Oke Links magazines March/April issue 2021 by Links Magazines

OKE LINKS

March/April 2021 | Issue 24

Moretonhampstead Fairtrade status

Get Changed Theatre

COM UN ITY

BUS I NESS

Boosting skills changing attitudes

BUY LOCAL & SAVE JOBS

Meet the locals ASouth midwife from Zeal An aromatherapist from Okehampton

Andrew’s Corner 50 years of fundraising

20 years Since Foot and Mouth

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Spring is sprung - a case for hope! Outside my window, grey Dartmoor mist is veiling the view - but I can see snowdrops in my patio pots and daffodils are pushing their way up through the very damp soil. It’s certainly been a wet winter!

The deadline date for any inclusions in the May/June issue of Oke Links will be March 26th, 2021. For all editorial enquiries please contact Jane via email: jane.honey@linksmagazines.co.uk

THE LINKS TEAM: Publisher: Tim Randell Editor: Jane Honey Design: Sara Venner, Julian Rees Advertising: Jane Daniel, Olivia Breyley, Joanne Mallard,

Tim: 07450 161 929 Jane: 07772 619 808 Contact Jane Honey, Editor on 07971 917071 jane.honey@ linksmagazines.co.uk

This time 20 years ago, West Devon was about to experience the devastating effects of another virus - foot and mouth disease. For the feature on page 6 I spoke to some of the farmers who lived through this terrible time. It has parallels with the pandemic we are facing now, particularly regarding isolation and the importance of a strong community. While it was a horrific period for those directly affected, the passage of time has eventually proved healing - we can only hope for the same in our current situation. Our local people in this issue both put caring and compassion towards the top of their priority list. Sarah Budd-Bell is a midwife who pioneered the use of acupuncture in pregnancy and childbirth in the NHS, while Anna Georghiou, besides being an artist and musician, is providing alternative therapies such as aromatherapy and reflexology through the Okehampton Community Wellbeing For All (OCWFA) group. The subject of this edition’s charity focus is Get Changed Theatre Company. Founded in 1995, its aim is to offer adults with learning disabilities the opportunity to build life skills, confidence and self esteem through the performing arts. The company has produced many fantastic shows over the last ten years and even lockdown hasn’t stopped them, as their successful first virtual production over Christmas proved. Vaccination is a subject on many people’s minds at the moment - Okehampton Medical Centre explains the situation from its point of view on page 29 - and extends a big thank you to the volunteers who are assisting with the vaccine roll-out. By the time you sit down to read this issue, spring will be here properly and we’ll be looking forward to Easter. Dave Anning (some of you may remember Dave as a police sergeant in West Devon) shares his love of wine and suggestions for a celebration Sunday lunch in his column on page 45 - cheers Dave! I hope you enjoy reading the latest issue of Oke Links. Hopefully come summertime, we may be able to begin to include more What’s On listings - fingers crossed. Now how many times have we said that to each other in the last year?

Jane, Front cover image courtesy of Mary Heard

Contents

5 Feature 8 Local People 13 Noticeboard 22 Charity 25 Education 29 Health 31 Farming 32 Gardening 35 Sport

✆ 07450 161929

Jane Honey, Editor

36 Finance 37 What’s On 41 Music & Art 44 Food & Drink 46 History 48 Winnie’s Walk 51 Business Directory 54 Trade Secrets

5 32

@okelinks

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

FEATURE

2001 - the year of the epidemic When West Devon was caught in the eye of the storm... While our lives are being turned upside down thanks to the coronavirus pandemic, exactly 20 years ago another virus was wreaking havoc in many countryside communities in the UK and particularly so in West Devon. Many people say they remember clearly what they were doing when hearing of a world-wide incident - I read about the death of Elvis Presley while doing my paper round one sunny summer morning. In the same way, I remember talking to our next door neighbour, retired farmer Ginger White, in the bar of the Blacksmith’s Arms at Lamerton, the weekend that foot and mouth disease was discovered in Devon. The dread he felt was plain to see.

Pictures by Mary Heard

Sue Wonnacott, whose family farm is just outside South Zeal, remembered clearly when the epidemic began in the county. ‘It was my 40th birthday on the 26th February and we’d had a party - when we were leaving at the end, somebody said they’d been called to say they’d discovered foot and mouth in Devon,’ said Sue. She said she and her husband were ‘very lucky’ and weren’t affected directly by the epidemic, although animal movement restrictions meant they couldn’t transport their stock. They also didn’t lose irreplaceable pedigree herds like many local farmers.

I was working at the Tavistock Times then, the fax machine on the corner of my desk. In the months that followed, curled paper messages from DEFRA spewed out endlessly, recording the relentless march of foot and mouth across the countryside. Police kept watch by taped-off farm gates, fields steadily emptied, infected stock destroyed and even sadder, healthy animals killed, just for being ‘contiguous’ or next to a farm where the virus had been found. A total of 173 cases were confirmed in the county - some 390,000 animals slaughtered and burned on huge pyres. The effects of the epidemic were felt throughout the area, not just within the farming community. Public footpaths and bridleways were closed, stepping foot on farmland, common land and Dartmoor was prohibited, while disinfectant-soaked straw was laid down across carpark entrances in an effort to halt the spread of the deadly disease. Blowing in the wind, the odour of the pyres.

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FEATURE

Gathering sheep, Vellake Corner - July, by Mary Heard

‘We used to go up into our fields on the moor in the evening and you could see the smoke and the pyres all around - it was an awful sight,’ she remembered. ‘But farmers are very resilient, they are very good at bouncing back, they get on with their lives. And the farming community is good at getting stuck in and helping each other out. It’s like now, people have come together and it’s brought out a lot of good in the community.’ Kevin Mott farms at Bridestowe. He and his father lost their closed herd of some 400 pedigree dairy cattle to the epidemic - confirmation of the disease ironically arriving on April 1st, 2001.

‘I think one of the worst bits was that we were playing the waiting game. It was all around us, it was just a question of time, then it got us,’ he said.

Kevin was in his early 30s then. He remembered the forced isolation of living on a farm where foot and mouth had been confirmed and how difficult it was for his Dad, seeing his life’s work destroyed. ‘There was the decision whether we carried on or gave up - we carried on. Then 9/11 brought things back into perspective. You can replace animals - you can’t replace people,’ said Kevin, who has since built up a new pedigree herd. Pete Heard of Yelland Farm, just outside Okehampton, remembered the day he saw suspicious signs of ill health in his sheep: ‘I noticed they were walking lame and they were off-colour. I looked at one or two closer and thought “that’s foot and mouth”. ‘I called the ministry, they said they’d come right down but it was nearly dark at that point so then they said they’d come at first light. They finally arrived at noon next day.’ Pete said 800 cattle and around 3,500 of his sheep were slaughtered - he managed to keep around 500 sheep that were up on the moor. ‘We was killing stock for six days, then we had the big fire to burn them all, then we started cleaning all the buildings. It was terrible - they even asked if I wanted them to put my dogs down - I couldn’t believe that. It was very upsetting.’ After such an experience, I wondered if Pete had considered leaving farming?

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FEATURE

Preparing the pyre, Ramscliffe Farm, Beaford, North Devon © Chris Chapman 2001.jpg

Robert Kilby sealing the lane to Ramscliffe © Chris Chapman 2001

Maff employee monitoring the sedation of the herd © Chris Chapman 2001.jpg

These images were recorded at Ramscliffe Farm in 2001 and have been reproduced with kind permission of local photographer Chris Chapman. © Chris Chapman 2001 www.chrischapmanphotography.com

‘No, definitely not,’ he said emphatically. ‘At first we thought it was going to be very difficult to re-stock but it was remarkably quick. And it’s surprisingly how the farming community pulled together, even though we couldn’t visit anyone because we were afraid of carrying the disease - and when we first was notified, we had the police outside all the time, to make sure we didn’t go out.’ Christine Marsh of Okehampton was newly elected to Devon County Council at the time of the epidemic and was a member of the authority’s inquiry panel into the crisis. The 90-page report, Crisis and Opportunity, recommended that in future, culling of animals should be limited to those which had proven contact with infected stock, that research into vaccination should be carried out and that the army should co-ordinate the response to any future outbreak from the start - also that a national contingency plan be drawn up.

Christine was scathing of the way the epidemic was handled, labelling the destruction of animals, both those affected by the disease and the healthy ones, as ‘carnage by computer’. ‘It was horrifying - and the impact on the farming families was awful, seeing everything slaughtered before their eyes. There was no compassion.

‘But we got through it, we have moved on. It was a very, very sad time in our history, but we moved on in the same way we will move on from this Covid pandemic, there’s no doubt about that, we’ll fight it and come out at the other end - I just hope lessons are learned.’ Jane Honey

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LOCAL PEOPLE

Sarah Budd-Bell Midwife and acupuncturist ‘Sharing the moment of birth with a couple, trying to make that experience as good as it can be, is one of the biggest privileges anyone can have, it’s just wonderful,’ said Sarah, who might be retired, but is still as passionate as ever about midwifery. Sarah was born in Kent but spent some of her childhood in Ireland and has Irish citizenship. Coming from a family with a medical background it was perhaps inevitable she would pursue a career in medicine, qualifying as a nurse in 1979 after training in London. After a ‘fantastic’ year working in Australia, she returned to the UK and started her midwifery training at Freedom Fields Hospital in Plymouth. Working as a sister in the maternity department, it was her acupuncturist friend Penny Brohn who persuaded her to study the ancient Chinese art.

‘I wanted to offer women more choices of pain relief in labour and promote more natural childbirth,’ said Sarah. ‘In the 80s TENS machines were only just beginning to appear, generally the only thing offered was gas and air and pethidine or an

epidural - I thought we could do better than that. ‘I had tremendous support from my bosses at the time, I managed to get some funding and I started training in London part time while I was still working. The training was for three years, but when I finished I didn’t feel ready to start using acupuncture on pregnant women, so I cheekily asked if I could go to China!’ Sarah must have been very persuasive; thanks to a bursary from the hospital, she spent a month working in a hospital in Nanjing: ‘It was full-on, really busy, but wonderful in terms of confidence and experience, so when I came back, I was really ready to go! ‘I started using acupuncture for pain relief in labour, then some of my

community midwives asked if I could help with other problems like sickness and backache,’ said Sarah, who explained that acupuncture has been proven to stimulate the production of endorphins and other chemicals to naturally counteract pain. At the time, Sarah was the only full time acupuncturist midwife in the country, but she ended up heading a team of three in Plymouth. ‘Acupuncture doesn’t work for everybody, and in some cases it’s not enough, but it doesn’t stop women having other forms of pain relief as well.

