18 minute read
Community News
Photo: Tobi O’Neill, TON Drone Service
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A National Lottery Heritage Fund grant of £2.3 million has been awarded to the Tamar Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, for a project that aims to provide a brighter future for the valley and its communities, by making the landscape more robust and less susceptible to a range of pressures. Thanks to the contribution of National Lottery players, it will be possible for the Tamara Landscape Partnership Scheme to work with farmers, landowners and communities over the next five years to manage and enhance landscapes rich in wildlife, as well as cultural and historic heritage; to help improve access to special places and promote ways for people to enjoy the landscape whilst improving their health and wellbeing. With match-funding commitments from other partners, the total to be invested across the Tamar Valley landscape over the next five years will be £3.2 million. Through 10 specific projects, at least 250 activity sessions will take place to improve mental and physical health & wellbeing; 50 hectares of woodland will be restored; 10 hectares of trees will be planted and 5 new orchards will be created.
Key details of the project include:
• Apprenticeships and internships to improve job prospects and to provide support for local businesses • Advice and grants for farmers to reinstate landscapes and maintain traditional skills • Community allotments with training opportunities and reintroduction of heritage varieties • Social prescribing, including walking, running, art and bush craft • Opportunities and support for local businesses as the Tamar Valley strives to become the destination for a lowcarbon, sustainable holiday • Benefits for walkers as the Tamar Valley Discovery Trail will be extended to reach the coast This exciting venture, that has been three years in the planning, has been made possible through a strong partnership between the Tamar Valley AONB and 19 organisations. Key funders are the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Cornwall Council, Devon County Council, Environment Agency, Historic England, the AONB itself and the Woodland Trust.
You can follow the Tamara Landscape Partnership Scheme’s progress @TVAONB Facebook and Twitter, tamar_valley_aonb Instagram, or email tamara@tamarvalley.org.uk. We look forward to sharing more news and providing plenty of opportunities for you to get involved very soon.
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Dartmoor Border Morris
Meavy-based Dartmoor Border Morris has been in lockdown, like the rest of the country, since March last year, and although we have kept in contact and played tunes at home, I think to be honest we may have forgotten half our dance moves. So, when we are released from lockdown in mid-June, we will have to assess how ‘rusty’ our dancing is before doing public performances. However, once social distancing has been lifted, we intend to practise until it hurts! We have missed our Morris dancing, as well as playing our music. We couldn’t even dance at the waking of the season as the sun rises over Dartmoor on May Day. Dartmoor Rescue
A Devon charity supporting vulnerable women in is in urgent need of donations towards the cost of buying a vehicle. Gilead Foundations in Okehampton provides supported living accommodation on a farm for vulnerable women, who have experienced domestic violence, addiction and homelessness. They need a vehicle, so that residents can reach appointments and work placements more easily. Marketing manager Jo Drew explained: “Our aim is to not only provide safe housing, but also to support the women through the therapy and skills training required leading to future employment and Group has missed us too, as we should have been collecting for the group all of last year! At the time of writing, we currently haven’t any summer bookings because of Covid, but all is not lost as we have bookings for the autumn for the postponed Royal Cornwall Show and Widecombe Fair. If you want to check on our progress during the summer, have a look at our Facebook page or dartmoorbordermorris.com to see where we might turn up next. Lodestone Border Morris need you!!! We are Tavistock’s very own Morris dancing side, and we dance in the border style with sticks, bells, top hats and tatter coats. We love to laugh and have fun when we’re together, plus it’s a good work out! We haven’t been able to get together and dance for a year and a half, so now is the perfect time for anyone wishing to give it a try to join us. We are waiting to welcome new dancers or musicians. No experience of Morris dancing is necessary; there will be plenty of rusty participants dusting off their sticks and we will be teaching the routines again from scratch. If you have Thursday evenings free and you would like to give something new and a little bit quirky a try, contact Squire Sam either by email: sam.sidbotham@ btinterent.com or on 01822611259.
Help local charity get on the road
ultimately change their lives for the better. We are raising funds for the purchase of a used vehicle to help transport our women to appointments, work placements, education and training. It will help to achieve the aim of getting people who are socially disadvantaged into work and training to help them reach their full potential. We are so grateful for donations sent to us so far, but still have just over £5000 to go to reach our target.” If you could help Gilead Foundations, by making a donation towards the cost of a vehicle to help women in crisis, please visit www.gilead.org.uk.
Lodestone Border Morris
Unlocking people... releasing potential UNLOCKING PEOPLE RELEASING POTENTIAL
Supported living for women who have experienced addictions, homelessness, domestic abuse 01837 851240 admin@gilead.org.uk www.gilead.org.uk
Tavistock RDA Carriage Driving Group
At the 1952 Olympic Games, polio sufferer Lis Hartel, won silver in the dressage. Her victory snowballed therapeutic horseback riding across Europe. In under 15 years, 23 groups existed in the UK alone, from which emerged the Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA). Today the RDA president is Princess Anne, daughter of such a great exponent of carriage driving, the late HRH Prince Philip. The Tavistock RDA carriage driving group provides adults and young people with the opportunity to learn the skill of carriage driving, instilling a sense of self-worth and achievement, satisfaction and fun. To enable the sessions to run we are looking for a band of volunteers to support our group, whether it be to work with the pony or our participants. To get an instant feel, a quick internet search of RDA photos will leave you in no doubt of what we share and enjoy... the many smiles tell it all. Whatever your skills, you will have something to offer us - please join us and make a difference. Our motto is ‘it’s what you do that counts’. To learn more, do please give me, Janet, a call on 01822 834115.
