Stain On Our Conscience

We all know that as throwaway consumers and fast fashion enthusiasts we are contributing to environmental disaster for the planet. Our appetite for colourful clothes and furnishings is a perfect example.

There are about 72 toxic chemicals used in the synthetic dyeing industry which colours our clothes and our furnishings, in countries like Bangladesh, Thailand, Indonesia and China, waste is being emptied into nearby rivers making them biologically dead. Sadly, locals still irrigate their crops with these waters and people bath in them, resulting in skin diseases, cancers and even death.

It is time to return to natural dyes. Let’s promote ‘Slow Style’ and buy local and hand made when possible or use charity shops instead of buying new. Revive ‘make do and mend’ and learn to sew and knit for yourself.

If you are looking for inspiration, from the 27th March the Museum of Dartmoor Life in Okehampton will reopen its doors after the winter break. We are very excited to launch our new exhibition ‘Dyeing on Dartmoor’, looking at the huge influence the wool trade has had on Moorland life and how our ancestors used local plants and minerals to fix and dye their yarn and fabrics. Perhaps a tradition we should once more employ. Come and see for yourself! Follow us on social media for more information on all the many events

Celebrating Camellias

Here at The Garden House there are warmer days and a definite move to the vibrancy of Spring. To take advantage of this, from 1st March we move to our summer hours, opening six days a week (Tuesday to Sunday), for visitors to enjoy the displays in our 12 acre garden.

For us March and April are the months in which, among all the wonderful flowers, we celebrate our large collection of camellias. Camellias throughout the garden include rarities such as the scented Camellia transnokoensis from Taiwan and the fishtail Camellia ‘Kingyo-tsubaki’ which greets you in the car park. coming up, or check out our website at www.dartmoorlife.org.uk

March 21st marks the start of Spring and also the start of our ‘Camellia Month’ and on Saturday 25th March we will be hosting visiting specialist nursery, Strete Gate Camellias, who are renowned for selling the widest range of camellias in the UK.

Kristy Turner, Manager

Unlike the summer and autumn months, it’s impossible to predict exactly when a particular plant will be in flower but we’ll be providing continual updates on our social media feeds: Facebook, @TGardenHouse , Instagram @ the.garden.house and Twitter @ TGardenHouse.

John Richmond

The Garden House, Buckland Monachorum, PL20 7LQ. To plan your visit go to the gardenhouse.co.uk

Get In The Spirit!

Tai Chi may have originated as an ancient Chinese martial art, but it enjoys global popularity as a wonderfully gentle form of exercise.

‘It’s all about encouraging people to get active and improve their wellbeing, strength and balance,’ says Kate Dixon who runs a weekly class which takes place in the Okehampton Community Garden.

‘Tai Chi is also great for helping you to let go of stress, both physical and

A Good Innings

Last November’s annual dinner at the Tom Cobley Tavern in Spreyton gave Belstone Cricket Club a chance to celebrate the 2022 season, in particular the achievement of winning Division One of the North Devon Sunday League (NDL), the highest accolade of the Club’s 29 year existence.

The NDL instigated a new award in 2022, that of Player of the Season; this was given to Belstone’s opening bat Ryan Dennis – he played in all 12 League games, scoring 632 runs (including two centuries) at an average of 57.45 with a strike rate of 157.22. And just to prove that sometimes winners can also be nice guys, Belstone won the Division One ‘Club Sportsmanship Award’ as judged by the emotional. It is a moving meditation. The classes start with some easy to learn exercises and continue with the Tai Chi form. We practice outdoors in the garden when the weather is good enough. And we have the garden shed as indoor backup.

‘After the class we put the kettle on for hot drinks and biscuits. It’s a place where you can meet people and make new friends.’

The class is every Thursday at 10.30am and costs £5 per session.

For more information contact Kate Dixon: kate@forestchi.co.uk various NDL umpires who officiated at our games.

They say that it is harder to defend a title than to win it in the first place – it will soon be time to find out. The first League game of the new season is away at Instow against North Devon CC on Sunday 30 April, followed by the first home game versus newly promoted Bideford CC on Sunday 7 May. If you’d like to be part of Belstone’s tabletopping outfit, whether as batsman, bowler, ace fielder or all three, please get in touch with skipper Matty Dennis (07813 898863 and mattdennis543@ gmail.com) or Club Secretary Chris Walpole (01837 840498 and chris. walpole1@outlook.com). Check our Facebook site www.facebook.com/

BelstoneCricket for all the latest Club news.

By the time you read this, booking will have opened for this year’s All Stars (5-8 years) and Dynamos (8-11 years) sessions at our Rew Meadow ground; eight evenings of all-action fun, various activities and skills development all in a safe environment with the Club’s experienced ‘Activator’ Richard Drake in charge. Visit www.allstarscricket. co.uk or www.dynamoscricket.co.uk to sign up.

Mothering Sunday

Sunday 19th March Show