Tavy Links December/January 2020 by Links Magazines

December/January 2020 | Issue 40

232

CHRISTMAS & NEW YEAR

EVENTS & FESTIVITIES

DOWN TO A FINE ART

We meet ‘Art for All’ founder, Andy Cairns & goldsmith and silversmith, John Spencer

IN THIS ISSUE:

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Christmas is in the air… The deadline date for any inclusions in the February/ March issue of Tavy Links will be 8th January 2020. For all editorial enquiries please contact Rosemary via email: rosemary. best@linksmagazines.co.uk

THE LINKS TEAM: Publisher: Tim Randell Editor: Rosemary Best Writers: Nichola Williams, Kaye Rogers Design: Sara Venner, Julian Rees Customer Services: Rachel Rees Advertising: Jane Daniel, Olivia Breyley, Joanne Mallard, Claire Pearce

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Whether you embrace Christmas fully or partake reluctantly, there’s definitely something uplifting about the shared spirit of celebration. I generally fall between the two extremes, but especially enjoy the general sense of excitement, and relaxing with family and friends. However, if you find yourself waning under the profusion of preparations in the run-up to Christmas, then take a bit of time out of the hustle and bustle, and visit some of the fairs, festivals, markets, concerts, shows and pantomimes on offer in our ‘what’s on’ sections. And if January sometimes seems like an anti-climax after the hectic December pace of life, then Mary Sargeant gives the low-down on wassailing in our history article, plus there’s a selection of wassailing events to sample in ‘what’s on extra’. For this issue Nichola has also been talking to Andy Cairns about his passion for ‘all things art’ and in particular his inspirational Art for All classes; she also met up with John Spencer to find out more about the intricate skill and craft required to be a silversmith and a goldsmith. While I had the pleasure of meeting two Marys involved with The Tavistock Physically Challenged Group, and found out more about the difference this small charity makes to people’s lives. As we near the end of another year I’d like to thank our fantastic regular contributors, advertisers and everyone who sends in news and events. I hope you enjoy this issue and would like to wish all our readers ‘Merry Christmas and Happy New Year’!

Rosemary Best Editor

spot him too?

Front cover image: Brent Tor by Mark George markgeorgephotography.co.uk

Contents 4 Local People

31 Education

62 Food & Drink

8 Charity

32 Kids’ What’s On

68 Outdoors & Active

11 Health & Wellbeing

35 Christmas Services

70 History

17 Naturalist

38 What’s On

72 Book Review

18 Gardening

48 What’s on Extra

74 Tech Help

21 Farming Diary

56 Music & Art

78 Trade Secrets

22 Community News

59 National Trust

Delivered by Royal Mail to: Brentor, Grenofen, Gulworthy, Horndon, Horsebridge, Kilworthy, Lamerton, Mary Tavy, Milton Abbot, Moortown, Peter Tavy, Tavistock, Whitchurch.

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

LOCAL PEOPLE

Seeing the bigger picture It has been well documented that our mental and physical health is improved by spending time with others in a shared activity – be it walking, singing, or creating art. Andy Cairns and his wife Gill have been promoting this ethos through their high quality, accessible and affordable creative classes, filling the void left by cuts to adult education and arts funding, and encouraging us all to get together and make something. Andy was born in Mansfield and when his application to join the Forestry Commission was turned down, he decided to remain at school and take A-levels in biology, chemistry, maths

and - to look cool to his mates - art. He excelled and went on to take a foundation degree at Trent Polytechnic in 1985 followed by a degree in Art and Environmental Education. He spent two years working on an organic farm facilitating outdoor workshops

for school children and community groups – long before ‘forest schools’ were conceived. After working for a couple of years in community art he taught art at Luton and then Norwich College of Further Education, enjoying the engagement with teenagers and

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LOCAL PEOPLE

adults, but constrained by the regimen of the curriculum. Twenty years later, Andy and his wife Gill, who was also an art teacher, decided to move to Devon and get back to community creativity, reaching out to those who would most benefit from the therapeutic lessons. Three years ago, Andy and Gill set up West Devon Art Workshops, a community interest company whose aim was to provide expert and inclusive tuition in all aspects of art with the purpose of bringing communities together. The classes rely heavily on subsidies and are currently run in Tavistock, Okehampton, Callington, Gunnislake, Bere Alston, Launceston and Princetown. Drawing on their combined experience and expertise Andy, Gill and their volunteer assistants teach a broad range of art forms from printing, drawing and painting to sculpture, mixed media and textiles. Andy explains that whilst there is no pressure to engage with each other during the classes, people can get to know each other at their own pace. There is support for those who are vulnerable or suffer from social isolation. Mental stimulation and social interaction tend to be a positive consequence when immersed in the creative process and the engagement is an enriching experience for Andy’s students. In conjunction with organising art classes, Andy and Gill are busy people with a diary packed with creativity. Three years ago, they organised the Tavistock Young Artist competition, while recently Andy has worked with the Tavistock Scrap Store and trained volunteers to support the activity of making willow lanterns for the Dickensian Evening’s Lantern Parade. Applying for grants takes up too much of Andy’s time and the couple are grateful to the National Lottery, the local council, the Tamar Valley Centre and Okehampton United Charities, who have

subsidised many of their art projects despite shrinking budgets. Last May, a group of Andy’s printmaking students started their own regular group with the kind donation of an etching press. The companionship and support they have discovered has been rewarding for all and Andy says that the benefits of the art classes go well beyond the lessons. Recently he has been involved in a pilot outreach project to enhance the environment at Derriford Hospital. Alongside Iain Grant, a retired surgeon, he spent a day at Sparkwell Primary School teaching the basic mechanics of the skeleton, before creating a life-size Spiderman from wire and plaster which will hang inside the hospital’s fracture clinic, improving the hospital environment as well as making it a less distressing experience for the patients. Andy has just accepted a commission to produce an installation for the Visitor Information Centre at Tavistock Guildhall, celebrating the town’s history of copper mining, and he is hoping to create a structure that will resemble the entrance to a mine using mining tools and copper piping. Andy still enjoys creating his own work which he fashions from found and recycled objects, making assembled sculptures, usually from scrap, in an organic, evolving process. But above all, Andy and Gill have managed to produce a vast menu of creative exercises with the potential to offer support to the vulnerable, companionship for the lonely, friendship, intellectual stimulation and, not forgetting, a fabulous piece of original artwork for your wall. Nichola Williams

For more information see ‘Art for All’ in Music & Art or visit andygillcairnsart.co.uk and westdevonartworkshops.co.uk

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LOCAL PEOPLE

Going for gold For over 35 years John Spencer owned the jewellers, Spencer’s of Honiton; I met up with him to learn more about the interesting craftsmanship of silversmiths and goldsmiths. Now semi-retired in Tavistock, John is the only son of Jack Spencer, one of the twentieth century’s foremost silversmiths, who was born in Sheffield, the home of silversmithing. He entered his father’s trade as his apprentice in the early 70s and is proud of his family’s part in the history and heritage of silversmithing and goldsmithing. At the time, thousands of silversmiths and cutlers worked in Sheffield, but the boom was beginning to end as imported cheaper items undermined high quality craftsmanship in many sectors of the

industry. As an apprentice, John would spend many hours repeating a single process of hammering or filing in order to learn the skill required to shape the metal in a particular way. He appreciates that this time of repetitious practice was necessary to gain the depth and breadth of experience to become a consummate professional who can turn his hand to any form, creating a distinct, individual design or reproducing a particular item or element a hundred times over. John is understandably very attached to his tools; his planishing hammer and raising hammer have been handed down through the generations and have a time-worn familiar balance in his hand.

Jack was the silversmith and John the goldsmith. A silversmith works with larger objects such as candelabra, teapots and cutlery, whilst a goldsmith is a fine jewellery maker or works with silver on a smaller scale; both can work in a variety of precious metals and gemstones. John’s father was also a lecturer at the Sheffield College of Art

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LOCAL PEOPLE

and remained very close to the college long after he retired, occasionally going back there to use the space for larger commissions. Father and son enjoyed creating their own brand of jewellery as well as taking commissions for bespoke items. They made many items of silverware as gifts to be presented to the royal family and were even asked to create a six-foot high cake stand in silver and gold for Sultan Qaboos of Oman. They also created items for the royal family of Saudi Arabia as well as miniature aircraft models for the RAF. Having worked well alongside each other in Sheffield, John moved to Honiton in 1982 and opened a jewellery shop. Soon after, he was sought out for an interesting and rather unusual commission which involved rebuilding the aerial arrays on the television mast at Stockland Hill, adding the Independent Broadcasting Authority to his list of satisfied clients. Much of John’s time over the years has been spent on valuations for insurance or probate purposes and it has brought him into contact with many of the oldest families in Devon as well as the regimental silver of what was once The Devonshire Regiment. He finds appraising precious items that have been handed down through the generations quite fascinating

and has been fortunate to see distinguished, rare items, too valuable for public display that are dusted off for assessment before being hidden away in the family vault again. Around the millennium he was asked to make a facsimile of a silver chalice unearthed in the nave of Exeter cathedral. It was made originally for Bishop Bitton who died in 1307 and was found during routine repairs by workmen in 1764. John remembers: “I had to visit a dusty cupboard deep in the library of the cathedral with the dean’s secretary in order to sketch and measure the original. At first they couldn’t remember where they’d put it. Over the next two years I made about sixty of them, which were sold on behalf of the cathedral all over the world from Fiji to Alaska.” John is a Freeman of the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths and as such is a Freeman of the City of London. He also plays guitar and fiddle in a folk band in his spare time, and still enjoys making jewellery in a studio and workshop space in Tavistock. Family and friends are sometimes gifted beautiful unique pieces which John has designed for them. He describes himself as a technician not an artist, but this does not do justice to the stylish, timeless craft of the goldsmith. Nichola Williams

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CHARITY FOCUS

Tavistock Physically Challenged Group This small self-funded charity helps adults with disabilities of any kind, by providing opportunities to get together socially with events, time to chat, and support. I recently had the pleasure of meeting two Marys who have played a significant part in helping The Tavistock Physically Challenged Group (TPCG) go from strength to strength. Mary Worth has been involved with the group since its early beginnings and is now an honorary committee member, while Mary Brock stepped into the breach to take over the role of chair in February 2019, after helping to run this friendly group as vice-chair and volunteering with the charity for fourteen years. Mary Worth explained that the group originally started at Tavistock Social Services centre about 30 years ago, when half a dozen people came together to meet up for a cup of tea and a chat. The group soon grew, quickly becoming too numerous for the centre; an alternative venue was found and as needs have changed over the last three decades, this flexible

group has been based in Bere Alston, Yelverton, Princetown, Crelake and has now found very accessible facilities at TASS in Tavistock. Practical help came from many quarters in the early days, one person in particular who helped the group set itself up as a charity, was Bryn Dando, advising on finances as well as helping the committee adopt a constitution. Billie Burnett at West Devon CVS has also provided the group with strong support and has been its patron for many years. Mary Worth recalls writing nearly 80 letters to various organisations in a bid to find funding to help the group get established. She must have had a way with words because Lloyds

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offered £1000, and various other bodies contributed too. Mary then acted as treasurer for 22 years, often organising fundraising activities and making produce to sell, to pay for group outings and keep the group viable. For a while the group was also able to benefit from shared activities and outings with Leonard Cheshire Disability under the West Devon Enabling Scheme, which covered their travel expenses, as well as providing a paid support-worker, but unfortunately this came to an end and the group is now totally self-funding. TPCG currently has about 20 members, as well as 10 volunteers, and meets twice a month, with an inside meeting at The Anchorage Centre, PL19 8AG

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CHARITY FOCUS

accessible venues, such as the Tamar Trails Centre (shown in the photo) where the group enjoyed an outing at the end of September.

(Tavistock Area Support Services TASS) on the second Tuesday of the month and an outing on the fourth Tuesday. Indoor sessions vary from week to week with visiting speakers, presentations, quizzes, bingo, games, exercise routines, craft sessions or simply time to chat over a cup of tea or coffee. The outings always involve lunch or an afternoon tea at a variety of local venues with the necessary access and facilities to accommodate wheelchairs. In the summer months the committee also organises occasional days out to Buckfast Abbey and other wheelchair

Volunteers and carers play a crucial role in supporting TPCG and making the events and activities possible. The group’s oldest member is 92 years old, but then so is its oldest volunteer, Margaret, who has been helping the group since its early days. The volunteers and members are always looking for ways to raise money, and member Jo Ley is one of the key fundraisers. The group also has use of the TASS wheelchair taxi and minibus, and having a number of volunteer drivers to call on to arrange transport to take members to meetings and on outings is invaluable. Meeting socially is an important lifeline to ensure members don’t feel isolated, and having sufficient carers and volunteers is essential; the

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group is looking for more volunteers so if you can help, or would like to make a donation please contact Mary Brock on 01822 612215 or marybrock.friarswalk@ btinternet.com. Overheads are kept to a minimum so members pay just £15 per year for membership, plus £3 for each meeting at The Anchorage Centre, and the cost of lunch or tea on outings. If you are interested in joining TPCG contact Mary Brock or come along to a meeting at TASS. The group has just celebrated Christmas with a meal at Tavistock Golf Club and is now taking a break until 14th January, so why not call in on 14th January when we’ll have a talk on ‘Life as a Royal Marine’ or join us for lunch on 28th January. And don’t forget to look out for look out for the TPCG Christmas Tree at the St Eustachius’ Christmas Tree Festival!

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HEALTH & WELLBEING

Over the counter medications Dr Jo Coldron advises on effective ways to access help for minor illnesses. The NHS is always looking for ways and areas where it can save money, so it leaves more available resources in the pot for essential services. You may have noticed in your interactions with your GP surgeries recently that one of the areas targeted for savings, is medicines that are called ‘over the counter’ (OTC) medications. These are medicines that can be prescribed by your doctor, but you could also buy without a prescription from a supermarket or a pharmacy, for example paracetamol, antihistamines, migraine tablets, steroid creams and many more. It’s estimated that around £569 million pounds are spent by the NHS on prescribing OTC medications. Of course, a lot of these medications should continue to be prescribed, for example long term painkillers for chronic pain like arthritis, or when patients have complex conditions or are on many interacting medications. There are lots of situations where prescriptions are still the best and safest way of providing these medications. So the NHS is concentrating efforts on trying to restrict prescribing for ‘minor’ conditions – things that usually get better on their own, or could be treated by the patient

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alone or with advice from their local pharmacist. Our pharmacy colleagues are highly trained and experienced professionals, who have many roles within the modern NHS, for example helping patients manage acute minor illnesses, improving patient safety and compliance with their medications, as well as helping GPs manage chronic illness. They are often available for confidential consultations without a wait and at times when GP surgeries are typically less available, such as evenings, weekends and bank holidays. They can offer medical advice on a huge range of problems like rashes, cystitis, headaches, coughs and colds, constipation, emergency contraception, nappy rash and many more. If they feel you need to see a GP they can certainly advise this, but seeing them first for some of the more common and minor medical complaints could save you waiting time and get you started on effective treatment quickly. Another good source of information on self-limiting and minor ailments is the NHS website, www.nhs.uk. You can use the search box to find up-to-date information leaflets on a huge range of different topics from acne to zika virus, and they can often answer all your questions and guide you to the best treatment options. When providing information leaflets to my patients this is often the source I use. So if we all worked together to decrease prescriptions for OTC medications what

could we accomplish? It is estimated that if GPs wrote less prescriptions for minor illnesses, we could save up to £136 million per year! To put this into context, for every £1 million saved this could fund: •

39 more district nurses

•

66 more drug treatment courses for breast cancer

•

270 more hip replacements

•

1000 more drug treatment courses for Alzheimer’s

•

1040 more cataract operations

I hope you stay well this winter but if you do end up feeling under the weather, it may be possible for you to get appropriate advice and effective treatment quickly from your pharmacist, without even needing to see a GP. Find up-to-date information leaflets on a huge range of different topics at www.nhs.uk

Dr Jo Coldron Tavyside Health Centre, Tavistock

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is much to look forward to at Bethany Home, starting Set on a hillside in the small village of Lipson with the appearance of the knitted mice in the hallway! and with extensive views over the city and Plymouth Bethany Christian Home ❅ Generations mix at the Sound, Fletewood’s School’s Carol

offers a real havenwith for older people in a Service late November, finishing a special loving Christian environment. Christmassy tea. At Bethany older people are ❅ On 30 November there’swe a believe Christmas Fayre to which precious to God and worthy of respect – ouras all are invited - craft stalls, bric-a-brac and games such staff go the extra mile to ensure our residents “guess the weight of the cake.” are treated as ‘family’ and receive the best ❅ Advent beginscare with a Musical and Event. and support to liveReadings fruitful and fulfilled Residents enjoy lives, a ‘Celebration of Carols’ mid-December whatever their circumstances. and a Christmas We Party with themed food invite you to comegames, and findparty out for and a visit from Santa himself! yourselves why our residents, relatives, staff volunteers being a service, part of our ❅ Christmas Dayand – starts with enjoy a Devotions familylunch at Bethany. followed by a festive with all the trimmings.

Why not visit Bethany and see a forvisit, yourself what a special re information and/or to arrange Inspected place and rated it is? Call us to arrange a visit or join us at the Christmas Fayre on Good 00 303 8440 30th November at 2.30pm – we would love to see you! bethanyhome@pilgrimsfriend.org.uk Call 0300 303 8440 www.pilgrimsfriend.org.uk/plymouth ilgrimsfriend.org.uk 12

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HEALTH & WELLBEING

The end of Alzheimer’s? Most of us have been touched by dementia at least once in our lives, whether as patients, carers, family or friends. The loss of normal skills for daily life can be heart-breaking and, until recently, there has seemed little hope of either treatment or prevention. However, a new therapeutic approach to treating neurodegeneration is showing promising early results. The Bredesen ReCODE (Reversal of Cognitive Decline) protocol, developed by American neuroscientist Dr Dale Bredesen from over 30 years of research, is a multi-faceted and personalised approach to the treatment of Alzheimer’s. In his seminal paper, ‘Reversal of cognitive decline: A novel therapeutic program’ (published in the journal Aging, September 2014), Dr Bredesen described a personalised programme based on treating the underlying mechanisms of Alzheimer’s disease. Out of 10 case studies, nine showed enough improvement to return to normal life activities. In a subsequent study, more than 100 patients showed improved symptoms. Meanwhile, hundreds of people around the world are already using the protocol to help alleviate or prevent cognitive decline. Dr Bredesen’s research revealed that at least 36 metabolic factors contribute to the symptoms of dementia and

Alzheimer’s and that all of these can trigger ‘downsizing’ in the brain.

