Police, local authorities and a whole host of fantastic volunteer organisations including Dartmoor Rescue Group. Next year will see the event mark its 60th anniversary.

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West Devon Recycling & Refuse collections over the Early May and Spring Bank Holidays Please put your waste out before 7.30am on your collection day Box 1

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WHAT’S ON EXTRA

June 23

Moreton Music Day 2019 marks the 25th anniversary of this wonderful community event and to celebrate the milestone, there will be an outdoor stage and pedestrianised areas in the town, with three small road closures and a new venue. It is always a fantastic local event with almost 12 hours of free music, performed by well over 40 groups. It is also an opportunity for very local musicians who might otherwise not have many chances to share their talents and creations. There will be four electric stages for bands and singer-songwriters covering a huge variety of genres. Some of the performers this year are Hazaar, The Devon Afrobeat Collective, Quorum Official, Geekchic, Emily Fawcett, Peter Matthews, Rush Hour, Claude Lamon,

The Kit Hillbillies, Banned from the Moor, The Peacock Theory, The Dockneys, The Hot House Combo, Matthew North, Panic Pete and the Roughbeats, Diving for Pearls, Five Finger Discount and more. In St Andrew’s Church, the music is acoustic and will include The Lost Sound, Dartmoor Harmony, The Briars, The Woodward Brothers and Moor Voices. A spokesperson for the Moreton Music Day team said: ‘Music Day is a community event run by volunteers and everyone plays for free, there is no hierarchy and all performers are billed equally. At the same time we raise money for charities - this year we have

chosen Moretonhampstead Swimming Pool and we continue to support “Home from Home”. ‘To this end there will be raffle tickets for sale throughout the town, offering the chance to win a huge variety of prizes donated by local businesses and individuals and we encourage people to give generously.’ The music starts around noon and continues until 11.30pm. There will be local food outlets and an extra parking area.

June 28 - 30

Belstone Flower Festival This year the annual flower festival of the Northmoor team of churches will be hosted by the lovely church of St Mary’s in Belstone. This ancient church has many attributes: It dates from the 13th century with the first Rector recorded in 1260. There is a beautifully constructed rood screen and an incised stone cross

believed to date from the 7th century as well as many other interesting features.

which should offer plenty of scope for interpretation.

The flower festival is an annual fundraising event involving all 13 churches and their flower arranging teams. They will base their designs on extracts selected from hymns,

The festival will open daily from 10am until 4pm from Friday, June 28th until Sunday, June 30th, culminating in an evening service of Songs of Praise at 6.30pm on Sunday. Many of the hymns used in the arrangements will be sung during the service.

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There will also be an informal concert at 5pm on Saturday, June 29th with Moor Harmony, a local choir based in South Zeal who will be singing songs from the musicals. Tea, coffee and cake will be available throughout the weekend. Entrance to the concert and church will be free although there will be a charge for a programme. The organisers look forward to welcoming you to this lovely church. 47

WHAT’S WHAT’S ON EXTRAON EXTRA

May 19

Bluebell Sunday at Okehampton Castle This annual event marks the changing of the seasons and the coming of the bluebells throughout the castle’s woodlands, and has been a highlight of the Okehampton calendar since 1917 when local benefactor Sydney Simmons gifted the castle to the Okehampton Castle Trust for the inhabitants and visitors of the town to enjoy in future years. Alongside a packed programme of activities during the day, which runs from 10am until 5pm, the star of the show will be the bluebells themselves. Okehampton Castle is surrounded by beautiful woodland and countryside, making it a great place for walks throughout the year. There is an impressive

array of flowers and wildlife to spot whatever the season – but the castle is particularly famous for its swathes of bluebells in late spring. Now a picturesque ruin, Okehampton Castle was once the largest castle in Devon. Begun soon after the Norman Conquest, it was converted into a sumptuous residence in the 14th century by Hugh Courtney, Earl of Devon - a walk around the site today gives a sense of this past grandeur. The castle is now under the guardianship of English Heritage and is open daily from April to October.

May 19

Spring Woodland Festival Every spring, Dartmoor is witness to an epic race covering thousands of miles, from the forests of West Africa to the oak woods of Dartmoor. Birds like the Pied Flycatcher and Wood Warbler fly all this way to reach our wonderful oak woodlands in time to feast on the emerging spring insects.

some acoustic music or enjoy refreshments provided by the local scouts.

One of the best places to see them is Yarner Wood, part of the East Dartmoor National Nature Reserve.

The parade starts at 11am on Sunday, May 19th. Meet at the Special Event Parking, follow the Haytor road and turn in towards Yarner House and follow the signs.

These champion flyers will be the stars of the annual Spring Woodland Festival. Armed with banners and flags there will be a parade into the woods to celebrate the return the Flycatchers. Then throughout the rest of the day there’ll be a chance to meet the birds and wildlife experts who will help you find out more about them and the other amazing wildlife that make its home there. There’ll be wildlife crafts, guided walks, games and activities for everyone. And if you just want to sit back and enjoy the woods, why not listen to a tall tale from a storyteller, chill to

Please note the route of the parade is along a broad steep path down into the woods and will take about 30 minutes. Activities will run throughout the day, 11.30am until 4.30pm, so there’ll be lots to do even if you can’t make the parade! This event is being organised as part of Moor Than Meets The Eye and funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund. For more information contact andy@moorthanmeetstheeye.org