From the Lions’ Den
Last Christmas, the Lions Club of Tavistock had a very successful street collection in Bedford Square with Father Christmas on his sleigh. The donations received are traditionally used for children and young people’s benefit and last year some of the money was used to buy Christmas hampers which were distributed to families in particular need. The rest of the money has been used to buy laptops for students at Tavistock College and there was enough to buy three brand-new ones; thanks to the generosity of individual Lion members, another four were also purchased. With another donation since Christmas, a total of eight laptops have been given to make students’ education more accessible in these difficult times. Despite the fact that school pupils are now back on site, it does not in any way lessen the need.
The photo shows a delighted post-16 student, Maisie David, receiving one of the Lions Club laptops from Tavistock College principal Sarah Jones. Sarah said: “We have been so grateful to people across our community for the support they and the Lions have offered to young people.” The Lions are planning a two-day carnival this year over the weekend of 17th & 18th July - further details can be found in our What’s On section.
Whoever you are, wherever you are on your journey, you are welcome here!
Worship at 10.00am every Sunday Halls available for hire
Russell Street Tavistock PL19 8BD tavistockurc.org.uk 07982 622949
Minister: Revd Robert Weston tavistockurcminister@gmail.com
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Tamar & Tavy Gig Club excited to be rowing again!
After a year without rowing due to Covid restrictions, members of Tamar & Tavy Gig Club were eagerly looking forward to getting back on the water as soon as outdoor sport returned at Easter. The club put robust Covid-secure procedures in place following national guidelines for a safe return to sport, but decided to start slowly with a small number of crews and build up gradually. For once, there was no shortage of volunteers to clean boats and equipment, check safety gear and generally tidy up a boat shed which had been gathering cobwebs for the last year. Although many club members had found different ways to keep up their fitness, others had been wondering whether their rowing kit would still fit, so there were slightly mixed feelings in the run up to the first row! Ladies’ captain, Denise Nixon, took part in the first rowing session on a lovely sunny evening and said: “It was fantastic to be back in the boat with my crew mates, although I know I’m going to ache tomorrow!”
The club had to postpone a planned rowing expedition to the Caledonian Canal in Scotland last summer and missed out on two Scillies World Gig Championships, and many other events which are a big part of the rowing calendar. Club chair, David Egerton, said: “We have worked hard to maintain a sense of club identity over this challenging last year, and it’s great to see crews back together again. Our traditional wooden gigs belong in the water, not in a dusty boat shed, and we’re hoping that racing regattas may eventually return later this summer. Meanwhile, we’re just happy to be back out on the beautiful River Tamar.”
Gig rowing is a team sport, rowing traditional Cornish pilot gigs, and our family-friendly club caters for members from all walks of life, from 12-year-olds to 80 plus - no experience is necessary, just enthusiasm. We have weekly rowing sessions for ladies, men, and juniors with organised social rows and excursions further afield. Now more than ever, the benefits to both physical and mental wellbeing of healthy outdoor exercise and a closer connection to nature are really important, so if you are looking for a new challenge, a new way to keep fit, or just want to enjoy the tranquillity and wildlife on the river, why not give gig rowing a try? Tamar & Tavy Gig Club would love to welcome new members to our purpose built facilities at Weir Quay, and are running free taster sessions this summer where you can just come and have a go. For more information, please see www.tamarandtavygigclub.co.uk or email: info@ tamarandtavygigclub.co.uk.
Do you have any Wrens in your family?
I’m not referring to the tiny, feathered variety in the garden but the indomitable ladies who joined the Women’s Royal Naval Service. Specifically, ladies who joined up between 1946 and 1981 and did their basic training at Training Depot Burghfield/HMTE Burghfield/HMTE Dauntless/HMS Dauntless/Reading. Dauntless Divisional Photos is a nationwide project, in collaboration with the Association of Wrens, to gather divisional photographs and memories from those training days but also to reunite ladies with old friends, share anecdotes and relive exciting moments. So if you, your mum, granny, aunt, donned a blue suit and aimed for a life on the ocean wave, please get in touch on either ddpwrens@gmail.com or 07765 435295/0771 990 9844.