In some cases it worked so well it almost caught me out, the woman would be so calm!’

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LOCAL PEOPLE

Sarah is married to Okehampton doctor Tom Bell and with the arrival of their two children she decided to work part time, although alongside her NHS work, she developed a private practice, worked as a research assistant at Exeter University and still teaches acupuncture and acupressure. ‘I’ve taught in Canada, France, Italy, Germany, Austria, Denmark and Ireland, teaching midwives to do acupressure for pain relief in labour, with the idea we also teach couples, so the birthing partners can provide pain relief - we did this at Derriford with huge success,’ said Sarah. ‘It gives them something to be involved with and when you see it in action it’s wonderful.’ Inspired to take her learning even further, Sarah completed an MSC in 2019, her dissertation on the condition hyperemesis gravidarum, or extreme morning sickness. ‘It’s a dreadful condition we treated a lot at Derriford but the research behind it is poor and there’s very little in terms of acupuncture. I wanted to try and address that,’ said Sarah, who

travelled to Cambodia last year to teach the use of acupressure points to help reduce pain in labour. While there, she also taught another technique using acupuncture points on the ear - this has been used successfully to treat the after effects of trauma, for example, on those who experienced the terrifying fire at Grenville Tower. Sarah was due to do voluntary work there, and also for the Force cancer service in Okehampton, when the Covid 19 pandemic intervened. Very sadly, the acupuncture service offered in Plymouth ended in 2012, by which time some 8,000 women had been treated with acupuncture on the NHS, a service recognised with an award presented by Prince Charles. Sarah, who loves to keep fit by cycling, running and walking, is sad the good work carried out by the service, all evidenced, was not deemed a financial priority.

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‘I would love to see it more widely available and those midwives that want to use it doing so as part of standard practice - that would be my dream.’

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LOCAL PEOPLE

Anna Georghiou Artist, musician and complementary therapist Whether it’s playing the didgeridoo, painting a mural or practising aromatherapy, creativity is the positive force that flows in cheerful abundance through Anna Georghiou. Anna was brought up in South Devon, apart from a few years when she lived in South Wales. Although she achieved her A-levels, she said she was never particularly happy at school and it wasn’t until she got to university in Northampton that she was diagnosed with dyslexia. She now views this as a gift, recalling how one of her former professors described those with condition as people who ‘see the whole of the moon’. ‘It’s a really positive way of looking at it,’ said Anna. ‘I might not be able to read a bus time table but creatively, musically, things come out in a different way for me.’ Having originally intended to study PE and Art, she did an about-turn and opted for a degree in psychology and philosophy, which she followed up with a year in Edinburgh, working with adults with learning difficulties. Anna’s father is from Cyprus and following a desire to connect with her

roots, she headed for the Mediterranean in 2004, where she studied art.

shock - but it’s a move she and Phil don’t regret.

‘The art college was very different to those in the UK, it allowed you to find your own path, find yourself as an artist,’ said Anna, who attained a teaching certificate as well as her degree while in Cyprus.

‘I love it here, it’s a beautiful place to live, it’s moody, heady, the light, the evocativeness, the wildness and the hidden magic, nature, trees and rivers are wonderful,’ she said.

She also met her husband there, artist and musician Phil Bird, the couple eventually returning to the UK in 2010. Anna said: ‘It wasn’t an easy decision but when it’s time to move, the universe has a way of moving you on. We came back and thought “Where shall we go?” The reason we chose Okehampton was Phil would come here often because he got his guitars from Brook Guitars nearby.’ Anna admits that moving to West Devon from Cyprus it was a bit of a culture

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Within a short while of settling into the town, they had set up Okehampton Acoustic Club: ‘We had musicians from all over attend, from as far away as Oxford and Cambridge and local as well, plus musicians and poets, said Anna, who plays piano, flute, recorder, clarinet and tin whistle as well as the aforementioned didgeridoo. The couple’s next venture was to set up Ocmundtune Creative Arts: ‘We had local people help us get funding and

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LOCAL PEOPLE

we put on a great event in 2014, with workshops and music, exhibitions, all sorts of stuff.’ Since then, Anna has been involved in a wide variety of musical and artistic projects, either by herself or collaboratively with Phil. They frequently travel abroad to complete art commissions and are looking forward to returning to Cyprus, where they are due to paint a large mural at an old mill being renovated as an exhibition space.

ongoing pandemic, her work has had to move online but she still feels able to empower people with the skills to help themselves. Sadly her mum passed away three years ago in hospital and the experience made her determined to pass on her knowledge, in the hope she can help others. It led to the formation of Okehampton Community Wellbeing For All last year, which she runs with Eve Olivera.

Alongside art and music, Anna has always been interested in essential oils and complementary therapies - having completed a diploma in aromatherapy several years ago, she has since qualified in reflexology and reiki.

‘I felt more people should have access to the complementary therapies and I have seen how beneficial they can be, not just to the person receiving them but family members of really sick people.’

She explained she often combines aspects of each therapy with her clients, depending on their needs. Thanks to the

Anna readily embraces the challenges life throws her way and the opportunity to learn. She admits her Dad was always telling her ‘You can’t be a student

forever Anna’ - but she is keen not to be shackled by boundaries. ‘Life is a journey,’ said Anna. ‘If you are moved or drawn to something I think it’s important to give yourself the opportunity to have a go at stuff. It’s nice to share this knowledge with people.’ Jane Honey

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New status for Moretonhampstead Greg Brown Manager of Moretonhampstead

Moretonhampstead has joined over 600 communities across the UK that can call themselves ‘Fairtrade’ Towns’. In doing so, Moretonhampstead is helping small producers across the globe to achieve a fair price for their goods.

Co-op, Pic by Lionel Holmes

Since 2008 Devon County Council has supported this initiative, and Exeter has been a Fairtrade Town since 2004. Tavistock, Okehampton, North Tawton, Bovey Tracey and Chudleigh are also in the scheme. There are over 6,000 fairly traded products from tea coffee and bananas to wine, beauty products and even gold. All have the Fairtrade logo to prove it! Lionel Holmes, who has spearheaded the campaign in Moretonhampstead, said: ‘Many local businesses have thought carefully about how they can make a difference by sourcing quality products that are also fairly traded.

Fairtrade fortnight, held annually at the end of February, has inevitably been a low key affair this year, but by talking about the benefits of Fairtrade and

’St Andrew’s Church has sourced and used Fairtrade products for a number of years, as has our local Co-op which currently has Fairtrade tea, coffee and sugar available in the store. After canvassing for local support, many Moretonhampstead businesses, organisations, accommodation providers have been keen to offer, use and promote Fairtrade goods. The support of our parish council has been key to the success of the initiative and Cllr Penny Simpson has attended our meetings.’ See our community website www.dartmoorlinks.co.uk

offering an ever increasing range of Fairtrade products we are helping to make a difference to the lives of farmers and workers around the world.

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Could your churchyard be a winner? During the pandemic, Devon’s residents have appreciated the green spaces around their churches like never before - now Devon CPRE is inviting churches of all denominations to enter this year’s competition to find the ‘Best Churchyard’ in the county. Following a year with little to celebrate, Devon CPRE applauds volunteers helping to maintain and ‘green up’ Devon’s churchyards. During the challenging months of lockdown, many churchyards have become real sanctuaries for the local community - not just churchgoers. The judges are not seeking the most pristine or manicured churchyards. They are looking for those which are wellmanaged to provide a peaceful haven for people and wildlife. Each entry is visited by the judges and assessed on a range of criteria, including the measures put in place to increase biodiversity. Penny Mills, Director of Devon CPRE, said: ‘Devon has hundreds of beautiful churchyards and they’ve really come into their own during the challenging circumstances of 2020. We want to really celebrate these special places in 2021.’ CPRE Devon trustee and fellow churchyard judge Ivan

Buxton praised the standard of entries year on year: ‘We were particularly impressed by the South Tawton churchyard, 2018 winner careful management of these ancient burial grounds to create sanctuaries for the living. Measures have included bug hotels, mini-beast trails, ponds, bird boxes, composting areas, wildflower meadows and even gardens producing fruit, vegetables and herbs for parishioners to enjoy.’ Because of Covid-19 restrictions, last year’s competition had to be run differently. The judges waited until after lockdown to begin their on-site inspections. There was no official prizegiving ceremony, but the winner and runner-up were presented with their trophies in person, observing strict social distancing. This year’s competition will be conducted along similar lines. There’s a top prize of £200 and a beautiful oak plaque, made in Devon from sustainable wood, for the winning churchyard. The deadline for entries is March 31st. For information and to enter go to www.devoncpre.org.uk

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Moretonhampstead-Chagford Greenway Campaigners are delighted that more than 1,000 people have completed a questionnaire regarding a proposed extension of the Wray Valley Trail to Chagford – with a 98% positive response. Respondents were asked to suggest a name for the extension and ‘The Greenway’ was the overwhelmingly popular choice. It was very clear from many comments that safety is a huge issue – especially to parents. It is simply too dangerous to allow children to bicycle, walk or ride ponies along single track roads with many blind corners. Cllr Nicky Heyworth, who is spearheading The Greenway Campaign, said: ‘We have seen how popular the traffic-free multi-use Stover Way/Wray Valley Trail has become. Over 515 people a day enjoy fresh air and exercise in beautiful, peaceful surroundings. Bringing The Greenway through to Chagford will allow families to bicycle or walk or ride safely between the towns for leisure, health and work.’ Nicky and Claire Ash Wheeler will join Iain Stewart of SUSTRANS to ask Devon

County Council to lead a transformational expansion of the multi-use trail network across the South West. Nicky said: ‘We are all aware of the desperate need for safe, outdoor exercise and meeting spaces. The trails will help us meet the target of 68% reduction in emissions by 2030, boost tourism and help our businesses to recover. ‘We are also campaigning to take The Greenway on to Okehampton - connecting with the railway to Exeter, the Granite Way and Tarka Trail would be a huge, strategic leap forward for active, integrated travel.’ ’To support this campaign with a donation go to www.crowdfunder.co.uk/thegreenwayproject-feasibility-study

New cycle path project I have an idea for a cycle/shared way between Sticklepath and Okehampton, which is a very popular idea amongst those I’ve asked. Eventually a path for active travel could run across the whole of West Devon from Moretonhampstead to Tavistock if we join up our existing and planned paths. The link between Sticklepath and Okehampton is in the early stages of development at the moment. I have asked for a feasibility study from Sustrans, the national cycleway development charity, which will look at the various options and

give guidance and detailed plans. An initial report is due in the next couple of weeks and then the work to get permissions and funding will begin. The scheme has a grant from Okehampton Primary Care Group towards funding the feasibility study. A working group is forming to further this project. Anyone interested can contact me on cllr.Lynn.Daniel@westdevon.gov.uk Lynn Daniel

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Let’s Get Connected! contact, and quite literally connected to the internet if they don’t already have the means of doing so. In consultation with tech experts, the charity will set up an internet connection and provide video calling devices for people who don’t have them, and use the group as a way for them to trial the new connectivity. What’s more, it is totally free for all participants!

