Reconnect 10 Dec 10-Jan 11

local people local events local food local health local environment visit our website: www.reconnectonline.co.uk

ISSUE 10 DEC 2010/JAN 2011

the green living magazine for Exeter, Plymouth and South Devon

FREE

Festive diary

Christmas and New Year events

please take one and pass it on

'Tis the season...

Dreaming of a green Christmas?

Living on less

Put the squeeze on your finances

Sitting comfortably?

An eco view on re-upholstery

Wellbeing pages

Finding a place of peace

Ethical edibles

Local, seasonal and organic

Green energy

Local wind, wood and solar

local people local events local food local health local environment HoLisTiC MEdiCiNE EXpERiENCEd pRACTiTioNERs WidE RANgE of TREATMENTs pRofEssioNAL TRAiNiNg

EXETER NATURAL HEALTH CENTRE Holistic healthcare in the heart of the city

Health is the fullest expression of you as an individual with the least friction with your environment. it implies adaptation, fluidity, freedom and ease and is truly a blessing.

Here at the centre, we work with you to find the most suitable ways for you to restore and sustain your health. We work from a holistic perspective and with an integrated approach. situated just off Queen street right in the heart of the city we offer a wide range of complementary therapies all provided by respected and experienced practitioners. our consulting rooms are light and airy and many of our visitors have been delighted by the tranquil ambience of the centre.

BriTisH sCHool of HoMoeoPaTHY

homoeopaThiC mediCine mo morrish lomi lomi massaGe, pasT liFe reGression & FUTUre liFe proGression Julie Bladon

deVon sChool oF reFleXoloGy spring course starts april 2011 nUTriTional TherapisT lesley harper preGnanCy yoGa & aCTiVe BirTh patricia or Karin

massaGe, reFleXoloGy & preGnanCy massaGe lisa Tate

reFleXoloGy For preGnanCy and BirTh susan Quayle

enerGy healinG & CoUnsellinG Geoff Green

TradiTional aCUpUnCTUre anna paris

PURE FACE WORKS, BESPOKE HOLISTIC FACIALS norah mcCullagh

Advertising: 01392 346342 adverts@reconnectonline.co.uk

Eco homes pages 10 - 11

Well, we’ve got some tips (really just reminders, I suspect) on how to have a great time without abandoning your green principles; a whole host of seasonal events to get you out on even the coldest and wettest of nights; a look forward at some of the festivals coming up in 2011; and… well, turn the page and you can see for yourself. But first…

PRINTED BY Kingfisher Print, Wills Road, Totnes TQ9 5XN. www.kingfisherprint.co.uk EARLY BIRD DEADLINE Book your advertisement in the February/March issue (out Feb 1) by December 17 and we’ll give you a BIG FIVE PER CENT DISCOUNT! All advertising must be booked by Jan 7. To talk about advertising (no hard sell, we promise!), call Pete Hardy on 01392 346342 or email adverts@reconnectonline.co.uk.

Advert sizes and prices are on our website: www.reconnectonline.co.uk WEBSITE Visit www.reconnectonline.co.uk and you’ll find: • an online PDF version of this issue • advert sizes and prices • details of our magazine stockists • profiles of the Reconnect team To contribute, please email Martin or Pete

© Reconnect Publishing Ltd 2009. All rights reserved.

No part of Reconnect can be reproduced in any form without permission of the publisher. But do ask – if you’re genuinely spreading the word, we’ll do what we can to help. The publishers, editor and authors accept no responsibility in respect of any products, goods or services advertised or referred to in this issue, or any errors, omissions, mis-statements or mistakes in any advertisements or references

Green Christmas

COMMERCIAL break – just a quick word to our advertisers. Starting from the next (February/March) issue we are introducing an Earlybird deadline for booking advertisements.

pages 12 - 13

The simple truth is that it will make things easier for Pete and I if all the ad bookings don’t arrive in our last production week. And if you’re helping us out, we want to do something for you too.

Local energy

So book your ad (a phone call will do it) before December 17 and we’ll knock a very useful five per cent off the cost. And there’s another five per cent for paying the invoice swiftly – and no VAT! Can you afford NOT to advertise in Reconnect?

pages 14 - 17

MORE Reconnect news, and linking back with the 2011 events preview – we’re planning to run an event of our own.

We can’t say too much more at the moment (we hope to have the full story in the next issue), but we want to create an event that feels like walking through the magazine, with stalls and activities around food, renewable energy, eco homes, wellbeing, arts and craft and entertainment.

Going out diary pages 20 - 21

Reconnect, the magazine, is all about bringing together like-minded people and the things they love - and our event will do the same. So you can immerse yourself in it and then incorporate any bits you particularly enjoy into your own life because it will all come from within the Reconnect area.

Wellbeing pages 24 - 31

As always, we’re open to input and suggestions from you, so if you want to be involved, or you just want to tell us something you’d really like to see there, get in touch – editor@reconnectonline.co.uk or 01392 346204.

OUR new Eco Homes section continues to bring some really interesting stuff into the magazine.

Last issue it included the piece on Robert Somerville, and his fascinating views on the use of ‘soft materials’ in building.

This time we have a profile of Rachael South, an upholsterer based on the edge of Dartmoor, who learnt all the traditional skills from her upholsterer father (who’d learnt them from his father).

“I often work on furniture which has been in the family for generations,” she said. “I use the same traditional techniques that gave the original item such a long life, but sometimes the client wants a contemporary fabric so it fits in with a more modern setting. That feels particularly satisfying.”

So that armchair on the cover is unique to the customer; retains the essence of their ancestors; was restored using planet and people-friendly materials AND will last far longer than most of today’s mass-produced offerings.

If anyone was looking for a definition of a sustainable business…

FINALLY then, in a cyclical pattern that seems wholly appropriate to this time of year, I’d like to return to our Christmas and New Year theme and again wish all our readers and advertisers a peaceful and joyous time.

We look forward to having you all being involved in our exciting plans for 2011 – and to Reconnect playing a part in making some of yours happen too.

Editor

YURT HOLIDAYS IN CORNWALL

Sustainable, dog-friendly site in wonderful countryside, near beautiful beaches. insight meditation in the buddhist tradition

Available for a weekend break, a week or longer. Open all-year round.

NEW for this year - Shepherd’s hut

Mill Valley Tipis & Yurts

exeter natural health Centre, Queens Walk, 83/84 Queen street, exeter, eX4 3rp e: info@enhc.org w: www.enhc.org www.reconnectonline.co.uk

pages 6 - 7

So what will you find in our Christmas and New Year issue?