•

Metabolic problems such as hormone or nutrient deficiency

In the brain there are nearly 10,000 synapses or connections which are needed for us to speak, learn, remember, find our way and make decisions.

•

Toxicity which can come from environmental factors such as mould or heavy metal exposure.

The health of the brain can be thought of in the same way as bone health. Our bones have bone building activity and bone breakdown - an imbalance of these is what leads to problems like osteoporosis. Similarly, the brain builds synapses and breaks them down and what the scientists discovered was that people with Alzheimer’s were on the wrong side of the balance. Broadly speaking, the factors fall into categories, including: •

Inflammation, which can be caused by many things including stress and viral infections such as Lyme disease.

•

Glyco-toxicity, the so-called type-3 diabetes

The contributing factors vary with each individual and the protocol is personalised, based on a person’s current health, lifestyle and genetics. A ‘cognoscopy’ which measures many of the known drivers of the disease is the start point. I am a nutritional therapist and a certified practitioner of the Bredesen Protocol™ having completed the Institute of Functional Medicine training in 2018. I work near Okehampton. ‘The End of Alzheimer’s’ by Dale Bredesen is a mine of information and for anyone seeking more individual help I offer a free initial telephone conversation to see if the protocol could be of help. Ellen McCallum www.thenaturopathicnutritionist.co.uk

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Supported Living - An alternative to traditional Aged Care Homes

Did you know that you there is an alternative to large aged care homes? Supported Living as a care option is relatively new aged care option and you or your loved one to maintain independence in a homely setting. What is Supported Living ?

Why consider Supported Living ?

Moorcare Supported Living

Supported Living is designed to provide aged accommodation and 24/7 care allowing you to live your life according to your individual needs in a “homely” setting.

We understand it can be daunting when looking at aged care options for you or your loved one.

Moorcare Devon have two Supported Living properties.

Supported Living is co-shared housing in a bespoke redesigned bungalow where you will have your own private bedroom area (and often en-suite) plus shared areas including lounge, dining room, conservatory, gardens etc. This enables you to maintain a feeling of independence whilst being in the company of others.

While traditional aged care homes are fine for most people looking for aged care options, we also understand that it is not for everyone. Supported Living offers ‘group living’ which provides a combination of privacy and companionship while having the knowledge that there is 24/7 care and support if needed. It is centred around you, enabling you to live your life in the way that you want to.

Thornhill in Tavistock and Tretor in Yelverton. Both properties have redesigned accommodation to provide aged care facilities and are supported 24/7 by our own qualifi ed, experience DBS checked carers. Moorcare is an independent family care business that has been established in Tavistock for over 10 years and is regulated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

because your care matters

Find out more We are the leaders in Supported Living for elderly people in West Devon, offering a bespoke care setting for you or your loved one. If you would like to find out more about our Supported Living options, please call us on 01822 616 020 or visit www.moorcaredevon.co.uk 14

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HEALTH & WELLBEING

Overeaters Anonymous Are you planning to start a New Year diet? Do you feel guilty for over-eating at Christmas? Have you thought about skipping meals or over-exercising to lose weight? Is this part of a regular pattern of behaviour for you? Would you like a better relationship with food that doesn’t involve a cycle of over-indulgence followed by dieting? The Tavistock group of Overeaters Anonymous (OA) is a small, friendly, non-judgemental and welcoming bunch of people who have experienced a variety of different problems with food. We offer acceptance and support with any and all problematic food behaviours. The Tavistock group meets on Monday evenings at Trident House, 2 Taylor Square, between 7.30pm and 8.30pm. OA is not just about weight loss, weight gain or maintenance, obesity or diets. The OA programme offers physical, emotional and spiritual recovery for those who suffer from the problem of compulsive eating. This could include: obsession with body weight, size and shape; eating binges or grazing; preoccupation with diets; starving; laxative or diuretic abuse; excessive

exercise; inducing vomiting after eating; use of diet pills and other medical interventions to control weight; inability to stop eating certain foods after taking the first bite and a constant preoccupation with food. Members find recovery by following a programme patterned after Alcoholics Anonymous, so that yoyo dieting becomes a thing of the past and they no longer wish to return to eating compulsively. In OA, there are people who are morbidly obese, extremely or moderately overweight, of average weight or underweight; those still maintaining periodic control over their eating behaviour, or totally unable to control their compulsive eating. The only requirement for membership in OA is a desire to stop eating compulsively. Please come along to the Tavistock OA meeting if you’d like to learn more or log onto www.oagb.org.uk or telephone 07000 784985.

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Would you like to be able to book a Scale and Polish without the need to see the Dentist first? Here at Andrew Brown Dental appointments can now be made to see our Dental Hygienist without a dental examination. The Classic Checkup Most people when they book an appointment to see their dentist will also book a hygiene appointment. Did you know that at our practice you don’t need to see a dentist in order to see a hygienist? While we certainly don’t recommend skipping your regular check-ups, if you wish to have a hygiene treatment at any time then you can simply give us a call to book one.

Do I need to see a Dental Hygienist?

Within minutes of consuming any food or drink our mouth creates bacteria that covers our teeth with a thin layer of plaque. If not cleaned off effectively this plaque will multiply and harden forming calculus (sometimes referred to as tartar). This calculus can form above or below the gums and is the cause of Gingivitis (gum disease).

Gum Disease in the UK

Gum disease is extremely common in the UK, affecting 3 out of 4 people. Young children can also develop gum disease so it is an issue that effects the whole family. Gum disease can sometimes have no symptoms so it is not always obvious you may be suffering from it.

Hygiene Treatments A visit to the hygienist will brighten your smile and leave your mouth feeling fresh and clean. During your hygiene treatment your teeth will be scaled and polished which can also help to

Sarah Parker Dental Hygienest

remove some surface stains Regular appointments are the best way to maintain healthy teeth and gums.

Dental care without the Fear A visit to the hygienist is often a useful reintroduction to regular dental care for nervous or anxious patients. All of our hygienists are sympathetic and understanding.

Hassle Free Dental Care With free parking and online booking, Andrew Brown Dental makes keeping your teeth clean and healthy with a simple and stress free experience. Importantly you don’t need to be registered with us to book your appointment. Our vision at Andrew Brown Dental is to provide the highest quality service for our customers. We give you the information and skills to make the right choices and take control of your oral health.

Saving our dark native honey bee The B4 Project is protecting the UK’s native dark honey bee. Andrew Brown is a founder member of the B4 Project. For more information visit www.b4project.co.uk

If you would like to book a hygiene appointment call us or book online

9 Plymouth Road, Tavistock, Devon PL19 8AU | 01822 617788 info@andrewbrowndental.co.uk | www.andrewbrowndental.co.uk

NATURALIST

A celebration of trees in winter Shorn of their crowning glory, our larger deciduous trees stand out starkly in the landscape, but there is still plenty to fascinate us in terms of their massive bulk, their architectural structure and their contribution to the local ecology. Each tree has its own character whether fully clothed in foliage or naked in winter, and each species can be recognised in silhouette. Ash trees stand tall and upright with straight rigid twigs, oaks seem to spread out to cover as much ground as possible, their older branches showing a characteristic gnarled appearance, while beeches bear a mass of finer more feathery twigs. Many of the finest individuals were planted in the parkland settings of 18th and 19th century estates and the urban public parks of the Victorian era, although some of these are now reaching the end of their natural lives. We can only hope that the trees which are being planted now with social well-being and climate change in mind, will survive to be appreciated for similar lengths of time. The life of trees below the surface of the soil is less well known and its importance less appreciated. We get a glimpse into this underworld when one of these giants finally submits to the wind and keels over in its entirety. The pit which this creates is often less than a metre in depth and it is surprising how small the roots are compared with the size of the trunk above ground. The root system spreads out, rather than downwards, over a large area in order to support the mass above, and in a woodland the root systems of adjacent trees will inevitably intertwine. The interrelationship between them may indeed be even more subtle thanks to the mycorrhizal fungal network that surrounds and penetrates the roots. These fungi, now available for gardeners to encourage the growth of newly planted perennials and shrubs, live in a relationship of mutual benefit or symbiosis with trees, passing on minerals and water from the soil in exchange for organic materials (the products of photosynthesis)

from the tree. Potentially this network may also provide a means of communication between trees, for example warning of an imminent threat of attack by insect pests. This hypothesis is just gaining acceptance and is explored in ‘The Hidden Life of Trees’ by Peter Wohlleben. The ecological benefits of a tree continue through its senescence and even after it is technically ‘dead’. Insect larvae bore through the bark to reach the highly nutritious sapwood and their tunnels can easily be seen under the bark and into the timber of fallen branches. Two species which are a menace in the wood within our buildings, woodworm and death watch beetle, in the wild provide a feast for birds such as woodpeckers which are particularly adept at prising them out. Surprisingly trees and these insects can co-exist for quite a long time, until eventually fungi and other microrganisms enter via holes or any broken branches and begin the slow process of decay. Even the lignified heartwood eventually succumbs leaving the trunk hollow, but providing an ideal home for both birds and mammals (as appreciated by viewers of BBC TV’s Springwatch). Ideally these decaying giants should be left to fall naturally and add their bulk to the decaying leaf litter on the woodland floor. In many parts of the country entire ancient woodlands are currently under threat despite their ecological significance and the affection of the local population. The trees and the soil below, enriched on an annual basis as the fallen leaves decompose, tied together in a network of roots and micro-organisms, form a unique ecosystem which cannot simply be immediately re-created by a compensatory new planting scheme. It takes many years for these complex ecosystems to become established, so it is crucial to protect and conserve our existing woodlands as well as planting new ones. Pete Mayston

NO M 20 IN 19 E E

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GARDENING

Taking stock of your garden

Stone Lane Gardens

Winter may be a quiet time in the garden in some respects, but with the bare bones of the garden now fully revealed it is the perfect time to take action on unsatisfactory plants, and to plan new landscaping projects or planting. While executing said plans may involve a bit of ducking and diving around the weather, it will mean all the action is done in time to really reap the benefits next year. Start by taking a long, hard look at your garden. As a nation we’re very bad at getting rid of plants that don’t make the grade and the longer you’ve lived with something, the harder it is to get rid of it. But if you’ve never liked, for example, that huge space-gobbling Forsythia that only looks good for two or three weeks a year, harden your heart and replace it with something delightful, like a Daphne or Mexican orange blossom (Choisya) with handsome evergreen foliage and long-lasting, deliciously fragrant blooms; camellias with blooms that last for

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months; or a tree such as a crab apple that gives months of interest with pretty spring blossom and long-lasting fruits. Sometimes plants can be given a new lease of life with selective or hard pruning – camellias, for example, can be pruned almost to the ground after flowering and will regrow. Do assess all plants individually though - there’s no hard and fast rule that applies to all. Then, move on to thinking about what you’d really like from your garden - maybe new features, such as an attractive seating area for sitting out, relaxing or entertaining; a pond or water feature; or a handsome front garden to welcome you home every day. This could be the time to treat yourself to something long desired, like a greenhouse or polytunnel for growing flowers and produce – far better (in my view) than superfluous ‘stuff’ for Christmas. Other possibilities to consider are lower-maintenance ways

of growing, such as raised beds to ease the pain of ageing backs or altering your garden layout to cut down on work. On another note, consider day-to-day needs such as storage, paths, where to hang the laundry and so on: our requirements tend to change over time and what worked well a few years ago may not apply now. Finding the best way forward is often a challenge and a bit of expert advice can pay dividends. If you’re stuck for gift ideas, I offer gift vouchers for garden advisory visits, which could solve your garden and Christmas problems in one go! www.suefishergardens.co.uk

Garden to visit Stone Lane Gardens to the east of Dartmoor, near Chagford, is a magical 5-acre woodland garden created by modern-day plant hunter, the late Kenneth Ashburner, and now world-

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GARDENING

• Wash, dry and store pots and seed trays to remove disease spores and lurking pests that are likely to spell death for next year’s seedlings.

Garden problems

famous for National Collections of birch and alder trees. Through winter the beautiful bark in many colours is revealed in its full glory and looks absolutely magical, lit by the low angle of the sun at this time of year. Every summer the garden also hosts the annual Mythic Garden sculpture exhibition. Open daily, 10am-6pm. www. stonelanegardens.com

New Plants Growing your own fruit is immensely satisfying, especially this year when apples in particular have produced a magnificent crop. Columnar-growing apple trees can be grown in the smallest of spaces – even in large containers or as a hedge – and the ‘Malini’ varieties from Lubera are resistant to apple scab disease too. Ten varieties to choose from dark red ‘Black Beauty’ to yellowgreen sharp-tasting ‘Greenlight’. www. lubera.co.uk

Seasonal jobs • Clean garden furniture before storing under cover. • Give wildflower meadows a final cut to stay tidy over winter, then send the mower for servicing in plenty of time. • Put up bird boxes: they’ll be used as roosts, and birds like plenty of time to inspect next year’s nest sites. • Roses, fruit and hedging can be bought bare rooted when dormant: cheaper and often better plants too.

Cold, wet weather and winter gales can wreak havoc in the garden. Often frosts don’t arrive until December which can lull us into a false sense of security, so if you haven’t moved tender plants under cover, do so without delay. Containergrown plants remaining outside are best moved to a sheltered spot – against house walls is ideal – and grouped together which helps prevents roots freezing in severe weather. Good drainage is vital for pots as waterlogged roots can literally ‘drown’, so either stand on a surface such as gravel or raise just off the ground. Stake newly planted trees and shrubs and check regularly to make sure ties aren’t rubbing and damaging stems. Sue Fisher

Sue Fisher GARDEN DESIGNER & HORTICULTURAL SPECIALIST

Inspirational ideas to transform your garden Advisory visits • Planting plans Complete designs tel: 01822 841895 • email: suefisher@talktalk.net www.suefishergardens.co.uk

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FARMING NEWS

Ups and downs All the cattle are now in the barns for winter and this autumn has been pretty rough, with the wet weather forcing us to bring cattle in earlier than we’d like, although a good harvest means we should have feed to see us through the winter. We never enjoy the cows coming in, as we are then bound to a tractor, with the routine daily feeding and mucking out to deal with! The up-side is our routine settles down and the dark nights mean we don’t work such long hours. I have been a director of Dartmoor Farmers since its start 12 years ago. We set out to add value and help deliver a more sustainable future for farming on Dartmoor, linking the landscape and environment these grazing animals help to deliver. This gives us a fantastic platform to sell sustainable Dartmoor beef and lamb to the thousands of customers who either live or visit the moor every year. Since inception we have been growing our business; it mainly focused on selling beef to local outlets on and around Dartmoor, but we had our first big breakthrough last year and started trading lamb through Morrisons, selling 5000 Dartmoor lambs through 10 stores. This year we have grown that to 42 stores in the south west and are aiming for over 10,000 lambs this season. Needless to say it’s going very well and despite being a major supermarket and effectively the ‘big bad wolf’ in some farmer’s eyes, Morrisons has been very fair to deal with in my experience; it is really reassuring and empowering to be part of the conversation on lamb prices, rather than just price-takers.

Dartmoor boys and girls were loving the razzmatazz of the big event and just enjoying being nominated. Vernon Kay presented the evening and did a great job. It came to our category and we expected to be clapping the success of another more worthy sheep innovator, when Vernon announced we had won! Needless to say, we were very happy and humbled to receive the award and had a long and lively evening from that point on! My only disappointment was that Vernon was far too tall and good looking to be photographed with, although Gemma enjoyed chasing him out of the room to get a selfie! That was a pretty special Thursday night and a once-in-a-lifetime award. We left on a real high but on our return, my elderly sheepdog, who at 15 years old has been failing, sadly passed away two days later. Meg was a dog of a lifetime; I had her as a pup and trained her myself. She was a beautiful black and white short-coated collie who was always

In early autumn we were also very pleased to be nominated for the British farming awards - Sheep innovator of the year 2019 - for the work we have done to collectively promote Dartmoor lamb through Morrisons. So a few weeks later off we go to the bright lights of Birmingham to the awards dinner - massive sit-down affair. Us

See our community website www.dartmoorlinks.co.uk

with me. If you’ve seen me on my quad or land rover over the past 15 years you will have probably missed my shadow, Meg waiting silently to spring into action at a whistle or command. She was a very quiet, goodnatured dog, not one for fuss but she just loved to work. Even the week before she passed away, she would follow me around the yard and help the new young pretenders herd the sheep. In her prime she could cope with almost any type of stock, cattle or sheep, from gathering on the open commons and working across the valley, to close quarters catching a ewe during lambing - she had it all. She was described by Gemma as the other woman in my life! If Gem was sitting on the quad with me, Meg would do her best to lean on Gem and push her off! She will be greatly missed and never forgotten. So, as those Irish fellas sang, ‘Life is a rollercoaster’, and that week certainly was! Mat Cole, Greenwell Farm

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COMMUNITY NEWS

The Dartmoor Bed Company opens new flagship store West Devon-based The Dartmoor Bed Company continues its business expansion with the opening of a new flagship store in Topsham this December. Manager Stuart Page, said: “This is the culmination of a great deal of hard work and unprecedented demand for our handmade mattresses.” In 2017, celebrity chef Michael Caine installed beds from The Dartmoor Bed Company into all the bedrooms at Lympstone Manor, his luxury, five-star, country house hotel. Bovey Castle, a leading five-star Dartmoor hotel, is similarly undertaking to install the company’s beds in all of its bedrooms. The presidential suite at the Mandarin Oriental in Hyde Park now also has a bespoke handmade bed created by The Dartmoor Bed Company. The new flagship store will be situated opposite Darts Farm and next to Sapphire Spaces in Topsham, where the new showroom will complement the existing showroom at Yelverton, and the larger space will enable the company to

display its full range of handmade beds, alongside bespoke locally-made bedroom furniture. The store will also feature beautiful interior items by Lewis Shepherd from The Dartmoor Shepherd. Stuart commented: “All our beds are hand-crafted, pocket sprung and filled with the finest certified Dartmoor wool. They are all made to order and we offer a unique 30-day tension trial. Last minute touches are being made to the new store and we will have a final opening date soon.”