The Moretonhampstead-based health and wellbeing charity Wellmoor is setting up an online social and activity group, called Let’s Get Connected.’ The group is for local residents who are receiving domiciliary care at home and who have been socially isolated due to the pandemic or other factors. The group will meet online weekly for 12 weeks starting in March and will involve activities such as art, gentle chair-based dance and music, led by Devon-based professionals.

If you have someone in mind to take part, email Camilla on camilla@ moretonhampstead.com or call 01647 440692.

The aim of the project is to help the elderly get connected, both to other isolated individuals in their community with which to have regular social

Local dance instructor Clare Parker is pictured demonstrating moves during an online session.

Time to enjoy Dartmoor - and follow the Ranger code I am hopeful that by the time this edition of Oke links is published Covid-19 restrictions are lifted and we can all enjoy Dartmoor responsibly together again. When restrictions were lifted last year we saw huge pressures placed upon both the farming communities and the very fabric of the fragile moorland landscape. It’s times like this we really appreciate having such a wonderful landscape on our doorstep - however, please help us maintain Dartmoor’s special qualities by following the Ranger code: •P lease take you litter home •K eep your dog on a lead during the

lambing and bird nesting season (March 1st – July 31st) •P lease don’t feed the ponies •P lease use a campsite or check our

website

•N o open fires •P lease remember that the roads and

bridleways are a shared space

Due to the Covid-19 restrictions we had to suspend all volunteering days and activities but as restrictions are lifted, we will be looking for volunteers to join us again. If you are a regular volunteer or would be interested in trying, please go to www.Dartmoor.gov.uk for more information.

I hope you all enjoy Dartmoor this spring.

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Delicious drink helps Buglife Moretonhampstead-based Papillon Gin has launched a fascinating new product in collaboration with Chagford resident and TV wildlife presenter, Nick Baker. The new gin is called Carabus in recognition of the Blue Ground Beetle, a nocturnal insect found in the ancient woodlands of Dartmoor - and the distillery is donating to the Buglife charity to help protect it. Blue Ground Beetle adults can grow to 3cm long and have long wiry limbs to help them climb up trees to find their prey. They have large protruding jaws to capture slugs and suck out their insides! First discovered in 1811, it was presumed extinct until 1985, when it was rediscovered on Dartmoor. It is estimated Dartmoor represents over 80% of the Blue Ground Beetle population in the UK.

Pictures by Nick Baker

traditional citrus we have used rowan and hawthorn berries which give a fruity roundness to the flavour. Nettles and wood sorrel provide fresh notes. Roasted hazelnuts and a hint of vanilla leave a lovely pearly, lasting finish.’ To help protect the Blue Ground Beetle, Papillon Gin is donating £2 from every 70cl Carabus bottle sale to Buglife, the UK invertebrate charity. Claire added: ‘It is no surprise that we have teamed up with Buglife

because we already donate to Butterfly Conservation with our other two gins; Papillon and The Admiral. ‘Nick has been very enthusiastic to be involved in our new product and was delighted when we chose the Blue Ground Beetle to focus our gin around.’ Nick said: ‘Every delicious sip is putting money into a local conservation project to help secure the woodland habitats of this local hidden Dartmoor jewel. It’s perfect.’

Claire Hyne of Papillion Gin said: ‘Not content with just reading about the beetle, we joined Nick one night to explore a local woodland with John Walters, the Blue Ground Beetle expert, to seek out this elusive bug. We were lucky enough to spot a few. ‘In honour of this rare Dartmoor beetle, we have chosen woodland botanicals for our Carabus gin. Instead of the

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NOTICEBOARD

Vital support in emergencies Devon Air Ambulance (DAA) has recently revealed its mission statistics for 2020, showing how vital its service is to the people of Devon, even during a pandemic and continuing lockdown periods. Throughout the year the charity was tasked to attend more than 1,500 incidents across Devon and were, on many occasions, also called to assist in neighbouring counties. Of those missions, 590 were to help patients with medical emergencies (those suffering with a medical condition) and 912 trauma-related incidents (accidents and injuries caused by slips, trips, falls, burns and collisions). Crews assisted 607 male and 261 female patients, plus 68 children who also needed their expert care. July was DAA’s busiest month of the year and Sunday their busiest day of the week. This is thought to be due to many people taking time out for t hobbies and pastimes at the weekend, as well as those carrying out home improvement plans that don’t always go as smoothly as intended. Two of the most common sporting groups they were tasked to

were equestrian-related (38) and cyclists (29).

has been similar to the number we normally respond to in summer.’

Nigel Hare, patient services operations director, said: ‘Following the initial reduction in call-outs to patients during the first lockdown, 2020 has been busy and challenging for our service. The school summer holiday period is always busy for Devon Air Ambulance, but in 2020, demand for our service remained very high from April right through to October.

Being tasked to 406 incidents, the two rapid response Critical Care cars introduced by DAA in February 2020 have made a significant contribution to the service. Kitted out with blue lights and the same medical equipment found on board the helicopters, these vehicles can provide a swift response and can sometimes access heavily built-up areas more easily than the air ambulance, which needs an open space to land safely. They also enabled the service to keep continue when the helicopters were temporarily stood down to be made Covid-safe.

‘Although November brought a brief return to normal levels, the number of patients we have deployed to in December, and so far during January,

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Night landing sites have also proved invaluable - 207 missions took place during the hours of darkness. The charity now has over 160 landing sites in Devon providing a safe place to land away from unseen obstacles, enabling the pilot to bring a life-saving service into the heart of those communities up until 2am. DAA is not Government funded but operates thanks to the generosity of the people of Devon. If you would like to support Devon Air Ambulance, visit www.daat.org

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NOTICEBOARD

International entries for online show The concept of online shows is not new but two Dartmoor pony lovers have achieved a remarkable success attracting some 100 entries across 14 classes from as far afield as Australia, New Zealand and America as well as Europe, for a ‘Dartmoor Extravaganza’.

idea to generate income and wondered if we were able to do something similar for Dartmoor ponies.’ The first online show raised £600 for the Dartmoor Pony Heritage Trust, while a second was expected to raise more than £500 for the Dartmoor Pony Society.’

The shows not only gave amateur and professional producers the chance to share photos of their beautiful ponies, it also raised significant funds for organisations representing the Dartmoor breed.

Debbie, a key worker at Morrisons who owns a Dartmoor pony plus two fell ponies, said entries poured in, locally, nationally and internationally for the shows.

Debbie Roberts-Jones, one of the organisers, said: ‘I saw that Exmoor and Dales Pony Societies had embraced this

‘How fantastic that a Dartmoor pony from Australia could quite literally ‘compete’ against a pony in the UK!’ she said.

Sue Martin, chair of the Dartmoor Pony Society, said: ‘Twelve months ago, if you had suggested an online pony show, I would have thought that you were mad! We’re so grateful for the support and say a big thank you to Debbie and Lisa, the judges and competitors.’

Ladies look forward to centenary Fingers are crossed for a special centenary celebration at Okehampton Golf Club this spring. On April 18th, 1921, 13 lady golfers held a meeting to form a Ladies’ Section. Ladies had played golf since the formation of the main club in 1913, but this was their first formal meeting. The first Lady Captain was Mrs Dora Milner, wife of the Reverend FW Milner, Rector of Belstone. Mrs Milner held the captaincy for the first five years and in 1925 also became Okehampton Golf Club’s first, and to date only, lady Club Available by  Mon-Fri Please call for our current working arrangements. Check our Facebook page for any updates.

Captain. A handful of ladies continued playing throughout the Second World War, when the lower section of the course was made over to a potato crop. Since those early days, the Ladies’ Section has gone from strength to strength, winning many county competitions and, in 2014, member Abby Turner became Devon County Champion. The section is proud that Doris Jewell is the current Club President, only the second lady to hold this position. Plans are afoot for a year of celebrations, Covid restrictions allowing. Here for you when you are ready to explore the world once more!

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Centenary Lady Captain Jane Warren said: ‘The ladies have been very supportive of each other throughout times of lockdown when they have been unable to play golf, but we hope that once restrictions have been lifted, we will be able to play golf and remember the ladies who started the Section 100 years ago.’ She said the section welcomes ladies of all standards, especially beginners, to join them at this friendly club and learn to play golf. 19

NOTICEBOARD

Debt management during difficult times ‘I hear a lot about trying to manage my debts and I have less money coming in than I use to. I don’t know where to start with it or what to do?’ One in seven people have fallen behind on essential bills - including energy, water, mobile phone and broadband bills, council tax, rent or mortgage payments during the coronavirus pandemic. There has never been a more important time to get help if you are struggling to pay bills, for example your rent, loans, energy bills and council tax. Council tax is a priority debt which means you have to pay, however, you might qualify for a council tax reduction if your income has dropped or if you started claiming benefits recently. Contact your local council to see if you qualify for a reduction. If you don’t think you qualify, it’s still worth asking and/or telling them if you’re struggling to pay. It is also worth speaking to an advice charity such Citizens Advice to see if you are getting all the financial help you are entitled to.