PUBLISHED BY Reconnect Publishing Ltd, 15 Sylvan Rd, Exeter EX4 6EW

Professional Massage Training: apnT accredited massage diplomas available: swedish, remedial, sports injury, indian head Cpd days: myofascial release & protect your Body: extend your Career www.schoolofbodywork.com info@schoolofbodywork.com 07711 656 011

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Local food

First we need to ensure we’re being fully inclusive. So when we say ‘Christmas and New Year’, please consider that shorthand for the festival/s you celebrate at this time of year.

We truly wish everyone a happy, peaceful and joyous time.

PUBLISHER Robin Currie - 01392 411630 robin@reconnectonline.co.uk

COPYRIGHT

Core proCess psyChoTherapy & CoUnsellinG Kay luck

Centre manager: ali morrish

WE don’t usually have a theme in mind when we start out on a new issue (although one often develops as it comes together), but this was of course always going to be the Christmas and New Year number.

TransFormaTional liFe CoaChinG and nlp Therapies sue davies & Katherine Beattie

psyChoTherapy & CoUnsellinG Julia Collett

01392 422555

to the December/January issue.

EDITOR Martin Foster - 01392 346204 editor@reconnectonline.co.uk 45 Punchards Down, Follaton, Totnes TQ9 5FD

reiKi masTer, pressUre poinT massaGe & CrysTal healinG mandy Coull

reiKi & massaGe deirdre richards

massaGe Therapy alice Brockington

COMMERCIAL EDITOR Pete Hardy - 01392 346342 2 Withall’s Gardens, Lympstone, EX8 5JH adverts@reconnectonline.co.uk

ECO ETHOS Reconnect is written, designed, printed and distributed locally, using materials from sustainable sources. The magazine is printed using vegetable-based inks and biodegradable fount solution, and the paper is 75 per cent post-consumer waste and 25 per cent virgin fibre from a sustainable source. It is also chlorine-free and FSC-accredited (www.fsc-uk.org).

All by-products of the production and printing processes are recycled. Please recycle reconnect by passing it on to a friend

Concessionary student clinic run under supervision. Call 01392 422555 for appointments.

THE PRACTITIONERS: CraniosaCral Therapy Katherine Ukleja

local people local events local food local health local environment

See website for details, pictures, etc www.millvalley.co.uk Or call 01208 841163 / 07725 055370

www.gaiahouse.co.uk

www.reconnectonline.co.uk

Editorial: 01392 346204 editor@reconnectonline.co.uk

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local people local events local food local health local environment

local people local events local food local health local environment

Buy pressie smellies with no nasties

Time to book up your favourite festivals for 2011

SMELLIES can be the perfect gift choice – and if they’re locally made using only natural ingredients, what could be better?

Aromatika make and sell a whole range of high quality artisan skin care products using ethical, mostly vegan, ingredients, free of parabens, SLS and other nasties.

And they’ll even professionally giftwrap them for you.

Call in at their store in the heart of Totnes (up the High Street, into The Narrows and they’re on your right) and breath the atmosphere while you watch products being handmade in the store.

• We’re dreaming of a green Christmas see page 12.

Puppet show ANGEL Heart Theatre promise a “spellbinding winter’s treat” with their puppet show, Malina’s Dream, at Rattery Village Hall.

The show starts at 3.30pm on Sunday, December 12, and costs £3 child, £6 adult and £15 for a family. Visit www. angelhearttheatre.com.

The Earlybird catches a five per cent discount and beats the rush THINK of it as a win/win offer.

The thing is, more and more people are advertising in Reconnect. That’s a very good thing, of course, because as we spread the word to help them grow their business, they are helping to make our business a success too.

We are, though, a small team, so we’d really love it if we could get some of the advertising earlier in our production cycle – rather than all at the end,

just before deadline, when Martin’s pulling his hair out and Pete’s… well, he’s working flat out too.

get for settling the invoice within seven days and you’re set to make a serious saving.

So we’re going to make you an offer.

Sound good? You save money, we avoid some stress and Reconnect continues to get bigger and even better at finding you new clients or customers.

If you book your ad for the February/ March issue (out at the end of January)

by Friday, December 17, we’ll give you a five per cent discount.

We call it the Reconnect Earlybird Offer.

Add to that the extra five per cent you

Just call 01392 346342 or email adverts@reconnectonline.co.uk and we’ll tell you how much you can save…

New natural health centre means business BRINGING complementary practitioners together to work from one centre offers enormous benefits to both patients and therapists.

And a new centre in Paignton – one of the biggest in the region – looks like offering more benefits than most.

At the core of The Devon Clinic’s apparently winning formula is a partnership between an established therapist, hypnotherapist Chris Fleet, and an experienced businessman, Tim Wickson.

“The desire to help people is a strong motivation for me,” says Chris, “as it is for any effective therapist – but it’s got to work as a business too.

“We have opened the biggest and best clinic of its kind in the region, with 20 therapists offering a wide range of complementary treatments.

“The idea is that we all complement each other as therapists, providing total health solutions.”

A winning team - practitioner Chris Fleet and businessman Tim Wickson at The Devon Clinic in Paignton Creating the centre’s working peace of mind, most of them environment has been a with glorious views across perfect example of that caring/ Paignton and out to sea), plus commercial partnership in a comfortable reception area, action. where full-time receptionist Judy takes calls and bookings The result is a suite of for all the therapists. eight consultation rooms (five hands-on rooms with Situated on the third floor therapy couch and three (with lift and stairs access), the talking therapy rooms - all centre is above a pharmacy sound-proofed for clients’ and Paignton’s first GP

super-surgery, bringing together all the community’s complementary and conventional healthcare.

“We hope to work closely with the GPs,” said Tim. Future plans include an eczema support group and a dedicated IBS treatment clinic, offering the perfect combination of therapies to treat individual clients.

“We want to be known as a centre of excellence for complementary healthcare in the area,” Tim added. “We can provide all the marketing and practical facilities – leaving the therapists to concentrate on treating people.”

The Devon Clinic will open six days a week, 9am to 9pm Monday to Friday and 9am to 4pm on Saturdays. Early morning appointments will also be available, for example to suit office workers.

Find out more at www.devonclinic.co.uk, or call 01803 500 300.

WITH this issue spanning the December/January period, bridging 2010 and 2011, it inevitably has both reflective and new beginning themes.

It is also the second time we have published over this period, so it feels reassuring and inspiring to be part of an annual cycle.