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COMMUNITY NEWS

Moor Otters return in 2020 Dartmoor National Park is bringing the hugely successful Moor Otters arts trail back in 2020. From May to October visitors can expect to see over 80 sculptures, each individually designed and decorated by artists and local talent, dotted across Dartmoor and surrounding areas. This time, the otters will each be accompanied by their cub and there’ll be some special surprises and competitions too. With the locations spread across the moor and further afield people will be able to find, learn about and interact with the sculptures. People will also be encouraged to explore the trails either by walking, cycling, running or using public transport. Otter spotters can share their experiences on social media using the hashtag #MoorOtters. Schools will be given mini sculptures to create their own artwork for display at Princetown Visitor Centre later in summer. They can then keep their mini otter or auction it

to raise funds for the school. In 2017, the first Moor Otters raised an incredible £60,000 for Dartmoor conservation and education projects, including the Junior Rangers programme, non-native plant control and management and footpath repairs. The sculptures have been specially commissioned and created by Jolly Roger Ltd in Bovey Tracey. At the end of next summer all Moor Otters will be gathered together and exhibited as a collection before 20 become ‘Golden Moor Otters’ and auctioned off to raise funds for Donate for Dartmoor.

Can you help Devon be ‘net-zero’? The top team of environmental experts who have been charged with ensuring that Devon becomes a net-zero county want your ideas on how to reduce carbon emissions as quickly as possible. The Net-Zero Task Force has been appointed by the Devon Climate Emergency Response Group – made up of Devon’s councils, emergency services and business groups - to deliver the Devon Carbon Plan. The plan will lay out in stark terms what every resident, organisation and business needs to do to reduce emissions and help safeguard the planet for the next generation. This call for evidence is open to everybody, and submissions can be made through devonclimateemergency.org.uk until

spring 2020; every submission will be reviewed by the task force and will feed into the different stages of the process of creating the Carbon Plan. A themed series of hearings also started in November and continues into December, with each hearing focusing on the different parts of our society that produce most of the emissions, like transport for instance. The hearings will seek to understand what needs to happen to achieve rapid decarbonisation in Devon. The task force will then present a series of ‘options’ to a citizen’s assembly - and the deliberations of the citizen’s assembly will lead to the draft Devon Carbon Plan, due for publication next spring.

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Tavistock 01822 610222 Plymouth 01752 869074 • Exeter 01392 401222 2A Westbridge Industrial Estate, Tavistock PL19 8DE • info@chamings.plumbing

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COMMUNITY NEWS

New BID website launched Tavistock BID held a positive AGM in October and is once again looking forward to the year ahead with continued optimism and focus. We have launched a new and exciting website for Visit-Tavistock and are really proud of the result. This is the town’s official branded website and an important tool for both visitors and locals alike. We hope that the new look will drive more traffic to the site and, in turn, encourage more people into the town. Our reach on social media has improved dramatically over the year, with recent posts reaching 9,000 people. We are also pleased to report that coach visitor numbers have improved significantly this year, doubling in the period from April to August and bringing in an additional 4371 people to the town. The recent Fiver Fest was well received again by locals and we would like to thank you for your continued support of our wonderful high street. Tavistock BID won a Silver Gilt for our entry into South West in Bloom. We are extremely proud of this result and thank Ali Sedgewick of the Community Gardeners, Jacqui Orange at the Town Council for supporting it, alongside Tidy Tavi and all the other local community groups that make this town so special. The impact these awards have on the town are real, they create a sense of pride in the community, and they have a social impact creating a positive environment in the town

centre. Because areas are better places to be, locals stay, and visitors are attracted to spend time here, bringing economic benefit to the town and encouraging investment. Keep your eyes peeled for updated town signage – we are working hard on a more striking design and user-friendly look for people using the signs to get around the town – and we’re focusing on promoting the town with a new town guide and business directory. For more details on all the upcoming events visit www.visit-tavistock.co.uk

Morris Bros (Tavistock) Ltd Your Local Independent Funeral Director

Arranging any funeral can be distressing, which is why choosing the right funeral director to ease you through the process can make all the difference. At Morris Bros, we understand the pain of loss and open our doors to you, offering both practical guidance & personal comfort. Simon & Lucie Luke live at the Foundry & are available to you 24 hours a day. Your loved one will stay with us; their care, attention and preparation only provided by us.

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A pre-paid funeral plan with Golden Charter gives you and your family peace of mind with a range of plans to suit all budgets from just £1950. Your plan will be allocated to Morris Bros here in Tavistock. We also offer bespoke plans to suit specific requests. Contact us for further details or to make an appointment. To promote your business to 20,700* readers - call 01822 615627 advertising@linksmagazines.co.uk

COMMUNITY NEWS

Fish & Chip Babies? On behalf of the members of Tavistock Club I would like to thank all the generous ladies who have knitted Fish and Chip Baby items for us to send to Africa. These simple little tops and hats are probably the only clothing the babies will wear for most of their young life and that is why they are called ‘Fish and Chip Babies’ because otherwise they would only have paper as protection, without the dexterous fingers and commitment of our lovely ladies who knit. There are ladies all over this area in IW, WI and church groups, as well as ladies who sit at home and enjoy knitting; there are even some ladies living in the New Forest area who send regular donations. Thank you ladies one and all, for your efforts and commitment - it really is appreciated. These are just some of the 539 sets, 2 blankets and 56 hats we have despatched this year. We have also despatched over 200 Rotary shoeboxes. This year the club is supporting Pete’s

Dragons and other local charities, while all British Inner Wheel clubs are supporting their local Riding for the Disabled group in our 50th year. Many thanks to our local friends and helpers – if anyone is interested in joining Tavistock Club please telephone 01822 613419.

Angels bringing good news There might not be dazzling creatures in the skies above Tavistock this Christmas, but we can expect to see over two hundred angels bringing joy to the people of Tavistock. Members of the Tavistock United Reformed Church, Knit and Natter group will be busy during Advent, producing small knitted angels, and sewn angels, which will be appearing around the town. The aim is that by sharing these little gifts, the joy of Christmas might be shared. “We will be placing the angels around the town and we have no idea who might find them - some people might place them on their Christmas tree or on a windowsill - we don’t mind how

Whoever you are, wherever you are on your journey, you are welcome here!

they are used,” said Suzy Weston who co-ordinates the Knit and Natter group. Tavistock United Reformed Church can be found on Russell Street, and the Knit and Natter group meets on Fridays in the Lower Deck Cafe.

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

See our community website www.dartmoorlinks.co.uk

Garden Waste Service The Garden waste service does not operate from 30 December – 3 January.

Don’t forget you can recycle these festive items FRUIT

plastic packaging

metal packaging

plastic bottles lids on

drinks cans

plastic pots, tubs and trays

food tins empty aerosols foil

Wash and squash plastic bottles.

No cling lm, plastic bags or black plastic of any kind

If you subscribe to this service, you can place your real Christmas tree out for collection alongside your green sacks on your collection day between 6 – 24 January.

Reusable white sack

FISH

No crisp packets and sweet wrappers

Please rinse your recycling. Clean recycling only. Please use your recycle boxes for other recyclable material.

West Devon www.westdevon.gov.uk

West Devon Borough Council

 Plastic food trays  Mince pie metal cases  Plastic sweet tubs

Box 1    

Real Christmas trees can also be taken to the your local recycling centre.

Catalogues Juice cartons Glass bottles Greetings cards*

Box 2  Cardboard delivery boxes  Cardboard gift boxes  Clothes * We can’t recycle cards containing glitter or plastic nor any wrapping paper

Recycle all your food waste this Christmas! It’s now even easier as you can line your caddy with any bag or liner, such as salad bags, bread bags, cereal bags or carrier bags.

Collection Day Changes Collection day

New collection day

Collection day

New collection day

Wed 25 December

Fri 27 December

Tue 31 December

Thur 2 January

Thur 26 December

Sat 28 December

Wed 1 January

Fri 3 January

Fri 27 December

Mon 30 December

Thur 2 January

Sat 4 January

Mon 30 December

Tue 31 December

Fri 3 January

Mon 6 January

All collections will run one day late on the week beginning 6 January

Please put your waste out before 7.30am on your collection day

www.westdevon.gov.uk 26

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COMMUNITY NEWS

From the Lions’ den November and December are really busy months for the members of the Lions Club of Tavistock what with the firework display, Trees of Light, traffic management for the Tavy 7 road race, the Remembrance Day parade and we’ll also be barbecuing during Dickensian Evening. A new activity that was started last year was the distribution of presents to local schools by Father Christmas and his trusty elves. For the 2018 carnival procession, with the support of Tavistock Rotary, one of our club members designed and built a wonderful carriage for the princess which was then converted into a sleigh for use during December by Father Christmas. The team visited seven local infant and junior schools and distributed around 300 presents, one to each of the 43 classes. Father Christmas and helpers will be doing the same this year, so before the end of term, the sleigh will be setting off on its journey around Tavistock schools and onto schools in Whitchurch, Horrabridge, Gulworthy and Lamerton. The photo shows last year’s team after delivering presents to the very excited children at Horrabridge County Primary School.

In January, the Lions tend to go into hibernation to build up their strength for the New Year and to start planning for the next carnival - the theme for the procession on Saturday 18th July will be ‘Pioneers and Adventurers’, chosen in light of the 2020 celebrations in Plymouth for the 400th anniversary of the sailing of the pioneering and adventurous Pilgrim Fathers to the New World.

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COMMUNITY NEWS

Eden gives bees a chance with spectacular new observation hive The Eden Project is celebrating becoming a protected bee reserve for an important local honey bee by unveiling a new observation hive which will enable visitors see how these fascinating creatures live. The Great Hive Mind is a striking installation made from reclaimed scaffolding poles situated in Eden’s Outer Estate in a field full of wild flowers above Eden’s Wild Chile area. It contains an observation hive which is home to a colony of around 25,000 bees expected to rise to more 50,000 by next summer. The Great Hive Mind joins other beehives around Eden as a home for the local European dark honey bee (Apis mellifera mellifera), also known as the native dark honey bee or black bee. The observation hive is constructed with mirrors so visitors can view the bees without disturbing them. This project was developed by B4, a Community Interest Company representing beekeepers, which works to conserve, protect and increase the population of these bees.

The European dark honey bee is the only honey bee that originates from the UK and it is uniquely adapted to the environment in this country. Beekeepers often buy imported bees which are less well adapted to UK climates and have also introduced new pests and diseases to local honey bee colonies. The Great Hive Mind is a collaboration between Eden, the B4 Project and CAUKIN Studio; the project was funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Dr Jo Elworthy, Eden’s Director of Interpretation, said: “Pollinators, including bees, pollinate around a third of our crops and help our wild flowers to survive and thrive. They play a huge role in conserving the biodiversity of our countryside and food supply. “We’re proud to be working with B4 in becoming a European dark honey bee reserve. It’s really important that we look after regional biodiversity. Beekeepers can choose to keep bees local to their region and we can all help conserve these and other pollinators by ensuring our gardens and green spaces in our community, at work, and at school are pollinator-friendly by planting wildflowers or leaving some areas to go wild.”

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COMMUNITY NEWS

Girlguiding Tavy Division Christmas Post For the past 30 years Rainbows, Brownies, Guides, Rangers and Leaders from Girlguiding Tavy Division have been delighted to deliver Christmas cards to the residents of Tavistock. Stamps have been sold through various outlets in the town and cards posted in special post-boxes to be delivered before Christmas. Funds raised have been distributed between all the guiding units in Tavy Division, enabling young girls to participate in activities and events and enjoy all girl-guiding has to offer. It is with great sadness that we have decided not to continue with the Christmas post. We no longer have the resources to make it viable and deliver a reliable service. A number of factors have contributed to the decision: the gradual decline in the take-up of the service; new estates and flats plus gated communities make delivery challenging; over the last few years the number of guiding units in Tavistock has decreased, meaning fewer girls and leaders available to

help; it relies on young girls and their parents being willing to give up precious time at the weekend leading up to Christmas; administration is time-consuming and done on a voluntary basis by leaders in addition to regular guiding duties, work and personal commitments. All of this unfortunately amounts to an unsustainable burden. Girlguiding Tavy would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our supporters: the shops and other organisations for their wonderful help over the years in selling stamps and allowing us to place a collection box on their premises; the girls, their families and leaders who have given their time willingly to deliver the post come rain, shine or snow; volunteer members who have collected, sorted, administered, co-ordinated and promoted the service; and especially members of the Tavistock community who have supported our Christmas post by buying our stamps and using the service loyally over the last 30 years.

Plant more trees Devon County Council is calling on local councils to join a tree planting initiative and help plant trees on town and parishowned land across Devon, reducing the impact of Ash dieback and helping tackle the climate emergency. The 3:2:1 tree planting rule, promoted by the Devon Ash Dieback Resilience Forum, aims to plant at least three new trees for every large one lost to Ash dieback, two for every medium-sized one, and one for each small one. The Woodland Trust is also offering free tree packs for schools and communities. Find out more at www.woodlandtrust.org.uk or go to devonashdieback.org.uk for advice on Ash dieback.

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EDUCATION

Failure is the path to success Failure is not a word that springs to mind in connection with Lee Spencer, the Royal Marine commando who completed tours of Northern Ireland and Iraq, as well as three tours of Afghanistan, often working in a covert role, before re-inventing himself after losing his right leg in 2014. As The Rowing Marine he was part of the first disabled crew to cross the Atlantic Ocean in a rowing boat, completing 3,000 miles in February 2016; and earlier this year he took the world record for rowing the Atlantic solo from Europe to South America, beating the able-bodied record by 36 days. Breaking three Guinness World Records at once, he received a congratulatory call from Prince Harry, and hit the national news in 27 countries. And yet the importance of failing is exactly what Lee has been talking about to school pupils for the last couple of years, highlighting the points in his life where overcoming failure played a significant factor in finally achieving success. His inspirational talk stems back to his own childhood, when he left school with minimal qualifications and a low opinion of his academic ability. He was turned down at his first attempt at selection for the Royal Marines; he initially felt he had failed at life following the freak accident on the M3 when he stopped to help at a car crash and ended up losing his leg; he put off starting his solo Atlantic crossing for a year when his mother

Photo credit Anthony Upton

died while he struggled to summon the mental strength required for such an epic feat. He says there are two tricks to life: when you fail you need to pick yourself up - and then you need to have another go. Lee’s talk encompasses his life in the Royal Marines, how his accident changed his life and the story of his rowing challenges, enhanced by photos and video footage, as well as moments of drama and humorous anecdotes - but above all it covers how he rose to the challenge of overcoming the difficulties and ordeals he faced. He had always defined himself by what he did in his career in the Royal Marines and when that was taken away from him, he felt an overwhelming need to redefine himself. Rowing has changed his life as much as losing a leg, and helped him realise he is still the same person as before. He encourages his audience to dream and create a personal goal, something ambitious that they probably can’t pull off at the first attempt – he says: “Dare to dream and if you don’t fail, you’re not dreaming hard enough!” If you would like to find out more about Lee’s work as a motivational speaker, go to www.leespencer.co.uk

EXPLORE THE WORLD & SHOOT THE STARS Documentary Photographer @harryborden After studying Photography with us, Harry’s lens has captured figures ranging from the Spice Girls to Jeff Goldblum and Giorgio Armani. OPEN DAYS 04 JAN / 08 FEB / 13 JUN plymouthart.ac.uk/apply

See our community website www.dartmoorlinks.co.uk

KIDS WHAT’S ON

BID TAVISTOCK

DICKENSIAN EVENING & LANTERN PARADE Friday 6 December Come along for our first Dickensian Lantern Parade at 5pm and then enjoy a host of entertainment including fire performers, a Punch & Judy show, steam engines, Morris dancers, Dan The Hat, Father Christmas and real reindeer.

BUCKLAND ABBEY

STORYTIME WITH OLDE FATHER CHRISTMAS Every Saturday and Sunday, 1-22 December. Timed tickets between 12 noon-4pm Come and meet Olde Father Christmas in the Great Hall. He will be dressed in traditional green telling magical festive stories of Christmases gone by. Each child will be gifted a Buckland Abbey Christmas keepsake. Storytime lasts for approximately 30 minutes. £6.50 1 child + 1 adult / £4 additional adult. Book online at nationaltrust.org.uk/bucklandabbey CHRISTMAS FAMILY TRAIL Daily in December, 10am-4pm Wrap up warm and head out on the estate to follow the Christmas star constellation family trail. Crack the clues to collect your star sticker. £1 per trail sheet. Normal admission applies. WEEKEND FAMILY CHRISTMAS CRAFTS Every Saturday and Sunday, 1-29 December, 11.30am-3pm Join Buckland Abbey’s Christmas craft volunteers to create a special Christmas keepsake to take home. Free of charge. Normal admission applies.

CHARLIE BEARS

BEARS GALLERY Monday to Saturday, 10am – 4pm daily Charlie Bears is an international collectable teddy bear company based in Launceston, Cornwall and the Charlie Bears Gallery is a magical destination where the whole family can step in to the bear-illiant world of Charlie Bears. There are lots of surprises along the way and you can also pop your paws up for a moment and enjoy a coffee 32

amongst the bears in the coffee nook. Entry is free with optional charitable donation.

COTEHELE

A VICTORIAN FAMILY CHRISTMAS AT COTEHELE MILL Dec weekends (Fri-Sun) and daily 20 Dec - 5 Jan 2020 (except 25 & 26 Dec), 11am-3pm Discover how families like the Victorian Langsfords celebrated Christmas in the decorated Mill. There’s lots of hands on fun for children, with crafts, toys and dressing up and a pop-up café in the Bakery too. MOTHER AND FATHER CHRISTMAS AT COTEHELE MILL Saturday and Sunday 14, 15, 21 & 22 December, 11.30am-2.30pm Come along and visit Mother and Father Christmas as they stop off at Cotehele on their way to deliver presents around the world. No need to book, £3 per child, includes gift. FESTIVE FAMILY TRAILS Until Sunday 5 January, 10am-4pm (except 25 & 26 Dec) Wrap up warm and bring the family to Cotehele to follow three fun festive trails through the garden, along Morden Stream to the mill and in the grounds of Cotehele Mill.