Citizens Advice’s top tips to help with your debts Work out how much you owe - Make a list and add up how much you need to pay each month. Some creditors will have special arrangements for people with Covid-related arrears. Prioritise your debts - Rent or mortgage, energy and council tax are priority debts as there can be serious consequences if you don’t pay them. Separate these and work out how much you owe. Speak to your creditor about what support might be available during the pandemic. Work out how much you can pay Create a budget by adding up your essential living costs and taking these away from your income. Any spare money can be put towards your debts. The Citizens Advice budgeting tool can help.

Paying urgent debts - You might have to contact priority creditors quickly in urgent situations, like if you are about to be evicted. Most tenants cannot be evicted without a court order, and there are currently extra protections in place which mean that you are entitled to up to six months’ notice. Paying non-urgent debts - If you have any money left after paying priority debts, but not enough to make your usual payments, consider getting advice about getting on top of your debts. Or contact your creditors and offer them what you can afford to pay. If you can’t pay your debts - If you’ve got little or no money spare to pay your priority debts seek advice from Citizens Advice straight away. If you’re struggling to pay for basics like food, seek help immediately to see what support might be available to you.

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SPORT

Grant applications made easier Businesses in need of financial grants within West Devon are being encouraged to come forward and apply via a new much simpler process. Since November 5th, West Devon Borough Council has paid out £865,182 worth of funding, supporting many businesses across the borough. But with at least 11 different Government grant schemes currently available, the council is very aware how difficult and confusing applications can be. To help, the council has created a much simpler process, which means that application forms will be fast to complete, process and pay. It also means that customers will be issued payments from any of the other 11 available grants, or future ones that follow the same format, which they are eligible for, with a simplified application process. The focus is to pay out as much money as possible, to as many businesses as possible, as quickly as possible, while working within the rules set out. To complete online application forms, businesses will now choose one of three categories: • Y ou haven’t applied for any grants from November 2020 onwards, so you must complete the full application; or

• You have completed one full application form since November 2020. You now need to complete the supplementary form; or • You have completed one full application form and the LRSG (Open) form, which went live in December. In which case you do not need to do anything and you will be contacted if more information is needed. Like all other councils around the country, there are no warnings of new grants, meaning no time in advance to prepare processes and systems. Council officers have committed to working seven days a week, to support eligible local businesses to gain their grants, so funding should be arriving into accounts very soon. Cllr Neil Jory, Leader of West Devon Borough Council, said: ‘We have now developed a great process, which will

be invaluable to our customers who can more easily and quickly access all of the money they are eligible for in future. ‘By working out this system, which removes the risk of grant errors and automatically checks applications to decide eligibility for each grant, we will save a huge amount of time and ensure that more businesses will benefit under the right schemes. For example, a business may think they are only applying for one grant of £1,000 but could in fact, be in line to receive up to £10,000 from multiple grants. ‘f you have not yet applied for a business grant, please go to the Council’s website because there are still funds coming through from Government.’ For more information, and to apply for a grant, go to www.westdevon.gov.uk/ covid19business

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CHARITY FOCUS David Skrpyczak

Get Changed Theatre Company Building skills, confidence and self esteem through performance The end of 2020 was a real high for all of us involved with Get Changed Theatre Company. After such a difficult and challenging year, we had a performance with a difference; our audience members came from all over the country, from Okehampton and Cornwall, over to the South East and beyond, and it was all Covid secure! This was our very first virtual show.

Digital Tales was our performance with a difference; it was the result of eight months of virtual weekly workshops. Thanks to The Big Lottery Coronavirus Support Fund, Jules, our creative director and her incredible team, pulled it all together, but it wouldn’t have been possible without the amazing practical support from the carers and family members who turned their hand to connecting to us virtually, filming and recording. For those of you who have seen Get Changed before Digital Tales, this would have been immediately recognisable as a Get Changed performance, it had Robin Hood, fun, variety, songs, dance and even an Agony Uncle podcast! 22

Get Changed Theatre Company was founded in 1995, set up to offer adults with learning disabilities the opportunity to build life skills, confidence and self esteem by developing and participating in performing arts. We wanted to raise the profile of the disability community and change public attitudes towards those with disabilities by creating and performing high quality arts projects that left something striking and of lasting value within the community. We’ve certainly achieved that! Over the last ten years we’ve held full performances at Castle Drogo, Bratton Clovelly Village Hall, The Plough in Torrington, The Barnfield Theatre In Exeter and the Ockment Centre. We’ve also performed at festivals including Okehampton ‘Battle of the Bands’, Exeter Respect, Funky Llama in Plymouth and the inclusive D’ArtsFest in Ide. In 2020 our aim was for a full production in Okehampton once more,

and before Covid struck we were having conversations with the Charter Hall for our performance in the autumn of 2020 - we’re aiming to perform there later in 2021. Get Changed isn’t only a Theatre Company, it’s a social and community network, a place where friends meet and share experiences, combating loneliness and isolation and connecting people together with a shared interest. Before March 2020 we met each week in the Ockment Centre sharing, laughing and plotting our next performances. From March 2020 we were worried, although we knew our participants with a learning disability were well cared for and safe. We knew lots of our people understood why it was necessary for us to be locked down but many, because of their learning disability, struggled to understand why they couldn’t go out, go to Get Changed, see their friends and be

Get Changed Theatre Company are looking for new Trustees. We want your enthusiasm and ideas to help support this great small charity grow. Get Changed Theatre Company was founded in 1995 and was set up to offer adults with learning disabilities the opportunity to build life skills, confidence and self esteem by developing and participating in performing arts. To find out more please contact: info@getchanged.com or visit www.getchanged.com To promote your business to 23,536* readers - call 07450 161 929 advertising@linksmagazines.co.uk

CHARITY FOCUS

part of the community. Although much of the world was closed to us all we wanted to respond to our participants by showing consistency in our responsibility to them and their support. At that time we set in motion our weekly virtual workshops and the plan for Digital Tales. We have ambition and want to be able to bring more opportunities to the people we support and more amazing performances to our audiences. To keep developing would not be possible without a trustee board who between them carry out the roles necessary for a successful organisation. Trustees bring their knowledge, expertise, enthusiasm to support our development. Over the next six months we need to introduce a small number of new trustees with such skills in community work and experience of vulnerable people. If you think you can enable us to grow and develop and help us move forward to the next stage in our development please get in touch and we would love to have a chat with you. We also can’t forget the importance of fundraising - the money we are able to raise from grants, sponsorships and donations is crucial,

without this we wouldn’t be able to offer our participants these amazing opportunities. Get Changed is one big family of participants, volunteers, trustees, workers and audience members, and sadly early in 2021 we lost one of our most charismatic characters. David Skrpyczak was a founding member of Get Changed back in 1995 and stayed with us until recently. Many local people knew David in Okehampton and South Zeal. He loved to perform, and often took on the lead role in our shows. He was always happiest when it was show day, he loved the audience and they loved him in return. He enjoyed taking centre stage, was always ready to sing and dance and interact with the audience. A true performer through and through. When we are able to return to our weekly workshops at the Ockment Centre we will all miss his infectious smile and laughter.

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If you would like to be informed about our shows, or you know someone who would like to attend Get Changed, become a trustee or make a donation please email Rob on rob@getchanged. com Rob Wynne Get Changed Theatre Company

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EDUCATION

School visits for learning and wellbeing RHS Rosemoor is looking forward to welcoming schools back to the gardens as soon as possible to participate in its newly relaunched (and covid-friendly) workshop programme. Each workshop is specially designed to include school curriculum links as well as a horticultural element such as seed planting, learning about the garden or finding out about different plants. Perhaps most valuable to everyone at the moment is the wellbeing element that each workshop offers. This is so important to our children and young people, especially as they have had such an unusual experience of school in recent months. The education team is keen to promote spending time in the Garden and outdoors as a great way to improve everyone’s mental health and wellbeing. The workshops include favourites such as How Plants Grow, Who Lives in Our Garden? (AKA minibeasts or pond dipping!) and Inspirational Nature. They take place around Rosemoor’s 65 acre garden and within the purpose built Peter Buckley Learning Centre.

Rosemoor is a covid-secure site, and safety measures are in place to ensure the school visits take place safely for schools, staff and other visitors in the Garden. For more information about school visits to Rosemoor, see www.rhs.org.uk/ education-learning/gardening-children-schools/school-visits/ school-visits-rosemoor or contact schoolsrosemoor@rhs.org.uk

Motivation and engagement are key Since March last year, educators and students at Dartmoor Multi-Academy Trust (DMAT) have been on a journey unlike anything they could have ever imagined. Yet they have conducted themselves with enormous levels of resolve, integrity, and are a credit to themselves and the institutions they represent. The motivation to learn and willingness to engage with new methods of teaching demonstrated by students has been phenomenal. They have proven they are eager to advance their skills and knowledge, and willing to tackle whatever challenges come their way head-on. It is this motivation and engagement that has enabled young people to achieve so much during this difficult period and it is crucial we all work to sustain this if we are to move forward from this pandemic wiser and stronger than before. At DMAT we have recently launched our Fellowship Passports initiative, to help to keep students engaged and motivated in their learning. Students attending school and those learning remotely will receive points for accomplishing a variety of tasks throughout the school day, including attending lessons, completing work and getting involved with extracurricular activities such as taking part in a community initiative, an environmental project, or being an anti-bullying ambassador. Students have been challenged to achieve 100 points between now and May half-term; doing so will enable them to attend one of a number of events we are planning to host for students of different ages at the end of the summer term, in See our community website www.dartmoorlinks.co.uk

line with whatever Covid restrictions we may face, to celebrate what will have been an incredible year. We will of course be understanding if students are unable to achieve the total points required, but these Passports remain a positive incentive to keep students engaged and motivated with their learning. It is not only young people who have excelled and remain motivated, but educators too. As many parents thrown into home schooling will verify, the job done by teachers every single day is incredible. The ability of teachers to provide high-quality remote learning provision has been outstanding. They have taken all the challenges associated with online learning in their stride with tireless positivity, despite the ever-changing circumstances they have been forced to deal with. Additionally, not only have they provided new methods of learning, but also always been on hand to support vulnerable students and children of key workers who have continued to attend schools throughout the pandemic. Without the strong spirit and dedication of our teachers, none of this would have been possible. The past year has unquestionably been immensely challenging. But together we have demonstrated how strong we are and what can be achieved despite the adversity faced. In order to move forward, we must use everything we have learned to make us stronger and remain motivated to uncover our potential. Dan Morrow, Chief Executive Officer, Dartmoor Multi-Academy Trust

EDUCATION

Lessons in Lockdown Blended Learning at South Tawton Primary School By 8.05pm on Monday, January 4th, it was clear our plans for the spring term needed to change. On Tuesday morning, with roughly 70 children of critical workers attending, staff set about providing a blended learning experience for children at home and at school. Feedback from the last closures highlighted two issues we endeavoured to improve: children wanted more contact with their teachers and classmates - and we needed to provide better opportunities for pupils’ work to be meaningful and valued. We set about doing exactly that. All Key Stage 2 classes are using Google Classroom, while younger children make good use of Evidence Me and Seesaw. Teachers present live lessons; bringing together the children in school and at home for registrations, lesson inputs and live marking sessions. The children at home have quickly adapted and learnt to use the technology, confidently asking and answering questions both verbally and through text. Work is ‘turned in,’ marked by teachers and returned with praise and ideas for improvement. Most classes meet ‘live’ three times a day ensuring that they keep the structure and timetables they have in school. The children are continuing to follow their class curriculum and are continuing to make progress. Children in KS1 have daily phonics lessons live with teachers and support staff and several are accessing daily 1:1 coaching sessions.

