Plym Links February/March issue 2022 by Links Magazines

PLYM LINKS YEARS

The origins of our lifesaving number

What’s Your Emergency?

LISHI B U

LOC

999

February/March 2022 | Issue 14

MAGAZ

Challenge yourself!

A Dartmoor walk rich in history with our Moorland Guide

CHARITY

Helping break the cycle of addiction, homelessness & crime

BLUE

CARBON

GARDENING

Gardening tips for late winter

What is it? Plus its role in climate change

MEET

the locals

Nominate your ‘Shero’ with Plymouth women’s charity Trevi

• An up and coming Plymouth artist • A 91-year-old theatre fan & benefactor

Artist Richard Allman

‘Plymouth Exposed’

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FROM THE EDITOR

Welcome to the February/March edition of Plym Links. An edition to lift the spirits!

The deadline date for any inclusions in the February/ March issue of Plym Links will be February 25, 2022 For all editorial enquiries please contact Lindsay Turpin via email at: lindsay.turpin@linksmagazines.co.uk THE LINKS TEAM: Publisher: Tim Randell Editor: Lindsay Turpin Design: Julian Rees Advertising: Jane Daniel, Olivia Breyley, Joanne Mallard

To promote your business to 16,100 readers call: ✆ 07450 161929 ON THE COVER: From Richard Allman’s ‘Plymouth Exposed’ exhibtion at the Theatre Royal Plymouth Gallery (see page 42)

March is my favourite month of the year - not only because it’s my birthday month but also because it marks the beginning of Spring. Now don’t get me wrong I do enjoy Winter, it does have its wonders, but it’s something about entering Spring that really lifts everyone’s spirits. And I hope that when you read this issue of Plym Links your spirit is lifted as we have some truly remarkable people and organisations in this edition. For our double page feature we have Trevi, a Plymouth-based charity which has been transforming the lives of thousands of women and their children for 29 years. The subject of our charity focus is an organisation which has worked closely with Trevi – Hip Hip Hooray is helping women break the cycle of addiction, homelessness and crime. Our local people are two remarkable women in their own right: First up we have Alice Robinson-Carter, an up and coming Plymouth artist who recently received rapturous applause for her first public exhibition; our next woman is Joan Lucas who, at the age of 91, is not only a Theatre Royal Plymouth member, she also regularly donates money to help local children gain access to the arts.

Contents | February & March

35 What’s On 42 Music and Art 44 Environment 46 Walk 48 History 50 Farming 52 Local Services 54 Trade Secrets 55 Directory

PLYM LINKS February/March 2022 | Issue 14

999

LOC

What’s Your Emergency?

LISHI

10 YEARS

The origins of our lifesaving number

Delivered by the Royal Mail to the following towns & villages: Roborough, Woolwell, Widewell, Shaugh Prior, Bickleigh, Wotter, Lee Moor, Sparkwell, Glenholt, Derriford, Derriford Hospital, The Plymouth Science Park and selected outlets.

² @plymlinks

Lindsay Turpin Editor, Plym Links 07738231933 lindsay.turpin@linksmagazines.co.uk

✆ 07450 161929

Lindsay

6 Feature 8 Local People 13 Noticeboard 20 Nature 22 Education 24 Charity 26 Gardening 31 Health 32 Food & Drink

In our health section, on page 31, Dr Rachel Tyler from Stirling Road Surgery in St Budeaux discusses whether sitting for any length of time is bad for your health and encourages regular exercise. One outdoor activity you could try is a trek on Dartmoor – why not tackle the four mile walk, rich in moorland history, featured on pages 46 to 47 directed by Moorland Guide John Bright? For the first time in Plym Links we have included a farming page. Normally featured within our sister magazine Moor Links, Mat Cole is a Dartmoor farmer who, along with his family, is already popular with residents from North Plymouth thanks to his Lambing Live events on his farm at Greenwell Farm, nr Meavy. See page 50 to see what the family has been up to. I hope you enjoy reading this latest issue of Plym Links – and you agree that there are lots to read and enjoy. As always, please do let me know of anything you feel is worth shouting about in North Plymouth, or the wider Plymouth area, especially any events you feel local residents would like to read about.

MAGAZ

Challenge yourself!

A Dartmoor walk rich in history with our Moorland Guide

CHARITY

Helping break the cycle of addiction, homelessness & crime

BLUE

CARBON

GARDENING

Gardening tips for late winter

What is it? Plus its role in climate change

MEET

the locals

Nominate your ‘Shero’ with Plymouth womens’ charity Trevi

• An up and coming Plymouth artist • A 91-year-old theatre fan & benefactor

Artist Richard Allman

‘Plymouth Exposed’

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Visit our community website www.dartmoorlinks.co.uk 5

With International Women’s Day on March 8, an award-winning women’s charity is re-launching its ’Sheroes’ initiative and reminding Plymouth residents about its core mission

ransforming the lives of thousands of women and Despite a difficult couple of years due to the Covid their children is Plymouth-based charity Trevi. pandemic, Trevi’s team has been working hard to Formed 29 years ago, Trevi aims to provide a place make sure their lifesaving services are still run to where all women in recovery can access good quality protect women and their children. interventions in a safe and nurturing space where One member of the team is chief executive Hannah they can heal, grow and thrive. From Shead, who in 2021 was nominated for rehab and health to housing and the Women in Social Enterprise award Hannah Shead employment, Trevi helps any woman 2021. in recovery move from ‘surviving’ to Hannah was nominated by Bridges ‘thriving’. Outcomes Partnerships, who are kind When a woman has reached a funders of the Pause Project, based at tough crossroads or crisis, Trevi’s Trevi, which works with women who compassionate and expert team will have experienced or are at risk of repeat provide the treatment and strength to removals of children from their care. help her break free, giving her a fresh Hannah said: ‘In what has been an start in life. incredibly challenging year, I am proud Trevi’s work is delivered across three of the work Trevi has continued to main centres: Jasmine Mother’s achieve in supporting women affected We amplify the by domestic violence and abuse and Recovery Centre, to help mothers break addiction for good and to be the voices of women and enabling them to remain with their best mother she can be; Sunﬂower we work with women children.’ Women’s Centre, the only women’s Hannah has been CEO of Trevi since whose rights haven’t 2011 and has been in the social care centre in Plymouth, supports and been met - we make field for 20 years, working in both the empowers more than 500 local women, many with complex needs sure that the voices of statutory and voluntary sectors. Since and experience of trauma and abuse; women and children joining Trevi, she has established their and the Daﬀodil Family Centre Sunflower Women’s Centre and the are heard that enables parenting capacity to be Daffodil Family Assessment Centre. assessed whilst the child remains in the ‘Trevi is a special service,’ added care of the parent. Hannah. ‘The way we describe ourselves is that we Trevi supports more than 550 women and children are a leading South West Women’s Charity. every year. ‘We amplify the voices of women and we work with

“

”

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FEATURE women whose rights haven’t been met - we make sure that the voices of women and children are heard. ‘Following the Sarah Everard murder at the beginning of 2021 people have started to look at the violence towards women and they are worried and talking about the issue - suddenly it’s a mainstream concern where people are listening to the issues and have compassion. ‘At Trevi we adapt and respond, and we learn and develop from the people that we support. ‘There is a great sense of community in Plymouth and the donations we have received from people in Plymouth is amazing.’ Last year Trevi launched its first ‘Sheroes’ event which was embraced by so many people - and in 2022 the charity hopes the initiative will prove popular once again. This year, the theme for International Women’s Day (March 8) is #breakthebias and importantly it’s a time to celebrate women’s achievement. Trevi recognises that there are many female heroes – Sheroes. With Covid-19, many Sheroes have come to the fore over the past two years. Women who have been on the frontline of the NHS; mothers who have balanced homeschooling and working from home; volunteers, or women who have had the strength to go through therapy like Trevi’s Jasmine Mother’s Recovery.

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Whoever they are, the charity wants to celebrate those special Sheroes as part of International Women’s Day. The charity was born in 1993 from the desire of four drug and alcohol workers (including the late Roma French, mother of Dawn French) in Plymouth to create a unique environment for women and their children experiencing drug and alcohol misuse issues to grow and create positive futures. As Roma was sat in a café in Rome dreaming up her vision for the service, she could hear the waters cascading at the nearby beautiful and picturesque Trevi Fountain. The Trevi Fountain is the largest Baroque fountain in the city of Rome and one of the most famous fountains in the world. The fountain is at the junction of three roads and marks the terminal point of the Acqua Vergine that revived Aqua Virgo, one of the aqueducts that supplied water to ancient Rome for more than 400 years. Inspired by this Fountain of Hope, the name Trevi House was born - rebranded to Trevi in October 2020. n For more information on Trevi or the Sheroes initiative: Visit trevi.org.uk

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Alice Robinson-Carter An up and coming Plymouth artist received rapturous applause for her first public exhibition

lice Robinson-Carter is a painter, printmaker, walker and explorer based in Plymouth who has just showcased her Dartmoor inspired creations for the first time. Growing up around the Tamar Valley, Alice has been immersed in these local landscapes since a young age and is passionate about capturing the essence of the places focussed within her art. The passion of her art forms and the places she focusses on has gained her praise from art fans in the local area and further afield. When working, Alice uses a mixed media approach to capture both the intricate details and expansiveness of these unique landscapes. Her primary materials are pastels, pencil and acrylic paint. Alice’s first public exhibition and open studio took place in December 2021 at Ocean Studios in Royal William Yard, which showcased her participation in a project that has spanned the past 18 months. She presented a visual exploration of the breathtaking and distinctive landscape of Dartmoor, after traversing its valleys, moors and woodland for many months. The physical journeys that Alice has undertaken, between tors, bracken and 8

boulders, are reflected beautifully in the richness and vitality of her paintings, as well as her freedom to experiment with a wealth of techniques and styles. This particular artistic study has taken place under the creative direction of Slate Publishing House, an independent publishing house with a unique focus on hand-crafted publications and letterpress printing. Elements of Alice’s recent artwork will feature in Slate’s Dartmoor Collection, to be unveiled in Spring 2022, which celebrates the flora, fauna, and landscape of Dartmoor in the release of a literary anthology and assortment of traditional print pieces. Alice, 25, said she has been ‘overwhelmed’ by the positive feedback she received from her recent exhibition: ‘So many people came to see the show even though it was only on for four days and it was really touching for me to receive such a positive reception from the general public, local galleries, friends and family. ‘As an emerging artist from the local area I feel extremely lucky to have had this opportunity to organise the exhibition at Ocean Studios and to have had the financial and creative support from my team at Slate

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LOCAL PEOPLE Publishing House. They have encouraged me to experiment with various materials and methods freely throughout the duration of the Dartmoor project. ‘It has been such a rollercoaster for all of us over these past two years due to Covid-19 and this project has been the welcome rock which has grounded and focused my thinking and practice.’ Alice studied a Foundation Diploma in Art and Design at Plymouth College of Art in 2015, followed by BA Illustration at the University of Plymouth in 2020. Alice’s future work will be inspired by the South West Coastal Path, in particular the section between Mount Edgecombe to Portwrinkle. ‘My Dartmoor inspired work leant more towards being a literal approach to interpreting

“

Alice’s future work will be inspired by the South West Coastal Path, in particular the section between Mount Edgecombe to Portwrinkle.