MARY TAVY PANTOMIME

MOTHER GOOSE Thursday 19 to Saturday 21 December, 7:30pm daily, Sat matinee at 2:30pm Mother Goose dreams of being rich and beautiful, but she is neither! Then one day Priscilla, a magic goose, arrives and starts laying golden eggs… but will it all end happily ever after? Performances at Coronation Hall, Mary Tavy; tickets: £6 adults; £3 children - available from Mary Tavy village shop.

ROSEMOOR

MAGIC OF CHRISTMAS SANTA EXPERIENCE Saturday 21 to Tuesday 24 December Meet Father Christmas at RHS Garden Rosemoor for a festive story-telling session in his magical workshop theatre - sing a Christmas song with the elves, make a beautiful decoration for their Christmas tree, prepare reindeer food and meet some of Santa’s reindeer.

STERTS

THE CHRISTMASSY CHRISTMAS SHOW Monday 23 December Squashbox Theatre’s show is a celebration of everything Christmassy, from fir trees, fairy lights, sleigh bells and snowflakes to crackers, carols, presents and puddings! Sterts Theatre, Upton Cross at 2pm and 4pm. Tickets £6: book online at www. sterts.co.uk.

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Training times: Mondays and Thursdays: 6-7pm Junior/Family Session 7-8pm Mixed; 8-9pm Adult and Senior Belts All at Tavistock College Gymnasium, Crowndale Road, Tavistock Pl19 8DD

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ALL AGES WELCOME!

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KIDS WHAT’S ON

STILTSKIN THEATRE

THE CURIOUS TALE OF JACK FROST Saturday 7 to Tuesday 24 December, various times Someone has been painting the landscape with beautiful patterns, across the windows of the houses, upon the leaves of the trees, as well as nipping the nose of the milkman and the toes of the post lady. Jack Frost has been, but who is Jack Frost? Under 5’s shows and family shows available. www.stiltskin.org.uk

THEATRE ROYAL PLYMOUTH

THE ELVES AND THE SHOEMAKER Until Saturday 18 January Sam Lacey makes shoes that are out of this world but his shoe-making business is a disaster!

This hilarious re-telling of the muchloved classic tale in The Drum, from the inescapably inventive Stuff and Nonsense is a total delight for all the family, full of wit, charm and surprising puppetry. theatreroyal.com CINDERELLA 20 December to 18 January Cinderella features star casting, laughout-loud comedy, jaw-dropping special effects, stunning song and dance, and plenty of boos and hisses as the ultimate pantomime is brought magically to life. Leading our Cinderella cast is the king of comedy himself, Brian Conley! It’s going to be a BALL!

PLYM VALLEY RAILWAY

THE NORTH POLE EXPRESS 7, 8, 14, 15, 21 & 22 December The Plym Valley Railway track runs from Marsh Mills to Plym Bridge, and is part of the ex-Great Western branch line from Plymouth to Tavistock which has now been restored. In 2018 The North Pole Express took over 4,500 people to the North Pole and this year, it’s going to be even bigger. Come and enjoy one of the many trips to the Arctic this December, all hauled by steam engine. Tickets are available from £8, at plymrail.co.uk

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Outstanding Childcare and Natural Environments Outstanding and Caring Staff for Your Child 33

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CHRISTMAS SERVICES

SUNDAY 8 DECEMBER 4:00pm Christingle Service at St Eustachius’ Parish Church, Tavistock 4:00pm Christingle at St Peter, Lamerton 6:00pm Service of Nine Lessons & Carols by Candlelight at St Mary’s Church, Mary Tavy, followed by mince pies & mulled wine

SUNDAY 15 DECEMBER

11.15am Nativity Service at St Paul’s Church, Gulworthy (everyone welcome to dress as a nativity character) 5:00pm Carol Service at St Mary, Sydenham Damerel 6:00pm Christmas Carol Service at St Eustachius’ Parish Church, Tavistock 6:00pm Carols by Candlelight at Tavistock Methodist Church

All day, Festival of Christmas at Christ Church, Brentor

6:00pm Carol Service at Mary Tavy Methodist Church followed by mince pies & coffee

4:00pm Community Nativity & Christingle Service at Tavistock Methodist Church

6:30pm Carol Service at Peter Tavy Methodist Church

4:30pm Redeemer Church Carol Service at Whitchurch Community School, PL19 9SR, followed by mince pies & refreshments

TUESDAY 24 DECEMBER

5:00pm Carols by Candlelight, Christ Church, Brentor 6:00pm 9 Lessons and Carols with ‘The Tregadillett Songbirds’ choir at St Paul’s Church, Gulworthy 6:30pm Carol Service at St Peter, Lamerton

THURSDAY 19 DECEMBER 7:00pm Tavistock Young Farmers Carol Service at St Paul’s Church, Gulworthy FRIDAY 20 DECEMBER 6:30pm Carolling around Brentor village (meet at Christ Church with torches and high vis; or contact us if you want to be sung to!)

SUNDAY 22 DECEMBER 9:45am Nativity Service for all the family at Christ Church, Brentor 10:00am Christmas Service at Tavistock United Reformed Church (tavistockurc. org.uk) 10:30am Redeemer Church Christmas Family Service at Whitchurch Community School, PL19 9SR

3:00pm Crib Service at Peter Tavy Methodist Church 4:00pm & 6:00pm Crib Service at St Eustachius’ Parish Church, Tavistock 4:00pm Family Crib Service at St Mary’s Church, Mary Tavy – all welcome 4:00pm Crib and Carol Service at St Constantine, Milton Abbot 10:00pm Sung Eucharist by Candlelight at St Mary’s Church, Mary Tavy 11:00pm Midnight Mass at Christ Church, Brentor 11:30pm Midnight Mass at St Eustachius’ Parish Church, Tavistock 11:30pm Holy Communion at St Peter’s Church, Peter Tavy

WEDNESDAY 25 DECEMBER 9:30am Christmas Morning Service at St Eustachius’ Parish Church, Tavistock 9:30am Holy Communion at St Peter’s Church, Peter Tavy 9:30am Holy Communion at All Saints, Dunterton

See our community website www.dartmoorlinks.co.uk

10:00am Christmas Service at Tavistock Methodist Church 10.30am Christmas Day Holy Communion Service at St Paul’s Church, Gulworthy 3:00pm Christmas Carol Service at St Michael de Rupe, Brent Tor

SUNDAY 29 DECEMBER 9:30am Joint Benefice Service at St Peter’s Church, Peter Tavy 9:45am New Year Service at Christ Church, Brentor 11.15am Sunday Service at St Paul’s Church, Gulworthy 3:00pm Joint Peter Tavy service of Nine Lessons and Carols at St Peter’s Church, Peter Tavy followed by mulled wine, tea, coffee, mince pies

SUNDAY 5 JANUARY 9:45am Epiphany Service at St Eustachius’ Parish Church, Tavistock 3:00pm Epiphany Carol Service at St Michael de Rupe, Brent Tor Please check St Peter’s Church noticeboards or blackdownnews. blogspot.com for any amendments after printing

Tavistock’s main venue for Films, Theatre, Live Music and Live Broadcasts

Welcome to...

FILMS.......................... wharF gallery..... THE WARRIOR QUEEN OF JHANSI

A tale of women’s empowerment, The Warrior Queen of Jhansi tells the true story of Lakshmibai, the historic Queen of Jhansi who fiercely led her army against the British East India Company in the infamous mutiny of 1857.

Fri 29th Nov – Thurs 5 Dec

THEATRE.................... PSYCHIC SALLY

JOAN MONCRIEFFE. B.A PAINTINGS

Joan Moncrieffe is an East Devon artist / design maker. Born in Leamington Spa, she spent time pattern making and drawing from an early age. Later graduating with a degree in 3-dimensional design she went onto having her illustrative work published and continued to work to commission, exhibiting in variuos location under her birth name Joan Prowse. Now based in Exmouth she continues to exhibit her work regularly and enjoys giving talks and holding workshops.

Mon 2nd December - Fri 10th January

Following her gripping appearance on Celebrity Big Brother, with a triumphant Sally reaching the final five, the nation’s favourite Psychic and forerunner in the Psychic world is back on tour with her all new show “10 Years and Counting”

Tues 25th February

live broadcasts......................................... LE CORSAIRE BOLSHOI

ANDRÉ RIEU: 70 YEARS YOUNG

Mon 25th November

Sun 5th January

PRESENT LAUGHTER BY NOËL COWARD

THE SLEEPING BEAUTY

Matthew Warchus directs Andrew Scott (BBC’s Sherlock, Fleabag) in Noël Coward’s provocative comedy Present Laughter.

Journey with The Royal Ballet to an enchanted world of princesses, fairy godmothers and magical spells in this landmark production of Petipa’s classic ballet, to Tchaikovsky’s glorious music.

Thurs 28th November

Thurs 16th January

COPPÉLIA

LA BOHÈME THE ROYAL OPERA

Tues 10th December

Wed 29th January

On the bazaar square of Andrinopolis, the Pacha is struck by the beauty of Medora and tries to buy her, but the lovely young woman is not for sale

A classic returns to The Royal Ballet with Ninette de Valois’ charming and funny ballet of love, mischief and mechanical dolls.

NUTCRACKER

Recorded in 2016, this special performance celebrated Peter Wright’s 90th birthday, and will be broadcast with new features. Additional screenings in selected cinemas throughout December.

Tues 17th December

André Rieu is celebrating a landmark birthday and is inviting cinema audiences all over the world to his party!

Puccini’s music and Richard Jones’s production capture the joy and heartache of young love in Paris.

For full details and to book events visit our website:

tavistockwharf.com

or call Tavistock Wharf Box Office

01822 611166

² TAVISTOCKWHARF µ tavistockwharfofficial

Please note: check our website or ring our box office on 01822 611166 to check dates and times of screening. Thank you.

MUSIC..................................... LIMEHOUSE LIZZY Fri 29th November

BJORN BELIEF Sat 30th November

Renowned for its explosive action packed performance, Limehouse Lizzy continue to keep the spirit of Thin Lizzy alive.

Quality tribute performance at its best, Bjorn Belief recreates the magic that was seventies supergroup Abba

LAND OF THE GIANTS Thurs 12th December

JOEY THE LIPS Fri 13th December

DESPERADO Sat 14th December

CATS IN SPACE Sun 15th December

They bring to the stage and explosive raise the roof set of funky sounds, an exceptional band in every way.

Effervescent front man Jonny Finnis joined the band in 2018 and this year is joined by storming new vocalist Sami-Jane Slater

Portraying the stunning music of The Eagles, hear those wonderful hits again from Take it Easy, Lyin’ Eyes to Hotel California.

The new buzz band of the year, they are taking the music world by storm and receiving rave reviews everywhere they play.

SLADE UK Fri 20th December

RIVIERA DOGS Thurs 31st December

VOODOO ROOM Sat 11th Jan

I LOVE AMP Sat 25 th January

Once thought impossible, Slade UK recreate the power of a real Slade show with all the power of the original band. New Year Eve

See the New Year in at The Wharf with this stunning eighties cover band who perform a slick delivery of those most memorable hits that’ll have you dancing from the oft.

Purveyors of the finest sounds of Clapton, Cream and Hendrix, they are a perfect band to kick off our 2020 programme.

Get ready to sing at the top of your lungs to the anthems of your youth! They’ll be partying like it’s 1999… and 98, and 97 and ’96.. You get the idea.

BON GIOVI Sat 1st February

ROD AND THE FACEZ Fri 7th February

KICK UP THE 80S Sat 8th February

Without doubt the best Bon Jovi tribute out there, the attention to detail is incredible, the band recreates and captures Bon Jovi in every possible way.

Garry Peace as Rod Stewart is one of the recognisable Rod tributes on the circuit, this is a must for every fan of Rod and the Faces!

Fancy dress optional but many do – this is a fun filled show of many costume changes and a eclectic mix of singalong 80s hits.

PETE WAY BAND Fri 6th December

WHOLE LOTTA LED Sat 7th December

Best known for being part of This superb band return to The legendary rock band UFO Pete Wharf with their critically acclaimed Way takes to the road with his new tribute to one of the greatest bands band and new album. of all time – Led Zeppelin.

ONLINE BOOKING AVAILABLE FOR ALL MUSIC EVENTS AT...

www.wegottickets.com

c tavistockwharf

Dates and times shown may vary, so please check our website for all up to date information: www.tavistockwharf.com

WHAT’S ON

REGULARS

admission applies. 11am-4pm (last admission 3.30pm)

UNTIL 4 JANUARY

DECEMBER

SATURDAYS & SUNDAYS 1-29 DECEMBER

CHRISTMAS AT BUCKLAND ABBEY

WEEKEND FAMILY CHRISTMAS CRAFTS

Marvel the willow star constellation and listen to local choirs in the Great Barn. Inside the abbey, every room is decorated with festive floral displays by local groups from the National Association of Flower Arranging Societies (NAFAS). Normal

Join Buckland Abbey’s Christmas craft volunteers to create a special Christmas keepsake to take home. Activity free of charge, normal admission applies. 11.30am-3pm

Hi-tech colour-changing lights, illuminating the trees, shrubs and sculptures. Last entry, plus last Simple Supper sitting 7.00pm. Normal garden admission at RHS Rosemoor includes entry to Glow. Thursdays, Fridays & Saturdays until 8pm.

UNTIL 5 JANUARY MERRY AND BRIGHT IN COTEHELE GALLERY

Festive Feasting For your office party, or just a relaxed festive treat with friends or family.

Festive Lunch £24 Festive Dinner £30 (parties of 10 or more)

Throughout December

Time

The Christmas exhibition in Cotehele Gallery showcases colourful and festive work from local artists and craftspeople. 10-4pm UNTIL 5 JANUARY COTEHELE GARLANDS THROUGH TIME See the famous 60ft flower garland on display in Cotehele’s great hall. Learn about the history of the famous Christmas garland and discover how it’s created. Choirs sing under the garland most days in December (see website for details). 10.30am-4pm UNTIL 31 JANUARY WINTER SCULPTURE EXHIBITION RHS Rosemoor’s winter sculpture exhibition with an eclectic mix of exhibits in the garden. Most of the pieces are for sale. Daily 10am - 5pm, normal garden admission.

ROSEMOOR GLOW

UNTIL 24 DECEMBER WILDWOOD ART EXHIBITION Autumn/winter art exhibition at Wildwood Art Gallery, Horrabridge, PL20 7SP. Visit wildwoodartsdartmoor.co.uk for details or call 01822 258529. 12 DECEMBER - 5 JANUARY TREASURE ISLAND A swashbuckling family comedy for Christmas with Le Navet Bete at The Plymouth Athenaeum. Set sail with Long John Silver for a belly-laughing journey to the Caribbean.Tickets £18-£20 at barbicantheatre.co.uk; suitable for age 6+. 1ST SATURDAY OF MONTH (7 & 14 DECEMBER) TAVI ARTS MARKET High quality, handmade wares from local artists - unique products not found on the high street and a chance to meet the artists and makers themselves. 9.00am to 4.00pm in Butchers’ Hall, Tavistock (free entry). 3RD MONDAY OF MONTH LEARN TO TURN WOOD Learn to turn wood with Tavistock Turners & Carvers Club! 7:30pm at the Scout

Tavistock Tavistock Farmers Market

BEDFORD SQUARE • EVERY 2ND, 4TH & 5TH SATURDAY

CHRISTMAS MARKET - 21ST DECEMBER

IND US

1 Plymouth Road, Tavistock, PL19 8BB

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FRESH FOOD, DRINK & PLANTS FROM LOCAL PRODUCERS www.tavistockfarmersmarket.com To promote your business to 20,700* readers - call 01822 615627 advertising@linksmagazines.co.uk

WHAT’S ON

Hall, Pixon Lane, Tavistock - the first two visits are FREE. For details see www. tavistockwoodturners.co.uk LAST TUESDAY IN MONTH PARKINSON’S SUPPORT GROUP

DECEMBER UNTIL 8 DECEMBER TAVISTOCK CHRISTMAS TREE FESTIVAL

FIRST SATURDAY OF MONTH

St Eustachius’ will be packed with up to 65 trees, decorated by local schools, businesses and organisations. Refreshments available. Open daily 9:30am - 4.30pm with late night opening on 6 Dec for Dickensian Evening. tavistockparishchurch.org.uk.

TIDY TAVI LITTER PICK-UP

5 DECEMBER

Meet outside Meadowlands Leisure Centre. No need to register - just turn up! 10:00am to midday. All necessary equipment provided, but please bring your own gloves and wear stout footwear.

C.S. RETIREMENT FELLOWSHIP

Join us at the Anchorage Centre, Tavistock from 10.30am to noon. We also have monthly exercise classes and social coffee mornings. Contact Pam on 01822 614204 or Val on 07778 552325.

EVERY WEDNESDAY BALLROOM DANCE CLASSES ’Strictly Social’ dance club ballroom dance classes for beginners at Nicholls Hall, Lydford - every Wednesday at 7.25pm, £5 per person for one-hour lesson. Contact Terry Flannery on 07891 614491, or email strictlysocialdanceclub@gmail.com EVERY WEDNESDAY THE CITY OF PLYMOUTH CREDIT UNION OFFICE Savers can obtain loans at 2% or less. Children can save too. All savers are covered by a free life insurance. Call in for more information or ring 01752 201329. 11.00am - 1.00pm in the Princetown Community Centre, Tavistock Road, Princetown, PL20 6QE

Are you retired? If so, why not come along for a friendly chat and a cuppa (or something stronger) at 12.30pm in the restaurant of the Prince of Wales Hotel, Princetown. Guest speaker Paul Rendell with his illustrated talk about ‘Old Dartmoor and Yelverton’. 6 DECEMBER DICKENSIAN EVENING One of Tavistock’s favourite events with new lantern parade at 5pm, carol singing, fire performers, a Punch & Judy show, Dan The Hat, Morris dancers, stilt walkers, traditional Christmas rides, real reindeer, Father Christmas, a host of stalls and shops open late. 7 DECEMBER MISTLETOE FAIR Find a host of stalls selling soaps, scented candles, woollen and textile items, as well as the Brentor Calendar and cards – plus choirs, Santa, homemade refreshments & hot lunches 10am and 3pm at Brentor Village Hall. www.brentorvillage.org

7 & 8 DECEMBER PICK UP A DARTMOOR CHRISTMAS TREE Choose the perfect tree at Lydford Gorge from 11am to 3pm, browse local craft and food produce in the shop, plus activities to entertain the kids.