Parents are telling us that the children feel more supported than they did in the spring, are more motivated to complete the work and are struggling less with their mental health as a result of the frequent contact with school and classmates. We have recently surveyed parents to ask their opinions on our offer and have been delighted with the responses and some very constructive feedback: ‘My daughter is engaged and enjoying her learning. She is really well supported and the regular structure to the school day/week, where she is included with the rest of the class in school and at home, is providing the nurture she needs too.’ ‘I think you are doing a wonderful job, it has been a really impressive and seamless delivery of a completely new way of learning with such little notice and tailored to each age group.’ It has not been easy for staff in school or for families at home, but as we hear that schools will not re-open until March 8th at the earliest, we feel it is important to continue to provide this offer. In the meantime, we look forward to having all of our pupils back in school again as soon as possible, and wish to think all our staff and families for rising to meet another challenge! Sarah Marvin Head of School

The Three Hares is a trio of rural primary schools, consisting of North Tawton, South Tawton and Chagford Church of England Primary School. We work closely together within the larger Dartmoor Multi-Academy Trust, consisting of 14 primary schools and 3 secondary schools. We are striding forward in our Three Hares primary schools, with quality remote learning provision for our pupils during lockdown. These are exciting times within the Three Hares and the Trust, following the appointment of our new CEO, Dan Morrow. If you would like to know more, please visit our new websites or contact the school to speak with Executive Headteacher, Elizabeth Underwood or the Head of School.

Miss Tara Penny www.chagford-primaryschool.org

Miss Sunita Chauhan www.ntcps.co.uk

Mrs Sarah Marvin www.southtawton.co.uk

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HEALTH & WELLBEING

Medical centre staff rise to the challenge . . . Thousands have been vaccinated - your turn will come When Okehampton Medical Centre received notification in December that North Dartmoor would be chosen as one of the first Primary Care Networks (PCNs) to deliver the coronavirus vaccination, staff were excited yet apprehensive. They had just a week to prepare for the delivery of the first batch of the Pfizer vaccine. A monumental effort was made by the whole team to prepare everything in time. The whole team of 75 staff and partners are involved in the vaccination programme. They are working tirelessly to invite large numbers of people, organise clinics, arrange storage for the vaccines and supplies and keep staff training up to date. The teams at the medical centre are working long hours to vaccinate as many people as quickly and as safely as possible, while continuing to run their normal general practice services.

Volunteers also play a vital role The team is extremely grateful for all the volunteers who have come forward to support the practice; from

individuals helping with the clinics, the Okehampton & District Lions Club providing hot drinks for patients, and Okehampton & District Community Transport providing a shuttle bus service. Even though this has been a challenging time, the uptake of the vaccine has been outstanding. They have already vaccinated thousands of patients and are making really good progress. Because they rely on the national supply chain, team members don’t always get a lot of notice of when they will be getting a delivery of either the Pfizer or AstraZeneca vaccine, meaning little time to contact their patients. That is why they have introduced the SMS text messaging service to speed up the invitation process. But don’t worry if they don’t have your mobile number, their teams are also ringing and sending out letters to patients and they share regular updates on their social media.

by the Joint Committee on Vaccinations and Immunisations. Groups 1 to 6 cover those aged 65 and above, Health and Social care workers and adults 16-64 in an “at risk group”. This can be anything from people with specific cancers, to severe mental illness, to people with chronic respiratory, heart or kidney disease. Groups 7-9 cover the other age groups down to the over 50s. But the staff at the medical centre are moving through these groups in stages so please don’t worry if you haven’t heard from them yet. They will contact you when it’s your turn. And finally, if Okehampton Medical Centre do invite you for an appointment, it’s important you attend. Vaccination is a way out of lockdown and getting vaccinated is the single most important thing we can do to beat COVID-19 and help our NHS.

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FARMING NEWS

When the farm’s quiet it’s time to go cycling... Stuart Luxton takes a virtual spin on the continent Hello again everyone. We are now in 2021 - what a year last year was. If you were told this time last year what was going to happen in the next 12 months, no-one would have believed it. Unfortunately for me, during the last two months I have barely seen the farm. In December I was busy at the shop, but in January I stayed away from the farm almost completely. Dad was very poorly before Christmas, he spent six weeks in hospital and with an increased level of virus in the locality, I couldn’t risk taking it back and infecting anyone. My sisters were still there and we felt that as it was one of the quieter times of year, I could be dispensed with. Thank you to everyone for looking after it so well. Last month I wrote about re-wilding the moor and I received an interesting email from an Oke Links reader. I didn’t mean that re-wilding was undesirable. My main point was that sheep play a valuable part in managing the vegetation, but once moorland sheep are not financially viable they will be gone, the shepherding skills will be gone and it is likely that invasive species such as western gorse and bracken would soon take over.

bottles back and buy the milk to refill them 24hrs a day. It means reduced food miles and no disposable packaging.

The fields have been very wet for the last two months. It’s at times like this that you are glad you have plenty of winter cattle housing. I shudder to think how much of a mess the fields would be in if 400 cattle had to live outdoors in this winter monsoon. Hopefully spring is not going to be far away, before we know it we will be in March. Next time I write lambing and calving will be in full swing. It is always such an exciting time of year, even if it can become a little tiring.

I go out in the shed and connect my bike to a trainer via a computer and cycle. It seems absolutely perfect for a lockdown situation, no risk of spreading the virus, good exercise and using meeting software so you can chat as you go.

The shop had a very good year last year and this January has been more of the same. Usually it is a very hard month, quiet, with not much to motivate you. This month has been so different, there is a definite switch to shopping locally, cutting back on travel and packaging, which has to be a good thing. In the latest lockdown it is very noticeable that people are shopping less often, but buying a full week’s shopping. A local farmer has just started selling milk from a vending machine right next to the shop, the customers bring their

Have you ever wondered what a farmer does in his spare time? I’m guessing probably not. If you remember back in the summer I spent some time cycling - this winter I have been spending some evenings cycling online.

Okehampton Cycle Club use this facility once a week. A few weeks ago a friend suggested giving racing a go. In the last month we have raced in Austria, France, USA and the UK with a team of people I have never met in real life, from Ireland, France, Italy and the UK. A couple of weeks ago I managed to meet one of my best mates from university. He was in South Wales - I never left Okehampton, but we cycled in France - who would have thought it? Bye for now. Let’s hope that the weather will pick up soon and things will soon begin to return to normal. Stuart Luxton

See our community website www.dartmoorlinks.co.uk

GARDENING

An oasis of wellbeing How gardening affects human health The events of last year have changed many things, not least our appreciation of the natural world. Interest in gardening increased in 2020 as we all became more aware of its benefits for physical and mental wellbeing and as an antidote to the chaos around us. Long before the appearance of Covid 19, the RHS was at the forefront of research, studying how gardens and gardening affects human health and looking at the ‘ecosystem services’ – or benefits – that gardens and green spaces provide. Studies have shown that connection with the natural world is good for both physical and mental health. Nature has such a life enhancing effect, comparable to a vitamin: Vitamin G (Green), vital to keep our bodies healthy. People without easy access to a green space are more likely to suffer from high blood pressure, depression and anxiety than those living within walking distance of a park, garden or other natural environment. The suggestion is that prescribing time gardening or walking in a natural green space can be beneficial in treating these conditions. During the last few months, I think most of us have found that just a short exposure to nature improves our mood and lowers stress levels.

Therapists in the UK are beginning to use horticultural programmes to treat a range of mental health conditions and marginalised groups, such as young offenders, report increased feelings of self-worth and belonging while engaged in similar schemes. Caring for a green space, even if it is just a few pots on a balcony or a window box, has been proven to nurture a sense of ownership, control, connection and responsibility helping to boost selfconfidence and a feeling of positivity. Community gardening introduces a vital social element, itself essential to wellbeing, helping to connect people from all walks of life. This is the fourth year of the RHS partnership with NHS England to promote the positive role that gardens and green spaces play in healthcare. Each year, the RHS Garden at the Chelsea Flower Show is relocated to a Mental Health Trust in England, providing a place where staff and patients can garden, relax and be close to nature. In 2019 the ‘RHS Back to Nature Garden’ co-designed by the Duchess of Cambridge, was relocated to the Dewnans centre in Dawlish. Since 2019, the NHS has officially included social prescribing in its long-term plan. When the RHS acquired their new garden at Bridgewater, Salford, we took the opportunity to create a therapeutic garden and to appoint our first therapeutic gardener. Although the garden is not yet open to the public, people have already been referred

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GARDENING

through ‘social prescribing’ by their doctors and the wellbeing programme is looking at ways therapeutic gardening, gardens and green spaces can transform people’s lives. Apart from the obvious benefits to physical health that gardening offers such as increased fitness, studies have shown that getting your hands dirty is good for you. Micro-organisms in the

soil help to make our immune systems more efficient. Many scientific studies show a clear link between childhood exposure to microbes in the soil and higher immunity rates as adults, an excellent reason for persuading the kids to help in the garden. At Rosemoor, our community allotment scheme ticks all the boxes – it brings people together that want to get their

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hands dirty; it provides participants with healthy food and gives them selfconfidence and self-esteem through being responsible for their own plot and successfully producing their own vegetables. While we all wait for a ‘new normal’, try to get out at least once a day and re-connect with nature. A walk in the woods or next to water helps soothe the mind, digging the soil or just planting a window box will help your mental and physical wellbeing. Make it a habit for life, and you are sure to feel the benefits.