With all that in mind, we thought it appropriate to take a quick look at some of the events coming up throughout 2011 – we know many of you found the 2010 review useful. As always, we suggest you check details with organisers to ensure there are no last-minute changes.

The first, and for us most exciting, news is that we are planning a Reconnect event for 2011.

We can’t say too much just yet, but it is looking very exciting – think along the lines of a live version of the magazine, which you can walk through, sample and enjoy…

We hope to reveal all in the next issue (out at the end of January) – don’t miss it.

Staying with local events, the biggest and most established is Quest, a rich and healthy mix of local and national complementary health and personal development practitioners (talks, workshops and stands), plus big-name festival music and dance acts, lovely food and drink…

Well, the charity Sustrans has a message for you – you can turn it into a Quality Street.

For three years they have worked with hundreds of residents, using inexpensive, cost effective re-designs aimed at minimising speeding traffic, rat-running, and other anti-social behaviour.

“Simple ideas such as slowing down traffic using brighter reflective road surfacing, using greenery to act as natural chicanes and tidying up rubbish bins to clear pavements have all been done with minimum cost but big benefits,” said a spokesman for the scheme.

Residents of Ellacombe Road in Torquay, worked with Sustrans and

4

For fans of folk (and that’s becoming an increasingly broad classification), look out for details of the 2011 line-up at the Sidmouth Folk Week, July 29 – August 5. www. sidmouthfolkweek.co.uk for details.

Finally, if you live in the rural community, Villages In Action will, as usual (or maybe not quite as usual, given the recent cuts) bring you high quality performers and artists.

We’ll reveal more about their 2011 programme issue by issue as it is announced, or visit www.villagesinaction.co.uk.

If you’re involved in something you think Reconnect readers would enjoy, let us know.

01803 500 300 Opening hours Monday to Friday 9am-9pm Saturdays 9am-4pm

Complementary health treatments in the heart of South Devon

the council to redesign the use of their street, making it one-way for cars and creating echelon parking bays. They also made a greener entrance, with plants and trees to obscure sightlines and ensure traffic had to proceed with care.

Cindy Stocks, resident of Ellacombe Road and local councillor, says: “Our redesigned street has made a positive difference by reducing the sheer volume of traffic - but it hasn’t solved everything. I’d love to see a 20mph limit put in to really enforce the idea that our street is not just for other people to drive through but somewhere that the local residents live in.”

Visit www.quality-streets.org.uk before the end of February and find out how to lobby your local councillor.

• Picture shows the entrance and planting at Ellacombe Road, Torquay.

Advertising: 01392 346342 adverts@reconnectonline.co.uk

Hotel Palindrone, above, at last year’s Sidmouth Folk Week and, right, sound healing at Quest

The Devon Clinic is Torbay’s newest and largest contemporary health clinic – on the top floor of Pembroke House (formerly Concord House) in Preston, Paignton.

All our practitioners are local experts, offering a wide range of effective treatments to restore physical and emotional wellbeing.

We treat a range of ailments, the most common of which are weight control, stress & anxiety, back pain and smoking cessation.

We can also offer a range of beauty and cosmetic treatments to ensure you look and feel your best. www.reconnectonline.co.uk

Email us now at editor@ reconnectonline.co.uk.

And look out for details of that big new Reconnect event – see you there!

Call us on

How to turn your road to hell into a Quality Street DO you live in a street plagued by speeding motorists and nuisance parking? Afraid to let the kids go out and play? Find it difficult to stop and chat to neighbours?

Quest 2011 will run over July 7-10 – see www.questuk.co.uk for more details.

The most local, not-to-be-missed music festival is Beautiful Days, at Escot Park, Ottery St Mary, which has the reputation for being small, friendly and more about creativity and music than corporation and money.

Organised by The Levellers, 2011 will be the ninth Beautiful Days, with five stages, children’s area, comedy, theatre, camping, local real ale and food and crafts… but no corporate branding. It’s on the weekend of August 19, 20 and 21. See www. beautifuldays.org.

Another increasingly popular Westcountry festival for your diary is the Sunrise Celebration (Festival of Organic Arts and Culture), at Bruton in Somerset, from June 2-5. See www.sunrisecelebration.com.

Back to the Reconnect patch, and in no particular order, Exeter’s big two must not be missed - Animated Exeter (the internationally recognised festival of all things animated, at venues across the city but mainly at The Phoenix) from February 14-26 (www. animatedexeter.co.uk); and Vibraphonic (a wonderfully rich and eclectic mix of big names, new names, live music, DJs and community radio in venues across the city) from March 5-21.

www.reconnectonline.co.uk

3rd Floor • Pembroke House • 266-276 Torquay Road, Paignton • Devon • TQ3 2EU www.devonclinic.co.uk

AN A-Z OF OUR TREATMENTS Acupressure Acupuncture Aesthetics Allergy Testing Aromatherapy Body Psychotherapy Bowen Technique Chiropractic Therapy Cognitive Behavioural Hypnotherapy Counselling & Psychotherapy Facial Revitalisation Food Nutrition Therapy Hopi Ear Candling Hypnotherapy Indian Head Massage Kinesiology Life Coaching Massage Physiotherapy Psychotherapy Reflexology Reiki Sports Injury Rehabilitation Thai massage Trager® Bodywork Yoga Zero balancing

Editorial: 01392 346204 editor@reconnectonline.co.uk

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local people local events local food local health local environment

local people local events local food local health local environment

A day of festive celebration in store for city shoppers

AN Exeter wholefood store is making Christmas shopping that bit more enjoyable (and affordable) by holding a day of celebration in December.

On December 11, 9.30am5.30pm all stock will be 10 per cent off, and there will be free food and drink samples at Seasons, in Well Street, Exeter.

Seasons are also holding two talks in the city in association with the Totnes-based Holistic Cooking School .

A HUGE variety of goodies on our Local Food plate this time, from water and festival catering to community pigs and Christmas fayre - of course!

Waterman franchises for sale Waterman Deliveries is expanding and we are now looking for motivated and capable people with an interest in health to distribute our product(s) throughout these areas;

• ToTnes • Torquay • exeTer • PlymouTh • exmouTh • newTon abboT If you would like to run your own profitable business with high earning potential, selling quality spring water and other health related products to regular customers in your area call Robin on 01752 895381 for more information.

Is this your new direction?

With sales of spring water now big business and becoming increasingly popular in the South West, businessman Rob Hemming is looking to franchise his door-to-door delivery service.