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the landscape,’ said Alice: ‘With my next project on the horizon, it will see my body of work involve a more abstract approach to translating the essence of place on to paper and canvas. This will include me studying and walking the path over the next months, focusing on the waves, movements, shapes/ forms and colours found within the landscape. ‘I am very excited to see how my work will develop over this time and to welcome members of the public, friends and family to my future exhibitions.’ For more on Alice’s works and to follow her journey visit her on Instagram under @alice. robinsoncarter or visit www. alicerobinsoncarter.co.uk n Lindsay Turpin

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Joan Lucas

Theatre supporter and benefactor

t the age of 91, Joan Lucas is not only a Theatre Royal Plymouth member, she also regularly donates money to help local children who have a lack of access to the arts, to watch productions on stage and experience the magic of theatre. Joan was born in Birmingham before moving to Plymouth in 1963. ‘I taught deaf children for 38 years. I retired in 1987. It was a very old institutional boarding school. Back then, we weren’t allowed to use signing, so we had to teach them lip reading and speech, which is not easy,’ said Joan. Joan recalls wanting to teach from a young age: ‘I had a blackboard and easel and a desk and my dear brother, who was three and a half years younger than me, had to sit at the desk and he hated school from the minute he went. That was my fault!’ Joan was just four years old when she was first taken to a theatre. ‘I was very lucky that both my parents were into theatre. Both of them were from poor families so we didn’t have much money. My mother was a chorister. I think it’s in my genes.

‘I was then taken regularly. I remember Peter Pan at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre. It was marvellous and I can still see the crocodile going along the stage ticking, even now.’ Theatre Royal Plymouth celebrates its 40th year in 2022, and whilst Joan cannot remember what her first show here was, she is certain it was not long after the theatre first opened in 1982. ‘Before that, we used to have a little theatre on the Hoe and I used to go there. ‘I like all the musicals, but I like good plays. The productions are much more lavish now. They weren’t like that in my time. There weren’t the musicals like there are now. ‘It’s just magic to me, it’s nothing like the cinema.’ Joan is a director member of the Theatre Royal Plymouth. Memberships allow you to gain access to benefits such as priority booking, discounted tickets and exclusive events, whilst supporting our work on stage with local emerging artists and with some of the most vulnerable people in our local community. She has also started her very own ‘Joan Lucas fund’, regularly paying for local children to watch a production on stage at TRP. The idea for it came from when she went to grammar school in Birmingham. There was a fund at the Birmingham Repertory that allowed her to go to the theatre for nine pence on a Thursday afternoon. ‘I have no family to leave my money to - I’m trying to do things with my money and I find it really rewarding

I like all the “ musicals, but I like

good plays too. It’s just magic to me, it’s nothing like the cinema

”

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that I can do it. ‘Hopefully children who would never be taken to the theatre, can come and see a wonderful children’s show here.’ Joan explains one particular moment when she saw the impact her money was having. ‘Once there was a school group from Devonport sitting two rows behind me. When I came into the theatre, they were all lined up ready to come in, with the headmistress standing there with them.

‘I said to her “are you the people who’ve had your tickets paid for?” and she said “yes”. I said “I’m Joan Lucas” and she immediately threw her arms round me. ‘I also got these beautiful pieces of artwork from them saying “thank you”. It really touched me. I was delighted.’ Joan has also recently funded bursary places for TRP’s Young Company, so that young people can access regular workshops at the theatre. n

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Image © Steve Haywood

LOCAL PEOPLE

Adrian Vinken Theatre Royal Plymouth’s former boss awarded CBE

heatre Royal Plymouth’s former Chief Executive of 31 years Adrian Vinken has been made a Commander of the British Empire (CBE) in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours list for ‘Services to Theatre’. Adrian Vinken stood down as CEO of TRP at the end of January 2022. In 1990 Adrian inherited a failing organisation with an uncertain future facing huge financial losses and has left it as one of the most respected, best attended and highest performing theatres in the UK. During this time, apart from presenting nearly 2,000 shows, Adrian was responsible for the development of TR2, the theatre’s unique award-winning Production and Learning Centre on the River Plym and the theatre’s wholesale modernisation in 2013, expanding front of house and catering facilities and creating the building’s third performance space The Lab. In 2018/19 he oversaw the creation and installation of the controversial Messenger, the largest bronze sculpture in the UK outside the entrance to TRP. Adrian Vinken said: ‘I feel a bit of a fraud to be given such an award simply for doing a job I’ve loved, working with so many talented and committed people in one of the most creative and rewarding professions imaginable. It’s a strong public recognition of the success and national reputation that the Theatre Royal enjoys and the brilliant work it continues to do on its stages and in the community serving Plymouth and

the far south west region. Congratulations are due to all my TRP colleagues who have contributed to building that reputation.’ Adrian was previously awarded an OBE in 2006 for his leadership of the cultural sector in the South West and his pioneering work in Sheffield where he developed The Leadmill arts centre leading to the growth of that city’s cultural industries quarter. In 2018 he was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant of the County of Devon. Adrian is suceeded by James Mackenzie-Blackman. Read more on James in Plym Links’ April / May edition. n Other honours recipients from Devon include: • Reece Dunn, 26, from Plymouth, was appointed MBE for services to swimming • Janet Leﬂey, 65, from Lifton, was appointed MBE for services to education • Jill Diprose, 76, received a BEM for services to families of children with special needs in Dawlish • Janet Webber, 68, from Sidmouth, received a BEM for services to women in the international maritime sector • Max Woosey, 12, from Braunton, received a BEM for services to fundraising for the North Devon Hospice during Covid-19 • Rhoda Allison, 54, from Torbay, was appointed MBE for services to physiotherapy

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Planting for our Future Young volunteers from Plymouth, Ivybridge and Tavistock planted trees around Ivybridge as part of National Tree Planting week. In December, Sixth Form students from Mill Ford School planted 220 tree whips, a mixture of English native species, including hazel, rowan, hawthorn, sliver birch trees in Woodland Park; students from the Life Skills department at City College Plymouth, and young people from the Momentum Project at Tavistock Youth Café, planted 220 whips to create a hedgerow of native English trees in Filham Park; and young adults from Dame Hannahs planted 25 native yew trees along Western Road, alongside members of the local community. Despite some very wet weather, everyone absolutely

Ally Kohler retires and Richard Drysdale rejoins the National Park Dartmoor National Park Authority has bid a fond farewell to a long serving member of staff – and welcomed back a familiar face. The authority’s director of conservation and communities Ally Kohler retired in December after 33 years of public service. Richard Drysdale, who worked at the authority

NOTICEBOARD loved having the opportunity to plant some trees which will benefit future generations, and which they can easily re-visit and watch grow! This was a partnership project between the Generation Green Project at Dartmoor National Park, which is working to provide opportunities for young people to access Dartmoor and get involved in environmental volunteering via taster days and their Junior and Youth Ranger programme, and Parklife South West CIC, a Community Interest Company not-for-profit organisation that helps to connect local communities with the environment. These projects are part of a wider initiative in Ivybridge that will see more than 2,500 trees planted this winter. Many thanks for all the help from everyone who volunteered on these days, it’s great to see so many people wanting to get involved and to be outdoors again. If you would like to find out about youth volunteering opportunities across Dartmoor contact Emily, Youth Engagement Ranger on e.cannon@dartmoor.gov.uk, or to get involved in Parklife South West CIC Projects contact Andrew Price at parklifesw@gmail.com between 2007 and 2018, has been appointed as director of conservation and communications and began his new role at the beginning of January. Mr Drysdale lives with his family on Dartmoor and regularly explores the moor on foot and bike. He’s a volunteer leader for Ten Tors and gets huge satisfaction from seeing teenagers (including his two children) exploring Dartmoor and understanding the beauty but also the complexity of the National Park. ‘I am incredibly excited by this role as Dartmoor has always been a very special place for me.’

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Culture Recovery Fund Local organisations are awarded much needed Government funds. More than £100-million has been awarded to hundreds of cultural organisations across the country in the latest round of support from the Culture Recovery Fund. Local organisations among the 925 national groups to have been awarded include Plymouth Arts Cinema, The Theatre Royal Plymouth, The Box and The Garden House at Buckland Monachorum. The third round of funding will support organisations from all corners of the cultural sector as they deal with ongoing reopening challenges, ensuring they can thrive in better times ahead. The Box, which recently marked its first anniversary, has been awarded a grant of £146,500. The funding will provide valuable support as it continues its recovery from the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic and firms up its plans for an exciting 2022 and beyond. Theatre Royal Plymouth was awarded £700,000 which will continue to support Theatre Royal Plymouth’s stabilisation, maintaining its creative programme and work with communities as the South West’s principal centre for performing arts. Plymouth Arts Cinema was awarded £4,797 and will use the money to continue to deliver its rich programme of films. The Garden House received an additional £36,300 from the third round of the Government’s Culture Recovery Fund which will be used to support the

ongoing recovery of The Garden House from a difficult 18 months through the pandemic, and in turn will help support and maintain local jobs. Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries said: ‘Culture is for everyone and should therefore be accessible to everyone, no matter who they are and where they’re from. ‘Through unprecedented government financial support, the Culture Recovery Fund is supporting arts and cultural organisations so they can continue to bring culture to communities the length and breadth of the country, supporting jobs, boosting local economies and inspiring people.’ Over £1.2-billion has already been awarded from the unprecedented Culture Recovery Fund, supporting around 5,000 individual organisations and sites across the country ranging from local museums to West End theatres, grassroots music venues to festivals, and organisations in the cultural and heritage supply-chains. Darren Henley, chief executive, Arts Council England, said: ‘This continued investment from the Government on an unprecedented scale means our theatres, galleries, music venues, museums and arts centres can carry on playing their part in bringing visitors back to our high streets, helping to drive economic growth, boosting community pride and promoting good health. It’s a massive vote of confidence in the role our cultural organisations play in helping us all to lead happier lives.’ Plymouth Arts Cinema delivers a rich programme of films

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A community hub with many uses Soon to celebrate its 100th anniversary is Roborough Recreation Hall - a hall committed to the community. In the 1920s, Lord Roborough - Sir Henry Lopes - gifted land to the parishioners of Bickleigh and Roborough for a recreation hut which was completed in 1926 and opened on April 15 that year. Based on Roborough Road, the hut comprised a large club room, billiard room, dressing rooms and kitchen and was used by residents of both parishes. One of the first users of the hall and still there today, was the WI, then during war time Britain the hall was used not only for dances, whist drives and the Clinic but where Plymothians trecked for nightly refuge from the bombed city. Since then the hall has often been updated and upgraded and is now used by a variety of clubs and groups on a regular basis for band practice, children’s parties,

NOTICEBOARD craft fairs, dog-training classes and much more. Their nearby sports field is also popular with various cricket and football teams. Whilst being run by volunteers on the Roborough Recreation Hall and Playing Field Committee, maintaining the original ethos of being built by and for the use of the locality, the hall also thrives due to its convenient access for Plymouth, Tavistock and the Moor. Volunteer Chris Phillips said: ‘Everyone is pleased to see that the hall has retained a lot of its character and is being used for many purposes. With the large hall able to seat 70 and the smaller room convenient for annual meetings etc, both with disabled access from the car park, we now have plans underway for a complete re-fit of the kitchen. We are very proud of and grateful to all the volunteers who give their time to run both the hall and sports field and feel that we have a very positive future here!’ For more information: Contact Chris at roboroughrecreationhall@gmail.com

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What Woodside can do for you? While totally dependant on donations and the revenue from its charity shops, a significant amount of what Woodside earns is ploughed back into the community it has served for over forty years. Woodside founder Carole Bowles MBE said: ‘Our Elfordleigh based charity has always looked to dealing with its problems at source, rather than just mopping up the result. Yes, we do care for and find homes for over 1,000 unwanted pets every year but we also put an enormous amount of our resources into preventing them coming to us to start with. We offer low-cost neutering for most varieties for owners on benefit, and will consider helping others in dire need as well. It’s far more cost effective for us to neuter cheap than to take an animal in — and there’s a big financial impact for us if a litter is involved. Adoption fees rarely cover a stay and our pets leave neutered, chipped, wormed, vaccinated and flea treated. Plus we always accept our own back if necessary.’