Top tips for early spring •

Plant summer-flowering bulbs such as lilies and alliums in pots.

•

Lift and divide overgrown clumps of perennials. This will reinvigorate your plants and provide you with lots of new ones.

•

Prune and feed hungry roses and tie in climbers and ramblers.

•

Keep weeds under control – if you start early, it will make it easier later in the season.

•

When the weather gets warmer, sow new lawns or repair bare patches.

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SPORT

Roadford Lake Sailing Club RLSC is a small but enthusiastic club whose aim is to promote sailboat racing for all ages and abilities at Roadford Lake. The club operates under the umbrella of the Roadford Lake Watersports Centre, which provides the site facilities of showers, boat park and safety cover, covering a major source of worry for many sailing clubs, and keeps the membership fee low at £10, but members do need to be a member of the Watersports Centre as well.

Racing is low-key and aims to be fun for all, whatever their experience. To that end the format varies each week, taking place on Sunday mornings with two races running back to back, each lasting around 45 minutes, with some afternoon races.

In addition to Sunday racing, in a normal year, the club runs a number of open events. In the winter there is a charity fundraising endurance race called the Roadford Rocket, now part of the SW Challenge series, comprising ten events throughout the south west. The Club runs in conjunction with the Trust, the Goodacre Cup; this year

The club website gives full information plus webcam and weather links. See www.roadfordlakesailingclub.org.uk For specific enquiries email Club Secretary/Treasurer Kevin Reed, RLSCtreasurer@outlook.com Last summer, once restrictions ended, the watersports centre was very busy with paddleboarders, canooists and sailors /windsurfers all enjoying the South West’s largest lake, with plenty of room for everyone.

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Racing is mostly handicapped and any type of boat under 20ft is accepted; from Toppers to Lasers to catamarans and to small keelboats. There is a keen group of Supernova sailors, in addition to Laser sailors, with a number of other dinghies with a mix of experienced and novice helms. Although the club does not provide specific training courses, members are always willing to give help and advice. RYA Certified training is available from the Watersports Centre, as is boat hire.

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FINANCE

Wills and Power of Attorneys Be prepared - don’t leave it too late Wills and Powers of Attorney are dry subjects. So here is a real life example of their importance. John and Sarah (not their real names, obviously) have been clients since 1997. He was a builder, who saved small amounts when he could, using their PEP and ISA allowances each year. John retired in 2005 and since then, they have enjoyed regular trips to the Algarve, using the investments they had built up. Over the years, they stayed invested, making withdrawals to pay for the next holiday. They enjoyed their retirement and always enjoyed coming into my office to talk about the latest valuation. John is a lifelong Manchester United supporter and I am a Liverpool fan, so he always enjoyed gloating about yet another title win! A few years ago, John noticed that Sarah was struggling with her memory, eventually being diagnosed with early onset dementia. Over the following few years she gradually deteriorated and we talked about setting up Powers of Attorney for them both – for Sarah so John could look after her and for John so their children could look after Sarah if he became incapacitated. Early last year, with the help of their solicitor, they finally updated their Wills and completed Power of Attorney forms.

And not a moment too soon. Sarah now needs full time care at home and sadly over Christmas the doctors discovered two bleeding tumours in John’s brain. While there was nothing they could do, they have at least allowed him to go home and be with Sarah for whatever time he has left. The tumours have damaged John’s ability to remember things, like bank passcodes. So he can’t make withdrawals from the bank or instruct me to cash in the investments, without which they could not afford to pay for the home care they now both need. Thankfully, the Powers of Attorneys have meant the children can act on their behalf, dealing with the bank and instructing me where necessary. It’s a sad story, I know, but one which we should all take note of. We never think these things will happen to us, but sometimes they do. Be prepared. Write your Will and set up a Power of Attorney. Do it today. I spoke with John last week, probably for the last time. He is comfortable, happy to be at home holding Sarah’s hand and still had time for a joke about Man United’s season. Craig Davidson, Davidsons IFA

 01837 53855  enquiries@davidsonsifa.com  www.davidsonsifa.com  23 Fore Street, Okehampton, Devon, EX20 1AN

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WHAT’S ON

March 27&28/April 18

Open Garden Covid restrictions permitting, there’s a great opportunity to get out and visit two very different gardens open for charity in March and April: Monkscroft in Zeal Monachorum, a cottage garden, and Hotel Endsleigh near Tavistock, a large 200 year old Repton-designed garden. Monkscroft is a pretty medium sized garden, one of the oldest cottages in the village packed with spring colours including primroses, daffodils, tulips, magnolias and camellias and a new exotic garden. Also a steep walk away (approximately 20 minutes), or 5 mins by car is a tranquil fishing lake with daffodils and wild flowers, home to a resident kingfisher. Dogs on leads welcome. Open on Saturday March 27th

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and Sunday March 28th, 12pm - 5pm. Admission is £3.50. The gardens at Hotel Endsleigh are designed in three parts; formal garden around the house, a picturesque dell with pleasure dairy and rockery plus an arboretum. The formal gardens have the Long Border, grass terrace, croquet lawn and a unique Shell House, plus a 100-metre rose arch - the aroboretum includes some wonderful Champion trees. Open Sunday, April 18th, 11am 4pm. Admission: £8.00

Hospices UK, Carers Trust and other nursing and caring charities. Visiting the gardens will be by pre-booking only - it is ESSENTIAL to check at website www. ngs.org.uk for up-to-date information.

Both gardens are opening for the National Garden Scheme which raises money to support Macmillan Cancer Support, Marie Curie Cancer Care,

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WHAT’S ON

March 13 & 27, April 10 & 24

Family workshops & community growing Okehampton-based Harvest Workers’ Co-op has been been running seasonal food, growing and health projects alongside our organic farm shop for several years. We believe understanding, celebrating and sharing seasonal food helps make for healthy communities. This year has been a challenge, but we have managed online film shows and family workshops, socially distanced walkshops, supplied Okehampton Food Bank with veg bags and more. Most importantly we have been open for food and positive conversation! As spring begins, we have some regular projects coming up - monthly Farm to Town workshops at Hilltown Farm,

monthly Family Workshops and a weekly Family Gardening time, alongside seasonal nutrition and cooking workshops.

Harvest’s projects are funded by Okehampton United Charities; Growing the Seasons is also supported by Guy Cracknell Graphic Design.

Growing the Seasons is a community photography project open to everyone interested in celebrating changes in the natural world and our growing spaces. A monthly gallery of photographs, online and in the shop, will be created from your contributions, culminating in a calendar featuring the best images. Get snappin’ folks!!

Family Workshops: Saturday afternoons, March 27th, April 24th. Contact hello@ harvestworkerscoop.org.uk for more details.

For more information email hello@ harvestworkerscoop.org.uk or pop into the Harvest Farm Shop in Okehampton’s Red Lion Yard.

Farm to Town: Every second Saturday, March 13th March and April 10th. Farm-based workshops and community growing at Hilltown Organics just outside Okehampton. Contact hello@ harvestworkerscoop.org.uk for more details. Kevin Cotter Harvest Workers’ Co-op

March 20

Celebrating ten years Hospiscare’s flagship Men’s Walk event is back – with a twist – this March, to celebrate its tenth anniversary – and this year the charity needs the support of the community more than ever. The popular event, which normally sees over a thousand men walking eight miles through Exeter in support of the local hospice charity, has revamped its format this year to adapt to the times. From the outset of the pandemic, Hospiscare adapted its fundraising efforts to ensure that its vital care for people living with life-limiting illnesses can continue at no cost to its patients. To ensure that Men’s Walk can take place this year safely and in-line with government guidance, Hospiscare has introduced Men’s Walk–Your Way. Taking place on Saturday, March 20th, participants will walk a route of their choice in their local area, which means that everyone can take part safely from any corner of Devon – or the world!

Every walker will receive a Men’s Walk t-shirt, a special 10th-year anniversary beer courtesy of Exeter Brewery and a pasty from Chunk of Devon – not to mention Ireland vs England in the Six Nations rugby tournament to enjoy on the box afterwards! To sign up to Men’s Walk–Your Way and raise sponsorship to support your local hospice charity, visit www.hospiscare.co.uk/menswalk.

Stone Lane Gardens, Chagford, TQ13 8JU RHS Partner Garden Open all year round Woodland and Water Gardens National Collection of Birch and Alder

Summer Sculpture Exhibition

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WHAT’S ON

Andrew’s Corner

50 years of opening for The National Garden Scheme Nestling 1,000ft up on the northern edge of Dartmoor, in the beautiful village of Belstone, lies the garden at Andrew’s Corner, home of Robin and Edwina Hill. When Robin’s parents Kathleen and Harold Hill first opened the garden for the NGS on Sunday, May 21st, 1972, they could not have dreamt that it would be opening for its 50th year in 2021. Described then as being of wide interest throughout the year with a rock garden, azaleas, heathers and conifers, it has undergone a profound change over the decades to a much more diverse landscape, with a greater emphasis on its tranquillity, wildlife, and the wildness of its surroundings. With the involvement of Robin and Edwina’s three young grandchildren, it means that four generations of the Hill family have now had a hand in this garden. Andrew’s Corner has all year-round colour and interest, but is probably at its best in spring, which comes a week or two later at this height. The eagerly-awaited cuckoo usually arrives about mid-April, so late April and all through May is the ideal time to visit if you want to hear it. The garden has an ever-growing collection of maples, magnolias, rhododendrons and the ohso-pretty erythroniums (sometimes called dog’s tooth violets). As May progresses the wonderful meconopsis (blue poppies) appear. Dartmoor’s high rainfall encourages prolific growth of these spectacular plants.