Rob, known as The Waterman, has been delivering quality spring water to the door for over 10 years and is looking to expand.

Rob’s customers are all around South Devon and the strength of the business has been his reliable service and the convenient (spring water on tap) porcelain dispensers together with the purity and taste of his Liquid Crystal Spring water.

To take the business to the next level Rob is offering franchises. He wants to find motivated and capable people with an interest in health

to distribute his water and other health products throughout Totnes, Torquay, Exeter, Plymouth, Exmouth and Newton Abbot.

Says Rob: “Franchising seems to be the best business model for growth because the franchisee is motivated by his or her own desire for success and once their customer base is established, running the business is a matter of delivering on a set day each fortnight or each month.

“Water is an essential commodity for us all and the quality of our drinking water is fundamental to our health.”

Rob’s company slogan is ‘pure drinking water is not a luxury!’

If you would like to learn more about Rob’s franchise idea call Robin on 01752 895381.

Seasons-ChristmasAd-R7 15/11/10 11:26 Page 1 C

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City caterers top the bill at Glastonbury THINK outside catering for a green event featuring local and organic food and the biggest show on the calendar comes to mind Glastonbury!

ethical sourcing, use of organic and fair trade products and local food, then shortlisted and visited by a secret shopper to test for customer service - all bases covered then!

So to be voted the best Green Trader above over 200 other caterers is quite an accolade.

When not at a show Rob and Rachel run Seasons health food store in Well Street, Exeter.

That was the high point of the festival for caterers and Exeter shopkeepers Rob and Rachel Barker.

The couple have been running an outside catering business called Fresh Organic for around 10 years and are regulars at Glastonbury.

Said Rob: “As well as selling fabulous food from Seasons, we go to the festivals and have done for 10 years. It’s not easy preparing all organic veggie food in a field so it’s nice our hard efforts have been rewarded.”

They were judged on how green they are in terms of recycling,

• The couple are pictured receiving their award at this year’s festival.

6Composite Advertising: 01392 346342 adverts@reconnectonline.co.uk

www.reconnectonline.co.uk

Getting the Community takes stock range sausages and pork will be on the taste for our FREE dining table this Christmas for members of the environment Broadclyst Community Farm project, who are at SOME time ago, there was a local food campaign brilliantly named Eat The View, very effectively making the point that no matter how good the scenery, if it’s farmland, it’s actually food you’re looking at (or in the case of some cereal crops, food for livestock – that will later be food for us).

Now a new local campaign is setting out to make that same link between the landscape, farming and food production.

Promoted by the South Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), with a strapline of Outstanding Landscape – Outstanding Food, it will highlight local produce, from traditional meats and artisan cheeses to luxurious ice creams and sparkling cider.

South Devon AONB manager Robin Toogood said: “The natural climatic advantages of the area help local farmers produce quality food.”

Campaign leaflets explain how buying local reduces food miles, is probably fresher and is picked when it’s ready in season.

“Money spent on foods grown locally helps farms stay in business and to reinvest in the environment and the local economy,” said Robin.

The leaflet also lists farmers’ markets and the address of the campaign’s new website www.lovetheflavour.co.uk.

last beginning to see the fruit of their labours.

Six young pigs arrived at the farm, on National Trust land on the outskirts of Exeter, and immediately settled into their new paddock, rooting around in the long grass and eating apples and bread from their trough.

The pigs, bought with money raised through supporter donations to the farm, will be looked after on a twice-daily basis by the farm’s volunteer livestock group.

The plan is that the sausages and pork from five of the pigs will be available at Christmas to supporters of the farm. The remaining pig will be kept for breeding.

The farm was also approved for a community tree planting of around 420 saplings from the Woodland Trust.

People were invited to visit the farm and get involved in planting the saplings during an Open Day held in November.

The open day was also a chance for visitors to meet the pigs and sheep, to see the plans for the farm over the next five years and to speak to existing volunteers about getting involved preparing the fields, tending the crops as they grow, fundraising and becoming a supporter.

The farm is currently looking for a volunteer treasurer and secretary. Call 01392 881797 or visit communityfarm@broadclyst.org.

Small but well-packed WHAT Ashburton’s farmers’ market lacks in size, it more than makes up for by having a massive, free carpark right outside – and a roof.

Situated in the car park of Tuckers Country Stores, the market is all under canvas and brings together everything you could want for your Christmas and New Year feasting.

A full range of awardwinning meat, including sausages and bacon, is provided by local producers Proper Pork (who are also the driving force behind the market), and there’s also local veg, fruit,

www.reconnectonline.co.uk

cakes and preserves, plus pulses and dairy products.

They even manage to fit in a table and seating, so you can enjoy a cuppa and a biccy, or a mug of soup and something savoury if you prefer.

And they’ve currently got some seasonal specials in store – including hampers of local produce as a sustainable gift for the foodie in the family.

On Thursday, December 9, at 7.30pm, Oliver Cowmeadow will talk about child immunisations, at 7.30pm in the Exeter Steiner School, 80 Merrivale Rd (off Buddle Lane) in St Thomas.

Charge is by donation only.

And on Thursday, January 20, the St Sidwell Centre is the venue for a talk entitled ‘Food for health and wellness’ at 7pm. The £5 admission is payable on the door.

For more information, call 01392 201282.

in a pickle Home made pickle & chutneys Produced in St. Marychurch, Torquay, using top quality ingredients, with no artificial additives of any kind.

73 Fore Street, St Marychurch, Torquay

Tel: 0775115 6325

Everything you need for Christmas...under one roof We’ve got the lot! Christmas orders now being taken.

Christmas Hampers, off-the-peg and bespoke. Choose for yourself from our wonderful range of local, award winning produce, including organic vegetables, Fairtrade, wholefoods, homebaking, dairy, fish, poultry and meats. Gifts galore made by local makers.

Call in now and take a look. Open all day, Tuesdays to Saturdays.

Special Christmas Late Night Opening on Thursday 9 December.

Tuckers Country Store, Ashburton. Free parking right outside the door.

Get Turkeyed at Tuckers this Christmas!

Find out more at www. properporkdevon.co.uk, or visit the market, in Tucker’s Yard, Ashburton, open all day Tuesday to Saturday.

Editorial: 01392 346204 editor@reconnectonline.co.uk

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local people local events local food local health local environment

local people local events local food local health local environment Green skill workshops

Farmers’ festive food feasts IT’S not easy to find reasons for not buying local produce - especially for Christmas and New Year festive feasts.