Another local service provided is the Community Welfare Round, with trained staff often travelling over fifty miles in a day. With animals frequently acquired without any prior research, friendly advice can make a huge difference to their future wellbeing. A prime issue here is rabbits. With few pet shops offering appropriate housing, life incarcerated in a hutch, often without a run or winter shelter, is nothing short of misery. When such pets become a family burden and are at risk of being passed around or even dumped, the charity does its best to take them in and find them caring homes. With the New Year heralding the onset of the kitten breeding season, getting your cat neutered will not only help prevent Woodside’s risk of 200+ onsite felines, it will also reduce your own problems. As the weather warms, un-neutered males often indulge in bloody turf wars and can wander far and wide in search of a mate. Your female kitten, even as young as four months, could surprise you with an unexpected family too. Sadly, this often results in a clueless mother and weak, sickly babies. Advice is at hand by phoning Woodside on 01752 347503. As their Welfare van says ‘If you love it - neuter it’.

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A busy year ahead for Shaugh Prior

NOTICEBOARD

Shaugh Prior Village Hall committee members are busy organising an eventful year for residents and visitors. At the hall on February 14 is a fabulous Spanish evening including latin music, food and drinks. Contact Sergio on 07967 586078 for more details and ticket enquiries. Silverthreads, the hall’s fortnightly get together, an old favourite, is still running and very well attended, contact Barbara on 07940 728956 for more information. A particular favourite is the food lovers club every third Thursday, a really fun night, contact Viv on 07876 572120 for more information. The hall hosted a wonderful wedding towards the end of last year, the planners did an amazing job and the hall looked stunning. 2021 also saw the start of the Plymouth Playgroup.

The group is run by Vicky Dann and she can be contacted on vickydann@ hotmail.com for further details. Everyone is invited to the hall’s coffee mornings run by Hilary and Julia on the first Saturday of each month, the cakes are amazing and you will get a very warm welcome, sometimes even fizz but most definitely with a warm smile.

Starting 2021 in lockdown, Moor’s Edge finished the year with around 50 members meeting face-to-face. Coffee, cake and chat proved popular, in December meeting at the Woolwell Centre where cake and hot drinks were pre-ordered and included Cranberry Tiffin and Chocolate Yule log among the tasty choices. The garden group continued to meet making use of the local garden centres; the play reading group finished the suitably titled Season’s Greetings by Alan Ayckbourn, there were more parts than readers which added to the fun as members swapped roles; scrabble attracted two new players; and Tai Chi and Canasta are becoming well established groups. Going into 2022 these groups and others will continue; there is something for everyone with singing for fun, bridge, history, science and technology and

‘arty crafty’ to name a few. So, if you are retired or semi-retired there is probably something here for you. Moor’s Edge U3A also has a speaker each month and you are welcome to join at two of the monthly meetings before you need to commit to joining. To see the full range of groups and future events visit www.u3asites.org.uk/moorsedge/events Diary dates for Moor’s Edge U3A meetings, 2.30pm at the Woolwell Centre the second Tuesday of the month: February 8: Glen and Hannah Bird and hearing dog Nacho – they will talk about the charity ‘Hearing Dogs for Deaf People’. Hannah is profoundly deaf and her life has been transformed by having an assistance dog. March 8: Julian Mitchell – talk on Confessions of a Novice Writer. April 12: Ashley Jones, Regional Fraud Protect Advisor from SW Regional Organised Crime Unit, talk: - Fraud Protection. Ashley will discuss the most common fraud types with tips for spotting scams and frauds in our daily lives.

Moor’s Edge U3A 2021 round-up

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Don’t deal with it alone - ﬁnd help in the South Hams when you need it ... South Hams District Council has launched a new online support directory to signpost local people to get help this winter. The directory at www.southhams.gov.uk/supportdirectory provides essential information and contact details for a wide range of support available across the district from the council and other groups. Cllr Jonathan Hawkins, South Hams District Council executive member for leisure health and wellbeing, said: ‘I’m delighted we’ve been able to launch this new directory. We hope that by putting together the list of what help is available and where, we can make sure that people in the South Hams get the support they need. ‘Our team are working hard to quickly get Household Support Fund money to the people who need it. But it’s worth remembering that the ways we can help don’t stop there. This includes things like making adaptations to your home to help you to live independently, support for people threatened with homelessness or struggling to pay their rent and help to reduce energy costs. By working closely with a number of other agencies that provide more

specific support we’re also here to help signpost residents to access all the help available across the South Hams.’ Enhancing community wellbeing is a core theme of the council’s long-term strategy to support local residents. By supporting voluntary sector and other partners and actively reducing health inequalities and rural poverty, the council will make a positive impact on community wellbeing. The directory will be regularly updated to ensure local people can access support when needed. The new Household Support Fund is designed to provide rapid short-term financial support for people who don’t have enough money to buy essentials like food or pay for heating. Anyone over 16 years old in the South Hams could be eligible, but you will need to confirm that your need is genuine. These grants aim to help people to meet daily needs such as food, clothing and utility bills. Payments will be made directly into your bank account. Residents without a bank account should contact the council.

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A society aimed at helping addicts in recovery Little Stonehouse nestles between Devonport and Plymouth. Down the spine of its peninsula runs Durnford St, passing the Cremyll Ferry and The Royal William Yard on its way to Firestone Bay at the end. Half way along, number 95 is a large rented house, accommodating ten men, all addicts in recovery. This is Firestone Plymouth. This project has been running successfully now for the last two and a half years, set up by and modelled on the Bideford Lighthouse Project. This is what some of the people living at the Project have said: ‘Since living at (Firestone Plymouth) this is the longest time in my life I’ve been dry. Ever.’ ‘If I hadn’t made this decision to come down here, and if (the manager) hadn’t accepted me, I would be going to prison.’ ‘If it wasn’t for the project, I would be on the street.’ ‘I guess if I were still in active addiction, drinking, I’d be dead.’ Firestone Plymouth has achieved this by providing a safe

NOTICEBOARD place to live, with people who support each other to stay off alcohol and drugs. This mutual aid is one of the key reasons the Firestone model works. Another reason is the support which the manager and staff team provide, as well as the encouragement to attend a recovery programme. Sadly, the model is very rare. Accommodation supplied without the support has an incredibly high drop-out rate; and in the south west over the last five years nearly half such places have had to close. The project keeps financially stable thanks to the Housing Benefit supplied by Plymouth City Council. The local community is very supportive in general to the project. Last April a small group of enthusiasts got together to set up a Community Benefit Society called The Firestone Society Ltd. Its aim is to raise enough money to buy number 95 from the present owner, becoming the new landlord committed to supporting the project and ensuring its long-term survival. Ron Smith, one of three directors for the society, said: ‘We have been organised and directed by a professional in this task. Several foundations have given grants totalling £20k for the expenses of the set up. We are now fully up and running and in the throes of issuing an invitation to locals and others to become investing members. We need £400k for the purchase.’ For more information: Contact Mr Smith on 07780 913546 or 01752 674230 or by emailing ronaldfwsmith@gmail.com. Hard copy is available on request.

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Mighty oaks from little acorns grow What happens in spring to the millions of acorns which have spent winter buried beneath the forest ﬂoor? Devon Wildlife Trust’s Steve Hussey does some digging to find out.

Most of these they will return to and eat during winter, but a few are overlooked, and these will remain to begin germination in spring. Spring breakthrough Without light to generate energy via photosynthesis, and without roots to draw nutrients, each acorn relies on its own food stores. It does this to produce a single 20

embryonic shoot which grows upwards towards the soil’s surface. When it breaks through that surface the shoot becomes a seedling, its first leaves appear, photosynthesis can start, and the young oak takes advantage of spring’s lengthening daylight hours and stronger sunshine. It’s now that the plant begins to establish a root system. The oak seedling encounters a series of other threats as it continues to grow. Drought and disease, grazing animals, fungal infections, frosts, the attentions of hungry insects and human dispensed herbicides, a tree’s passage through

Image © Margaret Holland

Against the odds The odds on any single acorn becoming a mature oak tree are very small. One estimate suggests that an oak will produce around five million acorns during a typical lifetime of around 300-400 years. Of these acorns, only a tiny number – some estimates suggest as few as half a dozen – will develop to become trees. The first step along the reproductive journey is dispersal from the parent tree. Acorns are a key food for a long list of animals. For many acorns, being picked up by a hungry badger or fallow deer, will signal the end of life as they are quickly crunched and swallowed. However, the sudden autumn abundance of acorns often means there are simply too many to be consumed at once, so some woodland creatures choose to hoard them. The jays and grey squirrels we see collecting acorns are helping to disperse them, taking them sometimes hundreds of metres away from the parent tree to store elsewhere. Storing acorns often means burying them, out of the sight of others. This helps set the acorn on the next stage of its development. Acorns require ‘hypogeal germination’ – that is germination which takes places without light, beneath soil or leaf litter. It’s been estimated that a single jay will bury 5,000 acorns.