The garden is a haven for wildlife, some – such as grass snakes and frogs – attracted by the large pond. The many trees provide nesting sites for birds, with over 40 species recorded in the garden. Other inhabitants, including bats and dormice, are less easy to see but indicate an environment rich in different habitats ideal for plants and animals. The garden makes a great family visit. The only thing not guaranteed is the weather but, never fear – there’s indoor space to enjoy your refreshments and the garden still looks just as good! Despite a difficult year in 2020, the National Garden Scheme still managed to donate £2.88 million to a range of charities. Originally started by the Queen’s Nursing Institute to raise money to support district nursing, the takings are now shared between several cancer and other caring charities. For further information and, if Covid restrictions persist, please go to www.ngs.org.uk for the latest information about garden visiting. Andrews Corner (Skaigh Lane, Belstone EX20 1RD) is open from 2pm-5pm on April 4th, 5th and May 2nd, 3rd, 23rd, 30th, 31st May, also by appointment. Visit andrewscorner.garden for further information.

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WHAT’S ON

It’s your Museum

Sharing knowledge, skills and support At Okehampton Community Well-being For All (OCWFA), we believe the widely recognised benefits of complementary therapies should be affordable and accessible to all. Our work includes introductory well-being courses and workshops on and off line. By sharing skills and knowledge in an accessible way, individuals can bring holistic approaches to their own health and well-being and share new skills with family and friends. Weekly online Zoom Events: Thursdays evenings, 7.30 pm – Hatha Yoga online classes for all abilities including breathing exercises, stretches, Yoga poses and a relaxation at the end. Friday evenings, 7 pm - Well-being group with guided meditation, sound and Reiki. A nurturing time to relax,

rebalance and unwind. Saturdays 11 am - Coffee mornings and introductory workshops. Time to meet up and chat in a warm friendly setting, with guest speakers from Okehampton Community Garden, Ockment River Clearing Group and The Harvest Workers Co–op to mention a few. The workshops include Aromatherapy, massage and hand reflexology to support health, well-being and self care. The National Lottery Community Fund enables OCWFA to support our community during lockdown periods and beyond. For information phone 07957 213264, email okehamptonwellbeing@ pm.me. or go to www.facebook.com/ OCWFA Okehampton Community Wellbeing For All

Everyday I find myself looking for those wonderful signs of spring like snowdrops, the first blooming daffodil or maybe a warm ray of sun. At the Museum in Okehampton we are missing our lovely volunteers and visitors. We are hoping to be open for Easter but in the meantime much work is going on behind the scenes. I am new to the role of manager so I have a lot to learn but I would love to hear from any of you about what you would like to see or change in our museum in the future. We have had some great pieces sent in for our Covid 19 collection such as diaries, photos, films, art, but we would also like to hear about those brave people who have lost their fight against this terrible virus, a lasting memorial for generations to come. Please contact me at the email below. Remember this is your museum and your history. Kristy Turner manager@dartmoorlife.org.uk

See the gardens burst into bloom. Visit your local RHS Garden now. Members go free Your visit supports our work as a charity

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Book online: rhs.org.uk/bookrosemoor

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MUSIC AND ART

March

The Magistrate decades long tradition of producing new original plays inspired by local people and history. Depending on government guidelines at the time, the play will be performed live at Manaton and Moretonhampstead parish halls in March 2021, or amended into a recorded production. ‘The Magistrate’ is part of MED Theatre’s Dartmoor Devon and World War Two-project, supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

THE MAGISTRATE Dartmoor community on trial

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MED Theatre’s 2021 annual community play ‘The Magistrate’ will see a large community cast on trial for their war-time actions and reactions. This episodic play is based on true accounts from local people who lived through The Second World War on Dartmoor, and continues MED Theatre’s

Visit www.medtheatre.co.uk for most recent updates regarding dates and venues for performances.

March 4

Mothers Who Make MED Theatre is delighted to announce

the continuation of its monthly Mothers Who Make peer support meetings, after a successful pilot project with this growing national network. If you are interested in a network of women who are mothers and makers from the Dartmoor area, please get in contact with us. All mothers (to-be, bereaved, grandmothers, step, adoptive) who consider themselves makers (professional and/or just passionate, in any discipline - writers, painters, performers, film makers, dancers, producers, musicians, cooks, crafters, sculptors) welcome. To join the next meeting on Thursday, March 4th, between 1pm and 2.30pm, email abbystobart@medtheatre.co.uk The meetings will be held on Zoom, until able to gather in person again.

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MUSIC AND ART

Music making for babies, toddlers and families Wren Music will soon resume its music making sessions for children under five and their parents and carers in Okehampton. The ‘Instrument Picnics’ explore songs and music from around the world. A social and sensory experience, little ones will get to play with different types of instruments and things that make sound. Adults will enjoy learning songs from different countries. Wren’s approach is friendly and accessible for people from all backgrounds. The sessions will

provide a fun activity to bond with your little one, as well a sense of community and the opportunity to connect with other local parents and carers. Having a new baby or young children through the pandemic has been particularly difficult and Wren hopes resuming these sessions will provide some welcomed social interaction, and smiles, for children and adults alike. Sessions will be free to attend and run once a week in Okehampton town centre. At the time of writing the start

date for the sessions is to be confirmed so please visit www.wrenmusic. co.uk or email info@wrenmusic.co.uk for more details.

Art for All West Devon Art Workshops have been running Art for All classes in Okehampton for the last few years with funding from Okehampton United Charities and the National lottery. These classes are aimed at beginners with an emphasis on meeting others and having fun. Since last March, they have been produced over 40 free video classes to help people feel less isolated and help rebuild confidence. Organised in courses, you can explore a whole range of art techniques including drawing, painting, printmaking, collage and assemblage. Many of the classes use just basic art materials and there are sessions with exercises for all different age groups.

not too distant future, as lockdown is eased, we are determined to create the best interactive experience we can, using a combination of group sessions, video classes and one to one tutorials. Art is more than just a fun activity, it can stimulate your mind, build your confidence and be a welcome release from the day to day.’ The free video classes are available at www.westdevonartworkshops.co.uk/ online-classes. More information about joining group zoom sessions future courses after lockdown are available on the website.

Since February, the tutors at West Devon Art Workshops have also being organising zoom sessions so that groups doing the same course can meet and share their achievements, plus individual zoom tutorials to help participants on a one to one basis. Andy Cairns, Art for All project leader, said: ‘Whilst we hope to be able to return to face to face classes in the See our community website www.dartmoorlinks.co.uk

A Shared Perspective & Spring Exhibition: March 6th 2021 Featuring new work from Michael Hill & Shirley Kirkcaldy and other Wildwood artists. View on-line from 06/03/2021 at:

www.wildwoodartsdartmoor.co.uk

info@wildwoodartsdartmoor.co.uk • Chapel Lane,Horrabridge,Yelverton PL20 7SP • 01822 258529

FOOD & DRINK

Iced Passion Fruit Parfait This delicious recipe comes from the talented kitchen team at Lewtrenchard Manor - how about trying it this Easter?

Serves 4 Ingredients 150g Egg Whites 110g Castor Sugar 50g Liquid Glucose 200g Double Cream 100g Icing Sugar 400g Greek Natural Yoghurt 200g Passion Fruit

Method

Whip the egg whites until they reach the soft peak stage, using the mixer on a medium speed.

In another bowl whip the double cream and icing sugar together, then add the Greek yoghurt and passion fruit.

While the egg whites are mixing, heat the sugar and glucose together until the mixture reaches a temperature of 120 degrees and then slowly pour this into the whipped egg white, creating Italian Meringue. Slowly whip until cold. Set aside.

Fold in the Italian meringue, then pour into a tray lined with greaseproof paper. Freeze for 6 hours. Cut into portions. The passion fruit parfait is delicious served with coconut ice cream!

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FOOD & DRINK

What to drink at Easter? It’s a case of remembering the golden rule! Lamb remains the firm favourite for an Easter roast. Plenty of wines go well with roast lamb, but remember the golden rule - if you really want a particular bottle because it’s what you like and you’ll enjoy it regardless, go with it! Red wine is an easier match and provides more choice than white, because to pair well you must consider the ‘weight’ and the ‘flavour intensity’ of both food and wine. A glass of Chateauneuf du Pape will crush a delicate salad, and a glass of Riesling will wilt alongside a hearty beef stew. Weight is about texture, fattiness and density in food, and about ‘body’ (a combination of how the wine feels in your mouth and the level of alcohol) in wine. If these elements don’t balance the food will overpower the wine or vice-versa. My personal choice would be Rioja which offers great options. Rioja comes in four basic styles. Joven, meaning

young, but is often just labelled Rioja. This is bottled straight away and never sees oak barrels, so it’s all about spicy dark-berry fruit. Crianza gets some oak ageing and is kept in bottles until it’s two years old, so some vanilla and spice is infused into the wine. Reserva is released after three years, having spent more time in barrels, and Gran Reserva spends two full years in oak barrels and three more in bottles. Expect to pay more with each step up. Remember these are different styles - older and more expensive equals different, not necessarily better! Generally, the more flavoursome the roast, the more ageing in oak will benefit the wine you pair it with. Because most people like their roast crispy on the outside and enhance the flavours with garlic and rosemary, I’d suggest a Reserva wine. Lamb is fattier and the crispy coating most people aim for is very flavoursome - so you could consider

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a Gran Reserva. Many people choose a hefty Cabernet Sauvignon or Claret, because they too stand up to weighty food and strong flavours. For me, a Reserva Rioja just gets the balance right, especially as sauces for lamb tend to be rich jammy and red fruit-based. Vegetarian/vegan options probably won’t be as fatty, broadening the range of wines that will work - be guided by strength of flavours, especially sauces. Viognier is a full-bodied and flavoursome white wine with a slightly oily texture, and stands up to heartier foods. It has distinctive aromas of peach and honeysuckle, and is sometimes aged in oak to add creaminess and vanilla. Sainsburys offer Yalumba Y Series Viognier for a very reasonable £8.50. Cune Rioja Reserva from Waitrose comes in at a well justified £13.49, and if you’re looking for something really special, splash out on La Rioja Alta ‘Vina Alberdi’ Reserva 2015 from SWBottleshop at £21.50. Dave Anning

Lifton • Devon • PL16 0AA

HISTORY

Grant boost for exciting church project Making St Mary’s a more welcoming place for all Dartmoor National Park Authority has given Belstone and Sticklepath Parochial Parish Council £4,611 from its Parishscapes Grant Fund towards St Mary’s Church, Sticklepath. The money will go towards redeveloping the garden, new seating, new heritage displays and making the area more accessible. Sticklepath Heritage Group will create informative displays as well as interactive audio presentations from historical characters, brought to life by members of the local community.

