13 minute read
What’s On
July 3
Positivity in the Park!
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Following its award of ‘Much Loved’ status by Fields in Trust UK in 2019, Simmons Park has proved to be an essential lifeline for physical and mental health over the last two years for all that use it.
As part of the award a celebration of the park was planned to take place in conjunction with Fields in Trust, Okehampton Town Council and OCRA. The pandemic put paid to last year’s event, so a double celebration has been planned in the Park for Saturday, July 3rd. The family event aims to provide activities and opportunities to enjoy what the park has to offer so fingers crossed for dry weather!
Ian Blythe, OCRA general manager, said: ‘This national celebration of green space and parks allows us to showcase the benefit it provides to our community as well as the opportunity to bring the people of the town and surrounding areas together safely, in what has been a difficult time for all things social.’
Fields in Trust champions and supports parks and green spaces by protecting them for people to enjoy in perpetuity. This ethos fits well with the joint ambitions of Okehampton Town Council and OCRA in promoting the positive use of the park to provide a healthy and active place for the inhabitants of and visitors to Okehampton.
Last year’s record breaking sale. Picture by Chris Walpole
July 10
Car Boot Sale
Last September’s car boot sale at Belstone Cricket Ground was the most popular ever, with 63 ‘boots’ and over 200 ‘buyer’ cars.
On Saturday, July 10th the next sale at the ground gives a chance to get rid of all the stuff you’ve sorted out during this year’s lockdown.
As usual, sellers can arrive from 9am to set up, price £5 for cars and £6 for vans. Please note the following new entry arrangements for all buyers which will bring the sale into closer agreement with other venues: anyone arriving before the official opening time of 10am pays £2 as before; everyone else arriving after 10am pays £1 to enter (£1 per car or £1 per walking group of up to four). For more details please phone 01837 840498.
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July 18
Okehampton is throwing a party!
Following a year which has been devastating for live music, music fans, businesses and let’s face it, the mental health of the population, local musician Dave Rich has organised a day of live music and celebration in Okehampton on Sunday, July 18th.
Dave said: ‘The idea was to have a music day using great venues we already have in the town. I want this to be a success for everyone involved and the local support for Okey Music Day has been amazing, with local residents, organisations and businesses donating to make it happen – a massive heartfelt thank you to everyone who has donated!’
There are currently five stages – The King’s Arms Mike Rice Memorial Stage (Mike was a very loved musician in the town who sadly succumbed to Covid this year), The London Inn Stage, The Music & Bean Stage, The St James Chapel Stage and the Okehampton Museum Stage.
All stages will be free entry and will feature bands such as The Hummingbirds, The Dockneys and Rushwood & Co, through to folk acts and more traditional music. The event is being supported with a £2,000 grant from Okehampton United Charities, for which the organisers are very grateful. For a full line-up see okeymusicday. co.uk.
July 18, 24 & 25
Open Gardens
Two very different gardens are open for charity in July - Pangkor House near Hatherleigh, and Hotel Endsleigh near Tavistock.
Pangkor House is a quirky and highly personal garden with sculptures and random artefacts hidden within the borders. It has a freeform lawn with a series of grass paths with spectacular views over Dartmoor. There is also a wild meadow, wild garden, Zen garden, courtyard garden and a pond area with a waterfall. The garden is open on Saturday, July 24th and Sunday, July 25th from 1.30pm to 5pm. Home-made teas available, admission £5.
The gardens at Hotel Endsleigh are designed in three parts; a formal garden around the house, a picturesque dell with pleasure dairy and a rockery plus arboretum. The formal gardens have the Long Border, grass terrace, croquet lawn and a unique Shell House, plus a 100-metre rose arch, and the arboretum includes some wonderful Champion trees. The garden is open on Sunday, July 18th between 11am and 4pm. Admission £8.
Both gardens are opening for the National Garden Scheme which raises money to support Macmillan Cancer Support, Marie Curie Cancer Care, Hospices UK, Carers Trust and other nursing and caring charities. Pre-booking is available. Please check www.ngs. org.uk for up-to-date information and current Covid restrictions.
Immerse yourself in the town’s green spaces and gardens
and
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July 19 - 25
Sports Week is Back for 2021!
The benefits of sport, fitness and leisure pursuits has never been more important and Okehampton Community and Recreation Association (OCRA) is ramping up the opportunities for people to be active and positive in Simmons Park, Okehampton.
OCRA is running its hugely successful Sports and Fitness Festival again to showcase the opportunities on offer to the people of Okehampton, its Hamlets and the surrounding areas, culminating in its popular Super Sporting Sunday on July 25th from 10am. The day provides a family activities and the option to try new things including archery, fitness sessions, swims, tennis, putting, July 17
fencing, runs or walks, badminton, table tennis, putting, trampolining and even a climbing wall.
Refreshments will be provided by the Pavilion in the Park and the event has been supported by key funding partners Okehampton United Charities as they continue their mission to support positive projects for all residents of Okehampton and its Hamlets. Okehampton Town Council and Okehampton Hamlets Parish Council have also provided funding support for the event, while key sports clubs for hockey, running, football, tennis, fencing and gymnastic and trampolining are also providing support to showcase their sports and clubs.
Transport Group Coffee Morning
A charity which provides a vital service in the Okehampton area will be holding a fundraising coffee morning in the town’s Charter Hall on July 17th.
The event, run by Okehampton District Community Transport runs between 9am and noon - there will be plenty of stalls in addition to tea, coffee and Pete’s Homebake - all welcome!
In addition, the transport group is hoping to recruit a volunteer driver with D1 on their licence to drive its 15-seater minibus for the regular lifestyle trips.