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NATURALIST its early life is packed with challenges. This risk exposure isn’t fleeting, it takes place day-in, day-out over decades. Growth from seedling to sapling (defined as a tree more than three feet tall) can take around five years. To become a mature oak capable of producing its own acorns takes a further 35-40 years. It all makes being in the presence of a mature and mighty oak an even more wondrous experience. Watch it happen Watch the amazing emergence of an oak sapling captured using time-lapse photography by Neil Bromhall. Just search for ‘Acorn becomes oak tree in timelapse video’ in YouTube. n Steve Hussey, Devon Wildlife Trust devonwildlifetrust.org

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Plymouth College of Art a place to achieve greatness

lymouth is a leading city for contemporary visual arts in the UK. This year The Box, MIRROR at Plymouth College of Art, KARST and The Levinsky Gallery will welcome the UK’s biggest touring art exhibition; British Art Show 9, which will celebrate the work of 45 artists, including Turner Prize-nominees Oscar Murillo and Hurvin Anderson. Interested in the creative use of technology? The Market Hall in Devonport features a world-class 360° immersive dome, which is the first of its kind in Europe! Here you can explore career opportunities working in immersive spaces, and take advantage of the opportunities in a growing industry that needs people with the skills to create content for virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR). At Plymouth College of Art our Student Support team offer mentoring, health services and referrals, wellbeing workshops, and confidential student counselling, with no waiting lists for counselling. Our Students’ Union (PCA:SU) won Best Campaign Supporting Student Wellbeing at the 2021 Think Student Awards, beating leading international universities to be selected as the winner by a panel of 40,000 students. Plymouth has been ranked as the UK’s top city for nightlife for young adults, with a massive 27 venues per 10,000 young adults, easily beating Manchester, Birmingham, Liverpool and even London! Plymouth is among the top 20 safest cities in the UK, making Plymouth an excellent place to study and enjoy

the city’s nightlife safely! On average, rent in Plymouth is two thirds cheaper than in London. After covering the average monthly rental cost, by choosing to live in Plymouth and study at Plymouth College of Art you could save up to £1200 from your student loan. That’s enough for you and your friends to enjoy a week-long summer surf course at one of our local surf schools, with enough left to cover your Netflix subscription for a year. Graduates of Plymouth College of Art go on to achieve amazing things, working for brands including Rockstar Games, Burberry, Marvel, Sega, LEGO, Vans, the BBC, Sony, Disney, Red Bull, Animal and Princess Yachts. As a student at Plymouth College of Art, you can take advantage of small class sizes to build lasting relationships, benefit from excellent contact time with expert lecturers and collaborate with students across all disciplines. n For more information visit: plymouthart.ac.uk or call 01752 203434.

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Widewell Primary

celebrate latest Ofsted inspection

EDUCATION safe, happy and make progress in all areas of learning throughout their time with us. The quote in the first paragraph of the report that says “teachers understand us” was actually a child saying to the inspector when asked about the staff in school: “they just get us”. I actually don’t think there is a better compliment!’ The hard work of everyone shone through in the report which also praised the school saying that ‘all staff have high expectations of pupils. They want pupils to do well across the curriculum and enjoy their learning.’ The report noted that Widewell Primary is a happy place to work and learn with high staff morale and that staff ‘appreciate the efforts leaders make to look after their well-being’. Chair of Governors Captain James Day RM said: ‘I am really pleased that Widewell Primary Academy continues to be a good school in its recent Ofsted inspection. When asked what it was like to attend the school, we as governors, are glad to hear that the pupils feel safe, are encouraged to learn and integrate well. ‘Some good initiatives have enhanced the curriculum; like the school library and adopting innovative approaches to help those who struggle and those who excel. We will work hard as a governing body to continue to seek new methods to improve, continue successes and give the best education to the pupils possible.’ An Ofsted inspector visited the school in October and spoke with pupils about their work and school life as well meeting with senior leaders and staff. Views from parents and carers were also considered as part of the inspection process. n

Moorsway Moorsway Federation Federation taff and pupils atWhere Widewell Primary Academy Where learning learning is are is celebrating their latest Ofsted inspection report, after S inspectors that the school continues to be a ‘good’ anjudged adventure! an adventure! school. Describing Widewell as ‘friendly and welcoming’, the report noted that ‘pupils work hard and play happily together and follow the school values of being kind and respectful in all that they do. Widewell has a high number of children from military families (35%) and inspectors praised the school for the additional support offered to the children stating, ‘those who join during the school year have extra support, so they settle quickly’. There was also praise for the recently appointed Headteacher Vicky Broughton, saying she had ‘wasted no time in getting to know the school and the community it serves’ and that she had ‘ambitious plans to improve the school further’. Vicky said: ‘I am delighted that Ofsted have recognised that we continue to be a “good” school and the report details many of the positive experiences that our pupils take part in. It also describes how our children feel

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where she was going through the motions rather than pursuing a goal. Jenny had previously worked with the youth offending service, and volunteered with a drug rehabilitation centre so she had a good understanding of the difficulties people faced when trying to get their lives back on track. She realised that the pandemic presented an ideal time to repurpose the business to create a social enterprise, providing training and employment for women in recovery from addiction, or domestic abuse, or who have - helping women break the cycle of experience of the criminal justice system. She recognised that there are many hands-on work opportunities for men, addiction, homelessness and crime. but it can be a much more daunting prospect for women enny Adjene and her husband Emiko founded Hip to find a job, especially as they often have responsibility Hip Hooray in 2014, supplying a range of stylish and for finding childcare. She took advice from a consultant original stationery for weddings, parties and celebrations. about setting up a social enterprise and contacted two Jenny taught herself graphic design and created all the charities: Trevi, an award-winning South West women’s original artwork herself, quickly finding that there was a and children’s charity, which supports women moving on market for interesting designs which could be customised from addiction and abuse, as well as Pause, which helps online at accessible prices. The women break the cycle of having Jenny and her husband then children removed from their care. business was set up to fit around her family’s requirements, and developed a 12-month programme Jenny and her husband then the model was very successful for a 12-month programme to help women get back into the developed a number of years until the start to help women get back into the workplace and support them in of the pandemic. Celebrations workplace and support them in and events disappeared overnight, learning practical skills such as learning practical skills with no certainty of when they packing products, answering the would return, and the business ground to a halt. Jenny has phone, customer service, printing, IT and admin skills. been employing people for the last eight years and was They created two placements, and Trevi and Pause helped relieved when she was able to retain all her staff through them find two candidates, ready for a chance to re-enter the furlough scheme. The forced break gave her time to the workplace. think about how she could move the business forward and The placements have gone well – in fact so well that the she came to the conclusion that she had reached a plateau trainees have become an integral part of the team and

“

”

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CHARITY Jenny intends to keep them on at the end of the 12 months. The Hip Hip Hooray team works very closely together and there has been a holistic approach to the placements with everyone learning together, helping to build self-confidence and life skills, including simple activities such as making and sharing a wholesome soup every day for lunch. In addition, the trainees benefit from regular training days and mentoring, covering a wide variety of topics such as inclusivity, conflict resolution, communication, trauma and money management. In 2021 Hip Hip Hooray took on an illustrator and this has enabled a new approach to designing stationery collections, involving everyone in discussing design ideas, and creating mood boards. Empowering and uplifting women is very much at the heart of the whole process and one of the recent exciting design concepts has been ‘wild women’ with strong, bold body shapes. Having completed the first set of placements, Jenny decided to revise the approach and established a charity called Gifted Women with a board of trustees who each bring specialist skills and experience. Starting in 2022,

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the charity will organise six months of training for those enrolled on the scheme, using Jenny’s team and other experts to deliver sessions; this will be followed by work experience placements in local businesses, including Hip Hip Hooray, which will then offer paid employment to some of the women on graduation from the programme. The team at Hip Hip Hooray has proved the scheme works and it is possible to empower women to make a new start, making a real difference to their lives. n Rosemary Best

For more information: Visit giftedwomen.co.uk or Facebook: GiftedWomenUK. The Gifted Women programme • 6 months of intensive group work employability coaching, building selfesteem, aspirations and equipping women for the workplace. • Weekly work experience placements in local businesses, enabling women to put their learning into practice, gain invaluable experience and be part of a team. • 12 months of 1:1 mentoring personalised according to each woman’s individual gifts and goals. • Support in securing employment or further education upon graduating the Gifted Women programme.

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Gardening for late winter T

rees play a starring role in any garden as well as the wider landscape, creating height, style, and structure as well as being wonderful for wildlife, providing song posts, nest sites, and often food for birds and other creatures. Sadly, many of our native trees are under threat from a whole range of issues such as climate change, disease, and extreme weather, so redressing the balance by planting new ones is hugely worthwhile and a wonderful way to start the new gardening year. Planting a tree with family, or friends, shares the pleasure and make memories for the future, too. Choosing the right tree for your plot is all-important. While even the smallest gardens have room for at least one, it must be an appropriate size, which is where a bit of research and reading the small print on labels pays absolute dividends. Then consider how much return your tree will give in terms of ornamental value: the smaller the space, the harder a tree should ‘work’ and look good for as long as possible. Ignore the three26

While even the “ smallest gardens have

room for at least one tree, it must be an appropriate size, which is where a bit of research and reading the small print on labels pays absolute dividends..

”

Crab apple trees give two seasons of interest

week-wonders, as I call them, which give a wonderful burst of bloom but then nothing for the rest of the year. Many trees give at least two seasons of interest, like crab apples (Malus), cotoneasters and mountain ash (Sorbus) that have spring blossom followed by autumn fruit; birches and others with ornamental bark that look glorious all year round; or decorative foliage such as maples (Acer) which give colour from spring to autumn. Shape is all too easy to overlook, but is an important consideration where space is limited as while the majority of trees form a rounded head of branches, others have a slender, columnar or vase shape which is perfect to fit into a small space, or a weeping head of branches that makes a delightful natural play-house for children. Plant your tree into well-prepared soil, ideally adding a mycorrhizal fungi product which ‘supercharges’ the root system. When planting, ensure the top of the rootball is at soil level (incorrect planting depth is the biggest cause of death amongst new

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GARDENING

Seasonal gardening jobs an

d tips

Sow seeds of tender plants tha t need a long growing season such as tomatoes, chillis, and antirrhinums, indoors on a warm, well-lit windowsill. Germinate seed of hardy plants like swe et peas and many herbaceous perennials indoors, then mo ve outside to a greenhouse or cold frame. New potatoes are a gourmet treat and are easy to grow in large pots or potato bags as well as in the ground. Buy tub ers now and start by ‘chitting’ or sprouting, standing end-on in egg boxes in a cool, frost-free, wel l-lit spot. Plant when the spr out s are 1-2cm long.

Acers are favoured for their colourful foliage

trees), and secure with a tree tie to a single short stake hammered into the ground at a 45-degree angle. Firm the soil all around the roots with the heel of your boot; water in thoroughly; and keep your tree watered during dry spells for the first couple of growing seasons. 

Cut back the dead growth of deciduous ornamental grasse s and herbaceous perennials before new shoots emerge. Rat her than burning or taking to the tip, either shred to make an excellent mulch, or form a ‘dea d hedge’ by stacking and compacting prunings, held in place with several short sta kes, which makes an excellent wild life habitat. Prune winter jasmine as soo n as it’s finished blooming. Clematis that flower later in summer can be cut hard bac k now, but don’t touch spring-flowe ring ones or you’ll take off this season’s flowering growth. Trim hedges now so as not to disturb nesting birds later. Prune deciduous hedges any time, but only do evergreen s during mild spells.