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WHAT’S ON EXTRA

June 15

Remembering D-Day with a fly past This summer a group of Piper Cub L4 Liaison aircrafts dating from the 1940s will fly across some of the north Dartmoor villages which were involved in the buildup to D-Day on June 6th, 1944. Members of the Vintage Piper Aircraft Club, the pilots are taking part in a 75th anniversary commemorative flight to France on June 5th with some 75 other planes, returning to land at Saunton Sands on June 15th, the beach used by the Allies to practice for the events of 1944. West Devon resident Richard Horner, who owns a restored Piper Cub dating from 1943, is one of those taking part in the flypast to honour the memories of US servicemen based in Devon during the war. He is hoping five or six vintage aircraft will be joining him for the trip, planned to leave Eggesford at 5.15pm on Saturday, June 15th, flying over Hatherleigh and passing Okehampton at approximately

5.30pm before heading for South Zeal, Gidleigh, Moretonhampstead and North Tawton back to Eggesford.. Timings are subject to weather conditions and departure from the beach at Saunton. In the lead-up to D-Day, Devon became a focal point for practice, training and eventually embarkation to the beaches of Normandy. Dartmoor and its surrounding villages would have been awash with Allied, mainly American troops preparing themselves for what at the time was a secret operation. Places like Folly Gate, Okehampton, Hatherleigh, Moretonhampstead, Chagford and Saunton Sands, to name but a few, would have witnessed an increase in volumes of troops and equipment being moved into the area, ready for their deployment to the south coast ports of Devon and Cornwall before commencing the sea crossing to Normandy, France.

The American 1941 design Piper Cub L4 Liaison aircraft was the workhorse of the US army, used for many different assignments. It was light, sturdy and easy to assemble and move on the ground in the combat zone. Because of its short take-off and landing capabilities, it could be launched with its two-crew members from small, sometimes muddy, fields and roads. Its primary job was for field gun observations from above the firing line, where it was used to direct artillery on to the enemy. The white/black lines painted on the aircraft were for identification during the D-Day mission.

May 26

Okehampton Rotary Club May Fair The big family day out takes place in Simmons Park with the official opening at 12pm. Last year proved to be one of the most successful events ever, with the good weather encouraging fantastic support from large numbers of visitors who turned

up to see the arena displays and visit the range of stall holders including crafts, charities, food, clothing and children’s activities, listen to the music and maybe have tea and cakes or a drink at the refreshment tents.

However, May Fair would not be May Fair without the duck races which will be run down the adjacent East Okement River during the afternoon. Make sure you have your entries, either bought in advance or on the day, providing a good chance of cash prizes with the winner of each race receiving £100!

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The organisers’ fingers are crossed for good weather again this year, so make sure you come along with friends and family to have some fun and help contribute to good causes at the same time. For more information visit the club website at www.okehamptonrotary.org.uk 49

WHAT’S ON EXTRA

June 16

Making a splash for the hospice Swimmers are being invited to take on the thrill of an open water swim event in aid of Children’s Hospice South West this summer. The charity has partnered with Dartmoor Open Water Swim to offer two shorter distance swims, alongside the 8,000m, 4,000m and 2,000m courses at Roadford Lake, near Okehampton, on Sunday, June 16th. For the first time, competent swimmers aged 12-16 can register to take part in a 500m child-only swim or a 500m family swim. There is also a 1,000m course for young swimmers and adults aged 14 and over.

across the South West, so please dive in and make a big splash for CHSW this summer!’ The charity is also promoting places for swimmers looking for a longer challenge at the Dartmoor Open Water Swim, which is supporting CHSW again this year. The 4km single loop course is aimed for those training towards long-distance triathlons, while the 2km half loop swim is designed for those who either have confined their swims to pools or have yet to face the longer distances.

CHSW community fundraiser Zoe Partridge said: ‘The Dartmoor Open Water Swim is one of the most popular challenges in our events calendar and we’re delighted to be able to team up with the organisers to open this year’s event up to even more swimmers with two shorter distances this year. ‘We are urging participants to raise sponsorship for CHSW to help us support children with life-limiting conditions and their families

Dartmoor Open Water Swim event director Mike Morris said: ‘This is an inclusive event aimed at giving all people the opportunity to swim outdoors in the stunning location of Roadford Lake.’ For more information and to register, go to www.chsw.org.uk/dartmoorswim

June 14 - July 2

Flagged up and flying high If you enjoy a flash of colour and flourish of style, then don’t miss Moretonhampstead’s annual mid-summer Flag Festival. From June 14th to July 2nd, the town will flaunt a fabulous array of hand-made flags showing off all manner of things local: flora and fauna, fads, inventions, shops, spaces, services, curiosities, clubs, pubs and more. It’s worth taking the time to wander the streets and appreciate these extraordinary works of art. Eight years ago, local artists Veronica Gould and Andrea Foxwell began Moreton’s flag making workshops. Materials were recycled tent fabric, hot air balloon off-cuts, unrivalled powers of persuasion, an odd assortment of sewing machines and most

importantly, curious, willing and enthusiastic helpers. Now with over 140 flags (and growing), decent sewing machines and the wholehearted support of the town, this spectacular collection brings untold delight. Summer visitors crossing the moor stop and ask ‘What are the flags for?’ A good question. They are not ‘for’ anything, other than ‘us’ and the delight of showing that art can be made by ordinary people from what is thrown away and that huge satisfaction is to be had from committed people gathering to make, mend, share, encourage and transform.

