Community News

A Shore Thing

In June 2022, our crew of five rowers will set out on an epic adventure rowing 500 miles from London to Land’s End – we are Susan Douglass, Anya Anstey, Sian Davies, Kirsty Melin and skipper Jane Wild, the crew of A Shore Thing, and we’ll be taking part in the GB Row Challenge.

We’ll cross the busiest shipping lane in the world, row against prevailing winds, cope with heat, rain, fog or whatever weather is thrown at us, rowing in shifts day and night until we reach our destination. In total it’s the equivalent of 19 consecutive marathons to raise money for Devon Mind, Cornwall Mind, and Action - Medical Research for Children. We’ve teamed up with Raring to Row, a crew taking on the Atlantic in December, to raise as much money as possible for Action and help fund important research into childhood diseases, cancers and birth complications - together we can save and change children’s lives. Our boat, Lady Jayne, is an amazing ocean rowing boat with two small cabins for sleeping and three rowing positions. We’ll sleep, cook and rest on board for approximately two weeks to complete this challenge which will be as much a mental challenge as a physical one. The idea of undertaking something adventurous came about at the end of 2019 when the world was a very different place. The situation with covid, lockdowns and rules has meant crew changes, event cancellations, training issues and lots of anxiety. Nevertheless, we’ve kept on pushing forward throughout, a real testament to our determination and endurance. We put on our first fundraiser in early March 2020 and were blown away by the generosity and support we received. Unfortunately, it was nearly two years later before we could safely hold another event. However, our next event will be hosted by Drake’s Cafe on 2 April, where brilliant Devon band Nightshift will be playing a fun set of well-loved covers - lots of fun to be had and a raffle too.

We are also raising money for mental health charities Devon Mind and Cornwall Mind. We feel it’s more important than ever that these organisations are able to support people, and help them deal with added anxiety, fear and uncertainty. Whenever we feel overwhelmed by what we’re doing and how far we have to go, we remember why we are doing this, and how important the money we raise will be to people’s lives, providing training, counselling and support groups to those in need. The more we raise the more people they can help. Please see ashorething.uk or facebook. com/ashorethinguk for more information or you can sponsor us at gogetfunding. com/ashorething. For every £10 you donate, we will dedicate one mile to you, your business or a memorial.

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Serving Devon, Cornwall & Surrey

Spring plans for Tavistock

There’s a spring in our step as the sun comes out and the town starts to bloom. We are blessed to have lots of green, open space for everyone to enjoy when they visit – whether that’s for business or pleasure. We are kicking off spring in Tavistock with the annual ‘Paint the Town’ event beginning on 2 April, as local school children and other community groups reveal their garlands in the windows around town. Alongside the traditional theme of spring, designs will also incorporate ideas to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee. Over the Easter holidays you can expect another egg-citing town trail, running from Saturday 9 to Saturday 23 April. See Visit Tavistock on Facebook for more details. new look and upgraded content. If you haven’t downloaded it already, you can easily do so from Google Play and the Apple App Store. In the coming weeks we will also be shooting a couple of short family-friendly films about the town. The idea is that these will be educational and entertaining, bringing our history to life in words, music and pictures – a great way to tell our story to the next generation so they learn more about where they live. We are thrilled to see more businesses coming into the town, from surfing fashion to a refill shop. Despite the challenges of the pandemic, there is confidence in Tavistock as a good place to do business, which gives us great optimism for the months ahead.

Work is underway for a relaunch of the Tavistock town app ‘Tavistock Local’, and we are really excited about the Plans are coming together for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee year, and we are thrilled to be arranging a Jubilee Gala Day in Tavistock on 2 June, which promises to be a wonderful day, kicking off with a pageant featuring local school children, as well as a tea dance, children’s zone, music and nostalgia. For more details on upcoming events see What’s On and visit www.visit-tavistock. co.uk/whats-on

Tavistock BID

BID UPCOMING EVENTS

09 April – 23 April

TAVISTOCK EASTER TRAIL

02 April

PAINT THE TOWN & BIRD BOX MAKING, TAVISTOCK

02 April

TAVISTOCK PLATINUM JUBILEE GALA DAY

Visit

DEVON’S WORLD HERITAGE TOWN

• Historic Stannary & Market Town • A UNESCO World Heritage Site • Gateway to Dartmoor & Cornwall • Home of the Cream Tea • Shop, Eat & Enjoy Come and celebrate the Platinum Jubilee with us in

2nd June:

5th June: Jubilee Gala Day and Pageant Steam Fair and Picnic in the Park

The beautifully restored Tavistock Guildhall is now open as a Gateway Centre to the Cornwall & West Devon Mining Landscape World Heritage Site. Entry is free, so do get down there to learn more about Tavistock’s role in a vibrant history. for more info

Devon’s new online community hub

West Devon CVS as a partner in Devon Voluntary Action (DeVA) is delighted to announce the launch of Devon Connect – a new online hub for Devon communities at www.devonconnect.org Who’s behind it?