First, it’s good for the local economy - money spent with local producers and local stores and stalls stays in the community, where it’s spent with other local businesses... and so on.

Second, it’s good for the producers themselves.

In fact, many of them are not just producers - they’re also marketers and retailers. They grow or produce it, package it and sell it straight to us - no middlemen taking a cut just for sticking their logo on it; no food miles to cart it up to distribution centres.

And third, and most importantly, it’s good for us - fresh, seasonal and, often, organic, or at least unsprayed.

So if you want a greener Christmas (and why not make it your New Year’s resolution

for weekly shopping?), buy produce when it’s in season, buy it from a local producer and, where possible, buy it loose, not pre-packed.

You can find fresh local produce right across the region from independent specialist shops, farmers’ markets

(see the panel for details).

And check out the Totnes Good Food Market, 10am-3pm in the Market Square - and Christmas Special on Sunday, December 19, and the New Year market on Sunday, January 23 (see www.totnesgoodfood. co.uk).

Farmers' markets

BOVEY TRACEY: Every other Sat 01626 834109 ASHBURTON: Tues to Sat 01364 643836 BUCKFASTLEIGH: every Thurs 01803 762764 CREDITON: first Sat 01363 775928 DARTMOUTH: second Sat 01803 861202 EXETER: every Thurs 01392 665480 EXMOUTH: second Wed 01404 44030 KINGSBRIDGE: first and third Sat 01803 861202 NEWTON ABBOT: every Tues 01626 215426 PLYMOUTH: second & fourth Sat 01752 306552 SOUTH MOLTON: fourth Sat 01769 572252 Updates to: editor@reconnectonline.co.uk

Plymouth Holistic Doctor Practising integrative whole-person medicine More than 25 years clinical experience Comprehensive assessment integrating mind and body

Common problems: • Stress

• Overweight

• Chronic pain

• Fatigue

• IBS

• Depression

• Anxiety

• Not wishing to take tablets

Local for 30 years WHILE new ways of selling local produce have been getting established across the region – from farmers’ markets to box schemes – the Totnes Local Produce Stall on Totnes Market has been quietly supplying shoppers for 30 years.

Set up in the 70s by Charles and Janet Riggs, who grew much of the produce themselves at Weston House Organic Farm in Bridgetown, it has built up a core of loyal customers.

Since Charles’s death a few years ago, Janet and some of the younger generation of workers at the farm have been re-establishing this tradition.

Martin Crawford , from the Agroforestry Research Centre, was one of those early suppliers.

“It’s great to see this stall continuing the good work he started,” said Martin.

“It’s the perfect way to reduce food miles and enjoy the great taste of local organically and biodynamically grown vegetables.”

The stall includes local fruit and veg, flowers, chutneys and even blacksmithing.

Visit the stall on Fridays or email Noni at noni-m@ supanet.com or call Frankie on 01803 862304 to find out about home deliveries.

Country Markets Ltd. Visit one of over 400 Markets found around England, Wales and the Channel Isles. Taste our Home Made produce from Cakes, Savouries, Preserves and Honey. Enjoy your garden by purchasing flowers and Plants, Fresh Vegetables from our gardens all Home Grown.

Purchase items of craft from many different regions of the country, in wood, paper, cotton and many mediums all Hand Crafted.

Join Country Markets and become a producer.

For details contact: Country Markets Ltd. email: info@country-markets.co.uk or look at our website for details of your nearest market www.country-markets.co.uk

• Tried everything

Possible solutions:

• Better nutrition - what you eat and how much • Exercise - getting body and mind moving • Education - learning what makes YOU tick, what works for YOU • Using your mind - guided imagery, hypnosis, dealing with the past, creating the future • Environment - understanding the role of your environment in creating illness and what to do about it • Relationships - understanding how interactions with family, spouse, colleagues can harm or heal • Therapies - including acupuncture, healing touch, hypnotherapy

Peverell Clinic, 202 Peverell Park Road, Plymouth, PL3 4QE www.plymouthholisticdoctor.co.uk email: rmcgill@doctors.org.uk tel: 07709 110579.

8

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How to get Matt’s new book FREE NOW, call me superficial if you like (well, actually, no don’t – even journalists have feelings), but give me a new book of verse and I’ll first flick through it looking for one of those pithy yet poignant short poems.

It’s not that I don’t read longer poems (some of my best friends have had long poems read to them), but I just love it when a very few words can capture an idea or emotion.

So it was with great delight that on page 92 of Where Earwigs Dare, the latest book

by Totnes poet Matt Harvey, I spotted a poem called Botox: Early onset Taxidermy If you still need to know more about Matt, or why you should buy this book for everyone you know for Christmas (as Transition guru Rob Hopkins says he plans to), check it out at your local independent bookshop or visit www.mattharvey. co.uk. MF THOSE lovely people at Green Books are letting us give away a free copy of Matt’s book to the first three people to email us. So do it now: put ‘Where Earwigs Dare’ in the subject box, and your name and address in the email, and send it to us at editor@ reconnectonline. co.uk. And then go and buy one, just to be sure…

A NEW South Devon organisation is running a series of “local, practical, affordable and quick” workshops to help people save cash and resources and become more self-sufficient.

Skillschool workshops planned for December/ January include: make cosmetics using natural materials; basic bicycle maintenance and repair; clothes repairs and alterations; make felt slippers; and repair your sash windows.

Participants pay £10 for a two-hour workshop and £20 for four hours.

Skillschool is designed to be an interactive service and anyone who can offer skills to share in a short workshop could also receive around £50, or half the proceeds, provided a minimum (usually eight) participants attend.

Workshops planned for the spring include: simple basket making; home-brewing; and rainwater harvesting.

Find out more from Alan White or Trudy Turrell – text 07807 246879 or email trudy@trudyturrell. plus.com.

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THE GRANARY at WoolsGRovE CouRT the complete Mid Devon workshop/conference venue IT is a reflection of just how busy Sustainable Crediton have been over the last year that they took second place in the Devon Community Foundation’s Small Green Steps Awards – including a cash prize of £1500.

As the award citation said: “The time and commitment you have put into reducing the impact you have on the environment is an inspiration for many other groups.”

And their work continues… in November, they ran a sustainability workshop for Mid Devon District Council councillors and senior staff.

Their 2011 programme is looking just as busy – find out more at www. sustainablecrediton.org.uk.

• Pictured is Sustainable Crediton vice chair Charles Mossman (right) receiving the cheque from Michael Gee of Devon Community Foundation.