Prune winter jasmine as soon as it’s finished blooming

Trim hedges now so as not to disturb nesting birds later

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GARDENING

Planet-friendly gardening: Planting a tree is just one of the suggested actions of the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Planet-Friendly Gardening Campaign. Launched in autumn 2021 by Britain’s biggest garden charity as part of its Sustainability Strategy, the campaign aims to achieve net positive outcomes both for nature and people – rather like a modern-day ‘Dig for Victory’. With more

than 30 million people now gardening in the UK, even small actions, when taken collectively, can make a huge difference. These include going peat-free; ditching plastic; watering with collected rainwater rather than mains water; planting for wildlife; composting food and garden waste; and going chemical-free. n For more information, go to www.rhs.org.uk/sustainability

GARDEN DESIGNER & HORTICULTURAL SPECIALIST Inspirational ideas to transform your garden Sue continues to be available for garden advisory visits and design work, operating according to Covid-19 social distancing guidelines. Gift vouchers available for garden advisory visits. Contact Sue for more details.

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Stop Sitting! I

recently came across an interesting quote from a Professor James Levine who warned that ‘sitting is the new smoking’. He went onto say that sitting kills more people than HIV and is more treacherous than parachuting! So is it true – are our sofas really out to kill us? Whilst sitting is nowhere near as dangerous as smoking, there is certainly a growing body of evidence that chronic inactivity is very harmful to our health. Our ancestors were hunters and gatherers. They would chase their prey for miles, collect firewood, plants and berries. Exerting themselves for survival, and when they had what they needed, they rested, conserving their energy until the next burst of activity was required. Even our more recent forbears participated in far more active jobs – working the land, carrying, lifting or cleaning, with little time for leisure. Compare that then to our modern world, where everything is available to us from our bed or sofa, the flick of a switch or click of a mouse. Desk based jobs, cars that transport us from A to B (even if A to B is only a few hundred yards). It is little wonder then, that our genes have not been able to keep up with the rapid change in our lifestyles. Sitting for long periods has been shown to have a detrimental effect on our metabolisms, affecting our ability to regulate blood sugar, increasing our risk of diabetes and cancer. It has also been linked to higher blood pressure and higher blood cholesterol which both contribute to cardiovascular disease. When I talk to patients about exercise, it is often in relation to obesity and wanting to lose weight, but as I’ve talked about in previous articles, weight loss is best achieved through diet. There are a host of other health conditions though that would benefit from less sitting. Musculoskeletal problems such as back and neck pain are often caused by poor posture, lack of muscular strength and tone that comes from sitting too much. Varicose veins, deep vein thromboses, even constipation are all linked to inactivity and sedentary lifestyles.

HEALTH & BEAUTY And if that’s not enough to convince you – think about your mental health. We know that anxiety and depression are higher in people who sit more. The first thing I recommend to all my patients with mental health concerns, is to find time every day to get outside to walkeven if its just to the end of the street or garden. The Government guidelines currently recommend 150 minutes of exercise a week. Getting fit with exercises classes, sports or the gym are all great, but this may sound daunting if you currently do very little .Small changes can add up to a lot though, so why not try: • Taking the stairs rather than the lift • Get oﬀ the bus a stop early or park the car a bit further away and walk the rest of the way • Avoid the car for journeys of less than a mile • Try and stand up for a minute every hour (some smart watches will give you a gentle reminder about this) • Consider a standing desk (and yes I am standing as I write this!) • Reduce your screen time – or at least stand up when you’re scrolling! • Improve your balance by standing on one leg when you do everyday tasks like ironing, washing up or brushing your teeth • For young children minimise time spent in buggies, car seats and high chairs and encourage supervised activity time • Even if you are wheelchair bound there are ways of keeping active - the NHS website has some information on sitting exercises at www. nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/sitting-exercises/ It may be a bit late for New Year’s resolutions, but start today and you never know, by next year you may be reaping the benefits of a stronger, more active you. n Why not try a stand-up desk?

Dr Rachel Tyler is a doctor at Stirling Road Surgery, St Budeaux

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Champagne was a ‘happy accident...’ Champagne plays a part in most Christmas festivities, so I thought I’d relate the history of this famous wine, which almost certainly began with a happy accident! The Romans began organising viticulture in Champagne in the 3rd Century. Because it’s only just warm enough to ripen the grapes the wines tended to be acidic, so Champagne was still and acidic for centuries. Legend suggests that Dom Pierre Perignon, a French Benedictine Monk, ‘invented’ the drink at the abbey of Hautvilliers in 1697. He apparently discovered a bottle of still wine that had fermented again in the bottle, trapping carbon dioxide and creating bubbles. ‘Come quickly I am tasting the stars!’ he apparently called to his fellow monks before deciding this was too good not to repeat! It’s a lovely story and may even be true, but in fact sparkling wine was first properly recorded in 1531 — though once again monks were responsible! Benedictines at the Abbey of St Hilaire produced Blanquette de Limoux at that time, by the simple expedient of bottling the wine before fermentation ended. Champagne was quite sweet for many years. It wasn’t until 1846 when Perrier-Jouet decided not to sweeten his wine when exporting to England that drier wines became fashionable — he even coined a new term — Brut. The latest trend is for NOT adding any sugar to the wine during second fermentation. This results in a very dry, even austere, style of wine with between 0 and 3 grams of sugar (Brut is 6-12 grams) so be wary as they’re not to everyone’s taste. Champagnes and other sparklers are normally labeled ‘Brut Nature’ or ‘Brut Zero’. Curiously, the term ‘Methode Traditionelle’ (the practice of fermenting a wine in a barrel or tank and then fermenting it a second time in a sealed bottle) was coined by an English Physicist called Christopher Merrett several years before Dom Perignon even arrived at his Abbey. This was the time 32

when glass-blowing in England produced bottles capable of withstanding the pressure contained in a fermenting bottle of wine. The French couldn’t produce such bottles and some historians even believe the English may be the real inventors of sparkling wine (just don’t tell anyone French!). Global warming has caused significant problems in Champagne. Temperatures have risen by 1.2 degrees in 30 years. To put this in perspective the harvest has moved forward 2 weeks, and the balance of acid and sugar in the grapes is becoming harder to achieve. Those of you who have been watching the rise of English Sparkling wine may be aware that the south coast of England is now arguably the best place to grow grapes for Champagne - is that a silver lining or not?! n Dave Anning

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FOOD & DRINK

New flagship restaurant in Royal William Yard Work is underway on the new Hub Box restaurant at Royal light and fresh, showcasing local makers, and focusing on William Yard, which is expected to open this Easter. The sustainability with reclaimed materials. New images released renowned South West purveyors of mighty fine burgers will by the restaurant give a sneak peek of what to expect. make the new 3400sq. ft waterfront restaurant its flagship Emily Handslip, commercial director, said: ‘We are so site in Plymouth, bringing awardexcited that Hub Box is joining us at winning burgers, barbecue and beer to Royal William Yard and adding to the the popular waterfront destination. amazing hospitality offer here; this is an Taking up residence in the ground floor incredible place to visit with something of the Melville building, Hub Box will be for everyone, and it’s just about to get the first business to open following even better. extensive renovations to restore the ‘Melville is a truly iconic building, The Royal William iconic building at the centre of Royal sensitively and skilfully restored to its William Yard. A busy programme of former glory and fit for the future. It Yard restaurant marks work over the coming weeks will see feels especially rewarding to have a an expansion for the the historic space transformed to create successful local independent business business, offering a bar and 180-seat restaurant, with both be the first to open here and make this indoor and outdoor courtyard and special space its new Plymouth home.’ double the space of the waterfront areas. Richard Boon, founder and CEO of Hub previous restaurant and The new restaurant will become the Box, said: ‘Refurbishing old and historic blank canvas for the sole focus for Hub Box in Plymouth, with buildings has long been a passion of the city centre restaurant closing in ours and is at the heart of the Hub Box cool and creative brand January and staff moving across to the ethos. Teamed with our coastal roots, it to make its mark. new premises in due course. The Royal means Royal William Yard – with its William Yard restaurant marks an wonderful setting, amazing history and expansion for the business, offering double the space of the architecture – is the perfect location for our next restaurant. previous restaurant and blank canvas for the cool and ‘We are thrilled to be creating a new flagship venue in the creative brand to make its mark. Yard; it’s an exciting expansion to a bigger premises and job Behind closed doors over the coming months, Hub Box will opportunities will be made available. It’ll be a busy start to bring its signature unique and vibrant style to the Yard. The the year, bringing our vision to life in this incredible space, design will be a celebration of South West coast and surf but will be well worth the wait and we can’t wait to throw culture, with a modern and spirited feel. The décor will be open the doors.’n

“

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WHAT’S ON

March 12 - March 19

Festival will feature world-leading artists Plymouth University has organised extraordinary events with world-leading artists from March 12 to 19 for the enjoyment of all. Expressionism: Emotions Unchained will feature Erika Bakoff, soprano who performs at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York, London-based Marmen String Quartet, mezzo-soprano Alison Wells and Mark Forkgen, conductor, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra ensemble Kokoro, and renowned pianist Robert Taub. Uniquely vibrant integration of pivotal music, visual art, and film only in Plymouth. Further information and tickets are available from www.plymouth. ac.uk/whats-on All events free for students! Following are four events of the festival: Saturday, March 12 Opening concert: Scriabin and Schönberg Pre-concert talk: 7pm; Performance 7.30pm. Sherwell Centre Robert Taub performs Alexander Scriabin’s final mystical piano sonata in an unusual pairing with Arnold Schönberg’s haunting melodrama Pierrot Lunaire, beautifully sung by Alison Wells, with the BSO Ensemble Kokoro and Mark Forkgen, conductor.