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COMPETITION WHAT’S ON EXTRA TIME

FRIDAY, JULY 19 - SATURDAY, JULY 20

Chagstock Festival ‘19 Your chance to win a pair of tickets to ‘The best little festival in the South West’! The headline act at this year’s marvellous music festival are the Fun Lovin’ Criminals, who take to the main stage on the Saturday night.

Friday night’s main stage headline act will be From The Jam! The Jam had amazing chart success with 18 singles and seven albums to make the top 40 in the United Kingdom from their debut in 1977 to their break up in 1982. Fronted by the Jam’s legendary Bassist Bruce Foxton, you can look forward to hits such as ‘That’s Entertainment’, ‘Going Underground’ and ‘Town Called Malice’.

Also booked for Chagstock are Mad Dog Mcrea, Noble Jacks, Holy Moly & The Crackers, Coco & The Butterflies, Three Daft Monkeys, Will Varley, Katy Hurt, Luke Jackson Trio, New Crisis, Amy Montgomery, Small Town Jones, Gentlemen of Few, Velvet and Stone plus many more acts still to be announced. This year, Chagstock organisers aim to address the gender imbalance in the arts, as the majority of the main stage and marquee stage bookings feature female performers. Simon Ford, Chagstock Festival organiser, said: ‘When choosing the line-up, I wanted to make sure that quality came first. I’m glad to say that there is no shortage of great female musicians out there. ‘I am very conscious that there is a movement to address the balance of male to female performers, particularly at

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festivals. I am therefore delighted to say that 13 out of our 22 main and marquee stage acts have one or more female members.’ Set in 70 acres of farmland on the edge of Dartmoor, Chagstock is renowned for its stunning location, diverse line-up of artists and non-corporate, family friendly atmosphere. Chagstock showcases the very best music, food and entertainment that the Westcountry and the UK have to offer. Starting life as a small private annual party, Chagstock has now grown into a major fixture on the Westcountry festival circuit. To win a pair of tickets for Chagstock 2019, just answer the following question: How many top 40 singles were released by The Jam? Email your answer to jane.honey@ linksmagazines.co.uk Make sure you put Chagstock Competition in the subject box and provide your full name, email address and telephone number so we can contact you. Or send your answer and contact details by post to Chagstock Competition, Oke Links, The Sanctuary, Kilworthy Hill, Tavistock PL19 0EP. The winning entrant will be drawn out of the hat on Friday, May 31st. The winner will be contacted and the name announced in the July/August edition of Oke Links. Good luck!

See our community website www.dartmoorlinks.co.uk

MUSIC & ART

May 13

Three Hares Exhibition Starting on May 13th and continuing through the summer, this unusual exhibition celebrates the publishing of a beautiful book of illustrated poetry by Eleanor Ludgate. Eleanor Ludgate has been a successful professional artist since the 1970s and has been writing poems since her art school days in the 1960s. She just kept them in a folder until recently, when she started working on a collection of paintings with poems that accompanied them, to produce this striking and unusual book. This is an unusual collection of 43 poems, spanning over 40 years, with a wide diversity of subjects and paintings, ranging from some written about Dartmoor and Sidmouth and the River Otter, to poems about love and emotions and Eleanorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s more recent works about wildlife and her concerns about it. There are also several poems inspired by the motif of the

Three Hares - the ancient symbol connected to Chagford where Eleanor has her studio and gallery and also Devon, where there are 17 churches with this image carved in their roof bosses. The Three Hares Gallery, at 20 The Square, Chagford, houses many of the original paintings together with the poems, some will be for sale and there are also prints and greeting cards made from the paintings in the book.

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MUSIC & ART

Until June 15

Mind, Mountains and Marking Time Online submissions open until May 24

Open Exhibition Greenhill Arts in Moretonhampstead is running an Open Exhibition this summer and looks forward to hearing from budding printmakers, painters, jewellers, woodworkers, crafters, textile artists and potters! All are very welcome to submit up to three pieces of work (five if a jewellery entry). Online submissions run until May 24th – go on, you never know – your work could form part of a professionally curated show at the gallery! The gallery has five great judges the exhibition, which is being supported by Devon Life magazine. The show will run at the gallery from June 28th to August 31st. Full details at www.greenhillarts.co.uk

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Don’t miss Greenhill Art’s exhibition of recent paintings and drawings by Exeter-based artist, writer and poet, John Danvers. Rooted in over 50 years of Zen Buddhist practice, his contemplative enquiry explores themes of landscape, states of order, the passage of time, growth, decay, chance and change. The quiet, harmonic work is made using the simplest of materials: graphite, ink, pigment and water. A real treat - and entry to the gallery is free! John will also run a workshop on May 30th and a poetry reading on June 6th, both at the gallery.

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MUSIC & ART

May 9 & 10

00Devon Diamond-Cheese-Finger-Forever! Ok folks, roll up roll up and prepare to be shaken not stirred as the legendary Get Changed Theatre Company prepare to take on their most dangerous mission yet! Come with us as we plunge headlong into a world of espionage, derring do and wild adventure in 00Devon ‘Diamond-Cheese-Finger-Forever’.

characters, foot stomping live music and song and dance routines so infectious they would give Fred and Ginger the heebie jeebies! Villainous villains, femme fatales, gadgety gadgets, get your tickets now for the most stupendous spy show in town!

After Get Changed’s wildly successful takes on much loved classic movies such as Star Wars, Back To The Future and Flash Gordon, the company thought it only fair that old 007 had a run for his money.