Glorious Mid Devon location * Traditional building full of character * Modern facilities * Kitchen and reception areas * Plenty of parking * B&B for residential courses * Excellent public transport links * Perfect for workshops and conferences * Available by the hour, day or week/end * Two minutes to country inn

Happy consumeristmas...

IF all this Christmas shopping is a bit too much for you, Transition Exeter is running Happiness and Sustainability: Positive alternatives to consumerism, which it describes as, “a positive session before Christmas, with ideas agreed to be taken forward into working groups in the new year.”

Find out more at www.transitionexeter.org.uk

www.reconnectonline.co.uk

Woolsgrove Court Health Centre, near Crediton

01363 84226 www.woolsgrovecourt.co.uk Editorial: 01392 346204 editor@reconnectonline.co.uk

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local people local events local food local health local environment

local people local events local food local health local environment

Eco homes

WESTCOUNTRY WATERBEDS Guildhall Shopping Centre, Exeter Call Brian on 01392 411212 Learn more on www.water-beds-uk.com

Local people helping you live a greener life.

Tell us what you offer email editor@reconnectonline.co.uk

History in the making

c h r i s n o a ke s CONSTRUCTION

Eco-construction and general building The Westcountry Waterbeds store in Exeter’s Guildhall Centre

Higher Beenleigh Barn, Diptford TQ9 7ND

01548 821136 07890 417535 cknoakes@hotmail.com

Robert Somerville IndIgenouS BuILdIng deSIgn

Oak, Stone, Earth & Lime Local natural building materials are our heritage.

For all work on barn conversions, listed buildings, and new eco-builds, talk to Robert Somerville and his team.

We have 25 years experience, and can help with everything from design, planning permission and project management to finding dependable local craftsmen.

Contact Robert on 01364 631 461 or robertjsomerville@googlemail.com

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Water good night’s sleep THE health benefits of waterbeds have overcome the old fashioned and seedy reputation they beds had and now they are being labelled the healthy option.

Brian Cooper has worked with and slept on waterbeds for 23 years and takes sleep very seriously. His company, Westcountry Waterbeds in Exeter’s Guildhall Shopping Centre, places special emphasis on a healthy way of sleeping with the bonus of greater hygiene for asthmatics and eczema sufferers.

documented but many of us still insist on spending about a third of our life sleeping on springs.

Said Brian: “Because waterbeds are adjustable for firmness and temperature, you can set your bed so it is just right for you, summer or winter. And they stay clean and comfortable year after year.

Since it takes up so much of our time, making the right choice of bed is vital.

“Medically, the low pressure points and gentle warmth mean pressure off the joints, relaxed muscles and good circulation which helps many conditions. The hygiene is a bonus with no problems normally associated with conventional matresses such as dust.”

The advantages of waterbeds over conventional mattresses are well

Call 01392 411212, or visit www.water-beds-uk.com.

Building greener homes in the real world WE like to think we have a pretty realistic attitude here at Reconnect.

In an ideal world, we’d probably all like to live in perfectly insulated homes, run entirely on renewable energy and constructed using earthfriendly, and ideally local, materials.

But back in the real world, we often have to live with a few compromises – where we need to live, what we can afford to buy or have built, and how much time and energy we have to sort through still greener options.

Not ideal, then, but hell, we’re all doing what we can.

And if you’re looking for someone with the same realistic attitude to carry out work for you, then you have an ally in Chris Noakes, who describes

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what he does as “eco construction and general building”.

“I am happy to work for clients who know eco is better but who have to accept a more affordable compromise,” says Chris.

“It’s all a matter of degree – we want to go green, but most of us have to accept some more conventional materials too.

“I promise I won’t get all sniffy if a project’s not all strawbale and reclaimed oak!”

Chris is happy to take on all domestic construction work, from extensions to refurbishments, or new-builds.

Find out more on 01548 821136 or 07890 417535, or email cknoakes@hotmail.com.

www.reconnectonline.co.uk

UPHOLSTERER Rachael South has taken her family’s traditional skills and created the perfect sustainable 21st century business.

Rachael, one of three sisters, grew up in her father’s upholstery workshop in London and after 10 years working in textile design, she returned to work with him for six months before he retired – “it was great to work with him again and to be back in a workshop instead of a studio environment”, she said.

To get yet more experience, Rachael then spent three years working with two London upholstery companies, one specialising in contemporary furniture and one an antique furniture specialist.

Now she is using all those skills, some of them learnt as a child, in her own business, based in Manaton, on Dartmoor, where she takes on all kinds of upholstery work – and chair caning and rush seating repairs, skills her grandfather used when he worked as a street peddler, known as a ‘gypsy caner’ .

“I’m doing something I love and at the same time keeping alive the family tradition,” says Rachael.

Many of her clients are enjoying that same link with their ancestors.

“I often work on furniture which has been in the family for generations,” she said. “I use the same traditional techniques that gave the original item such a long life, but sometimes the client wants a contemporary fabric so it fits in with a more modern setting. That feels particularly satisfying.”

Rachael also uses sustainable materials, including coconut fibre stuffing and cotton felt, a bi-product of the textile industry.

A well-loved armchair gets a new lease of life, above, and a rush seat gets the Rachael treatment, below

WELLNESS THERAPY COUCH. More information?

Call Susie at Sienna Therapies on 01326 218021.

Special discounts for therapists and Reconnect Readers.

TOM HILLIARD

ltd

the craft of building excellence

• contemporary & traditional materials & techniques • renovation / refurbishment / extension • conservation / eco tecnologies - biomass, solar • high standards contributing to a sustainable future “Now people know I’m here, I’m also getting furniture bought from antique sales - there are still bargains to be had if you buy something requiring work. And when it’s restored, it’s good for generations to come, which is not something you can say of some modern furniture…”

Call 01647 221 610, or email rachaelsouth@hotmail.com.

And the winners of our book prize are...

THE Eco Homes section in our last issue included news of an excellent new book, Local Sustainable Homes (ISBN 978 1 900322 76 8), by local green building expert and author Chris Bird.

We also have three copies up for grabs (kindly donated by Green

www.reconnectonline.co.uk

Books) and the first three emails in our inbox to claim them were from: Kate Hubert, Chudleigh; Jennifer Webber, Torquay; and Michael Pitcher, Plymouth.

They‘ve all got their freebies, but the rest of you need to visit your favourite local bookshop with £14.95…

01803 762807 | info@tomhilliardltd.com

w w w. t o m hilliardltd.com Editorial: 01392 346204 editor@reconnectonline.co.uk

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local people local events local food local health local environment

green christmas Shopping local from far afield Totnes late night shopping evenings are a way of keeping it local - although their popularity has turned them into a national attraction.