Festive Feasting Award-winning dining in the heart of Dartmoor – the perfect treat for the festive season.

Festive Lunch £25 (parties of 4 or more)

Festive Dinner £30 (parties of 10 or more)

1st – 23rd December excluding Sunday lunchtimes

Time

www.twobridges.co.uk 01822 892300 Two Bridges, Dartmoor, PL20 6SW

See our community website www.dartmoorlinks.co.uk

SHOW HOME NOW OPEN

TAVISTOCK | BROADLEIGH PARK

An exclusive development of 2, 3, 4 & 5 bedroom homes Open 7 days a week, 10-5pm. For more information call: 01822 678414 or email: broadleighpark@cavannahomes.co.uk Off New Launceston Road, Tavistock PL19 8NG www.cavannahomes.co.uk

WHAT’S ON

9 DECEMBER

11 DECEMBER

C.S. RETIREMENT FELLOWSHIP LUNCH

CHRISTMAS WREATH WORKSHOP

Join our coach trip for lunch at the White Thorne, Shaugh Prior. Booking essential- reservations and deposits taken at meeting on 5th Dec. Coach picks up from The Bedford Hotel, Tavistock, The Prince of Wales Hotel, Princetown and Yelverton roundabout bus stop & anywhere in between.

Make your own Christmas wreath with expert tuition, all materials provided – you are welcome to bring decorations to add a personal touch. 6.30pm, Gulworthy Parish Hall. Ticket £15 - includes glass of mulled wine and a mince pie. Contact Lowenna on 01822 616435 for tickets and further information.

9 DECEMBER

11 & 12 DECEMBER

CHRISTMAS WREATH MAKING & CREAM TEA

TABLE DECORATION WORKSHOP

Enjoy a cream tea and then make a Christmas centrepiece in a workshop led by talented local florist H. Watts. 2:00pm at The Moorland Garden Hotel, £29.50 per person, call 01822 852245 to book.

Create a stunning centrepiece decoration for your festive table at our Christmas workshop, using foliage from the gardens. 2:30pm at Buckfast Abbey, £15 per person.

10 - 15 DECEMBER

C.S. RETIREMENT FELLOWSHIP CHRISTMAS LUNCH

YELVERTON CHRISTMAS TREE FESTIVAL At least 24 beautifully decorated trees, create a winter wonderland, and it’s free! Rock Methodist Church, 10.30am - 4.30pm on 10th to 14th Dec, 2pm – 4pm on 15th Dec.

from around the globe at 7.30pm at the Tavistock Parish Centre, Plymouth Road. For further details contact Barbara Edwards edwardsbobbarbara@btinternet.com, 01822 852 636 or visit devonassoc.org.uk 13 DECEMBER PLYMOUTH AREA POLICE CHOIR CONCERT A seasonal concert by this wonderful choir at 7.30pm at Rock Methodist Church, Yelverton. Tickets £6 at the door.

AUCTIONEERS OF COLLECTORS’ ITEMS, STAMPS, COINS, MEDALS & TOYS

12 DECEMBER

Join the Tamar/Tavy group for Christmas lunch at The Burrator Inn, Dousland Booking essential - reservation forms are available in The Burrator. 12- 15 DECEMBER

Rare vintage ﬁlm poster SOLD £5,200

ANTIQUES & ART

MARY TAVY CHRISTMAS TREE FESTIVAL

10 & 11 DECEMBER LUNCH & CHRISTMAS HEDGEROW WORKSHOP Learn how to decorate using nature this Christmas at Lewtrenchard Manor - please bring secateurs and an apron, all other materials provided. Workshop includes tea/coffee & biscuits, two-course lunch, £40.00 per person.

Bring your family and friends to see the very creatively decorated trees at St Mary’s Church, 11:00am to 5:00pm daily. Light refreshments available plus raffle & table-top sale. 13 DECEMBER

William Gibbons, Est: £500-700

SILVER, GOLD, DIAMONDS, JEWELLERY& WATCHES

DEVONSHIRE ASSOCIATION Voyager Coffee, an illustrated talk by the chief blender, and a tasting of coffees

L A N D S C A P E

PHOTOGRAPHY

Emerald & Diamond Earrings, Est: £1,000-1,200

ADULT BEGINNER WORKSHOPS

Valuations for auction, probate and insurance purposes

CAMERA BASICS & SELLING PRINTS

BOOK YOUR WORKSHOP TODAY

Live Internet bidding

For professional advice please call (01752) 721199 email: enquiries@eldreds.net

www.eldreds.net

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See our community website www.dartmoorlinks.co.uk

1 Belliver Way, Roborough, Plymouth PL6 7BP 41

The heart of Three great venues at the heart of our beautiful bustling market town

TAVISTOCK TOWN HALL

tavistock_town_hall TavistockTC tavistocktownhall

Whether you’re holding a gala dinner, a wedding, sales fayre, or even an exercise class, our facilities and friendly and experienced staff make our elegant Gothic building the ideal place for your event.

01822 617232

townhall@tavistock.gov.uk

VOTED AS ONE OF THE ‘BEST TOWN WEDDING VENUES’ IN THE SOUTH WEST Butchershalltavistock Butchers_Hall ButchershHallTavistock

UPCOMING EVENTS

December

1st Antiques & Collectables Fair (free entry) 6th Butchers’ Hall Christmas Market (free entry) 7th Tavistock Arts Market (free entry) 14th Tavistock Arts Market (free entry) 15th Miss Ivy Events Christmas Festival 18th – 23rd Butchers’ Hall Christmas Markets (free entry)

Butchers ’H

Christmall Marketsas

Butchers’ Hall is available to hire for private functions and events: 01822 616134

6th 18th – 2&3 Decemb rd er

Pannier Market WHAT’S ON Additional Christmas Opening Monday 16th, Sunday 22nd and Monday 23rd December

‘Shopping heaven in the heartOPEN ofTUESDAY Tavistock’ - SATURDAY

tavistockpanniermarket

OPEN TUESDAY - SATURDAY 9am - 4:30pm OPEN TUESDAY - SATURDAY • 9am 9am --4.30pm 4:30pm

TavistockMarket

‘Shopping heaven in the heart of Tavistock’

www.tavistock.gov.uk • 01822 611003

‘Shopping heaven in the heart of Tavistock’

What’s On

What’s On OCTOBER

OCTOBER Goose Fair, 10th Open 9am - 6pm

Goose Fair, 10th DECEMBER Open 9am - 6pm

TavistockPannierMarket

WHAT’S ON

14 DECEMBER DARTMOOR BORDER MORRIS Meavy-based Dartmoor Border Morris, The Old Town Twelves & top Cornish side Catseye Morris, performing at the Dolphin Hotel on Plymouth Barbican from midday with lots of visiting Morris musicians. Like Dartmoor Border Morris`s facebook page for more info. 14 DECEMBER STANNARY BRASS BAND CHRISTMAS CONCERT A Christmas concert with traditional, new and seasonal music plus carols hosted by Angela Rippon with guests Vocal Harem. 7:30pm at St Eustachius’ Church; tickets: £7 adults and £2 under-18s, available from Stags Estate Agents, Market St, Tavistock. 14 DECEMBER CHRISTMAS IS HERE! Phoenix Chorale’s festive concert, includes excerpts from Ceremony of Carols by Benjamin Britten and Fantasia on Christmas Carols by Vaughan Williams. 7:30pm, St Peter’s Church, Plymouth, PL1 5EG. Adults: £11 at Eventbrite. co.uk or £12 on the door; under 16s free. plymouthphoenixchorale.org 14 DECEMBER

Handel’s great oratorio, Messiah, performed by the Abbey Choir at 7:30pm, tickets £10. ROSEMOOR FOOD & CRAFT FAIR

15 DECEMBER CHRISTMAS FESTIVAL 60 artisan exhibitors selling a selection of food and gifts, plus children’s workshops, gnome trail, Entertainingly Different, carousel, Santa Claus and choirs. Pannier Market, Butchers Hall and Bedford Square in Tavistock from 10:30am to 3:30pm, free entry.

18- 23 DECEMBER CHRISTMAS MARKETS A wide selection of local artisan traders sell everything from gifts and decorations to festive food and drink. Butchers’ Hall, Tavistock 9.30am - 4.00pm, free entry. 19 DECEMBER C.S. RETIREMENT FELLOWSHIP Join the Princetown group for grand draw and Christmas lunch at the Prince of Wales, Hotel. Booking essential - reservations and payment taken at meeting on 5th Dec.

17-19 DECEMBER

19 - 21 DECEMBER

LIVING SPIT – SWAN LAKE

MOTHER GOOSE

Howard and Stu are joined by two real-live, ballet dancers - this could be the funniest, danciest, water-fowlest microballet ever. 7:30pm - see Music & Art for details or villagesinaction.co.uk/events.

Mary Tavy’s pantomime tale of Mother Goose and Priscilla a magic goose is guaranteed to get the Christmas season merrily underway! 7.30pm daily at Coronation Hall, Mary Tavy, plus 2.30pm matinee on Sat. Tickets: £6 adults; £3 children - available from the Mary Tavy village shop. Enquiries call 01822 810112.

18 DECEMBER WREATH MAKING Make a Christmas wreath at Tamar Valley Centre, Drakewalls, PL18 9FE, 10am-2pm, £5 per person – with mulled apple juice and mince pies. 18 DECEMBER CHRISTMAS EXTRAVAGANZA

HANDEL’S MESSIAH AT BUCKFAST ABBEY

14 & 15 DECEMBER

A chance to buy unique and wonderful Christmas gifts produced by selected artisan west country traders. Sat 11am -7pm, Sun 10am -4pm; normal garden admission applies.

A traditional Christmas event with music, carols and usually a selection of terrible jokes to get you in the mood for Christmas at St Mary’s, Sampford Spiney at 7.15pm; plus mulled wine and mince pies. Tickets: £5 (children go free) from Helen Sims on 01822 853784. All profits for St Mary’s Sampford Spiney church funds.

20 DECEMBER CENTREPIECE MAKING WORKSHOP Workshop starts at 9:30am at The Bedford Hotel and includes coffee & mince pies, all craft materials, expert tuition and a twocourse festive lunch. £42 per person, call 01822 613221 to book. 21 DECEMBER CHRISTMAS GARLAND MAKING Come to Burrator Discovery Centre 10am-4pm, and make your own Christmas wreath using natural materials from Burrator. £7.00 per wreath (cash only as

f Of 10% All your Chris tmas good ies with this vouc her

www.ronspets.co.uk

Ron’s Festive menu 2019

Merry Christmas to all from Ron’s Pet Supplies Tavistock 01822 611110 See our community website www.dartmoorlinks.co.uk

WHAT’S ON

no online payment facilities). Support, materials and refreshments will be provided. Please book in advance on 01822 855700, heritage@swlakestrust.org.uk or pop into Burrator Discovery Centre.

jazz from local duo Fine Whines. 3pm – 5:30pm, call 01822 892300 or book online.

17 JANUARY

JANUARY

Social Evening at the Tavistock Parish Centre, Plymouth Road. Helen Wilson - an illustrated talk on postcards of the Tamar Valley. Please note the evening commences at 7.00pm. Pre-booking essential. Contact Barbara Edwards 01822 852636 edwardsbobbarbara@btinternet. com or visit www.devonassoc.org.uk

5 JANUARY

21 DECEMBER

WASSAIL AT BUCKLAND ABBEY

LET’S WASSAIL

Join our traditional wassail on Twelfth Night for merriment with Dartmoor Border Morris’s Mummers’ play in Buckland’s medieval Great Barn at 1pm, followed by a wassail parade into the orchard at 2pm to sprinkle the apple trees with cider. Bring your pots and pans to make lots of noise! Normal admission applies.

Join us as we scare away the evil spirits from the Cotehele orchard to ensure a bumper crop for 2020. Fancy dress encouraged! 11.30am-12pm 21 DECEMBER MOUNT KELLY CHORAL SOCIETY Concert featuring The Christmas Oratorio by Saint-Saens and popular Christmas favourites by Rutter, Chilcott, Cornelius, Lauridsen. 7.30pm at St Eustachius’ Church, Tavistock. Tickets £10 (free to U18s) from Book Stop, Tavistock, www. ticketsource.co.uk/mountkelly or on the door. 25 DECEMBER ROTARY CHRISTMAS DAY LUNCH Tavistock Rotary organises a fantastic meal at Tavistock United Reformed Church; TASS can also provide transport. Book your place by Wed 18th December by contacting Chris Ellis on 01822 616507 or mrsceellis@hotmail.com.

9 JANUARY C.S RETIREMENT FELLOWSHIP Retired? If so come and enjoy a friendly chat and cuppa (or something a wee bit stronger, at 12.30pm in the restaurant of the Prince of Wales Hotel, Princetown.

WASSAIL AT BERE FERRERS Bere Ferrers Parish Hall at 6:00pm, Dartmoor Border Morris from 6.30pm, Tavy Tars at 7pm, flaming torchlight procession to the orchard at 7.30pm followed by pasties, cider, mulled cider or apple juice. Tickets: adults £5:00, including refreshments; free entry for children Call 01822 840380 to book. Bring pans & spoons for lots of noise! 19 JANUARY

15 JANUARY

Award-winning reed player Jeremy Huggett on clarinet, saxophones & vocals, with the Dart Valley Stompers - one of the most popular bands. 7.30pm at the Royal British Legion Club, Tailyour Road, Plymouth. Tickets on the door £10 (members £8, full-time students £5) information 01752 721179, plymouth-jazzclub.org.uk

VOLUNTEER OPEN DAY AT COTEHELE Learn new skills, use existing skills and join an inspiring team of people from all walks of life; find out more about the many varied volunteering opportunities at Cotehele. 11am-3pm. 17 JANUARY

JAZZ AFTERNOON TEA

Bryan Short talks about ‘Last Man Standing - the fate of Alexander the Great’s Generals’. The monthly meeting takes place at 10am in Tavistock Methodist Church Hall.

MoorView Glazing

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THE DART VALLEY STOMPERS

19 JANUARY

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18 JANUARY

Guest speaker, David Lemon will talk about ‘African Lions’.

29 DECEMBER Choose Two Bridges Hotel’s traditional full afternoon tea, or add a glass of fizz for a special treat and look forward to great live

DEVONSHIRE ASSOCIATION

ALEXANDRA VADUVA CONCERT Romanian born pianist Alexandra Vaduva started playing the piano at the age of 4, has won many international piano competitions and is supported by the

• Professional Service • Over 20 Years Experience • Dartmoor & Surrounding Areas • Domestic & Commercial • Plastic & Timber Frame Repairs • Conservatory Roof Panels • Energy Eﬃcient Glass • Safety Glass Installations • Misted Units and Lock Repairs

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WHAT’S ON

prestigious Countess of Munster Trust. Her programme will include works by Scarlatti and Schubert, as well as fellow Romanian, Enescu. 3pm at Minstrells Music Centre, Canworthy Water, Launceston, PL15 8UB. 27 JANUARY BERE LOCAL HISTORY GROUP Illustrated talk by Clive Charlton on ‘Bere Alston: some historical insights from the Medieval period to the 20th century’. All meetings take place in Holy Trinity Church Hall, Bere Alston at 7.30 pm. All are welcome, admission is £2 and includes tea/coffee and biscuits. 30 & 31 JANUARY, 6 - 8 FEBRUARY ALADDIN Phyl’s Follies proudly presents this fun pantomime for all the family with performances daily at Postbridge Village Hall at 7.30pm, plus matinee on 1st Feb at 2.00pm. Tickets: £7.00 Adults; £3.50 Child - available to buy in advance from Sue at Postbridge.panto@gmail.com

FEBRUARY 2 FEBRUARY DEREK NASH & MARTIN DALE QUARTET One of the UK’s finest sax players, a leading member of Jools Holland’s Rhythm & Blues band, joins one of the best bands in the South West. 7.30pm at the Royal British Legion Club, Tailyour Road, Plymouth. Tickets on the door £10 (members £8, full-time students £5) information 01752 721179, plymouth-jazzclub.org.uk

5- 8 FEBRUARY DICK TURPIN Buckland Monachorum Drama Group’s pantomime based (loosely) on the tale of the notorious highwayman. With a case of mistaken identity, unrequited love, secret passages and mysterious goings-on, it’s bound to be an hilarious evening of laughter. For details see bucklandmonachorumdramagroup.co.uk 6 FEBRUARY C.S. RETIREMENT FELLOWSHIP Retired? If so, join us for a friendly chat and a cuppa at 12.30pm in the restaurant of the Prince of Wales Hotel, Princetown. Guest speaker Simon Dell with his illustrated talk entitled ‘Tavistock Abbey’. 9 FEBRUARY ORGAN, TRUMPET AND VOICE A varied programme with Tim Carleston and David Robinson, demonstrating the wide range of works for trumpet, organ and voice, including works by Hummel, Sousa, Bach and Dupre. 3pm at St Michael’s Church, Bude, EX23 8LQ. 12- 15 FEBRUARY THE ICE QUEEN OF MEAVY A new queen is to be crowned, and the coronation is to be held in Meavy! Expect trouble, thievery, love and ice. 7:30pm daily in Meavy Parish Hall, plus Sat matinee at 2:30pm.