Get Changed Theatre is a charity based at the Ockment Centre in Okehampton. The company works with adults with disabilities, enabling them to gain independence and confidence though drama.

Expect a cheekily irreverent take on the world of Ian Fleming chock full of the classic Get Changed ingredients, hilarious

See 00 Devon at The Plough, Torrington at 7.30pm. All tickets £7. Box office 01805 624624.

May 18

The Mythic Garden Sculpture Exhibition 2019 Now in it’s 26th year, the annual Mythic Garden Sculpture Exhibition at Stone Lane Gardens near Chagford brings local sculptors and those from farther afield together in the sylvan setting of the National Collection of Birch and Alders. This year more than 20 sculptors will be exhibiting work in media as diverse as stone, willow, reclaimed metal, glass, ceramics and wood. All work is for sale and prices range from just under £100 to several thousands. Discover wonderful works of art set amongst the beautiful

birch trees with their colourful bark or beside ponds and streams. Established by the late June Ashburner, artist and gallery owner, the exhibition opens to the public on Saturday, May 18th and runs until the end of October. It is open daily from 10am until dusk. Admission is included in the standard garden ticket price of £6 for adults, students and children £2.50. A family ticket is £15. Well behaved dogs on leads are welcome.

May 18

Little Soldier – Journey to the Impossible Did you ever own a Walkman or play Donkey Kong? Little Soldier made this show for you. Journey to the Impossible is for people, like you, who recognise the sound of a modem, who were scared watching the Goonies and who couldn’t tell you the mobile numbers of their nearest and dearest but would still be able to call their best school-friend’s home number. Incorporating live music, light-hearted audience interaction and physical

comedy, Little Soldier use a recipe of Dip Dabs, walkie talkies and an unashamed dose of Steven Spielberg movies to create a retro-futuristic adventure for all the family. See Journey to the Impossible at 7.30pm in Lustleigh Village Hall. Tickets: Adults £10, Child £5. Call 01647 277498 to book. This is a Villages in Action production.

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NATIONAL TRUST

From billhooks to motorbikes! It appears that an old blacksmiths shop is a great place to find all sorts of odd and interesting tools and objects - some of which we aren’t even sure what their original purpose was! As a result of this we have decided to ask our volunteers to select their favourite objects from our collection and we will exhibiting one of these objects each month in our gallery, to hopefully shed some light on what they are and what they were used for. For the first month we have looked at the Devon billhook, looking at the massive selection of billhooks which were available in the 19th century and all their different uses. Other objects we will be researching include a draw knife and a poleaxe, common to some but a mystery to others.

We will also be looking at phrases which originated throughout history from places just like Finch Foundry, so you will be able to see the grindstone which you would have to put your nose to, be able to find out the real use of a tenterhook and find out why you should be careful not to put too many irons into the fire. On Saturday, May 18th our Motorcycle Day returns, featuring an astounding array of motorcycles from throughout the ages to the modern day on display in our car park. Come along and meet some friends or make some new ones. All motorcycles welcome. If you’d to be included, please telephone us or email finchfoundry@nationaltrust.org.uk.

Nose to the Add some colour to grindstone? your weekend this

Learn about the origin of autumn at Gibside this and other well known sayings atdiscover Finch Go crunching through fallen leaves and a forest teeming with wildlife and autumn colours, with walking routes for all ages and abilities. Foundry nationaltrust.org.uk/gibside Call 01837 840046 for details nationaltrust.org.uk/finch-foundry When you visit, donate, volunteer or join the National Trust, your

helps usTrust to look 2019. after special places <in the region> <like ©support National The National property property Y and Proeprty Z> in for ever, for everyone. Trust isX,an independent registered charity, number 205846. © National Trust 2016. The National Trust is an independent registered charity, number 205846. Photography © National Trust #nationaltrust Photography © National Trust Images. #nationaltrust Images\Ian Shaw.

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NATIONAL TRUST

Spring flowers and woodland sculptures Spring brings a riot of colour to the gorge. A carpet of bluebells - dotted with white wild garlic and pink purslane - stretches down to the river and floral scents fill the air. As the spring flowers fade; the leaves, ferns and mosses are growing, bringing nearly every shade of green imaginable to the gorge. For a quieter walk, choose to visit outside the school and bank holidays. It’s quite special to be able to explore the gorge as if discovering it for the first time. There’s a new sight, sound or scent around every corner. SPRING FLOWER SURVEY Saturday, May 11th, 11am-1pm. Join the ranger for a guided walk to Whitelady Waterfall to survey the wild flowers that flourish at this colourful time of year. Booking essential. BUG HOME MAKING Tuesday May 28th, 10.30am-1.30pm. Construct a home for all sorts of creepy crawlies. £2 per person, booking advisable.

BASIC GREEN WOODWORKING Thursday, May 30th, 1.303.30pm. Learn how to safely use bushcraft knives and tools to make your own wooden mallet. £3 per mallet, booking advisable. MAKING MINI WOODLAND FACES Saturday, June 1st, 12.303pm. Create your own mini face sculpture using local wood and basic hand tools. £2 per sculpture, booking advisable. MAKING WILD WOODLAND SCULPTURES Sunday, June 30th, 1-3.30pm. Make a piece of wild art to take home using hand tools, natural materials and your imagination. Create one as a family or make one individually; not just for kids! £5 per sculpture, booking advisable. Normal admission applies to events, for more information visit the website or call 01822 820320.