DeVA partners from across West Devon, Teignbridge, Torridge, South Hams, Mid and North Devon have joined forces to support the new platform which is free and accessible to everyone (regardless of where they live in Devon). The aim is to make it easier for people to find information, access volunteering opportunities and get involved in projects and campaigns that make a positive impact in their communities. Speaking on behalf of DeVA, Karen Nolan, chief executive of West Devon CVS, said: “Many of the communities we work with tell us they lack good access to up-to-date information about services and support in their local area. They also tell us that they want to be part of the conversations, opportunities, events and social groups in their neighbourhoods. This platform will help to address that, in particular for anyone living in rural or isolated environments.”

What are the benefits?

Devon Connect invites anyone from the community to sign up, create a profile and contribute information. Community groups and organisations can add local listings, events or volunteering opportunities, whilst residents can use it to find information relevant to their interests, needs or where they live. With distinct landing pages for each area of Devon (West Devon shares its page with the South Hams), the platform is easy to navigate with local hubs that provide helpful information and opportunities for members to share skills and make connections. Working together as local charities, voluntary groups and social enterprises in West Devon, we can connect our residents to their community, helping to make communities more effective, efficient and safe for everyone.

How to get started

If you represent an organisation, just go to www. devonconnect.org, and click on the register button (top right) to get started. Once you have done that and added your own listing, it will be checked and made live. You can add as many different listings as you like, describing your service, any events, campaigns or volunteering roles. If you are an individual looking for useful and interesting information, please go to devonconnect.org and browse around.

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Improve your skills and grow your business with free training

SMART SKILLS has attracted £3.5 million of European Social Fund investment to help businesses in Devon to upskill their workforce and the unemployed to gain valuable new skills.

This means that the wide range of training provided by SMART SKILLS is free of charge. Many people fi nd it hard to believe this claim, but all the courses are free and do not attract a charge – it means that you can upskill yourself and/or your workforce at no cost. So why upskill?

Upskilling your workforce will impact your business in several ways. It will boost productivity in your employees and drive growth in your business which can aid turnover and higher profi ts. It will give you a clear competitive advantage over similar businesses. Investing in your employees will create a more able, fulfi lled and happier workforce, crucially it will aid staff retention. All the training on offer is also available to unemployed individuals, so you don’t have to be a business owner or an employee to take advantage of these great courses. Developing your skill set will open up employment opportunities and improve your job prospects which can lead to higher salary offers. What training courses are on offer?

There are so many courses available that it would be hard to list them all here, but here are a few of the most popular courses that businesses and individuals want to undertake. Digital Marketing courses which include - Digital Presence with Social Media, Email Marketing, Paid and Organic Search Engine Marketing and How to Measure Digital Marketing. Other in demand courses include Project Management, Coaching and Mentoring and Leadership and Management; all three courses are accredited by the Chartered Management Institute (CMI). There are a myriad of other courses to choose from, ranging from short courses through to full qualifi cations. Courses are taught either face-to-face or through live online sessions with experienced tutors, giving you the opportunity to learn in the comfort of your offi ce or home.

Training is delivered through their quality delivery partners; City College Plymouth, Focus Training, Learn Devon, Petroc, South Devon College, On Course South West, and the University of Exeter. SMART SKILLS is led by Plymouth City Council and supported by Devon County Council.

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“My workshop aims were to achieve a better understanding of LinkedIn, how to create successful posts, and attract followers to help gain new business. The Digital Presence with Social Media workshop from SMART SKILLS helped me achieve all of those aims.” Alan, Not Just Travel

“Thanks to the free Digital Marketing Workshops from SMART SKILLS, I feel more positive about work and how I can increase the brand awareness of my business and the services available. I feel empowered and have lots of exciting new ideas to implement to help my business continue to grow.” Julia, Julia Woollacott Photography

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DSRT Tavistock Rescue Centre Appeal 2022

Dartmoor Search and Rescue Team Tavistock would like to say a huge THANK YOU once more to each and every one of you who helped us to reach our £50,000 target for our Rescue50 Appeal. Because of your wonderful generosity, our new control vehicle is on order.

What else we need to do: We need to raise money for an additional building for our rescue centre to house our rescue vehicles, as well as vital redevelopments which need to be made to the current building to improve our facilities and help us to continue to engage with our local community. Our rescue centre appeal aims to raise £65,000 in 2022.

Why we need to do it: The additional building for our rescue centre will guarantee our viability as an effective search & rescue resource because it will be used to house all three of our rescue vehicles. One of the improvements required is to enlarge our kit drying rooms. As our remit of rescue scenarios increases, including both technical rope rescues and swift water rescues, so does the need for more equipment and the ability to dry it in appropriate spaces; this demand has increased dramatically over the last 25 years since our initial kit storage rooms were created!

Why we need your help: DSRT Tavistock receives no government funding and relies solely on donations to remain operational. Clearly, raising an additional £65,000 represents an enormous challenge, which is why we have launched the rescue centre appeal. We cannot raise this money on our own and need your help. How can you help? There are many ways to donate, from shopping online through Amazon Smile and Easyfundraising, taking a punt with the SeaMoor Lotto, to just sending us a cheque (with Gift Aid). You can also visit dsrt-tavistock.org.uk/donate. html or you can donate straight to this appeal at justgiving.com/campaign/ RescueCentreRebuild

For further information visit dsrttavistock.org.uk, or please contact our fundraising officer on fundraising@ dsrt-tavistock.org.uk

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Be More Curious:

Questions are powerful because they create change

Whether it’s your fi rst foray into investing or you’re exploring your options for the future, curiosity through questioning gives rise to understanding and confi dence. The Plymouth branch of Charles Stanley Wealth Managers are here to encourage more questions, so we can provide more answers.