FRIENDS OF WHARF LUNCHTIME LECTURES

Organised by Dr Ann Pulsford, 2pm Tavistock Wharf

DECEMBER 9 DECEMBER: MONTY SCHULBERG OVERCOMING DISABILITIES THROUGH ART 16 DECEMBER: PETER BURKILL NAMIBIA

JANUARY 6 JANUARY: BARRY HAMBLIN THE LIFE OF CAPTAIN JAMES COOK: PART 2 – IN SEARCH OF TERRA INCOGNITA 13 JANUARY: BRIAN FREELAND AROUND THE WORLD IN EIGHTY PLAYS 20 JANUARY: ANDREW THOMPSON THE ALPS: A PERSONAL JOURNEY 27 JANUARY: JOHN DOBSON PUTIN’S RUSSIA

For a full list of events see our community website at dartmoorlinks.co.uk

See our community website www.dartmoorlinks.co.uk

WHATâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S ON

Mon 24 - Sat 29 Feb 2020 theatreroyal.com | 01752 267222 46

To promote your business to 20,700* readers - call 01822 615627 advertising@linksmagazines.co.uk

W hat’s O n Until 19 December Plymouth Christmas Market Plymouth city centre piazza hosts more than 50 south west traders, selling their wares in traditional wooden cabins. Pick up unique gifts from handmade jewellery and artwork to sweet treats and liqueurs. With mulled wine at the Bavarian Bar, festive street food and entertainment including gospel choirs and vintage vocalists, the Christmas market will certainly put you in the festive spirit!

12 to 23 December A Grimm Christmas

Until 5 January Penguins: A LEGO Brick Trail The LEGO brick penguins return, with 19 Rockhoppers and one extra special Emperor hiding in city centre shops. There are fantastic prizes up for grabs if you find all 20, so pick up a trail map from participating retailers or visitplymouth.co.uk and get hunting!

Until 1 January Polar Bear Explorer Take an exciting journey across Plymouth’s waterfront, and learn about climate change, in the search for 20 polar bear cubs hidden in businesses from the Barbican to Royal William Yard. Download a trail map at visitplymouth.co.uk or pick it up from a participating business for a chance to win some brilliant prizes!

The Wheel and Barbican Theatre present ‘a spin on the fairy tales you thought you knew’ - The Brothers Grimm tell their stories as originally intended - uncensored with menace and gore to thrill and delight. 8pm at Barbican Theatre, Plymouth; tickets £15 from barbicantheatre.co.uk; suitable for age 16+.

14 December Christmas is here! 7 to 8 December Native Makers Winter Market 60 local and emerging makers are back with a two-day festive market at Ocean Studios in Royal William Yard. This years’ market sees the return of Native Cubs Craft, delicious snacks and fun, free activities.

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Phoenix Chorale’s festive concert, includes excerpts from Ceremony of Carols by Benjamin Britten, Fantasia on Christmas Carols by Vaughan Williams and the world premiere of The Oxen by Paul Saggers. 7:30pm, St Peter’s Church, PL1 5EG. Adults: £11 at Eventbrite.co.uk or £12 on the door; under 16s free. www.plymouthphoenixchorale. org

For more events please go to visitplymouth.co.uk

WHAT’S ON EXTRA

Friday 6th December

Dickensian Evening The tradition of Tavistock Dickensian Evening is one of the town’s favourite dates in the calendar – streets ablaze with colour, shop windows decorated with seasonal cheer and the enticing smell of roast chestnuts. This year, the evening is set to be even more magical with our first lantern parade kicking off the celebrations at 5pm at the top of West Street and the end of Brook Street - it will then meander through town to the main square where locals and visitors alike can take part in community carol singing. There will be fire performers, a Punch & Judy show, Christmas carols from local school choirs, entertainment from Dan The Hat, Morris dancers, stilt walkers, traditional Christmas rides, a touch of magic, REAL reindeer and, of course, Father Christmas will be on hand to spread the festive joy. To complement the town’s shops and eateries, we can also expect a host of other wonderful stalls, selling mince pies, cider, Christmas puddings, churros and mulled wine. And don’t forget to visit the beautiful Christmas Tree Festival in St

Eustachius’ Church and the Winter Market in Butchers’ Hall. It’s a joy to see so many people working together to produce such a spectacular event – it’s the town centre businesses who make it all possible and as they embrace the spirit of the evening in traditional dress, it’s a way to invite you to share with them in an evening of festivities, and for you to support them and enjoy our unique high street.

Tavistock Dickensian Evening Friday 6th December 2019 | What’s On & Where: Dickensian Lantern Parade 5:00-5:30

Meet West Street outside Toy Cupboard or Brook Street outside The Co-operative Bedford Square Stage 5:30-5:45 Lantern Parade Finale & Community Carol Singing with the Stannary Brass Band 5:45-6:00 Oﬃcial Welcome with the Mayor of Tavistock 6:00-6:15 Tavistock Community Primary School Sing 6:20-6:50 SJS Arts Performance 7:00-7:40 Tavy Tars 7:45-8:00 Local Musicians 8:00-8:20 Local Business Window Dressing & Costume Award Ceremony 8:30-9:00 Lodestone & Wreckers Morris West Street 6:00-6:20 Wreckers Morris 6:15-8:15 Reindeer animal enclosure 7:00-7:20 Lodestone Morris 8:00-8:45 Dan the Hat Lower West Street (outside Newells) Father Christmas – all night 6:30-7:00 Stannary Brass Band

B USINESS I MPROVEMENT D ISTRICT 48

Bank Square Car Park Coconut Shy & Small Animal Display – all night 6:15-6:35 Punch & Judy 7:00-7:20 Punch & Judy 7:40-8:00 Punch & Judy Former Rest Rooms, Brook Street 6:15-6:30 Mary Tavy & Brentor Primary School Sing 6:30-6:45 St. Peter’s Primary School Sing 7:00-7:45 Dan The Hat Paddon’s Row 6:00-6:30 Dan The Hat 6:45-7:15 Wrecker’s Morris 7:45-8:15 Stannary Brass Band Brook Street (outside the Cooperative) Fairground Organ – all night 6:00-6:20 Lodestone Morris 6:30-7:00 Fire Performers 7:15-7:45 Fire Performers 8:00-8:30 Fire Performers

visit-tavistock.co.uk

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WHAT’S ON EXTRA

Friday 29th November to Sunday 8th December

Tavistock Christmas Tree Festival This will be the 11th festival organised by the Friends of St Eustachius’ and once again the church will be packed with up to 65 trees, decorated with a wide variety of styles and innovative ornaments by numerous local schools, businesses and organisations, reflecting the interests and occupations of the participants. As usual teas, coffees and light lunches will be available; marmalades, jams and chutneys will be on sale, as will the wonderful creations of our Vintage Green group.

During the festival there will also be musical interludes, and the opportunity to vote for your favourite tree. The opening ceremony will be at 2:00pm on 28 November at St Eustachius’ Church and the festival will be open to the public daily from 9:30am to 4.30pm with late night opening on 6 December for Dickensian Evening. Further details can be found at www. tavistockparishchurch.org.uk.

Saturday 7th December

Thursday 12th to Sunday 15th December

Mistletoe Fair

Mary Tavy Christmas Tree Festival

Brentor village will be holding its annual Mistletoe Fair at the village hall between 10am and 3pm. The hall and stalls will be beautifully decorated, and at the fair you’ll find gifts to suit all tastes and pockets, with soaps, scented candles, woollen and textile items, as well as the Brentor Calendar and cards - both created using scenes taken by local photographers. Mary Tavy & Brentor School Singing Club will provide some seasonal entertainment at 11am and there’s a possibility of a visit from Santa too. Delicious homemade refreshments and hot lunches are available during the day and the Grand Draw, with many of the prizes donated by local residents, concludes the afternoon. A willing band of local volunteers has been organizing the fair for the last eight years and during this time has raised over £9,000 for the running and improvement of the village hall and playing field; the volunteers also make many of the items for sale on the Mistletoe Fair stall. For more information about Brentor activities visit the village website at www. brentorvillage.org

See our community website www.dartmoorlinks.co.uk

We are pleased to be holding our sixth annual Christmas Tree Festival at St Mary’s Church in aid of church funds. This has been an event which has progressed from strength to strength since it was first held in 2014 and we do hope you will be able to pay us a visit this year to appreciate the very creative displays achieved by everyone taking part. We will be open from 11:00am to 5:00pm daily, and light refreshments will be available, together with a raffle and table-top sale. St Mary’s Church is just off the main A386 down in the original part of Mary Tavy village. All are most welcome so please bring your family and friends along - we look forward to seeing you. On behalf of the Parochial Church Council at St Mary’s, our very sincere thanks go to the local businesses, and many Mary Tavy organisations involved for once again supporting this local event, and their local Parish Church. Richard Fielder & Sylvia Baish, churchwardens

WHAT’S ON EXTRA

Winter at RHS Rosemoor You may think there’s not a lot to see in a garden during the winter months. But winter is a fabulous time to enjoy a walk round the 65-acre RHS Garden Rosemoor where there is a surprising amount of colour, plenty of intoxicating fragrance, and several winter events making it even more special. Join us for our magical Christmas Food & Craft Fair and take the chance to buy unique and wonderful gifts produced by selected artisan west country traders. Rosemoor GLOW makes an amazing show with remarkable, hi-tech colour-changing lights illuminating the trees, shrubs, water features and sculptures as you follow a new route through the Cool Garden to the lake. Or see how many sculptures you can discover in an exciting and eclectic collection of exhibits located throughout the garden - unique, individual creations in steel, glass, stone, copper and resin – most of which are for sale or can be made on commission.

14 & 15 December: Christmas Food & Craft Fair Saturday 11am -7pm, Sunday 10am -4pm; normal garden admission applies.

BESPOKE

Until 4 January (excl. 26 Dec): Rosemoor GLOW Thursdays, Fridays & Saturdays only - illuminations 4pm to 8pm, last entry to garden 7pm. Normal garden admission includes Glow, discounted admission after 3pm.

Until 31 January: Winter Sculpture Exhibition Open daily 10am to 5pm; normal garden admission applies.

ARTISAN MADE

Photo by Simon Probyn

QUALITY

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WHAT’S ON EXTRA

Thursday 12th December to Sunday 5th January

Treasure Island A swashbuckling family comedy for Christmas! It’s Christmas Eve in the Admiral Benbow Inn. Jim Hawkins is serving ale to the one and only customer the pub ever has. Suddenly the door slams open and in strides Billy Bones, the infamous pirate, changing Jim’s life forever… Teaming up once again with Barbican Theatre, Plymouth favourites Le Navet Bete return for their 9th Christmas production, following their recent smash hits, The Three Musketeers, Aladdin and Dracula: The Bloody Truth. Treasure Island is a hilarious rip-roaring comedy adventure,

encountering swashbuckling pirates, tropical islands and high seas. Join the four lads from Le Navet Bete as they play out the legendary tale as you’ve never seen it before. Set sail with Long John Silver and some other characters you may not expect, and prepare for a belly-laughing journey to the Caribbean

and back. X will definitely mark the spot this Christmas! Performances at various times at The Plymouth Athenaeum, Plymouth; tickets £18-£20 (inclusive of booking fees & charges) available at barbicantheatre.co.uk; runtime approx. 2 hours; suitable for age 6+.

Sunday 15th December

Christmas Festival It’s that time of year again when Miss Ivy Events brings this popular festival to the Pannier Market, Butchers Hall and Bedford Square in Tavistock from 10:30am to 3:30pm.The day will be jampacked full of festive treats from over 60 artisan and gift exhibitors, selling a selection of jewellery, candles, food, gifts and many other amazing items. On offer will also be workshops for the children (small charge applies), a gnome trail, performances from Entertainingly Different, a carousel and an appearance from Santa Claus. Performances from the Rock Choir and Callington Gospel Choir will also take place throughout the festival, helping to get you in the Christmas spirit, along with mince pies and mulled wine, as well as some yummy street food on offer! Miss Ivy is proud to support local businesses and in association with Tavistock BID, entry is FREE - so why not pop along and shop local this Christmas season.

Wednesday 18th to Monday 23rd December

Christmas Markets

Butchers Hall’s fabulous Christmas Markets are back again, packed full of beautifully crafted gift ideas. There will be a wide selection of local artisan traders selling everything from gifts and decorations to festive food and drink - lots of fun for everyone! Join us in December as we celebrate the magic of Christmas with our festive markets. Opening times: 9.30am and 4.00pm - FREE entry.

See our community website www.dartmoorlinks.co.uk

… S L’ E T L R A W SEC N R O PT C KE ST

VISIT THE ENCHANTED WORLD OF

CHARLIE BEARS AT THE BEARHOUSE GALLERY - LAUNCESTON -

Open Mon to Sat 10am-4pm Free Entry!

Bring this advert with you and get £5 off any collectable bear in The Bearhouse Gallery Shop in December

CHARLIE BEARS The Bearhouse | Pipers Close | Pennygillam Industrial Estate | Launceston | Cornwall PL15 7PJ www.charliebearsdirect.com

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WHAT’S ON EXTRA

Charlie Bears Have you visited Cornwall’s best-kept secret? Charlie Bears is an international collectable teddy bear company based in Launceston, Cornwall. Founded by Charlotte and William Morris in 2005, the Charlie Bears Gallery allows you to view all of the collections from the very beginning! The gallery is a magical destination where the whole family can step in to the bear-illiant world of Charlie Bears. It is designed to be a multi-sensory space for everyone to enjoy, not just collectors of the bears, with two specially designed floors for everyone to immerse themselves in and even a bear hunt to see which bear cubs are hiding within the elaborate displays. You can easily spend a few hours in the gallery and our bear cubs are always on hand if you have any questions or if you would like to adopt a specific bear. There are lots of surprises along the way and you’ll notice different details each time you visit the gallery as it evolves throughout the year. You can also pop your paws up for a moment and enjoy a coffee amongst

the bears in the coffee nook. Entry to Charlie Bears Gallery is free all year round with the option of leaving a charitable donation within the gallery for the Charlie Bears charity of choice. There’s also a gallery shop where you’ll be spoilt for choice as to which bears to bring home with you, as each bear is uniquely named and has its own story to make the choosing process even more tantalizing. The Bearhouse Gallery is suitable for all, with disability access and a lift to take you to the upper floor, and it’s baby-friendly too with changing facilities. Opening hours: Monday – Saturday (10am – 4pm daily)

Thursday 19th to Saturday 21st December

Mother Goose

This year’s Mary Tavy village pantomime is a production of ‘Mother Goose’ - one of the oldest traditional English pantomimes. Mother Goose dreams of being rich and beautiful, but she is neither! Then one day Priscilla, a magic goose, arrives and is befriended by Mother Goose. Priscilla starts laying golden eggs for her friend, making her very rich. But what will Mother Goose do with her riches and will it be enough for her? And will all end happily ever after? With performances just before Christmas this is guaranteed to get the Christmas season merrily underway! 7.30pm at Coronation Hall, Mary Tavy on Thursday 19th, Friday 20th and Saturday 21st December, plus 2.30pm matinee on Saturday. Tickets: £6 adults; £3 children - available from the Mary Tavy village shop. For enquiries please call Michelle Buncle on 01822 810112.

See our community website www.dartmoorlinks.co.uk

WHATâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S ON EXTRA

Wednesday 25th December

Rotary Christmas Day Lunch Tavistock Rotary is pleased to confirm the Christmas Day Lunch is taking place again this year, thanks to the generosity of local businesses and the willingness of volunteers to spend Christmas Day helping people enjoy themselves. Anyone who attended last year knows what a fantastic meal was served up, and we are lucky to have Buster from Cakes, Shakes and Bakes cooking for us again this year, as well as use of the beautiful hall and well-equipped kitchen, which Tavistock United Reformed Church has once again kindly offered. On top of this Tesco Tavistock is providing the food and drink for the whole event, and we are grateful for their support. Many people live a distance away from the venue or have mobility issues, so as in previous years, TASS will be providing a driver and transport to ensure that everyone is able to take part in the meal. Because of the popularity of the event, and to allow time for TASS to sort out transport routes, there is a closing date of Wednesday 18th December to put your name on the attendance list. If you would like to attend the event please contact Chris Ellis on 01822 616507 or mrsceellis@hotmail. com.

If you are able to volunteer on Christmas Eve (setting up the hall), Christmas Day (from 10.30am approx.) or you are able to provide some entertainment on the day, please contact Chris.

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WHAT’S ON EXTRA

A-wassailing we go! Saturday 21st December

Let’s Wassail at Cotehele

Come along to this pagan festival to scare away the evil spirits from the orchards and ensure we have a successful crop in 2020. We’ll dress the oldest tree in the orchard with bread to appease the guardian of the orchard, make music and sing the Cotehele Wassail song. Why not come along in fancy dress? Bring a musical instrument if you have one, or a pot and a wooden spoon will work too; the idea is to make lots of noise! Meet by reception for a procession from 11.30am until 12pm with the troupe to the Old Orchard and Mother Orchard.

Wednesday 1st January

Cornwood Wassail

Meavy-based Dartmoor Border Morris will be leading the wassail, starting in the village square outside the Cornwood Inn at 3.30pm. Bring as many children, muddy boots, pots, pans, wooden sticks, and grandparents as you can to help us wassail the Cornwood Millenium Orchard! We like noise!

Cotehele Wassail by John Parker

Saturday 18th January

Wassail at Bere Ferrers Mummers’ Play at Buckland Abbey

Sunday 5th January

Mummers’ Play & Wassail at Buckland Abbey Dartmoor Border Morris will be performing their traditional Mummers’ play in the Great Barn at 1pm, with characters such as the Winter Queen, Sir Francis Drake, a good Doctor with a suspicious potion, and Chatterley, our Morris beast! This will be great family entertainment with a spot of Morris dancing, followed by the wassail parade into the orchard at 2pm. Again, bring wellies, kids, pots and pans, and make plenty of noise to ward off the bad spirits! The Ox Yard restaurant will be open for mulled cider, hot drinks, and food until 4pm. Normal admission applies. Trust members free entry. nationaltrust.org. uk/bucklandabbey

See our community website www.dartmoorlinks.co.uk

Doors open at Bere Ferrers Parish Hall at 6:00pm, and there’ll be dancing by Dartmoor Border Morris from 6.30pm and Tavy Tars will be singing at 7pm. At 7.30pm the flaming torchlight procession sets off to the orchards, where there will be a bonfire, and the scaring of the bad spirits will follow with lots of noise and banging. Then toast will be hung in the trees and cider poured on their roots, followed by singing before returning to the parish hall for pasties, cider, mulled cider or apple juice. Tickets: adults £5:00, including cider and pasty; free entry for children and they still get a pasty and drink. Booking is advisable via M Willmott on 01822 840380. Everyone is welcome from the Bere Ferrers parish or further afield. Bring a pan and spoon to make lots of noise! See our history section in this issue for information on wassailing, or visit www.dartmoorbordermorris.com or www. tavyapples.org.uk

MUSIC AND ART

Saturday 14th December

Stannary Brass Band Christmas Concert We would like to invite you to our Christmas concert which has become a regular feature in Tavistock, attracting many enthusiastic supporters of the band from the town and beyond. Our patron, Angela Rippon, will be hosting the evening, which will include traditional, new and seasonal music, along with carols. We would love to see you this year with our special guests Tavistock-based Vocal Harem and their musical director Rosemary Turner. The band has had a busy year, having played at many events in Tavistock and Plymouth for the Armed Forces Day memorial service. The high point for the band was

playing during the visit of Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall to Tavistock earlier this year. Our Christmas concert, whilst the highlight of our calendar, is not the only appearance over the season, as we will be playing in and around Tavistock raising funds to ensure we can continue promoting music and provide opportunities for players of all ages to learn to play a musical instrument. 7:30pm at St Eustachius’ Church; tickets: £7 adults and £2 under-18s, available from Stags Estate Agents, Market St, Tavistock.