Serenity and Add some colour to your weekend drama in this equal autumn at Gibside measure at Lydford Gorge Go crunching through fallen leaves and discover a forest teeming with wildlife and autumn colours, with walking routes for all ages and abilities.

nationaltrust.org.uk/gibside Call 01822 820320 for details nationaltrust.org.uk/lydford-gorge When you visit, donate, volunteer or join the National Trust, your

helps usTrust to look 2018. after special places <in the region> <like ©support National The National property property Y and Proeprty Z> in for ever, for everyone. Trust isX,an independent registered charity, number 205846. © National Trust 2016. The National Trust is an independent registered charity, number 205846. Photography © National Trust #nationaltrust Photography © National Trust Images. #nationaltrust Images\David Noton.

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NATIONAL TRUST

17th century treasure returns to the castle This is one of our favourite times of year at Castle Drogo. The gardens are still looking glorious as the last of the spring colour fades and the roses come into bloom. The planting in the garden was designed by plantsmen and designer George Dillistone almost 100 years ago. This year there is a new display in the Luncheon House at the top of the garden about him, the garden and Drogo. In the Teign Gorge the bluebells are carpeting the ancient woodland - the perfect time to take a walk. Walks leaflets are available from visitor reception. Inside the castle, work is continuing to unpack the collection and re-display the rooms as the building work outside draws ever closer to completion at the end of the year. One of the castle’s most prized items, the 17th Century Gobelins tapestry Le Char de Triomphe, will be returning from conservation work in May. It will on display in the nursery corridor from June, with information about the conservation work that has taken place on it over the last 10 years.

The castle, garden, shop and café are open every day. Visit nationatrust.org.uk/castle-drogo to find out more. WILD TRIBE Sunday , May 19th, 11am-3pm - Join the Wild Tribe at Castle Drogo for bushcraft activities for children aged between 5-12. (Drop in event.) CRAFTY CABLE CAPERS Tuesday, May 28th, 11am-4pm - Get your hands dirty by joining in a variety of fun filled crafty activities. Prices of activities will vary please call 01647 433306 for more details. A small charge for the craft. (Normal admission applies). BRILLIANT BUTTERFLIES AND MAGNIFICENT MOTHS TRAIL Saturday, May 25th - Sunday, June 2nd, 11am-4pm - Families can follow the butterfly and moth trail through the garden and grounds, hunting out the clues to help claim a prize. £1 (includes a badge as a prize).

Wander through Add some colour to your spring weekend blooms this the autumn at Gibside at Castle Drogo Go crunching through fallen leaves and discover acafé forest The garden, castle, shop, teeming with wildlife and autumn colours, with walking routes for all ages andare abilities. and estate open every day.

Call 01647 433306 for details nationaltrust.org.uk/gibside nationaltrust.org.uk/castle-drogo When you visit, donate, volunteer join the National When you visit, donate, volunteer or join theor National Trust, your support your helps us to look after special places <inafter the region> <like Trust, support helps us to look special places property X, property Y and Proeprty Z> in for ever, for everyone. for ever, for everyone. © National Trust 2019. The National Trust is an © National Trust 2016. The National Trust is an independent independent registered number © National Trust registered charity, number 205846.charity, Photography 205846. Photography © National Trust Images. Images.

#nationaltrust #nationaltrust

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FEATURE

Encouraging a new generation of musicians Youngsters help promote ‘endangered instruments’ Okehampton Music Centre is a pioneering initiative which encourages young people to get more involved with music. It was developed from an idea by Val Berry, the head of music and expressive arts at Okehampton College and Heather Parks from Community Links SW CIC. It was launched in 2014 by international cellist Julian Lloyd Webber. The centre is run by Community Links SW, a community interest company also responsible for a variety of other groups and services in Okehampton. It is supported by funding from Okehampton United Charities, the Devon Music Education Hub and other donors including the Okehampton Rotary Club. This enables children to attend subsidised weekly lessons and workshops. The centre makes learning an instrument affordable for all by offering several scholarship options for Instrument hire. Weekly attendance costs are £1.50 which includes the lesson, workshop and choir. Val Berry said it had been a privilege to be part of the music centre. She said: ‘I have students who started three years ago who are now proficient musicians and they are still only ten or eleven years old! We now have violas, cellos, French horns, tubas and bassoon in our school orchestra. There are not many school ensembles around the country who can boast such an array of proper orchestral instruments. This was precisely why we chose only the instruments which are being ignored – French horn, trombone, tuba, viola, cello, oboe and bassoon. These are difficult instruments to learn and need more resilience and perseverance in order to become competent. ‘At a time when music is being pushed out of the curriculum, this is a hugely positive initiative - hopefully we can sustain this for many years to come.’ Allyson Bales from Community Links added: ‘One of the advantages of the Centre being in Okehampton College is for children from smaller primary schools to regularly visit 58

the college and get to know children from other schools. The centre also welcomes home educated children, giving them the opportunity to socialise as well as learning an instrument the centre is about much more than music alone.’ The Okehampton Music Centre students also experience the thrill of taking part in orchestral concerts and performances both locally and further afield. They have worked with Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra where they took part in a huge all day workshop with the orchestral section leads followed by a joint performance - an amazing opportunity for them and a really enriching experience. Their next concert will be in the Charter Hall as part of Okehampton Festival of Food and Music on June 29. Okehampton Music Centre is held during term time on Thursdays after school at Okehampton College between 4-6pm. Pupils choose which instrument they wish to learn from French horn, tuba, trombone, viola, cello, oboe and bassoon. They are taught in small groups by professional teachers, during a 30 minute lesson. They then attend a 30 minute music workshop where they learn about rhythm, playing together and music theory. There is also an optional 30 minute choir session. The music centre is open to all pupils in years 3 to 9 (ages seven to 13), including those who are home educated. Older college pupils with musical experience are given the opportunity to mentor younger children and help run the workshops, providing experience in teaching and leadership which are be used towards their Duke of Edinburgh Award, Arts Award and improving their CV applications for jobs or further education.