Monday, March 14 Film: Metropolis 7pm. Jill Craigie Cinema, Roland Levinsky Building Fritz Lang’s extraordinarily gripping and prescient film, introduced by Anna Navas and Dr Robert Taub Wednesday, March 16 Talk: Visual Art and Music 7.30pm. Sherwell Centre

Art historian Deborah Lewer and pianist Robert Taub will discuss and illuminate the fertile – and often febrile – intersection of music and visual art that motivates Expressionism. Saturday, March 19 Closing Concert: Schönberg, Berg, Webern Pre-concert talk: 7pm; Performance 7.30pm. Sherwell Centre Erika Baikoff, acclaimed soprano, joins the Marmen Quartet in a rare performance of the highly imaginative, powerful, and stirring Schönberg String Quratet no.2. Exciting and deeply expressive string quartets of Berg and Webern complete the programme Erika Baikoff

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WHAT’S ON

April 30 - May 21

Mount Kelly Choral Society

Plans for this year’s Tavistock Festival are well underway and organisers are looking forward to welcoming many well known artists and ensembles, including Helen Porter, the Mount Kelly Choral Society and Chamber Choir, the North Devon Sinfonia, the Stannary Brass Band — and there will be several lunchtime concerts, a choral workshop and a children’s concert. Tavistock Library is also planning to offer a number of events and The Bedford Hotel will be hosting a tea with entertainment. Full details will be available on Tavistock Festival’s website (www.tavistockfestival.org) and in the April/ May edition of the Links magazines. In the meantime, and thanks to the generous financial support of our long standing significant sponsors Alistair Kinsey and Hansford Bell, organisers have planned four Friends of the Festival events as follows: Dr Sean Sweeney (Organ) Thursday, March 10 at St Andrew’s Church, Whitchurch. 1pm Admission free. Refreshments available: One significant loss in 2020 was the diminution of the Mayﬂower 400 programme. Supported by Plymouth Culture, Plymouth

Dr Sean Sweney

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Music Accord and Plymouth and District Organists’ Association two organ pieces were commissioned from Plymouth composer Clive Jenkins and American organist-composer Carson Cooman. This concert features both works together with music ‘from the New World’ and the Plymouth Suite by Percy Whitlock. The South West Chamber Choir Saturday, March 19 at Tavistock Parish Church, 7.30pm. Tickets available at the door. Refreshments available: A Lenten Feast of seasonal choral music to include works by Bach, Faure, Ireland, Mendelssohn and others. Further details to be published here when known. Mary Kamila and Leslie Mazur-Park (Piano and Oboe) Thursday, March 24 at Tavistock Parish Church, 1.00pm. Admission free. Refreshments available: One of the Festival’s most popular events including music for solo piano, solo oboe and piano duet. Rosemary Turner (Soprano) and Andrew Wilson (Piano) Thursday, March 31 at Tavistock Parish Church, 1.00pm. Admission free. Refreshments available: A diverting compilation for voice and piano including a selection from a new set of songs ‘Stella’s Cycle’ by Andrew Wilson. Tavistock Festival is all possible thanks to a number of sponsors and organisers welcome any support, financial or otherwise to assist the development of the Festival. For more information contact Dr Sean Sweeney (chairman) on 07732 586 978 or sean.sweeney01@ btinternet.com The South West Chamber Choir

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WHAT’S ON

Epic event line-up to enjoy in Plymouth this year From pirates to pyrotechnics, live music to military moments and food festivals to family fun, Plymouth’s 2022 calendar is jam-packed with unmissable events. The plan for 2022 includes the return of some beloved events on the waterfront and throughout the city centre, which haven’t been able to take place since 2019 due to the ongoing pandemic. Each year, Plymouth City Council, Plymouth Waterfront Partnership and Plymouth City Centre Company work together to offer a buzzing events programme which includes supporting independent organisers to host events in the city. Councillor Mark Deacon, cabinet member for customer services, culture, leisure and sport at Plymouth City Council, said: ‘We’re thrilled to be able to announce the epic line-up of events due to take place in Plymouth throughout 2022 – here are all the key dates you need for your diaries. After the last couple of years, it goes without saying that we appreciate things don’t always run as planned, but our hope is that this year we can ensure the safe return of some of Plymouth’s most popular free events, as well as some exciting new additions.’

The family fun begins in May, with the return of Pirates Weekend Plymouth (7 and 8 May) promising a swashbuckling two days of fun inspired by the high seas. The fun continues throughout May with free activities for families to enjoy at Lord Mayor’s Day (21 May). Foodie fans are in for a real treat this year too. Flavour Fest (27 to 29 May) is the South West’s largest free food and drink festival, with hundreds of local producers selling tasty treats and a chef stage with regional cookery stars showcasing their skills. Later in the year, the Plymouth Seafood and Harbour Festival (17 and 18 September) will celebrate all that’s great about the city’s stunning waterfront and fishing industry. There’s also an impressive line-up of live music to enjoy over the summer. The Jubilee Bank Holiday weekend will see the 1 Big Summer music festival take to Plymouth Hoe (2 to 4 June), with the line-up set to include an epic range of music including Basement Jaxx, Years and Years, The Libertines and Supergrass. Following the success of the Tom Jones gig in September 2021, Cottage Field in Central Park is set to host more global music

superstars including singer-songwriter Paloma Faith (9 July) and chart-topping band Simply Red (10 July). Another popular event coming back to Plymouth Hoe this year is Armed Forces Day (25 June). It’s a great opportunity for everyone to show their support for the military community, from serving troops to veterans, cadets and their families. The day includes a packed programme of entertainment, with arena displays, interactive activities and parades, including a dedicated parade of veterans to

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WHAT’S ON

recognise the 40th anniversary of the Falklands War. Visitors can enjoy live performances throughout the day before a free evening concert takes to the stage, with an amazing headliner set to be announced soon. The Rehabilitation Triathlon hosted by the Royal Marines (23 June) will also take place in the city for the first time, with outstanding athletes – Paralympians and Invictus Games competitors among them - competing in the tough event. The triathlon is made up of a swim in Tinside Lido, cycling time trials and static rowing on Plymouth Hoe. Plymouth’s military history will also be celebrated with Commando Gunners’ 60th Anniversary Parade (14 May) through the city, including the serving regiment and veterans, to mark the 60th

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anniversary of 29 Commando Regiment Royal Artillery in Plymouth. For sports fans, sailing enthusiasts and action lovers, SailGP is returning to the city for the second year in a row. Expect adrenaline fuelled excitement on Plymouth Sound as ten international sailing teams comprised of the world’s top athletes battle it out to win the Great Britain Sail Grand Prix (30 and 31 July). Anyone who is more excited about participating in sport rather than watching can sign up to the Britain’s Ocean City Running Festival (19 June), which includes the Plymouth Half Marathon, 10k and 5k, offering something for runners of all abilities. Look to the skies in August as the beloved British Firework Championships (17 and 18 August) sees six pyrotechnic companies

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WHAT’S ON

February 22 to 26

The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe is coming to Theatre Royal Plymouth

beautifully conceived with thrilling sets and costumes and an amazingly talented cast and creative team. I can’t wait to seduce, plot and terrify Narnia into a permanent winter.’ Samantha Womack returns to the theatre after her recent success playing the lead role in the sold-out production of The Girl on the Train in the West End and on tour. Sam’s past theatre roles include the Tony award-winning production of South Pacific in which she starred alongside Patrick Swayze, Guys and Dolls at London’s Piccadilly Theare (directed by Michael Grandage) and playing Emma in an award-winning production of Harold Pinter’s Betrayal (directed by Sir Peter Hall). Her varied work on television has seen Samantha moving from comedy to drama with the cult success of BBC’s Game On and Babes in the Wood to ITV’s gritty crime drama Liverpool 1, Imogen’s Face and Ronnie Mitchell in EastEnders. Films include playing the unhinged mother of Eggsy in the The Kingsman franchise sharing the screen with Colin Firth and Samuel L Jackson and playing Hazel in Jon Godbers Up ‘n Under. The tour of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is directed by Michael Fentiman, based on the original production directed by Sally Cookson with original Set and Costume design by Rae Smith. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is BELFAST| SONGLINES | PARALLEL MOTHERS produced on tour by Elliott & Harper Productions and Catherine Schreiber and THE DUKE | THE TRAGEDY OF MACBETH based on the original Leeds Playhouse and more, with Bringing in Baby, Captioned and Socially Distanced Screenings production. The show broke box office records when it opened at Leeds Playhouse in 2017 and played to packed houses and INDEPENDENT CINEMA FOR EVERYONE critical acclaim at the Bridge Theatre in www.plymouthartscinema.org | Located at Plymouth College of Art, Tavistock Place, Plymouth, PL4 8AT London in 2019.

A major tour of C. S. Lewis’ classic The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe starring Samantha Womack as the evil White Witch is coming to Theatre Royal Plymouth from February 22 to 26. Described by its Bristol based director Michael Fentiman as ‘total theatre’ this epic new production is a mixture of dance, puppetry and actor-musicianship. Step through the wardrobe into the enchanted kingdom of Narnia. Join Lucy, Edmund, Susan and Peter as they wave goodbye to wartime Britain and embark on the most magical of adventures in a frozen, faraway land where they meet a faun, talking beavers, Aslan (the noble king of Narnia) and the coldest, most evil White Witch. Samantha Womack, who plays Narnia’s evil White Witch said of her role: ‘Having been a huge fan of C. S. Lewis’ The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe for as long as I can remember, I am thrilled to be playing The White Witch. The book has always been a magical read and having watched incredible actors interpret this role in the past, I am excited to see what she holds for me. This production is so

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WHAT’S ON

Musicians wanted for Thousands of snowdrops in Dartmoor Border Morris this lovely wood! February

The Mount, Delamore, Cornwood, is opening on Saturday and Sunday, February 12 and 13 from 10.30am to 3.30pm. Admission is £4.50 and children are free. Welcome one of the first signs of spring by wandering through the swathes of thousands of snowdrops in this lovely wood. Paths meander through a sea of these beautiful plants, some of which are unique to Delamore and which were sold as posies to Covent Garden market as late as 2002. There are mainly rough paths and woodland tracks so wheelchair access is difficult. The address is The Mount, Delamore, Cornwood, Ivybridge. Delamore Park PL21 9QP. It is closer to the village than to Delamore gardens but please park in the car park for Delamore Park Offices not in the village. Please check the website for the latest information prior to visiting. www.ngs.org.uk. The Cornwood Inn in the village is now community owned and at the time of writing, open and serving excellent food. The Mount is opening for the National Garden Scheme (NGS) which raises money to support Macmillan Cancer Support, Marie Curie Cancer Care, Hospices UK, Carers Trust and other nursing and caring charities.

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Meavy based Dartmoor Border Morris are keen to recruit new musicians to join their happy band in Meavy Parish hall on any Wednesday night. Morris dancers perform outside pubs whilst collecting for their favourite charity, in this case, the Dartmoor Rescue group. Within the group’s musical band there is a doctor, bio-medical scientist, a HGV lorry driver, retired school teachers and journalists. The idea really is that if you can carry your folk musical instrument, then you’re in! Dartmoor Border Morris is a mixed group with different ages and backgrounds, with some 27 dance members, and around eight musicians. They meet every Wednesday night in Meavy’s Parish Hall from 7.30pm to 9.30pm, then pop over the village green to the Royal Oak for a merry Morris music folk session, which is open to all to join in with a song, poem or a tune. Due to the Covid pandemic, contact Dartmoor Border Morris to check if the group are still training. Likewise, if you would like to book Dartmoor Border Morris for an event this year, be it a wedding, birthday treat or a gathering of friends you want to entertain, email www.dartmoorbordermorris.com or like the group’s Facebook page.