When our curiosity is triggered, we think more deeply and rationally and come up with solutions that are more creative. Questions are powerful because they empower someone to create real change. Taking an active interest in planning your finances – from ensuring you are up to date with tax exemptions and allowances to planning for retirement – can maximise your income and boost your overall wealth. This is one are that using your innate curiosity really can transform your life. How much do you really save each year? Where are you spending too much? Am I borrowing money in the most effi cient manner? Do you know what your maximum ISA allowances is this year? What about Junior ISAs – or JISAs – for your children or grandchildren? Will this be a tax effi cient way to help future generations? How much will good fi nancial planning save from the taxman when my inheritance is eventually distributed to those I love? You should be confident asking questions – even if you think you are at risk of being seen as lacking knowledge. As the old Chinese proverb goes: “He who asks a question remains a fool for five minutes. He who does not ask, remains a fool forever.” Sometimes, we ask questions simply to start a conversation – it is the endpoint of these conversations that produce a transformative course of action. Never be afraid to ask questions – however basic – as these will add fuel to your curiosity. The more you question, the more your knowledge and understanding grows. This means you are better prepared for the future to delve into your future planning more deeply. Columbia University in the US cited four basic rules of questioning in its journalism course. They are as follows: • Prepare carefully, familiarizing yourself with as much background as possible. • Establish a relationship with the source conducive to obtaining information. • Ask questions that are relevant to the source and that induce the source to talk. • Listen and watch attentively. Being curious about your fi nancial future today can help you feel confi dent about tomorrow, by giving you the peace of mind that your fi nances will be robust and secure.

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Have your say on the future of the parish of Tavistock

Time to look to the Future Tavistock Plan

What is a Neighbourhood Development Plan?

It gives us, the residents of Tavistock and surrounding areas, a say on: • how the community develops • how our land will be used • how we can protect what’s important to us. Why should we care?

We can address topics everyone is talking about locally, in the pub, at home and on social media such as, affordable housing, community infrastructure, protecting green spaces.

This is the first time that Tavistock has had an opportunity to gather parish-level evidence about key topics that affect the future of our community, like: • specific housing needs • transport capacity and local commutes • business vacancy/floorspace availability If we don’t have a neighbourhood plan, decisions about these topics will continue to be made without local input, which must be taken into account once the plan is adopted. An adopted neighbourhood development plan has the same status as the Joint Local Plan in the determination of planning applications. This is how Tavistock gets a say in the early stages of a planning application’s development as well as the option to support or object to a proposal through the town council. BUT there is some ‘small print’: it’s got to be realistic. A neighbourhood plan can’t: • stop development • allocate a new NHS dentist • build a new school • determine where traffic management is located From your responses to this survey we’ll: • gather your top priorities to include in the plan • create a vision for the plan based on those priorities • gather evidence and ask for more details related to those priorities. We’d like your input on the next stage too. The more people involved, the better chance there is of making this a brilliant plan for Tavistock. You can take part in the survey at surveymonkey. co.uk/r/TavistockPlanSurvey or scan the QR code.

A neighbourhood plan may take two years or more to complete. It must fit within the National Planning Policy Framework and the Joint Local Plan for West Devon Borough Council, Plymouth City Council and South Hams District Council. The plan covers the period up to 2034 (in line with the Joint Local Plan) however it must be reviewed every 4/5 years. Once the plan is adopted it will have the same status as the Joint Local Plan in the determination of planning applications.

Tavistock Rotary Club

Archives of a club or organisation are always fascinating and Tavistock Rotary has records going back to the initial meeting to discuss forming a club, with names of well-known and respected members in the Tavistock area. Keeping a club relevant to its society, means change has to happen, and this is documented in the archives - rules have been dropped, women admitted to the club and meetings are less formal. The one thing that has not changed in the club’s 75 years, is ‘service to the community’. This is achieved by fundraising, aiding individuals, providing much-needed items, and helping children achieve their potential. One of our next fundraising efforts is a charity golf day at Tavistock Golf Club on 25 May. Teams of three compete against each other and everyone has a good time. For more details and to enter a team, please email Tony Sherlock: anthony.sherlock@hotmail.co.uk. Every month we have a speaker either in person or by zoom, and were delighted to be joined by Lady Jane Reid, who spoke about Sir John Golding, a doctor who fell in love with Jamaica and made it his life’s work to improve the outcomes for polio victims and disabled people. His story is a true picture of how one person can get the ball rolling to create a successful project. We have also had speakers from Tavistock Memory Café, one of Tavistock Rotary President, Nigel Ellis’s, charities for this year. To find out more about Tavistock Rotary, please email tavistockrotarymembership@gmail.com