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FEATURE

'It is enjoyable and fun and I love learning to play the Viola. My teacher is great’ 'We get to play in a concert and make new friends’ however, Community Links is keen to hear from interested children and their families throughout the year. As recently as January this year, Julian Lloyd Webber said: ‘Access to music remains stubbornly out of reach for the vast majority of children from less privileged backgrounds.’ In The Times, Lloyd Webber goes on to point out that the music industry brings in £4.4 billion a year to the economy, but that there are other reasons the arts should be accessible for school children regardless of their background:

'There’s loads of nice people and they help you’ The music centre also runs a choir which has proved very popular - pupils are taught how to care for their voices, how to hold parts and sing in rounds. Last autumn they had the opportunity to sing with the Teachers Rock Choir in Exeter Cathedral. Every year there is an open evening including a workshop session to give children and parents a feel for how the music centre works. This year’s open evening will be Thursday, November 7th. In January the new beginners’ classes open,

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‘On a practical level, many jobs will soon be lost to automation but jobs in the arts will be among the least affected. On a social level, all our children should have a right to experience music, not just the ones with parents who can afford to pay for expensive instruments and tuition.’ Over the last five years the centre has worked with 170 youngsters to ignite a love of music that will last a lifetime through music making, singing and having fun! So what do the young musicians themselves think is the best thing about their music centre sessions? Here are just a few reactions: ‘Learning new songs for concerts’ ‘Being able to learn with others’ ‘How you can freely learn loads of instruments and it’s really fun’ For more information about Okehampton Music Centre, contact Community Links at Okehampton College, telephone 07808 523111/01837 55105 or email music@communitylinks-sw.co.uk 59

WALKS WITH WINNIE DOG WALK

Walks with Winnie This walk has been kindly written (and walked) for us by Denise Horner of Dartmoor Nordic Walking with her dog, Winnie. www.dartmoornordicwalkng.co.uk www.pentranger.co.uk ‘Dartmoor Nordic Walking’ and ‘Walks with Winnie’ are on Facebook. Distance: Approximately 4.5k Time: Allow an hour and a half. Difficulty: Mostly flat with easy going terrain. Can be muddy in places after rain.

Start and finish at Fernworthy Reservoir Car Park, which is now pay and display. A circular walk around Fernworthy Reservoir, starting and finishing at the car park. When you arrive you will be treated to an amazing view across the reservoir towards Thornworthy Tor. Although the reservoir looks most inviting for a swim, unfortunately neither dogs or humans are allowed in it. Fernworthy Reservoir is in Dartmoor National Park and managed by South West Lakes Trust - it was completed in 1942. There are toilets at the car park, closed during the winter, open from April onwards.

With the reservoir in front of you, take the track to the bottom right of the car park and head over the small bridge. After about 50m on your right hand side you will easily see Metherel Hut Circles, and if the water levels are low, you will also be able to see further hut circles at the edge of the water on your left hand side. Continue on the path, through the gate and look for the path between the bushes on your left hand side, taking you down to the river and the base of the reservoir. A great spot to see the flow of the water over the edge of the wall. Follow the path to the right and up the slope towards the top of the wall. It will

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take you around the wall and along the edge of the reservoir - this section can become quite muddy. Stay on this path until you come to a narrow bridge. Cross this and take the small gate to your left, continue to the next gate with forest on your right hand side. The path is clearly marked through a section of forest along a boardwalk, coming to a lovely opening into a field with views across the reservoir. A great place to be at one with nature - keep your eyes open for butterflies! Walk straight across this first and then through a second field. If the water levels are low, look left towards the water and you may get to see a small clapper bridge that is normally submerged. It was last seen clearly in 2016. As you arrive at the five bar gate on your right, go through this and also the next one in front of you. You will now be on the road, the furthest point that you can drive to around Fernworthy. On the right you will see access to the woods and more walks to explore.

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WALKS WITH DOG WINNIE WALK

Stay on the road until you come to a large building on your right hand side. Opposite, you will see a gateway, go through this into the field and the first marked post on your right, before the tree. Follow this down the short hill and towards the forest, again crossing a small bridge and walking along a clear path on the boardwalk. The path takes you further into the forest, bringing you out into an area recently cleared of trees, with views of the reservoir on your left and Thornworthy Tor. A gateway will take you back on a gravel track to the car park. The picnic benches will be waiting for you to rest, enjoy the view and have a cup of tea from your flask! The Potterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Walk is an alternative shorter 1.1km, wheelchair accessible walk that also starts and finishes at the car park. If you would like to join Winnie on this walk, we will be starting at 2.30pm on Tuesday, June 18th. Please do book your space at www.dartmoornordicwalking. co.uk ÂŁ6 per person, dogs welcome.