Expect the usual unique shopping experience, with a host of independent specialist stores, plus loads of markets stalls (up both sides of the high street), musical entertainment and more.

From 5.30pm (although it takes an hour or so for things to warm up) on Tuesdays, December 7, 14 and 21.

For public transport and park and ride details (don’t think about taking your car), see www. totnestowncouncil. gov.uk.

How to be seasonal - and sustainabauble!

Discover Christmas crafts IF you’re looking for a creative Christmas event to inspire some original pressie and decoration ideas, head for Bovey Tracey.

The Devon Guild of Craftsmen centre, at Riverside in Bovey, is hosting Make, an exhibition of handmade crafts, until January 2, where you can make your own decorations in the gallery, check out the work of world-class makers and buy something that bit different from the shop.

Saturday, December 4, is the centre’s Christmas Celebration Day, with carol singing, food tastings, beading and blacksmithing, plus seasonal goodies in the excellent café.

In the New Year the gallery hosts an exhibition of crafts called Get Fresh, with new inventions in print, wood, textiles, glass, ceramics, jewellery and resin.

Call 01626 832223 or visit www.crafts.org.uk.

12

It’s a fir trade tradition

SO, is Christmas and New Year the perfect time to put all those theories about greener living into practice – or a chance to just eat, drink and be done with it? Well, we reckon it’s possible to fill your festivities with feasting, frolicking and fun – and still be green…

CHRISTMAS is, of course, a time of giving. And no matter how much we might complain about its commercialisation, that also means for most of us, it is a time of buying.

But not all shopping is bad – give it some thought and every purchase we make can be green and sustainable. And the key to buying green is, when possible, BUY LOCAL. Sorry to shout, but it really does make a difference.

One pound spent with a local business will stay in the community and circulate, going on to be spent with six or seven other businesses and benefiting the local economy by £6 or £7. Spend that same pound in a store owned by a national or international chain, which buys much of its stock overseas (over 4,000 tonnes of products will arrive from China this Christmas), and most of it will go back overseas - or into the pockets of shareholders.

So by using smaller, independent shops and markets, you can support the local economy - as well as find something a little different AND encourage diversity on the streets of our towns and cities.

And don’t forget shopping is a social event too – particularly at markets and on the high street, where friends and family are more likely to meet and chat.

Somehow the frozen food aisle at Tesco just doesn’t have that warm, community feel…

great presents too - organic hampers, locally-brewed beer or organic wine, chutneys, cakes, oils or chocolates.

And if you want to save even more money, and make the gift even more personal, buy your ingredients locally and make them yourself – you can get the kids involved too.

Another way of giving green is to agree with family and friends that you’ll have a price limit, or only buy secondhand (charity shops, markets, antique jewellery and vintage clothing shops), or from local craftmakers – or a combination of all of them. Talking and planning in advance avoids any awkwardness.

Or avoid buying stuff altogether.

Give personalised vouchers, promising to do family or friends favours, like helping in the garden, or washing up for a week. These are great for kids to give.

Or buy an experience. Most complementary therapists and practitioners will write out a voucher you can give as a gift (check out our Wellbeing section on page 24 for more ideas).

Or how about cinema tickets, club membership or a cookery course?

Make a charity donation and so many more people benefit from your generosity. Just put ‘Christmas charity’ into Google, or start with your favourite charity and see what they have on offer.

FOOD AND DRINK Farmers’ markets (and specialist shops that stock local produce) are an excellent place to source food and drink that’s as good for animal welfare and the local economy as it is for you.

Find out more about local markets and suppliers in our Local Food section – pages 6-8.

DECORATIONS Make your own. House decorations can be made from organic, recycled and scrap materials - try popcorn, dough, cinnamon sticks, bows and gingerbread.

Or instead of spending a fortune on artificial Christmas decorations that won’t biodegrade, bring a little nature indoors and deck the halls with real holly – be respectful of the trees, though, and the owners of the land. Use evergreen branches and seasonal berries.

In January, it can all go into the composter.

If you do buy decorations, try to

PRESENTS This is the big one for most of us. Again we’d urge you to buy them locally – and if you can buy some that are made locally too, even better.

Staying with local food and drink for a moment, it makes

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local people local events local food local health local environment

find fairly traded and ethically sourced products, or ideally, buy locally made decorations at craft markets.

And turn those Christmas lights off when they are not needed.

If you’re buying new lights, try lower energy LED lights, or lights powered by solar power or rechargeable batteries.

CARDS AND WRAPPING Around 1.7 billion Christmas cards are sent each year in Britain, the equivalent of 200,000 trees. Go for recycled, charity, or ecards.

And around 83 square kilometres of wrapping paper end up in our bins each year.

Use brown or recycled paper, recycled foil or newspaper, and string or raffia (made from bark, which regenerates) to tie it up. Or use old magazines or newspapers and choose pictures to suit your friends and family.

Just choose carefully if you read The Sun… CANDLES Paraffin candles are made from petroleum residue and are no good for your health or the environment. Candles made from soy, beeswax or natural vegetable-based wax are more eco-friendly because they biodegrade and are smokefree.

RECYCLING Give unwanted pressies to charity shops (or ‘regive’ them on Freecycle - www.freecycle. org) and local hospitals and hospices can often use unwanted smellies.

Give your cards to the last ever Woodland Trust Christmas Card Recycling Scheme and vote for where you would like them to plant trees with the money raised. Find out more at www. woodlandtrust.org.uk If you don’t have one you can plant in the garden, at least take it to your local recycle centre, where it will be composted.

Less than 15 per cent of trees are recycled.

And don’t forget to put the vegetable peelings from your Christmas dinner in your home compost bin, or on your heap.

www.reconnectonline.co.uk

TREES play a big part in winter celebrations and around Christmas in particular.

They provide warmth, shelter and food, the three key elements to sustain life, and have become symbolic of life itself.

Woodland consultant Adam Griffin says: “Bringing inside greenery and berries and bedecking evergreen trees with baubles and lights at the darkest time of the year has traditionally reminded us that the earth is not dead, but just sleeping.”

It takes around five years to grow a standard sized tree of 1.6-2.4 metres – and if you buy a cut one, it will hopefully last a couple of weeks, depending on the heat and humidity of your home.