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Until April 2022

TRP Gallery presents: Richard Allman

‘Plymouth Exposed’ Theatre Royal Plymouth has begun hosting an exhibition by Plymouth-based artist Richard Allman. ‘Plymouth Exposed’ is on display in the TRP Gallery, on the first floor of the theatre until April 2, 2022. Richard has been painting for more than 50 years. At art school in London, he worked on 7ft square abstract colour field paintings. Richard is now an artist and illustrator, based in Plymouth and has two main areas of work. The first is all about his interest in regeneration projects. He explains: ‘I’m fascinated by the process of change to buildings all around us. Much of this work is large scale drawing projects concerned with demolition and reconstruction – buildings partially there, the machinery being used and the superb new vistas opened up, often only temporarily. I am most interested in the process. When the building is completed, my fascination seems to disappear!’ The first of Richard’s many regeneration paintings around Plymouth was of the Theatre Royal being constructed in 1982. All sorts of other themes around Plymouth have grabbed Richard’s attention over the years, from rotting hulks at Hooe Lake to allotments, and the Palace Theatre. A recent series was of TRP’s Messenger statue being assembled in the South Yard and then installed outside the theatre. The second area of Richard’s work involves subjects which fascinate him. He continues: ‘From boats, bridges, reflections and shadows to yellow road markings,

allotments, gates, topiary and interesting buildings which aren’t going to be demolished but which just speak to us in a unique way.’ In addition to Richard’s exhibition at TRP, there is a chance for you to propose your own idea, to inspire his next piece of work. It is called ‘YOUR Plymouth Exposed’, and Richard is looking for a place or building in Plymouth, that you either love or hate, which he will paint. Proposals can be dropped in to the theatre or by emailing viewfinder@theatreroyal.com along with an explanation as to why you chose it.

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The Box unveils its 2022 programme highlights Since it first launched in September 2020, The Box has cemented its status as one of the UK’s leading cultural institutions showcasing an extensive collection of art, natural and maritime history and extraordinary archives from film to photography. Over the course of 2022, the venue will celebrate local talent alongside international artists – including several Turner Prize nominees – through ground breaking and timely exhibitions that draw on its permanent collections and which bring new works and collaborators to Plymouth. New at The Box in 2022 Another crossing - artists revisit the Mayﬂower voyage, February 26 to June 5: Another Crossing – Artists Revisit the Mayflower Voyage is a collaborative initiative between Plymouth College of Art, The Box and the Fuller Craft Museum in Brockton, Massachusetts. The exhibition addresses the ongoing resonance of the Mayflower voyage for today’s society. It showcases ten artists including Sonya Clark (USA), Christien Meindertsma (Netherlands), David Clarke (UK) and Jonathan James Perry (Wampanoag), all of whom have created work in response to the 400th anniversary, utilising only technology - tools, materials, and processes - that existed in 1620. The exhibition highlights the sophistication of historic craft practices, like beadwork, joinery, metalsmithing, leatherwork, and pottery. Breaking the mould: Sculpture by women from

MUSIC & ART 1945 from The Arts Council Collection March 26 to June 22: Breaking the Mould is the first survey of post-war British sculpture by women. This exhibition explores the work of over forty sculptors in the Arts Council Collection. It provides a radical recalibration, addressing the many accounts of British sculpture that have marginalised women or airbrushed their work from art history altogether. Breaking the Mould represents the strength and diversity of female sculptural practice. Many of the represented artists have challenged widespread notions of sculpture as a ‘male occupation’ by embracing new materials, subjects and approaches. In contrast, others have avoided institutional bias by producing work for alternative spaces or public sites. Featured artists include: Barbara Hepworth, Elisabeth Frink, Kim Lim, Cornelia Parker, Veronica Ryan, Rachel Whiteread and Anthea Hamilton. The Plymouth presentation is delivered by The Box and The Arts Institute, University of Plymouth partnership and will be displayed as a dual-site exhibition at The Box and The Levinsky Gallery at the University of Plymouth Dress code - fashion stories from The Box, March 26 to September 4: In the city’s first exhibition dedicated to fashion, highlights from The Box’s costume and textile collection will be displayed alongside paintings, drawings, film and archival material to tell important local and international stories about fashion and clothing. The exhibition spans the 1700s to today and speaks to contemporary conversations about identity, sustainability, shopping, design, making and craft. A paper dress from the 1960s foretells the future of fast fashion. A 300 year old silk gown tells the story of global textile trade. A subversive garment made locally, and worn all around the world, represents one of several of the city’s histories of garment production. From lace to latex, visitors will learn about Plymouth’s fashion pasts and futures.

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Blue Carbon What is it and what is its role in mitigating climate change?

ur planet is now about 1.2°C warmer, on average, compared with pre-industrial times some 140 years ago. The underlying cause of this warming trend is unequivocal; human activities have released vast amounts of greenhouse gases (mostly carbon dioxide) into the atmosphere, which then blankets the Earth and traps heat from the sun, once reflected from our planet’s surface. Perhaps fortuitously for humankind, however, the oceans cover about 70% of the Earth’s surface and water is extremely effective at absorbing heat and carbon dioxide. The oceans have soaked up about 90% of the excess heat and about one-quarter of the additional carbon dioxide in our atmosphere. Without this vital transfer of heat and gas into the oceans the atmospheric climate we experience today would be unrecognisable. Once carbon enters the oceans it may be assimilated by living organisms through photosynthesis before entering foodwebs or sediments and remaining within marine ecosystems for many years or even centuries. Whilst phytoplankton (single-celled algae) are by far the most abundant type of photosynthetic organisms in the sea, other marine ‘plants’ such as seagrasses, seaweeds, salt marshes and mangroves are extremely efficient at capturing and storing carbon. When the carbon captured by these organisms is stored in seafloor sediments it can be locked away and removed from the carbon cycle for long periods of time. This process is referred to as natural carbon sequestration, or ‘Blue Carbon’. The protective nature of the oceans has come at a cost. Increased temperatures, in particular, pose a major threat to marine life and the integrity of entire ecosystems. On average, the global ocean has warmed at a rate of about 0.15°C per decade over the past half-century, although several hotspots of change have experienced much faster rates of warming. As well as longer-term decadal warming trends, the frequency and intensity of extreme temperature events, termed ‘marine heatwaves’, has

increased significantly. Marine heatwaves are periods of days-to-months when sea temperatures are much greater than expected for that particular time or place, and are comparable to the atmospheric heatwaves that we experience on land. Our scientific team at the Marine Biological Association of the UK, based in Plymouth, has been working on several projects that aim to better understand how marine ecosystems are impacted by climate change, in terms of their responses to both longer term warming trends and increased marine heatwave activity. In collaboration with an international network of scientists, we showed that marine heatwaves have intensified across most of the global ocean, having become both more frequent and longer in duration. We then showed that marine heatwaves have had catastrophic consequences on a range of species and ecosystems. For example, widespread bleaching and death of coral reefs, large-scale declines in seagrass meadows, losses of vast kelp forests, and mass die-offs of fish, shellfish, seabirds and even mammals have been linked to marine heatwaves in recent decades. Put simply, extreme sea temperatures during marine heatwaves are too hot for some marine life to cope with, leading to reduced growth and reproduction, poor condition or even death, with ramifications for the wider foodweb. To exacerbate this already alarming situation, marine ecosystems are engaged in a feedback loop between climate change and carbon sequestration. As the oceans

In collaboration with an international “ network of scientists, we showed that marine

heatwaves have intensified across most of the global ocean, having become both more frequent and longer in duration.

”

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ENVIRONMENT warm, many key Blue Carbon players become less productive and capture and store less carbon. Blue Carbon habitats are also threatened by bottomtrawling the seafloor, changes in coastal land use and increased pollution in many regions. The net result is reduced efficiency of the biological carbon pump, leaving more carbon in the upper layers of the ocean and in the atmosphere, where it further contributes to global heating. So what does the future hold? Over the next few decades the Earth’s atmosphere and oceans will continue to warm in response to greenhouse gases already emitted. The oceans will become hotter and more acidic and marine heatwaves will intensify, with grave consequences for marine life and the human societies that depend on these marine ecosystems. There will be ‘winners and losers’ as some species will thrive in a warmer world, but our research has shown that the overall impacts of ocean warming will be negative. However, conservation and management efforts across the world are beginning to value and protect marine life, especially Blue Carbon habitats, as understanding grows of the importance of natural carbon sequestration for climate change mitigation. In many regions, Blue Carbon habitats are being restored towards their former glory, in attempts to promote carbon storage in the oceans. In other regions, seafloor habitats are protected from dredging and other destructive

activities to protect the carbon-rich sediments. There is also ever-increasing talk of harnessing the incredible growth rates of seaweeds to capture and lock away carbon, although this remains in its infancy. It is clear that better management and protection of marine ecosystems will increase the efficiency of the biological carbon pump and buy some time. The real challenge remains, however. Only through significant global reductions in greenhouse gas emissions can we avoid catastrophic climate change this century.n Dr Dan Smale Marine Biological Association, Plymouth

Seagrass is extremely efficient at capturing and storing carbon

G 92 W O IN 82 N UIT 25 CR 22 RE 018 ll

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Middleworth Farm Barn

A walk rich in history with Moorland Guide John Bright

This walk of just under four miles includes an outward journey within a well defined and sheltered track and a return over open and exposed moorland.

compass is an absolute necessity for this walk. As always, please be aware of the weather; it’s very easy to become disorientated if the weather closes in and you lose your line of sight! Be aware of livestock on the open moor and keep dogs under close control when near them. Starting at Norsworthy Bridge take the track to the right known as Middleworth Lane. After about half a mile you’ll come to Middleworth Farm. First recorded in 1281 and abandoned in 1919, little remains of the original farm buildings. The barn at the eastern end of the site bears the inscription ML 1885, when many of the properties in this area were rebuilt by the landowner Sir Massey Lopes. Continue on what is now Deancombe Lane. Another half a mile brings you to Deancombe Farm. Before entering the farm buildings you will see water crossing the lane from your left. Follow it uphill to where it 46

emanates from what appears to be a man-made hole in the hillside. Experts consider that this is the remains of the farm’s potato cave, or of an adit associated with some long lost and unmapped mining activity. Return to the track and turn right downhill across the Narrator Brook and turn left into the woods via the wooden stile. Take some time to locate the remains of the medieval blowing house. Return uphill to Deancombe Lane and turn right. First mentioned in 1317, the western part of Deancombe farm was rebuilt in the late 19th century and finally abandoned in 1922 when the water level in Burrator reservoir was raised. Continue to a new wooden gate in a wire fence with a wet and boggy area beyond. Just uphill through the gate are some stepping stones that will help you cross relatively easily. Once across, head diagonally downhill through the wall to the old farm track. Turn left and through two gateways into what remains of Combeshead Farm. First recorded in 1281 the last tenant farmer Richard Pengelly was allowed to stay on after the neighbouring farmers were evicted in the 1920s. He died on the farm

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WALK in 1931. Stay on the track as it turns uphill through two more gateways before turning right. After two more gateways you will come to the farm’s potato cave. Carry on uphill through two further gateways and onto the open moor. Keep right and avoid the inclination Narrator to climb. As the ground Blowing House flattens out you will see North Hessary mast ahead of you. Walk towards the mast and you will quickly come to Down Tor stone row. This megalithic monument has a stone circle and cairn at its western The Potato Cave end. Leave by the track that proceeds

west uphill from the stone circle. At the top you will see Burrator reservoir ahead of you, with Sheeps Tor to your left and Down Tor to your right. Take a bearing on the reservoir and head gently downhill back to the car park. There are numerous routes down depending on your remaining energy levels. The easiest route is to keep slightly left as you drop, which will bring you back to Deancombe Lane n

Down Tor Stone Row

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www.moorlandguides.co.uk Snapper’s Tor Combeshead Tor Deancombe Farm