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FOOD & DRINK

Sherry - it’s not just for Christmas! Jason Mules shares his top sherry choices this spring Once known for being the drink of choice for Grandmas everywhere, sherry is shaking off its old-fashioned image and emerging as, dare I say it, quite hip and cool. In the same way that ales went from the preserve of the Grandad to the trendy discerning drinker, sherry is now finding itself a new appreciative audience. If you’re thinking of trying sherry for the first time or looking for something new, I have picked some of my favourites that will tantalise your taste buds and ensure you will have a ‘sherry good summer’!

Tasty Tio Tio Pepe (£10.49) is made in Jerez, Spain from Palomino grapes which are pressed using a Willems. This press applies the lightest pressure on the fruit, without crushing the stems, seeds or skin. The grape ‘must’ from this first, light pressing is used exclusively to make Tio Pepe. The resulting wine is then matured for at least five years in American oak casks. This is known as the solera system,which consists of rows of casks stacked one upon another, all containing sherry of the same type. Each contains wine of an average age, the one at floor level being the oldest, from which wine is drawn off and used. While the sherry is maturing, it is veiled in ‘flor’ - a layer of yeasts which changes the composition of the wine and gives it the distinctive flavour and taste. The appearance is pale and straw-like with a very pronounced nose of almonds, butter, citrus fruits and fresh bread. On the taste it is absolutely dry, but delicate, nutty and yeasty with strong hints of elderflower and lemon. 62

Always served chilled - it is superb over ice with tonic for a long, refreshing drink. It is a fantastic accompaniment to olives and nuts, asparagus, seafood and salads, and of course, tapas.

Elegant Elegante Elegante (£9.99) is not as dry as Tio Pepe as it spends less time maturating under the flor. Produced using the same solera method, Elegante is a young, value for money Fino aged for three years in American oak casks. The wine is pale golden in colour with a crisp and dry taste. The floral pear characters create a subtle, clean, pleasing palate. Mixed with a premium tonic, Elegante makes a luscious long drink, but traditionally it’s served on its own. Well chilled, this sultry Spaniard is a perfect match for sea food, soups, oysters - and surprisingly, fish and chips!

Delicious Delicado Amontillado Delicada Amontillado (£14.99), is a style of Amontillado, characterised by being darker than Fino. An Amontillado is the result of two successive ageing processes, both in solera – firstly biological as a Fino under flor, then oxidatively in oak. It normally starts life as a Fino, of minimum age three years, when the protective layer of flor has broken down. Such wines are then fortified to 17 % abv to kill remaining yeast cells. The sherry offers a strong nose of crushed, freshly roasted hazelnut, hints of dried citrus peel, a little high-toned marmalade, raisin and a touch of toffee; medium-full bodied, with an intense palate of crushed fresh and roasted hazelnut, with a hints of walnut and dried citrus, finishing with a touch of toffee right on the end of the medium-long length. For a food match, the nuttier complexity compared with Fino lends itself well to dishes that include cured meat, game and cheese, seafood and rich, meaty tapas. So whether it’s something to accompany a meal, tapas on the terrace or just a refreshing tasty beverage for those summer evenings on the patio, there really is a sherry good sherry for everyone - and it’s not just for Christmas!

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Jason Mules Waitrose, Okehampton

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FOOD & DRINK

Cider in the sunshine? There’s nothing like enjoying the British summer in a pub garden with a pint of real ale or local cider - and the Mary Tavy Inn’s garden has one of the most beautiful views to gaze at while you enjoy your drink. Rolling farmland and Dartmoor’s tors stretch into the distance - yet 200 years ago, you’d have been gazing at an industrial landscape. It’s hard to believe that just half a mile from where you sit, Wheal Friendship was employing 1,000 miners and producing more copper than any other mine in the world at the height of its productivity. The pub at that time was called the Buller’s Arms, named for one of the major landlords in the area. Garry and Kim Lee, the current owners, welcome families and dogs to their traditional English hostelry and offer regular special events, such as their hugely popular annual sausage and ale festival during the Whitsun bank holiday, live music featuring local bands, special dinners that have raised thousands for charities such as Help for Heroes and themed food nights.

Why not evoke some memories of Mediterranean holidays and rustle up these tasty lamb koftas, which were one of the delicacies on offer during the Mary Tavy Inn’s recent Greek week?

Lamb Koftas with Mint and Yoghurt Dressing Ingredients Olive oil 1 medium onion, peeled and finely diced. 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed 2 tsp cumin seeds, toasted and crushed Chilli flakes to taste 500g minced lamb 2 tbsp chopped parsley 2 tbsp chopped mint Sea salt and ground black pepper.

For the dressing Small bunch of mint leaves ½ tsp toasted cumin seeds 2-3 tbsp natural yoghurt Ground black pepper 1 tbsp lemon juice

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Method 1) Make the dressing by putting the mint leaves into a mortar and bash the leaves with a pestle to bruise them. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Transfer to a serving bowl. 2) In a small pan put a dash of olive oil. When hot fry heat onions and garlic on a gentle until tender. Add the cumin seeds and chilli flakes. Cook and stir for two minutes. Take off heat and set aside. 3) Place lamb into a mixing bowl and add the cooked onion mix, herbs, a drizzle of olive oil and season. Mix well with your hands. 4) Divide into eight balls, roll each ball into an oval in cupped hands. Thread onto four metal skewers and brush with olive oil. 5 ) To cook on a griddle. Heat the pan until you can feel a good heat rising and cook for three to four minutes each side. Do not turn until they are well sealed or the meat will stick to the pan. 6) Serve the Koftas with the mint yoghurt and flat bread or a Greek salad.