These are all-day trips in which people are picked up from their homes at 9am, to be returned by around 4pm. Recent outings have included visits to Homeleigh Garden Centre and Sidmouth - trips being planned include some to Tavistock, Ikea, Barnstaple, Topsham and Trago Mills. Ian Blythe, OCRA general manager, said: ‘We have previously hosted this event for more than 800 people and we hope families and people of all ages are enjoying the benefits on body and mind of physical activity.
‘We hope by providing the opportunities and facilities, Okehampton College, Fusion Lifestyle and OCRA empowers and inspires all to stay active and healthy.’
Group manager Sue Wonnacott said: ‘We will soon put on some extra midweek trips, perhaps some just for lunch out, as some clients can only be away for short times due to their doggy pals! We also welcome suggestions for new outings.’
If you are interested in finding out more, please ring Sue on 01837 55000.
July 24 - August 13
Fingle Woods Exhibition
Stories from people who have lived, worked in or loved this iconic Dartmoor wood including old photos, film or audio recordings, letters, postcards, or memories and quotes form the basis of a fascinating exhibition being held at the woods this summer.
The exhibition will feature events, artwork and sculpture, photography and entertaining re-enactments by a living history group, as well as online videos and resources plus activities taking place along the river path and at the hill fort.
The exhibition celebrates the end of the five year National Lottery Heritage Fund’s project that kicked started the Woodland Trust and National Trust’s collaboration to restore 825 acres of ancient woodland in the Teign Valley.
Community engagement officer Eleanor Lewis said: ‘Fingle Woods is steeped in history and the project has uncovered many fascinating stories and memories of people connected to the woods, whether they worked here or visited on a family holiday. One of the stories I found most evocative is of children tending charcoal kilns overnight in the woods, sitting
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on a one-legged charcoal burner’s stool, designed to topple over if they fell asleep.’
Much of the Fingle site is ancient woodland; it features an iron age hill fort and the ruins of a 19th century mill, both excavated as part of the project. From the 1930s the woods became the site of an innovative forestry experiment led by the Elmhirsts of the Dartington Estate, where areas of native broadleaf trees were replanted with conifers.
The Woodland Trust and National Trust bought the woods in 2013. It’s the first venture of its kind between the two organisations, which have been gradually restoring the woods and returning them to their former glory.
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August 29
Rotary Summer Fair
Okehampton Rotary Club has continued with its work supporting local charities and good causes despite the Coronavirus Pandemic as much as possible, but it had not been possible to run the usual fund-raising events. That is hopefully, set to change after June 21st if the government is able to lift the restrictions which have so dramatically affected all our lives.
The first big event planned is a Summer Fair on Sunday, August 29th in Simmons Park. This is one of the Club’s biggest events and, given the green light, will go ahead. There will be the traditional duck races, hopefully a dog related event, the Ukelele band, OCRA’s sporting activities and tea and cakes provided by the Inner Wheel plus the popular BBQ and many stalls offering a variety of products and information.
Other events, including a coffee morning and Christmas lunches are planned for later in the year. The money raised at these enables Rotary to support local and overseas charities and good causes and the club is always grateful for the public’s support. For more information please go to www. rotary-ribi.org/clubs/homepage.php?ClubID=1048 and the Rotary Club of Okehampton Facebook page or call Rotary Club president Hugh McPhillips on 07999 774224.
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August 28 - September 5
Dartmoor Walking Festival 2021
Since the first event in 2016 the festival has been a great success - and the very positive feedback really supported the idea of it becoming an annual event, which is absolutely fabulous.
Since then it has grown and grown and now regularly raises more than £1,000 every year for the Devon Air Ambulance charity.
In 2021 we are again holding the Dartmoor Walking Festival, from Saturday, August 28th until Sunday, September 5th, with full details online on the www.moorlandguides.co.uk website. Being the last week of the summer holiday, which encompasses the August Bank Holiday weekend, it will hopefully allow our visitors to stay on just the extra week to enjoy all that Dartmoor has to offer. We will be putting on several events each day during the nine-day festival, ranging from modest guided strolls and children’s rambles to full day walks and more ambitious challenges!
There really will be something for everyone, including ‘accessible’ events for the less mobile in partnership with the ‘Disabled Ramblers’ Association.
The week is only limited by your imagination, so come along and explore Dartmoor on your doorstep and find out much more about this incredibly special place.
Simon Dell Moorland Guides 07845 176870
Email enquiries@moorlandguides.co.uk
August 29
Chagford Two Hills Race returns!
Chagford Runners are thrilled to announce the return of the event on Sunday, August 29th at the War Memorial Playing Fields. The later date gives a greater chance of being able to hold the race in its traditional format. Due to unavailability of the chip timing company and a clash with Lustleigh Show Race, the race is unable to take place on Bank Holiday Monday this year. The committee have been working hard and now have a fantastic new logo and website thanks to local designers Matt Tanner and Anna Needham. See www. twohillsrace.co.uk
This year ALL entries will be online, either via the website, or via a link on the Facebook page - The Chagford Two Hills Race. Early bird entry prices £5 (juniors) and £10 (adults) available until the end of July. Prices then rise to £6 and £12. Please note the race limit is 220 and no entries will be taken on the day. Entries will close at midday on Friday, August 27th, or before if the race is full.
Registration opens at 9.30am, the race starts at 11.30am. There will be all the usual family fun, entertainment, refreshments, and licensed bar. Local organisations are able to have a stall at the event such as tombola, white elephant, plants, books and games. If you are interested, please get in touch via the contacts below. Please no food, cake or refreshment stalls.
The committee is always looking for extra marshals and help - if you would like to be involved please contact Sheila Mead 07754 547448 or Kate Webber 07834 999478 or email 2hillsrace@ gmail.com
Tel:01647 440636 www.moretonmotormuseum.co.uk Tel:01647 440636 www.moretonmotormuseum.co.uk
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