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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 loved having the opportunity to plant some trees which will benefi t 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-profi t 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 fi nd 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

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 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.’

Enjoy a venue with a di erence!

With the completion of our new Barn and e Ark, we are open and available for events that t into the calm, beautiful, wildness of Dartmoor. Day or residential events to suit your every need, whether they are educational, charitable, family celebrations or business. Delicious home grown and cooked food with an opportunity to help share in the daily tasks of the farm, with the animals as the highlight of your event on the Moors.

Call us directly for a discussion on how we can help?

Two miles from Widecombe in the Moor 01364 621392 / info@shallowfordfarm.co.uk

Culture Recovery Fund ongoing recovery of The Garden House from a diffi cult 18 months through the pandemic, and in turn will help Local organisations are awarded much support and maintain local jobs. needed Government funds. Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries said: ‘Culture is for everyone and should therefore be accessible to everyone, More than £100-million has been awarded to hundreds no matter who they are and where they’re from. of cultural organisations across the country in the latest ‘Through unprecedented government fi nancial support, round of support from the Culture Recovery Fund. the Culture Recovery Fund is supporting arts and Local organisations among the 925 national groups to cultural organisations so they can continue to bring have been awarded include Plymouth Arts Cinema, The culture to communities the length and breadth of the Theatre Royal Plymouth, The Box and The Garden country, supporting jobs, boosting local economies and House at Buckland Monachorum. inspiring people.’ The third round of funding will support organisations Over £1.2-billion has already been awarded from the from all corners of the cultural sector as they deal with unprecedented Culture Recovery Fund, supporting ongoing reopening challenges, ensuring they can thrive around 5,000 individual organisations and sites across in better times ahead. the country ranging from local museums to West The Box, which recently marked its fi rst anniversary, End theatres, grassroots music venues to festivals, has been awarded a grant of £146,500. The funding will and organisations in the cultural and heritage provide valuable support as it continues its recovery from supply-chains. the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic and fi rms up Darren Henley, chief executive, Arts Council England, its plans for an exciting 2022 and beyond. said: ‘This continued investment from the Government Theatre Royal Plymouth was awarded £700,000 which on an unprecedented scale means our theatres, galleries, will continue to support Theatre Royal Plymouth’s music venues, museums and arts centres can carry on stabilisation, maintaining its creative programme and playing their part in bringing visitors back to our high work with communities as the South West’s principal streets, helping to drive economic growth, boosting centre for performing arts. community pride and promoting good health. It’s a Plymouth Arts Cinema was awarded £4,797 and massive vote of confi dence in the role our cultural will use the money to continue to deliver its rich organisations play in helping us all to lead happier lives.’ programme of fi lms. The Garden House received an additional £36,300 from the third round of the Government’s Culture Plymouth Arts Cinema delivers Recovery Fund which will be used to support the a rich programme of fi lms

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 fi rst 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, craft fairs, dog-training classes and much more. Their nearby sports fi eld 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-fi t 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 fi eld 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 signifi cant 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 fi nd 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 off er low-cost neutering for most varieties for owners on benefi t, and will consider helping others in dire need as well. It’s far more cost eff ective for us to neuter cheap than to take an animal in — and there’s a big fi nancial impact for us if a litter is involved. Adoption fees rarely cover a stay and our pets leave neutered, chipped, wormed, vaccinated and fl ea 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 fi fty miles in a day. With animals frequently acquired without any prior research, friendly advice can make a huge diff erence to their future wellbeing. A prime issue here is rabbits. With few pet shops off ering 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 fi nd 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

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 coff ee mornings run by Hilary and Julia on the fi rst Saturday of each month, the cakes are amazing and you will get a very warm welcome, sometimes even fi zz but most defi nitely with a warm smile.

For more information on the hall’s evenings and hiring:

Contact Cathie on 07478 519491

Moor’s Edge U3A Starting 2021 in lockdown, Moor’s Edge 2021 round-up fi nished the year with around 50 members meeting face-to-face. Coff ee, cake and chat proved popular, in December meeting at the Woolwell Centre where cake and hot drinks were pre-ordered and included Cranberry Tiffi n 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 fi nished 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.

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Don’t deal with it alone - fi nd 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 specifi c 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 fi nancial 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 confi rm 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 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 fi ve years nearly half such places have had to close. The project keeps fi nancially stable thanks to the Housing Benefi t 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 Benefi t 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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