The Mary Tavy Inn

Well kept Real Ales Guest Beers À La Carte Restaurant Bar Meals Regular Music and Event Nights Modern, Comfortable B&B Rooms

Festival

24th to 27th May 10 Great Beers 12 Sausage Flavours 5 Mash Flavours

Superb food, fantastic staﬀ and great beers. Would highly recommend this fantastic, well run pub!

www.marytavyinn.co.uk

Mike September 2018

Lane Head, Mary Tavy, Tavistock, PL19 9PN

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Contact Garry & Kim on 01822 810326

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HISTORY

Dartmoor’s Karl Marx Martin McDonagh investigates a Lewtrenchard resident ahead of his time Many years before Marx and Engels, a small group now called ‘The Early English Socialists’ were already writing angrily about the terrible conditions of the poor. One of them was Charles Hall, physician and author of ‘The Effects of Civilization on the People in European States’, published in 1805. In the ‘Effects’, Hall argues that the labour of the poor is the foundation of all wealth but the poor only receive only one eighth of the value of their labour, the other seven eighths ending up in the pockets of the landowners. His remedy was to divide the land of England equally between the people, so that each family would be self-sufficient on a small farm. Hall’s passion to understand poverty grew directly from the misery he found on medical visits to the rural poor. Here he saw ‘the children, several of them generally lying in the same bed: heated by and heating each other in a small room, corrupted by the exhalations of the whole family; disturbed by one another’s

cries;... the effects of disorder increased by the vermin and hard beds, covered by filthy clothes…no attendants, but the poor mother worn out by watchings.’ The ‘Effects’ was well ahead of its time and a modern historian described it as one of the first texts to combine ‘an uncompromisingly radical critique of the political structure with an equally radical critique of the social and economic system’. However, despite knowing Hall’s book, historians despaired of ever knowing anything about Hall’s life. I took this despair as a research challenge. After several years in the archives I made a surprising discovery: Hall had written his great book in the remote farmstead of Down House near Lew Trenchard. The move to Lew was a Devon homecoming for Hall, as he was born at Salcombe Regis, East Devon in 1739, the son of the vicar Joseph Hall. We have no record of Hall’s early schooling, but his later education was rather

The courtyard at Fleet prison

strange. It took place in France at the English College in Douai, a seminary for training catholic priests. Hall was the first protestant boy ever to study there and odder still, he started his course at 18, when the normal age was thirteen. It was a tough curriculum at Douai, the boys studied Latin, Greek, the New Testament, Logic, Rhetoric and classical authors such as Cicero and Hesiod. Despite this demanding course, there was an informal atmosphere amongst the boys, revealed by their nicknames - Tom Thumb, Goat, Oggy and the less than complimentary ‘Boiled Rags’. After Douai, Hall trained as a doctor at Edinburgh University, which had one of the best medical schools in Europe. From Edinburgh, Hall moved to the renowned medical school at Leiden in the Netherlands, where in 1765, he obtained his MD with a thesis on Phthisi Pulmonali (Tuberculosis). Once he had qualified, Hall set up as a physician in Northamptonshire where he

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HISTORY

The court of Common Pleas 1808

married Ann, a farmer’s daughter, whose father gave them the large Bragborough estate just outside Braunston. Here for 22 years, Hall farmed Leicestershire sheep for wool. Ann bore Hall eleven children and, remarkably for the time, ten of them reached adulthood, perhaps a testament to his skill as a physician. In 1795 the family moved to Lew Trenchard having abandoned plans to emigrate to America. At Lew he rented Down House and its estate from William Baring-Gould for the annual sum of £390. After twelve years at Lew, Charles moved first to Tavistock and then, after Ann’s death there in 1807, he went to live with his eldest son John in Bath. Charles was a good farmer and advertisements for his farms extol the good heart of the land and the quality of the stock. However, his ability as a business man was an entirely different story. He got into debt and one of his creditors went to court to recover £157 (£11,000 today). Hall denied the debt, refused to pay, and was arrested at Bath by the Sheriff of Somerset. On Christmas Eve 1816 he was thrown into Ilchester Prison as an undischarged debtor. There he remained until April when, still refusing to pay, he was moved to London’s Fleet Prison as the summons against him had been originally issued by the Court of Common Pleas in Westminster.

arrived on April 1st and joined the other 250 prisoners confined within the walls. He was 78. Inside the Fleet, a debtors’ prison, inmates paid for themselves, organised their own lives and created a microcosm of the world outside with its ranks, deference and disparities of power. The prison doors were open in daytime and visitors, prostitutes and players in the prison racquet courts came and went at will. Also coming in were market traders who used the ‘necessary houses’ so frequently that one prisoner complained: ‘When those filthy butcher’s boys come in, there are no gentlemen who would sit down after them.’ Hall remained incarcerated in the Fleet for eight years, refusing to pay on a point of principle even though his friends offered to pay the debt for him. At last in 1825 Catherine Lamb, his creditor, relented and he was released to live with his daughter Margaretta in South London. Two years later the greatest Early English Socialist was dead. He was buried on 3rd March, 1827 at Kennington, six days short of his 88th birthday.

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Martin McDonagh This article is based on a talk given to ‘Lewdown Past’, the Lewdown and area local history group. A fully referenced booklet on the life of Charles Hall is available from the author.

The records of the Fleet show that Hall

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