Mandy Powell & Janette Crisp, Project Coordinators
A thousand acres of wildflowers
Moor Meadows was co-founded in 2015 by Donna Cox of Buckfastleigh along with a small group of local people living on Dartmoor. After five years of sharing advice, equipment and wildflower seeds and with support provided through expert talks and practical workshops, the number of meadow-makers involved in the Moor Meadows group has grown to more than 800. In total 1,088 acres of wildflower-rich meadows have been restored or created by the group’s members in and around Dartmoor. Traditional wildflower meadows have disappeared from most of the English countryside. Nationwide, a staggering 97% of flower-rich grasslands have been lost since the 1930s. With the loss of diverse flowering plants came an associated decline in bees, butterflies and other insects that depended on those plants as food and nectar sources. And impacted by that disappearance of insects, many birds, bats and small mammals were also lost from the countryside. More Meadows has created a new online forum as a resource for budding meadow-makers with advice on managing a meadow as well as opportunities to join or start up local groups of meadow makers. For details see forum.moremeadows.org.uk
Step into Learning
www.steplearning.org.uk
Never too late to learn!
www.steplearning.org.uk
Tavistock is open for you!
Let’s ‘Be Safe’ whilst we ‘Escape’ to Tavistock and truly enjoy ‘Exploring’ the town once more.
It has been wonderful to see people out enjoying the town. You can be assured of a safe visit, with open spaces to escape to and explore, plus plenty of ways to be Covid-secure. Our businesses are thrilled to have you back! Along with some new businesses joining the bustling high street and beautiful planters along the pavements, some of our empty properties have had a makeover and the shopping streets have never looked better. Colourful window vinyls adorn shop windows, reassuring visitors with safety messages and celebrating what is special about the town. Encouraging safe adventures in town or further afield and great shopping opportunities, they also showcase artwork from talented local students – a wall of art well worth a visit alone!
You can now pick up a Tavistock Gift Card from any participating business and add funds to it yourself in your own time. Our new initiative ‘Load this card’ makes it even easier to give the gift of Tavistock. With over 50 places where you can spend it, this makes a great gift for any occasion throughout the year. To find out more see www. tavistockgiftcard.co.uk
Tavistock BID is now in the final year of its second term, which ends on 31st August 2021. We are busy preparing for a renewal ballot which will be held in June and end on July 15th. Our new business plan for the next five years has been circulated to all levy-paying businesses and can be viewed at www. visit-tavistock.co.uk/bid. Since the BID began in 2011, we have delivered a wide range of projects and services to make Tavistock more attractive and better promoted, as well as hosting events attracting thousands of visitors. More recently, due to the pandemic, we have been at the heart of coordinating business support and helping businesses access grants.
Recycle more of your waste
‘Recycling for Charity’ We can recycle much of our waste through kerbside collections, but there are still some items which the council cannot collect. TerraCycle is a global leader in recycling typically hard-to-recycle waste, with some recycling programmes funded by manufacturers. South Hill Association for Renewable Energy (SHARE) supports sustainability and renewable energy in South Hill parish and beyond, and has set up ‘Recycling for Charity’ through Terracycle, to divert more waste from being incinerated and raise money for charities. By collecting qualifying waste dictated by the manufacturers, SHARE earns points through the scheme which are redeemed to benefit charities. In the last two years SHARE has raised £3280 for KicksCount, which helps reduce UK stillbirths. The ‘Recycling for Charity’ trailer will be parked at Tavistock Morrisons on Thursday June 10th from 10:30 until 11:15am and the following household waste items can be accepted for recycling: • medicine blister packs • bread loaf bags (stretchy) • cheese packets and Baby Bel nets and wax • crisp and all snack packets • baby food and washed pet food pouches • biscuit, cracker, cake, sweets and chocolate wrappers • toothbrushes, toothpaste tubes, soft tubes and pots of creams, gels, ointments • trigger sprays, hand pumps, roll on deodorants, latex style gloves • cleaning wipes and dishwasher tablet packets and tubs, plastic air fresheners • used pens, felt tips, inkjet cartridges, mobile phones and plastic cases, cameras Visit south-hill.co.uk/charity-recycling for a full list of accepted items, collection points/dates and regular Facebook updates.
Thank you for your support, Ali
SHARE@south-hill.co.uk; 07305 044049
Recycling at Tavistock stores You can also recycle some non-kerbside-recyclable food packaging at Tesco stores in the South West, as in-store plastic collection has been increased to include many more ‘soft’ plastics. At Tavistock Tesco there is now an in-store collection cage for soft plastics beyond the tills where, in addition to carrier bags, you can also recycle any plastic bag, crisp packets, food & pet food pouches, plastic wrappers, and any plastic film – so items such as: • bags from fruit, veg and salad items eg peppers, spinach, apples • plastic bags from cereals, dried fruit, sugar, frozen fruit and veg • packaging for bread, rolls, crumpets, naans • film covering on fruit punnets and veg and meat trays (trays can go in kerbside recycling) • film lids on yoghurt pots (pots can go in kerbside recycling) • packets from sauces, coffee, tea, noodles, rice and pasta • shrink wrap from cans, bubble-wrap, postal bags • nets from fruit and garlic • Ink cartridges can also be recycled in a separate container behind the tills. At Tavistock Morrisons there is a collection point near the exit where you can recycle all plastic carrier bags, bread bags, produce bags, magazine wrap, and batteries.
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