The building and garden will be made wheelchair accessible. Volunteers plan to transform the garden so it becomes inviting outdoor space which people can use for quiet reflection or outdoor meetings. The small church was once a chantry, reported to be the oldest in Devon. This dates it to 1146, when the country was in a period of what is now known as the ‘Anarchy’. The Empress Matilda held much of the South West and small armies fought Stephen across the country. There were many links with Normandy and the French, which adds to the story that Mistress Courtenay

commissioned the chantry to pay for departed souls, even though her family didn’t come to England until 15 years later. Sticklepath would have been seen as a quiet, peaceful spot for prayers; close to a salmon river for Friday repast and with access to the mystical moor.

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HISTORY

St Mary’s represents nearly 1,000 years of worship in the village and the current building dates from 1875. Threatened with closure in 2010, the community rallied around, raising money to secure the church and its rich heritage for many years to come. Belstone and Sticklepath Parochial Church Council representative for Sticklepath, Carol Johns said: ‘We are so grateful for Dartmoor National Park’s support to our little church and our community. We nearly lost St Mary’s at one stage and it was then that local people realised what they valued and needed.’ Carol said the idea was to provide a place of rest, interest and inspiration for visitors and pilgrims through the village, for example on the Archangel’s Way. Derek Moore of Sticklepath Heritage Group said: ‘With this support, we have been given the opportunity to display and develop an understanding of the parish as having a special spiritual history.

‘The community will breathe new life into the building, which will remain a place of worship alongside heritage displays, a quiet meeting space and the themed garden, open for all.’

When the new Heritage Centre is open in the spring, visitors will be able to hear an audio presentation of what the very first priest or monk may have thought when he accepted the commission to pray for a specific dead person, and to work with the small number of people in the farms around. A hamlet was just forming in this area, and priests would have been responsible for education of local children and for the pastoral care of the community. Visitors will also hear from one of the commissioners responsible for the surveying and closing of the chantry soon after 1547. The audio presentations will include a local lady who was a Quaker, but who had been convinced by Rev John Wesley’s preaching on White Rock. Visitors will listen to one of the local builders glad to have got the work in 1874 to replace the old cob and thatch Chapel of Rest. The visual displays will show the village through the ages, reflecting religious themes emerging alongside agriculture, industry and the village as it is now . The project needed approval from the Diocese to retain the place for worship and prayer, while providing more flexible use of the building and heritage displays. Derek added: ‘We’ve looked at old plans and there used to be buildings and a pig sty in front of St Mary’s. The Diocese and Dartmoor National Parks

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now want us to organise some test-pits in the garden, because there might be interesting historical features or artefacts which add more understanding of the village through ages. ‘Test pit digging can be really exciting - we welcome any support given to the St Mary’s Project as we emerge from restrictions.’ Anyone who would like to help should contact Carol Johns on 01837 840822 or Derek Moore on 01837 840316 or make a donation through: justgiving.com Dartmoor National Park’s Parishscapes grants scheme is supported by West Devon Borough Council. Ward member for Sticklepath Cllr Lynn Daniel said: ‘The current project is a way of maintaining and enhancing the space inside and out. Inside it will provide a destination for visitors and information on the history of the church and village. The outside space will become a meadow of wildflowers, a beehive and an apothecary garden, with space to sit and contemplate. ‘I have supported this project from my locality budget and will be involved in bringing the vision to fruition over the next few months. I am very pleased it has been successful in obtaining a grant to enable it to go ahead.’

WINNIE’S 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.

This uphill walk to Cranbrook Castle takes in the Deer Stalkers’ upper and lower paths on the way back. The terrain can be uneven with stones and muddy in the winter, BUT the views from Cranbrook Castle are 360 degrees and worth the climb! There are toilet facilities on the opposite side of the bridge to The Fingle Bridge Inn, however, they are CLOSED in the winter and due to Covid will be closed for longer. Unfortunately, there have been walkers travelling from distances that are not local expecting to find the facilities open. This has resulted in people using other areas as a toilet not very pleasant, so please be aware. There are public toilets in Drewsteignton which were open when we walked this walk in January. A 20p donation can be made in the box outside the facilities.

Park near the Fingle Bridge Inn, head over the bridge and take the path uphill in front of you. But before you do, enjoy the sound of the River Teign and on a warm sunny day, have a paddle, or save that for you and the dog on your return. There are three castle hill forts in this area. Prestonbury above The Fingle Bridge Inn, Cranbrook which we are heading for, and further along the river toward Clifford Bridge is Wooston on the right, high above the river. As you take the winding path up hill, you will find seats along the way to rest and enjoy the view. At ‘Paul’s seat’ you can see Castle Drogo in the distance.

The path will begin to straighten out as you come across the Deer Stalkers’ Lower Path to your right: we will be Fitness in way. theContinue Outdoors coming back this up the Introductory and Regular Walks Fitness Sessions Fitness inthe the Outdoors One-to-One Fitness Outdoors Fitness in in the Outdoors Introductory andfor Regular Fitness in the Outdoors Private Sessions twoWalks or more Fitness in Outdoors Introductory and Regular Walks Fitness Sessions Introductory and Regular Walks Fitness in the the Outdoors Introductory and Regular Walks Introductory and Regular Walks IntroductoryFitness and Regular Walks in the Outdoors Walking Holidays One-to-One Fitness Sessions Introductory and Regular Walks Fitness Sessions • Fitness Sessions Fitness Sessions Fitness Sessions Introductory and RegularSessions WalksOne-to-One Private for two or more Walking Fitness Sessions Denise HornerNordic One-to-One One-to-One One-to-One Sessions Walking Holidays Private Sessions for two or more One-to-One One-to-One Fitness British Nordic Walking & NWUK Instructor Private Sessions for two or more Private Sessions for two or more Nordic Horner One-to-One Private Sessions for two or more Sessions for two or more Nordic Walking Walking Denise Private Walking Holidays Private Sessions for two or more Walking HolidaysHolidays Walking British Nordic Walking & NWUK Instructor Walking Holidays Private Sessions for two or more Nordic Walking Fully Insured / ITC Outdoor First Aid Denise Horner Walking Holidays DeniseHorner Horner Denise Fully Insured / ITC Outdoor First Aid Walking Holidays Walking Holidays

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hill through Hannicombe Woods, this time passing the Deer Stalkers’ Upper Path which we will head down on the way back. At last the climb will start to flatten out, looking to your right you will see the outline of Cranbrook Castle hill fort on Cranbrook Down; it is Iron Age, built around 500BC-0AD, 160m across and encompasses around 13 acres. At a left hand bend in the path will be a five bar gate on your right and a pedestrian gate. Take this, following the grass pathway up to the ramparts of the Fort. It really is a very large fort, you can clearly see the moat and the advantage a fort would have had in these surroundings. Walk around the perimeter, you can literally see for miles, toward Haytor, Cosdon Beacon and far beyond. Take time to enjoy the view, there’s no rush! When you are ready, head down toward the gate you came through, turning left to head down the hill. At the sign to the Deer Stalkers Upper Path, take a left here along the forest track, which is nice and grassy to start with. To your right on the opposite side of the valley you will see the Hunters’ Path heading out from Castle Drogo along the top edge of Piddledown Common and Sharp Tor, jutting out below the Castle.

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WINNIE’S WALK

Continue down the path until you reach a junction taking the path to the right, now heading back up hill to meet the original path in Hannicombe Woods. Take a left here, making your way steadily downhill and back towards Fingle Bridge. That climb has got to be worth a swim, paddle and a drink at the Fingle Bridge Inn! The Inn was closed when we walked this walk in January, due to the COVID restrictions.

dartmoornordicwalking.co.uk ‘Dartmoor Nordic Walking’ and ‘Walks with Winnie’ are on Facebook. Fingle Bridge to Cranbrook Castle (Hill Fort) Distance: Approximately 5km (3 miles)

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Aniimal Industries Where are you based?

Where can I buy your products?

We are family run, natural pet treat manufacturing company located near Tavistock on the Wilminstone Industrial Estate, we have recently moved in to help cope with our expansion.

We are always on the lookout for new stockists of our treats, you can find a list of all current stockists on our website, from here in Devon, up to Wales and then all the way up to Scotland! We also offer online sales through our webstore, www.taylaskitchen.co.uk

How long have you been in business? We have been trading since January 2019, so two years now.

What’s the story behind Aniimal Industries? We wanted to make a difference in the pet treat market, by offering a UK-made option and doing our utmost to make a real difference to pets’ lives by using only the finest ingredients with no hidden nasties whatsoever, which unfortunately are often found in treats on the market today.

Where do you source your raw materials? We do our upmost to ensure all our ingredients come from the UK wherever possible, for example our grass for our small animal treats comes from Yorkshire, our flower petals come from Shropshire and in our Tayla’s Kitchen bakery, our flour comes from a mill in Tilbury.

What’s the most challenging part of your business? Our biggest challenge to date has been trying to get our brand noticed in the market and convincing people to give us a try once they have taken the leap people just keep coming back.

What do you enjoy the most about your work? Knowing that people have a real option when it comes to treats, whether it be the fact that our packaging is super environmentally friendly or the treats themselves for being not only unique but also super tasty and healthy!

Where do you get the ideas for new lines? Most of our new ideas come from feedback from customers who suggest new products all the time! We try our hardest to action as many as possible to ensure customers feel like they are a valued part of the Aniimal team.

Do you have any ambitions for the future? We are working hard to complete a range of vegan, environmentally-friendly bird and small animal treats. We would also like to continue to grow into larger chain stores and eventually expand overseas.

What is your ECO philosophy? Our production facility runs on 100% renewable energy which has lowered our carbon impact by 3.4 tonnes of CO2 a year. That is the hard work of around 1,689 trees! All of our 250g bags are 100% biodegradable and compostable, made with board sourced purely from sustainable and ethical sources and the lining and window is made from bioplastic. We have also partnered with Ecologi and plant 24 Mangrove trees every month to offset our workforces carbon footprint! So, we really are as eco friendly as we can possibly be!

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BATHROOMS & TILES By amanda - james

Oke Links magazines March/April issue 2021

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