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MUSIC AND ART

Tuesday 17th December

Living Spit – Swan Lake Swan Lake - the most famous, magical, water-based, avian ballet ever performed - but expensive, high-brow and normally only performed at a big city theatre. Well, not anymore! Theatre Orchard and Living Spit have teamed up to make the smallest ballet ever performed (probably). With Howard and Stu joined on stage by two real-live, professional ballet dancers, this is a proper ballet in miniature. The dynamic duo has promised to leave the tutus at home but promises are made to be broken… This could be the funniest, danciest, water-fowlest microballet the world has ever seen. Book tickets online at villagesinaction.co.uk/events or call the box office numbers shown below. Tuesday 17th December, 7.30pm at Scoriton Village Hall (01364 631288) Wednesday 18th December, 7.30pm at Lustleigh Village Hall (01647 277498) Thursday 19th December, 7.30pm at Sticklepath Village Hall (07854 062407)

Saturday 21st December

Mount Kelly Choral Society Mount Kelly Choral Society presents the Christmas Oratorio by Saint-Saens, conducted by Julian Jensen and featuring soloists Bianca Phillips (soprano), Francis Shepherd (tenor) and Andrew Farris (baritone), with harpist Emma Graham and organist Mary Mazur-Park. The oratorio is a wonderfully evocative retelling of the Christmas story by 19th century master, Saint-Saens, along with a selection of popular Christmas favourites by Rutter, Chilcott, Cornelius, Lauridsen.

See our community website www.dartmoorlinks.co.uk

7.30pm at St Eustachius’ Church, Plymouth Road, Tavistock. Tickets £10 (free to under 18s) from Book Stop in Tavistock, www.ticketsource. co.uk/mountkelly or on the door.

MUSIC AND ART

Art for All Human beings have been expressing themselves through art for millennia - but more recently, we are beginning to realise just how important a tool creativity can be in boosting wellbeing. Art for All classes aim to combat social isolation in people who are retired, or who have retired early due to illness, carers, the unemployed and under-employed of all ages. Andy and Gill Cairns of West Devon Art Workshops run the classes in Tavistock, Bere Alston, Princetown, Okehampton, Gunnislake, Callington and Launceston, and the courses have been very successful, with overwhelmingly positive feedback - over two thirds of participants consistently state they have experienced a significant positive impact, and feel socially engaged with increased self-confidence. More than 80% also report a growth in artistic skills and knowledge. Andy Cairns says that experiencing learning with others breaks down barriers, and creative activities help cross bridges of age and ability; reducing stress and building confidence.

modelling, printing to batik and says the sessions were fun, well organised and very creative, with help always available. She describes how she got involved with the programme: “Having had a spell of depression and anxiety, I needed something to focus my mind elsewhere. It was very successful and for the first time in some months my anxiety decreased, I was getting out again into my community and best of all, it got me crafting at home for the first time in a long time - helping divert negative anxiety and thoughts.”

One Art for All participant, Christine, tried a range of craft and art activities through the courses, from felting to wire

For more information about Art for All, go to www.westdevonartworkshops.co.uk

She recommends the classes wholeheartedly: “You get to meet so many fab people, as well as getting totally absorbed in different arts and crafts. The joy of the classes is quality tuition at affordable prices, as the classes are subsidised by funding. Materials are all provided, so you just need to turn up with an apron and get stuck in!” Clay modelling in Princetown: 7, 14, 21, 28 January Mixed media painting in Bere Alston: 9, 16, 23, 30 January

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NATIONAL TRUST

Christmas traditions at Cotehele - old and new Christmas has always been a traditional affair at Cotehele, with the annual garland in the Great Hall now in its 63rd year. The fire and candles are lit and you can enjoy choirs performing under the garland most days in December. We’re hoping to create a new tradition this year too. For the first time ever, we’re opening Cotehele Mill at Christmas and hope this will become as popular as the garland. Most of our festive traditions were invented by the Victorians; Christmas trees, cards, crackers, figgy pudding and presents on Christmas day, all date from that period and in the Victorian mill we can celebrate these traditions as they would have been enjoyed by families at that time. The mill will be filled with festive decorations and little ones will love getting hands-on with history making Christmas crafts, playing with toys and dressing up in Victorian Sunday best. There are family trails to follow too and Mother and Father Christmas are stopping by to meet good boys and girls as well. For more details see nationaltrust.org.uk/cotehele

COTEHELE CHRISTMAS GARLAND Saturday 16 November – Sunday 5 January, 10.30am-4pm

creation. See choirs performing underneath it most days in December. See website for details.

A VICTORIAN FAMILY CHRISTMAS AT COTEHELE MILL December weekends (Fri-Sun) and school Christmas holidays, 11am-3pm See the mill decorated for a traditional Victorian Christmas and find out how families like the Langsfords celebrated the festive season. Mother and Father Christmas will be visiting on selected dates, there’s lots of hands-on fun for families and a pop-up café too.

MOTHER AND FATHER CHRISTMAS AT COTEHELE MILL Saturday and Sunday 14, 15, 21 & 22 December, 11.30am-2.30pm Meet Mother and Father Christmas in their grotto at Cotehele Mill before they fly up to the North Pole to begin their Christmas deliveries. No need to book. £3 per child, includes gift.

The Cotehele garland is a local tradition and this year’s garland is a bumper affair, with over 35,000 flowers in the 60ft long

Christmas cheer made at Cotehele Enjoy choirs performing under the traditional Cotehele garland and follow the children’s trail to the Mill for a Victorian family Christmas. These are the places that make us. Social icon

Circle Only use blue and/or white.

nationaltrust.org.uk/cotehele See our community website www.dartmoorlinks.co.uk

For more details check out our Brand Guidelines.

NATIONAL TRUST

1000 Christmas wishes at Buckland Abbey Step back in time and experience an Elizabethan style Christmas at Buckland Abbey, every day from 1st December. This Christmas, the doors to the Great Barn open to reveal a willow star constellation in the roof; one thousand willow wishing stars have been made by visitors and volunteers at Buckland Abbey as a Christmas wish or in tribute to somebody special. Navigate your way under the star constellation through a path of two hundred Christmas trees to find the Christmas star on top of a showstopper tree in the Great Barn. Once you have admired the Great Barn, you won’t want to miss Christmas in the abbey. This year, the house is an Elizabethan home of feast and festivity thanks to local groups from the National Association of Flower Arranging Societies (NAFAS), who have been busy creating impressive floral displays to fill every room of the abbey with colour, fragrance and festive cheer.

CHRISTMAS FAMILY TRAIL Daily in December, 10am-4pm Olde Father Christmas, dressed in traditional green, will be greeting families in the hall to tell stories about Christmases

gone by. Every child will be gifted a keepsake to take home and hang on their Christmas tree. Booking is essential. Go to nationaltrust.org.uk/bucklandabbey to book timed tickets. (£6.50/£4).

STORYTIME WITH OLDE FATHER CHRISTMAS Saturdays & Sundays 1-22 December Outside, follow the Christmas family trail to learn about Sir Francis Drake’s circumnavigation of the globe where he followed star constellations to spend his first Christmas in Morocco. (Trail sheets £1)

BUCKLAND ABBEY WASSAIL Sunday 5th January No New Year festivity is complete without a traditional wassail. Join Dartmoor Border Morris at Buckland Abbey and celebrate the wassail for a good harvest next year. Remember to bring your pots and pans to make lots of noise! Usual admission applies. National Trust members free entry. Visit nationaltrust.org.uk/bucklandabbey

at Buckland Abbey Dressed in traditional green, join Olde Father Christmas in the Great Hall for magical stories of Christmases gone by. Every child is gifted a Buckland Abbey Christmas keepsake.

Storytime with Olde Father Christmas

£6.50 (Child+1 adult) / £4 additional adult. Book online:

nationaltrust.org.uk/bucklandabbey

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NATIONAL TRUST

Away from it all at Lydford Gorge How about making time to escape into the gorge? The trails to Whitelady Waterfall and the bird hide will be open daily, 10am-3.30pm. A winter highlight are Goldcrests which like to flit around the trees - being the UK’s smallest bird, they can be hard to spot, instead listen out for their very high-pitched calls. We advise you check online before visiting as sometimes we must shut the walks due to forecast high winds and the risk of falling trees.

main opportunity to do the bigger jobs while the paths are shut for safety and maintenance. This year they must deal with several ash trees that are suffering from ash dieback; this is a fungal disease that can kill ash trees, eventually making them hazardous to work on, and unfortunately, these will need to be taken out over the coming months. However, it’s not all bad news as creating space in the woodland will allow new trees to grow, helping it last long into the future.

The shop and tea-room will be open Friday to Sunday, 10am3.30pm, until Sunday 22 December. Browse the range of Christmas essentials, or find the perfect gift for friends and family. The new range of kitchen and homeware is inspired by the intricate limewood carvings of cascading flowers and foliage found at Petworth House and Park, West Sussex. Stop by the tea-room for a tasty treat and warming cuppa. How about the new plant-powered oat milk latte?

PICK UP A DARTMOOR CHRISTMAS TREE Sat 7 & Sun 8 Dec, 11am-3pm As well as choosing the perfect tree there will be local craft and food producers in the shop and activities to entertain the kids. For more information please visit our website or give us a call on 01822 820320.

Over winter the rangers will be busy with the usual inspections - trees, rock faces, steps, handrails and bridges. This is their

made at Lydford Gorge

Christmas escapes

Lace up your boots and take a hike to see Whitelady Waterfall or visit the bird hide to watch the wildlife. In the lead up to Christmas there'll be children's activities, craft stalls and Christmas trees for sale, please check online for dates.

These are the places that make us. nationaltrust.org.uk/lydford-gorge

See our community website www.dartmoorlinks.co.uk

FOOD & DRINK

Reaping the rewards Three years ago, Marcus Williams, along with family and friends, planted Tamar Valley Vineyard near Bere Alston. At the time Marcus featured as one of our local people, so we were delighted to catch up with him a couple of months ago just after the vineyard’s first harvest. The prospects of the UK wine industry have changed exponentially over the last 30 years, as consumer tastes have changed and winemakers in this country have created a world-class reputation for sparkling white wine. Champagne houses Taittinger and Vranken Pommery have even invested in land in South East England and the UK won three Best in Show medals at the Decanter World Wine Awards this year. While new UK industry body, WineGB, announced in May that three million vines were expected to be planted this year, double the figure planted in 2018, representing a 24% increase in the total area under vine in the UK. Most vineyards are in the south east of England but there are also some in most English and Welsh counties and even vines growing in Scotland. Vines were probably introduced to England as far back as Roman times and from 1066 there was considerable

interest in viticulture at monasteries and later with landowners. However, this largely died out over the next centuries, probably as a result of the variable climate and inconsistent crop return. It wasn’t until the 1950s that English wine experienced a revival; due to the extensive work of a group of pioneers, who looked at suitable vines and growing techniques, commercial wine-making became possible, with a large number of vineyards being planted from the 1960s to the 1990s. Following in the footsteps of local, award-winning Camel Valley Vineyard and Sharpham Wine & Cheese, Tamar Valley

WINTER CELEBRATIONS Jingle Bell Break ¯ Festive Lunch & Dinner Crystal Party Nights ¯ Afternoon Tea Wreath Making Workshops ¯ New Year Party

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FOOD & DRINK

Vineyard is located on the perimeter of wine-growing areas, but it benefits from south-facing slopes overlooking the River Tamar which catch the sun perfectly, and also basks in the microclimate of the Tamar Valley with its cultural heritage of market gardening. Marcus’s grandfather bought the plot of land in 1958 and always dreamed of planting a vineyard there, but it wasn’t until after his death in 2004 when the land passed to his family, that Marcus’s scientific background as a marine biologist prompted renewed interest in the project of creating a vineyard. The family worked with the same consultant who helped establish the Sharpham vineyards and discovered that the local topography of the land was similar to the wine-producing area of the Rhur in Germany. They selected the white wine grape Madeleine Angevine for the vineyard – a variety which originates from the Loire Valley but is also popular in Germany and is well suited to England’s cool climate, producing a crisp, dry, white wine with a floral character. The last three years have been all-consuming. Marcus and his wife Heather both have full-time jobs as marine biologists at the National Marine Aquarium in Plymouth, and have also been working what appears to be another full-time job at the vineyard, albeit with the help of Marcus’s parents, David and Paula Williams, and the ‘vineyard supervisor’, their fiveyear-old son Logan. The vines were planted with the help of family and friends, Marcus attended an intensive viticulture course, learning how to cultivate vines, deal with diseases and encourage biodiversity. Rows have been weeded, leaves have been tested and flowers have been pinched out to encourage growth - until this year when the flowers were counted to estimate the future harvest and finally allowed to progress to fruit. The investment of time and money has been considerable, but the harvest was a joyous affair when helpers young and old came together to reap the first fruits of Tamar Valley Vineyard. The whole day went like clockwork,

with 1.5 tonnes of grapes carefully picked and despatched to a winemaker in Ledbury. Marcus explains that fermentation can take up to a month, before the product is left to age in huge stainless-steel tanks. After bottling, yeast and sugar are added to set off a secondary fermentation – a process which can take up to a year. In the meantime, Marcus and Heather have been busy picking the apples from their orchard of 30 trees to make cider, and there are also plans to plant another vine crop in May 2020 – a pinot noir this time. Ideas abound for the future – their own winery, a café, a glamping site, trips by train and river. For now, it’s a waiting game, with all the incumbent anticipation and anxiety created by the prospect of trying the first bottle of your vineyard’s sparkling white wine. There’s just a possibility of a taste by English Wine Week in May 2020, but if not, keep an eye on the Facebook page because something tells me it will be worth waiting for. Rosemary Best

To keep up with the latest updates follow Facebook: Tamar Valley Vineyard

5 Chefs Dinner Friday 6th December Join Tom Browning, our Head Chef along with fellow chefs for a delicious tasting menu accompanied by a flight of wines. Start the evening with canapés and a glass of bubbly before dining in the Ballroom. £120.00 per person

A Family Run Hideaway in Devon See our community website www.dartmoorlinks.co.uk

LEWDOWN, OKEHAMPTON, DEVON EX20 4PN TELEPHONE: +44 (0) 1566 783 222

EMAIL: INFO@LEWTRENCHARD.CO.UK WEB: WWW.LEWTRENCHARD.CO.UK

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LEAPING LEAPING SALMON SALMON

Celeriac & chestnut sourdough Celeriac & chestnut soup,soup, sourdough sage scotch apple sauce & pickles Pork &Pork sage&scotch egg, egg, apple sauce & pickles Cured salmon, fennel & cucumber Cured salmon, fennel & cucumber Salt-cod fritters, & lemon Salt-cod fritters, aioli aioli & lemon Braised ox-cheek, horseradish, mash, parsnips greens Braised ox-cheek, horseradish, mash, parsnips & &greens Smoked haddock pie, cavolo Smoked haddock pie, cavolo neronero Confit duck leg, bread sauce & greens, roasted carrots Confit duck leg, bread sauce & greens, roasted carrots Mussels, saffron & chips Mussels, saffron & chips Jerusalem artichoke, barley & salsa verde Jerusalem artichoke, pearlpearl barley & salsa verde pumpkin, almond sauce, & cavolo nero Roast Roast pumpkin, almond sauce, sagesage & cavolo nero Chocolate cremeux, ice cream Chocolate cremeux, milkmilk ice cream Poached quinces, horrabridge honey cream hazelnuts Poached quinces, horrabridge honey iceice cream & &hazelnuts & thyme custard & crumble Apple Apple & thyme jelly, jelly, custard & crumble 2 courses 2 courses £20 £20 3 courses 3 courses £25 £25

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FOOD & DRINK

Eversfield Belly Pork Ramen What a dish - with deep umami flavours in the broth, sweet saltiness throughout, zingy coriander and oh-so-juicy organic pork belly, this really has it all.

Ingredients Serves 4 - 6 1.2kg flat belly pork 1 litre chicken bone broth 250g Asia noodles 2 spring onions, roughly chopped 2 carrots, finely sliced with a peeler 1 white onion, sliced 2 portobello mushrooms, thinly sliced 4 slices of fresh ginger 2 garlic cloves, sliced 1 chilli, halved lengthways (optional) 30g coriander, roughly chopped 1 soft-boiled egg (per person) 4 tbsp soy sauce 2 tsp miso paste 2 tbsp sweet chilli sauce salt sugar

intensify the flavours and reduce it slightly. Place the belly pork in a roasting tray with a little oil underneath, roast for 2 hours, or until it’s cooked through, then remove from the oven and allow to rest. In a large frying pan over high heat, add a little oil, white onion, mushrooms and half of the coriander and cook until the mushrooms look glazed and plump. Add salted boiling water to a saucepan and dunk your noodles in so they are almost cooked through, then remove the noodles and add your eggs. Boil for 3 minutes then remove from the heat and peel. Bring your broth back to the boil.

Remove your belly pork from the fridge to allow it to reach room temperature and pat dry, then rub in 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp sugar over the whole joint. Leave uncovered. Preheat your oven to 160.