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Narrator blowing house

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999

what’s your emergency? A

system for immediately notifying the emergency services of an incident was implemented in the UK in 1937 with the introduction of the ‘999’ telephone number by the Metropolitan Police. The number was introduced following a house fire in 1935 in which five people died. During the incident, the telephone switchboard was flooded with calls and the operators had no means to prioritise emergency calls over routine ones. One caller was held in a queue for several minutes and was so concerned about the delay that he later wrote a letter to the editor of The Times newspaper. The letter caught the eye of someone in government, and a review was initiated. ‘999’ was originally limited to a small area of London; a 12-mile radius around Oxford Circus. Over time, it was adopted in other cities and towns across the country and became a fully national service in the 1960s. Long before the existence of mobile telephones and automated exchanges, telephone calls in the UK were fielded by the General Post Office (GPO), which was rebranded as British Telecom (BT) in 1981. The caller picked up the telephone handset, dialled ‘0’, and requested the relevant number or destination from the operator. By dialling ‘999’ on a rotary telephone, a red flashing beacon was activated at the telephone exchange which prompted the operator to prioritise the call. From the outset, the operator has always first asked the caller which service they require, which is still in practice in the present day. In the southwest of England, ‘999’ was adopted in Plymouth, Truro, and Kingsbridge on January 1, 1946. At the time, the chief constable of Plymouth hailed the scheme as a step forward for the city, and said: ‘As far as the police are concerned, we can guarantee that within five minutes of the receipt of the call a wireless patrol car

can reach any part of the city’. To maximise success, the scheme had to work in hand with radio-equipped police cars and motorcycles, and in some areas such as Torbay (where even in the present day the landscape provides challenges for the police ‘Airwave’ radio system), technological advances had to be made in order to roll out ‘999’ uniformly and efficiently and it took many years before the whole of Devon, Cornwall, and the Isles of Scilly obtained coverage. In Plymouth, emergency police calls were passed to the control room at Greenbank Police Station, which was the headquarters of the Plymouth City Police force. In the Devon Constabulary, calls were managed from the information room at Middlemoor on the outskirts of Exeter, whilst a separate system existed in Exeter City Centre, which had its own independent police force and managed calls from Waterbeer Street Police Station, and from Heavitree Police Station from 1960. In 1965, a government inquiry into the proposed amalgamation of Exeter City Police with the Devon Constabulary highlighted problems with the ‘999’ system in an area where two police forces operated very closely. The inquiry found that on many occasions, the GPO operators struggled to identify whether the ‘999’ call came from within the boundary of the city of Exeter (policed by Exeter City Police) or the surrounding districts (policed by the Devon Constabulary). In these instances, the operator sometimes connected the call to the wrong force, necessitating a transfer of responsibility from one force to another, and therefore caused delays in the police response. The inquiry also found that if multiple calls were made about the same incident, it was potluck whether the operators had enough local knowledge to pass the calls

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HISTORY was introduced in 1987, followed by OIS in 1993 and to the city or county police, and sometimes both forces STORM in 2012. The latter system permits the seamless ended up responding to the same incident. transfer of incident logs to the Avon & Somerset, Dorset, By 1960, Cornwall had near total ‘999’ coverage, save Gloucestershire, and Wiltshire police forces. Incidents for a small area around Bude. All calls were by this time can also be transferred to British Transport Police and intercepted by the information room at Bodmin Police Highways England. Station. The force had only two dedicated emergency At its most efficient, the service allows the prompt dispatch telephone lines however, and in the summer of 1960, of police officers, firefighters, Cornwall’s chief constable, Camborne control room c.1980 paramedics, or the coastguard to Richard Bonnar Matthews, incidents where life is at risk. Put became concerned about the simply, ‘999’ saves lives. However, number of frivolous calls made every year thousands of calls are and said, ‘...we do not want them made accidentally. The prevalence cluttered up with trivial reports of the mobile telephone in the and complaints’. 1990s and 2000s caused an increase Examples of calls made to in unintended calls being made, and the ‘999’ number in that year the situation remains the same in included: A report of a dog the present day despite telephone puncturing beach balls at Porth Beach; a complaint about the Examples of calls made to manufacturers moving towards lockable touch screen devices. toilets at a holiday camp being the 999 number in that year In 2020, Devon & Cornwall dirty; a complaint about a vending Police received 255,087 ‘999’ calls, machine failing to dispense; ‘My included: A report of a dog husband and I have been working puncturing beach balls at Porth 652,878 ‘101’ calls, 106,068 emails, and 13,046 webchats. It is very in the garden and that Sarah keeps Beach; a complaint about the much a reality that the police are aggravating us’; multiple requests to speak personally with specific toilets at a holiday camp being not always able to answer 999 calls promptly. Be it the sheer volume police officers. dirty; a complaint about a of calls compared to the number The amalgamation of the vending machine failing to of police staff available to answer southwest’s police forces on June 1, them, or accidental, inappropriate, 1967, which created the modern dispense... or hoax use of the number Devon & Cornwall Police, resulted Middlemoor preventing genuine emergency in a reduction in the number control room calls from getting through. Since of control rooms in Devon and c.1990 1967, it has been a criminal offence Cornwall, however over the course in England and Wales to make a of the 1970s and 80s, regional hoax call to the police which results control rooms returned as the in the unnecessary and wasteful force adapted to ever increasing dispatch of police officers. In 2004, demand. The force returned to a a law was passed which rendered two-room setup in the early 2000s the raising of a false alarm of fire a – Middlemoor Control Room, criminal offence. in Exeter, and Crownhill Control You should only dial ‘999’ in an emergency. An emergency Room, in Plymouth. is any incident where life is at risk, a crime is in progress, Computerisation changed the nature of emergency an offender in a crime is nearby, or immediate action call handling. The ability to record and playback ‘999’ is required in order to save life, limb, and/or property. call audio came about in 1979 with the purchase and Remember, if you dial ‘999’ accidentally, please stay on the installation at police headquarters of a ‘Racal’ machine line with the BT Operator and let them know the call was which could record 32 channels of telephone calls and made in error. If you hang up or don’t say anything, the BT radio traffic simultaneously onto magnetic tape. The Operator may pass the call to the police for investigation. ability to record calls also permitted audio recordings to You will not get in trouble for accidentally calling 999. n be exhibited as evidence in criminal investigations. In the This article was produced by the Museum of Policing in Devon and present day, calls are recorded digitally on a system called Cornwall www.dcpolicingmuseum.co.uk. Pictures are from SWPHCT, ‘Red Box’. FALCON, the force’s first computer system South West Police Heritage Collections Trust for electronically logging and managing live incidents,

“

”

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FARMING

A window into our isolated world at Greenwell Farm Farming on Dartmoor can be a challenging experience...

y family have been farming cows, sheep and ponies at Greenwell Farm on the south west corner of Dartmoor since the 1930s, and I now live at Greenwell with my wife, two boys and five sheepdogs. Life on the farm rolls with the seasons and every week is different. These days no-one has the time to lean on the gate and chat, and I am aware that us farmers are constantly blocking the roads whilst moving our sheep and cows, or when we are out on our tractors we can be seen as a bit unapproachable and grumpy at times, especially when we are working the sheepdogs! The articles I write, try to give you a window into our isolated world and hopefully shed some light on our farming lives on this wet rock we call Dartmoor! Over the past eight months I have been struggling a bit with staff and was very much making do with help where I could get it. Just before Christmas, Dave started working for me and it is great to have reliable, consistent help again, especially during the winter season when so many animals are reliant on our daily feeding, cleaning and bedding routine. Many farms and businesses are struggling to find good staff and it is not until you have to make do that you really appreciate the good ones! Dave is a local lad who grew up helping me during school holidays and weekends, and even did an apprenticeship on a group of Dartmoor farms of which we were one. He then worked for us for a couple of years before joining a fencing contractor and doing various other things. That was some ten years ago and after a chance meeting in the garage when I jokingly asked if he wanted his old job back, he got in touch and the rest is history! We must have trained him ok as he actually remembered some of the stuff we taught him. It is great to have seen him grow from a cheeky young lad with plenty to say, into a very capable, valued member of the team who has already taken the pressure off me in the short time he has been back. We have managed to avoid Covid until recently when Billy, our youngest, tested positive, although Gem, myself and Tom all stayed negative. It turned

out that Billy was fine with no symptoms at all, just a full week off school! Gem had to go to work so it was socially distance farming for our Billy which he absolutely loved! He came out with me and he just pitched in where he could. It reminded me of the first lockdown when we spent the whole spring with the boys on the farm whilst they were off school. It was great to see Billy enjoying the farm, but it also makes you appreciate how lucky we are to have a job which allows us so much space and interesting things to do in this amazing landscape. We were just very thankful that he was ok and we stayed clear, as we are so aware that many people have had worse encounters with the blasted virus than us. With a positive outlook to the spring, we are hoping to run our Greenwell Lambing Live event again towards the end of March. We have been closed to visitors for the last two years but can’t wait to open the gates and invite families, schools and anyone who wants to encounter lambing up close on a real Dartmoor farm here at Greenwell Lambing Live. We look forward to seeing you there! Find us on Facebook: Lambing Live Greenwell Farm or contact us at greenwellfarm@gmail.com. n Mat Cole, Greenwell Farm

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both plant and machinery, DCW are the only company in the Southwest, that as part of a circular economy, collects waste plastic from customers across the 100% Recycled Furniture, region, that DCW Polymers Fencing & Decking convert into a high-quality We all know the importance of recycling waste reusable feedstock, which is used plastics, but did you know that in the UK alone, in-house in place of virgin we generate around 5 million tonnes of plastic polymers to manufacture 100% recycled products, made in waste each year, yet only a quarter of that is Exeter! recycled. Thanks to substantial investment in Custom Torbay Benches

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TRADE SECRETS

Ross Kitto

Majestic Cleaning What is it that Majestic Cleaning specialises in? We clean carpets, upholstery (sofas/chairs), rugs and leather. Where are you based? We are based in Newnham in Plympton. What areas do you cover? We cover all areas from Bodmin across to Exeter. Is this your company or do you work as part of a wider team? This is my company and I carry out the majority of the work. This is a very technical industry and quite scientifically technical at times and to maintain high standards for my customers I am very involved in what we do. What made you start this line of work? We had our carpets cleaned by a ‘so-called professional’ and we were very disappointed with the standards of service that we received. With a scientific background and a strong attention to detail, I knew it was something I could do to a high standard.

What is the worst thing people can do to their upholstery if they are trying to remove a stain? The worst thing they can do is use cleaning solutions or lots of water with little knowledge of fibre technology or an understanding of how different stains bond. Can you describe a typical day? A typical day to me is all about exceeding customer expectations in all aspects of what we do. I see that we are only as good as our last job and want that customer to use us again and recommend us to others in the future. Have you any plans for the future for Majestic Cleaning? We just want to keep doing what we do best and delighting our customers. n Find Out More: Call Ross on 01752 242899 or visit majesticlceaningsw.co.uk

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Plym Links February/March issue 2022

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