In your serving bowls, make a nest of the noodles, spoon the mushroom slices next to it, then the carrot shreds. Slice your belly pork as thin or as thick as you like and add to the bowls also, then pour over your broth as hot as can be, over everything in the bowl.

In a large saucepan, add the broth, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, miso paste, sweet chilli sauce and fresh chilli if you wish. Turn on a medium heat, stir and simmer for at least 45 minutes. This will

Finally sprinkle your spring onions and remaining coriander over and add a dash of soy or sweet chilli sauce if you wish. Grab your chopsticks and a spoon and dive in!

Eversfield Organic recently won Best Overall Producer, Best Online Retailer, Platinum for its organic grass-fed beef rump steaks and Gold for its organic chicken legs at this year’s Food Drink Devon Awards. Our organic pork is pretty special because it comes from one of the only UK organic pig farmers, whose pigs are outdoor bred and reared and spend their whole lives outside, the way it should be. Everything from our famous Roam & Relish bacon from the flavour-rich belly, to a pull-apart, slow cooked shoulder joint comes from a British Landrace x Duroc sow. The pigs are free to roam, wander and forage as much as they please and are given an organic feed to get those vital vitamins and minerals they can’t find from the ground.

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FOOD & DRINK

Carters Carters is the new name for Crebers at number 48A Brook Street, Tavistock - or rather it’s the old name for Crebers, since the family grocery business was originally run by John Carter before he retired in 1913, handing over the reins to his daughter Winifred, and her husband Henry Creber. Born in 1848, John Carter started work at just 12 years old in Wheal Maria, before later working as an errand-boy for John Cock, a Brook Street grocer. John Carter, his wife Mary and family of four daughters emigrated to America for a while, but had returned to Tavistock by the mid-1870s - probably when life in America failed to live up to expectations. John joined his brother’s grocery business in West Street and may also have had his own grocery business by 1878 in Duke Street. However, the history of Carter’s and later Creber’s grocery store, all stems from a fire. John Cock’s grocery store at 48 Brook Street - where John Carter had worked in his youth – went up in flames in 1881. Rumour had it that the fire was started by John Cock’s sons to stymie their father’s plans for them to take over the business. Whatever the cause, the fire was the last straw for John Cock and he passed the shop to

John Carter. The Carter grocery business flourished, thanks to John’s hard work, the popularity of his wife’s dressmaking business on the floor above, and John’s reputation as an expert in tea and freshly-roasted coffee. The business remained in the family for over 130 years. And now Carters has a new lease of life under the management of Jack Brudnik, who is focusing on recapturing the gastronomic traditions of John Carter’s grocery store, but with a contemporary range of fine gourmet foods drawn from superior local and international producers. Carters specialises in delicatessen products such as cheeses, cooked

The West Devon Club An ideal venue for your Christmas celebrations, parties and special events such as weddings and wakes.

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FOOD & DRINK

and cured meats, as well as wines, spirits and not forgetting John Carter’s original speciality – roasted coffees and looseleaf teas. The emphasis is on service with same-day home deliveries, cheese and wine pairing recommendations, and made-to-order hampers in the time-honoured Creber and Carter tradition. Carters will be open 7 days a week leading up to Christmas and will be staying open late on Dickensian Evening with a range of cheese, wine and other products available to sample. All the historical details used in this article are taken from Gerry Woodcock’s Tavistock’s Yesterdays no.3, and Norma

Woodcock has kindly given permission for the information to be shared in this article. Tavistock History Society recently published a comprehensive index covering all 27 of Gerry Woodcock’s Tavistock’s Yesterdays, which is available from Tavistock Museum and Book Stop at £10.50; containing more than 50 000 individually referenced topics, it is a must for anyone interested in Tavistock’s history.

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OUTDOORS AND ACTIVE

Out and About with Tavistock Ramblers A 3½ mile walk from the village of Meavy with Malcolm Cooper of Tavistock Ramblers.

The walk starts from the historic centre of the village beside the centuries-old oak tree outside the church and the Royal Oak pub on the village green (SX541672). The River Meavy is crossed on an ancient bridge before the route winds gently up the valley to Lynch Common. There are panoramic views towards Sheeps Tor and Burrator Reservoir,

and four stiles. 1. Walk along the road with the village hall on your right, to a T-junction where you turn right. The road curves to the left and then over a bridge crossing the River Meavy (although there are stepping stones if you prefer!). Walk up the hill, cross a cattle grid where the road bears right and you

will see on your left Marchant’s Cross, recorded as a boundary stone in 1280. At this point you have a choice. 2. You can go straight on, following a fence on your left which soon turns sharply left downhill but you proceed uphill through the gorse to Lynch Common. The other option is to remain on the road to reach Lynch Common. Whichever path you choose, stop at the

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OUTDOORS AND ACTIVE

top to enjoy the view of Sheeps Tor as its centrepiece. 3. Once on Lynch Common there are numerous small sheep tracks to follow as you walk broadly parallel to the road. Crossing a side road you gain in height and the views open towards the left of the Burrator Reservoir dam completed in 1898 and raised in 1929. 4. On the skyline ahead is a large tree plantation for which you should aim. Rejoin the road here and at the first junction go right. Proceed to a T-junction (signposted Clearbrook, Meavy and Yelverton) where you go right. 5. After about 500 metres take a track and a public footpath on the right that passes through a gate. At a second gate into a farmyard go left and then go through a third gate. The track goes to the right, between hedges, and leads to another gate crossing the Lovaton Brook before reaching a lane and a few

cottages. Turn left and left again at the T-junction. The path follows alongside the brook and you should cross a new stile on the right about 150 metres after crossing the brook.

AV Y FO

6. The path goes left through woodland close to a wall, reaching a stile. This stretch of the path is well waymarked and you will come to another stile which is signposted to Meavy. Bear right at the far end of the field to cross the brook again and proceed to a further stile which takes you to a wide path, a gate and the road. Turn right, cross a bridge and turn right again at the T-junction to walk back into Meavy, passing the Grade I listed St Peter’s Church which is mostly 15th century, though some parts are older. Come and join Tavistock Ramblers for more walks in our lovely part of Devon or on Dartmoor. Walks vary from short strolls to all-day treks and everything in between. We

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HISTORY

Wassail!

Dartmoor Border Morris at Buckland Abbey by Grant Wyness

The ancient celebration of wassailing is once again becoming a popular part of New Year festivities in the West Country, and no wonder as this is the home of apple orchards, cider making and gorgeous golden cider. But what are the origins of this tradition? The Celts, dwelling in the dark clearings of the ancient English forests, may have been the instigators of this ancient rite, believing that by chasing away evil spirits from the wild crab apple trees, it would protect them and encourage a good crop for the coming year. When the Romans arrived in Britain, they introduced new apple cultivars and orcharding techniques, and Roman drinking feasts in honour of Bacchus, the god of drinking and merry-making, echo shades of wassailing. However, ‘wassail’ and the origins of the tradition as we know it today, seem to date back to when England was invaded by the AngloSaxons from the fifth century, and the Danes in the ninth century. According to The Oxford English Dictionary, the word itself is derived from the Old Norse ‘ves heill’, corresponding to the Old English ‘wes hál’ or ‘Wes þú hál’ and meaning ‘be in good health’, which was used as a greeting; this became ‘wæs hæil’ (also wes hail, waes hael) in Middle English, after the Norman conquest – giving us the modern word ‘hale’, as in ‘hale and hearty’. The term is even recorded as a greeting as early as the eighth century in the poem ‘Beowulf’. At some point the greeting graduated to a drinking salutation, which was followed by the response ‘drinc hæil’, meaning ‘let’s drink to good health’ (other variations were drink heil and drinchail). Wassailing was probably initially about drinking and making merry, vital to keep people going through the dispiriting winter months, although the concept has changed considerably over 70

the course of time. The pagan celebration was incorporated into the Christian celebration of Twelfth Night or the 12 days of Christmas, hence the reason that current celebrations are often held on 5th January - or on 18th January, the date of Old Twelfth Night before the introduction of the Gregorian calendar. In Medieval England the celebration became a drunken evening outing where the local agricultural peasants would visit all the wealthy landowners in the parish with a wassailing bowl which they demanded was filled with ale, wine or cider for everyone to pass round and share with the traditional greeting. Then wassailing songs would be sung, blessing the local squire and wishing him health and happiness for the coming year. Bread or spiced toast was sometimes added to the bowl to soak up bitter sediments and this practice eventually gave rise to the phrase, ‘toasting good health’. In Victorian times, some wassailing groups became notorious and were ultimately banned by the local magistrate, as they rampaged around towns and villages, forcing their way into as many houses as they could, getting more and more drunken, demanding drink and food with threats and violence, smashing things up, being violently sick and making a lot of noise. Wassail bowl from c.1604 However eventually, house-wassailing evolved ©Stuart King into carolling, with groups of people going from house to house singing Christmas carols, such as ‘Here we come a-wassailing’, written around 1850. In some parts of the country, farmers also started wassailing their crops and animals to encourage fertility. The barley used to make beer in the rest of the country, never grew well down here in the damp, windy landscape of the South West, so the apple was the main source of intoxicating drink. Wassailing became part of the ritual to protect apple trees at orchard

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HISTORY

ceremonies, which are still followed today. In the South West these events now consist of the community visiting each parish orchard in turn, lighting a fire and making as much noise as possible, by banging pans with sticks, firing guns into the air and shouting and yelling - all to scare away the bad spirits from the orchards! Then, to thank the trees and encourage the good spirits to protect the orchards, cider is poured at the roots of the trees by the King of the Orchard, the oldest man in the village; then the Queen of the Wassail, a girl child, is lifted into the trees to place toast in the branches. After this comes a wassailing song, which is usually the orchard song below, or a similar variation.

assail the trees that they may bear, W you many a plum and many a pear for more or less fruits, they will bring as you do give them wassailing. Over time, as beer replaced cider in popularity, orchards were cut down and wassailing went into decline, just hanging on in a few places. Yet today there is a revival of interest in this jolly

Mary Sargeant Tavy & Tamar Apple Group, www.tavyapples.org.uk

See What’s on Extra for details on local wassail events taking place in December and January. Saturday 21 December: Cotehele Wednesday 1st January: Cornwood Sunday 5th January: Buckland Abbey Saturday 18th January: Bere Ferrers

Wassail bowls Wassail bowls were made from wood or pewter initially so that they lasted, but bowls were also crafted for the more wealthy using precious metals, carved stone, ornate ceramics, as well as turned lignum vitae wood with intricate carving. Stuart King created this wooden wassail bowl in a traditional style using sycamore – it has since been hired by the Royal Shakespeare Company, and appeared in two TV episodes of Time Team and a photoshoot for Heston Blumenthal.

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Cotehele Wassail by Chris Groves

outdoor celebration and the real thing can be experienced once more in many villages across the South West, as well as at several National Trust properties, including Buckland Abbey and Cotehele. In the village of Bere Ferrers the apple is an important asset, with cider produced from local orchards, and the apple harvest celebrated at Apple Fest each October. The Bere Ferrers Wassail always takes place after Christmas - a procession of villagers with flaming torches visit the local orchards where the traditional ceremony takes place with a bonfire, singing and lots of noise and cider pouring, followed by dancing from Dartmoor Border Morris, cider and pasties at the parish hall.

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Tech tips from ChezvousPC For a long time, I have been an advocate of Norton Security and regularly install it for customers as here at CVPC I find it is the easiest and least complicated. There have always been additional extras that I have advised people are not really necessary such as their toolbar and homepage. Norton has recently launched a new version of the 360 product which includes many other elements, and is offering a free upgrade; this is all very well, but unfortunately at the end of the period it becomes a pay-monthly product and will be very much more expensive as a result. So, if you are an existing customer with Norton, please don’t be tempted! So, everyone seems to think that if you have a Windows 7 machine it needs to be replaced in January. For those of you with machines that are already 8-10 years old that is certainly the case. But if your PC is 4-5 years old there is a way that it can be just upgraded to Windows 10 AND retain everything. So, if you are not ready to ditch your PC because of the retirement of 7, then I can upgrade it for a tenth of the cost of replacing it!

to it? There is a very plausible technical reason for this, but essentially, the new hub sometimes needs to be configured to allow you to connect to your older equipment. You have to log in to the Router Admin Page and change the wireless mode to mode 2 or 3, because mode 1 really only connects to modern equipment and is not backward compatible. Need any help? - I can do it for you! New opening times! I am always in the office from 08:00 – 09:45 unless I am on a call in Plymouth before getting to the office. So if it is a drop-off or a quick question, then pop by (still a good idea to call first) and I will be here. This will not suit everyone I know, but if you email or call, I can always arrange to be here for you Chez Vous PC For help with any home or business IT needs call 01822 855822 or email help@chezvouspc.com

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www.moorlandfuels.co.uk

Wells • Boreholes Servicing • Breakdowns Control systems pumps • Filtration

• PLUMBING & HEATING PROBLEMS • LEAKING BATHS & SHOWERS RESEALED DECORATING • TILING • AND MORE...

DAMP PROBLEMS MISTY DOUBLE GLAZED UNITS REPLACED SLIDING SASH WINDOWS REPAIRED RENOVATED OR RENEWED

07307 045603

Ft OFdver % is a 10with th

CLEAN DOGS ARE HAPPY DOGS!

all breeds 30 years experience all aspects of grooming home service available dog psychology diploma

www.aquatechwaterservices.co.uk

Tel: 01409 241312 Mob: 07825748720 Email: aquatechwaterservices@gmail.com

R Mears & Sons

Chimney Sweeps & Stove Installation Established over 30 years

Vac Brush. Full CCTV investigations. Pots, Cowlings & Bird Protection fitted. Chimneys Lined. Solid Fuel Appliances, Rayburns, Woodburners, Stoves, etc serviced. Fully Insured. WE SUPPLY STOVES @ TRADE PRICE Tel: 01840 261221 Tavistock: 01822 664554 Mob: 07737 533392

www.sweepdevon.com

9 King Street

Regular House Cleans Letting and House Sales Cleaning Commercial Contracts

07368 588902

01822 853946 / 07531 085183

Tavistock PL19 0DS

Private Water Engineers

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editorial@tavylinks.co.uk

TRADE SECRETS

Name: Gingerbread Man Trade: Christmas confection and lead fairy-tale character

How much training is involved? Not a lot of training is required. You need to be able to lie flat for long periods of time, unless of course you’re being chased by a fox, in which case you must be able to ‘run, run, as fast as you can’. If at all possible, it might be good to learn to swim because then you could evade the fox and live out a full and happy life. How long have you been a gingerbread person? The story of ‘The Gingerbread Boy’ first appeared in print in the 1875 issue of St Nicholas Magazine and I have been reproduced in print and in comestible form ever since. I go stale after a while, although I have been known to lurk in biscuit tins well past my best-before date. Where and when do you work? I get my best work done over the Christmas period when fans of delicious gingerbread go all out making and decorating my jolly fat frame. First there’s all of the mixing with spices, sugar, butter and flour. Then rolling me out, shaping me, then into the oven (not a pleasant experience!). When being decorated, I

Weddings flowers for life’s events creating georgously romantic & unique designs.

like tasteful attire, such as 70% dark chocolate buttons and a bit of gold leaf - but usually its jelly tots, sultanas and random hundreds and thousands. Of course, if you’re upping the ante and creating a gingerbread cosmopolitan sailfish, then you’re going to need a lot of edible silver food colouring! What would you say to someone thinking of this as a career? You definitely need to be aware of all the cons as well as the pros: there’s a lot of mooching around inside dark tins once you’re out of the oven (really quite unpleasant), and you also have to stay fit to keep running when being chased by ravenous animals. Sometimes you’re just nibbled, but more often than not it’s gingerbread-manslaughter! What is the best thing about your job? Well I do bring joy to the happy, hungry Christmas celebrants, and I adore being the star of the gingerbread story – I never tire of shouting ‘run, run as fast as you can…’. Who doesn’t love a good story at Christmas, whilst nibbling on a gingerbread sailfish? – double gingerbread whammy! Oh, and I rather like it when they dribble icing all over me.

Workshops & demonstrations by an Academy of Floral Arts Tu t o r w i t h m a n y workshops to choose from

AMANDA RANDELL COX

hello@flowersetal.co.uk www.flowersetal.co.uk

Nichola Williams

RHS Chelsea Gold medalist Master Florist UK & US

How did you become a gingerbread person? Queen Elizabeth I (reigned 1558 – 1603) is credited with the invention of the gingerbread man. She had gingerbread figures made in the likeness of some of her important guests. So that’s how it all began, although gingerbread houses originated in Germany during the 16th century. Nowadays you can be shaped into anything – I quite like the Christmas cosmopolitan sailfish myself, fastest fish in the sea apparently.

07973 226710

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The Dartmoor Bed Company Proudly Hand-Crafted • On

Dartmoor • Using Dartmoor Wool

NEW HIP STO

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winter sale up to 40% off

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Hand crafted & pocket sprung • Finest certified Dartmoor wool Luxury fabrics • Made to order on Dartmoor Free delivery • 30 Day tension trial * see in store for full details

MADE IN DEVON

Yelverton Business Park (4 Moorside Court) Yelverton PL20 7PE

Dart Business Park (opposite darts farm) topsham EX3 0QH

01822 852244 | www.thedartmoorbedcompany.com

FOR ALL YOUR FLOORING & INTERIOR NEEDS

Carpets • Vinyl • LVT • Wood Flooring Fabrics • Wall Coverings • Paints Domestic & Commercial Installations

Be Inspired

Visit our showroom at

YELVERTON BUSINESS PARK

Free Design Consultation & Advice OPEN: Tues-Fri 10am-5pm Sat 10am-3pm | sales@yelvertoncarpets.co.uk

Trimal House | Yelverton Business Park | Crapstone PL20 7PE

01822 854363 www.yelvertoncarpets.co.uk

Tavistock Bathrooms & Tiles

Your local stockist

Unit 8 Plymouth Road Industrial Estate, Tavistock PL19 9QN

01822 618 619 info@tavistockbathrooms-tiles.co.uk

www.tavistockbathrooms-tiles.co.uk

TAVISTOCK

BATHROOMS & TILES By amanda - james