The original Norway Spruce is perhaps more traditional, but Noble and Fraser Fir tend to drop fewer of their larger, more bluey green needles.

“If you buy one with roots you have a good chance of keeping it alive for several years,” says Adam.

“You may have to prune the roots, but a 1.8m tree should fit in a 30cm wide drained pot (stand it on a tray or dish). Keep the soil moist.”

Come 12th night get it outside and keep it somewhere out of gales, and hard frosts.

“Ideally plant it into a slightly larger pot and bury it to the soil level in the pot as soon as possible – that way it won’t out grow your sitting room too quickly.”

For crystals, incense, jewellery, tarot, meditations, CDs and much more.

And if you do buy a pre-cut tree, don’t forget to take it to a local composting scheme or council chipping pile to be turned into mulch.

You can also give a tree as a present.

Adam suggests checking out the following: Moor Trees – A local Devon charity restoring native woodlands www.moortrees.org 01364 649277 Trees For life – A Scottish highlands charity restoring the Caledonian forest www.treesforlife.org.uk 01309 691292 Tree Aid – A UK charity supporting African tree planting projects www.treeaid.org.uk 0117 9096363 Tree to My Door – personalised tree gifts www.tree2mydoor.com 0161 8706590 If you need more detailed advice on trees, woodlands and all things wildlife friendly, call Adam Griffin on 07963 678547 or email adam@ adamgriffinconsultancy.co.uk

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Making shopping special IF we must buy loads of extra stuff for Christmas (and it seems we really must!), then let’s at least spend our dosh with local, independent stores and stalls – and have some fun at the same time.

Plymouth has over 200 specialist stores in its independent quarter and they’re hosting a Christmas Carnival on December 5 to make some noise about it.

Radio Plymouth will kick things off around 11am and the day will include face-painting, music, dance, fire juggling… and Santa, of course.

Check out Plymouth’s ice rink too, on The Piazza in Armada Way, from now until January 2.

Exeter is hosting a range of Christmas Craft, Gift, Produce and Charity markets in Castle Street (just off the High Street). They’re all 9am-5pm, except for Thursday Gift Markets, which stay open until 9pm. Find out more at www.exeter. gov.uk/christmas or call 01392 665480.

Kingsbridge Celebrates Christmas takes over the town on December 11, when Fore Street will close to make way for live street entertainment including jugglers, buskers, bands, carol singers, craft stalls and much more.

And good ol’ Santa…

Dartmouth, meanwhile, has its now famous Candlelit Dartmouth from December 3-5.

The Friday evening procession starts at 6.30pm – and please note that’s half an hour earlier than they originally planned. Look out too for the market, entertainment and other events, continuing over the weekend – and especially, at 4pm on Saturday afternoon, a flotilla of illuminated boats travelling in convoy from the Higher to the Lower Ferry, including one with Santa onboard… More details at www.candlelitdartmouth.co.uk And don’t forget there are farmers’ markets across the region for local produce to make festive feasts and perfect pressies – see page 8.

Giving the gift of wellbeing...

EVERYONE feels the benefit of a little extra love and care, so why not give the gift of wellbeing? Most therapists and personal development practitioners sell gift vouchers and natural health centres often sell one that will cover a wide range of different treatments - find out more in our Wellbeing section, starting on page 24.

www.reconnectonline.co.uk

Editorial: 01392 346204 editor@reconnectonline.co.uk

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local people local events local food local health local environment

local people local events local food local health local environment AS the popularity of wood burners increases, so does the number of manufacturers and designs.

Green van man reports back on chip fat power

It seems these days there’s a burner to suit everyone – whether it’s maximum heat capacity you want, or just the size to fit in your fireplace.

OUR latest update on renewables includes the story (so far) on RHI, a new device to cut fuel bills and why the Totnes windfarm (if it happens) won’t be operational until 2015 Infinergy’s wind farm near Milford Haven, Wales

Jim Morris, who runs Devon Fires, says buyers want to see what they’re getting before it arrives in their living room and not just from a catalogue.

By the time Reconnect hits the streets, Jim is hoping to have opened his new showroom on the Woodbury Business Park, between Lympstone and Woodbury.

New stove showroom opens

Apart from the warmth of the welcome, Jim aims to carry all the major lines of British and European stoves, which he claims meet the highest standards of emissions.

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for a free no obligation survey of your home.

PROBABLY the biggest news surrounding the Totnes communityowned windfarm is that it is happening at all.

But running it a close second must be the fact that, assuming it does go ahead, it will take until spring 2015 to get it up and running.

The scheme, which would see two turbines up to 100 metres high, on a hill close to the town, is a joint project between TRESOC (Totnes Renewable Energy Society) and Infinergy, a Dorsetbased company that will oversee the planning process and, if successful, install the turbines and connect them into the local distribution network.

“We are involved in another communityowned project in Cumbria [www. energy4all.co.uk], but the Totnes model is unique,” says Marlies Koutstaal of the Infinergy team.

“If this one is successful, as we believe it will be, we hope to roll it out to

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other communities across the country.”

Residents of Totnes and the surrounding area can still buy shares with a value of between £20-20,000 before the deadline of December 10 - find out more at www. tresoc.co.uk.

But why so long before it’s kicking out the kilowatts?

As well as starting up consultations with local residents (other Devon schemes have met with huge local resistance), Infinergy

has just begun a full 12 months of surveys, during which independent experts (paid for by Infinergy) will check out the site with regard to any flora and fauna that might be affected – including breeding bird and wintering bird surveys.

After those results have been made public, the first planning application will be submitted to South Hams District Council.

If, at the end of the 16-week determination period, there is a positive result, Infinergy will then seek planning permission for a meteorological mast to measure the strength of the wind over 12 months - to prove to the banks (who will partly fund the scheme) that there’s enough blowy stuff to make it viable.

Eventually, if all the right boxes are ticked, construction will begin in Autumn 2014 and it will be fully operational in Spring 2015.

Visit www.infinergy. co.uk

www.reconnectonline.co.uk

Said Jim: “Stove technology has improved a great deal over recent years. The designers have a better understanding of how the fires work and how to make them burn cleaner.

“As well as being more ecofriendly, the stoves are more efficient and use less fuel and produce fewer emissions.”

Because of the Clean Air Act the appliances must be Defra approved for use in smoke control zones.

The planned showroom, at the business park on the road linking the A376 at Lympstone with the centre of Woodbury, is 800sq ft and will contain designs both contemporary and traditional in cast iron and steel, from 3kw to 45kw.

Devon Fires offer a no-stringsattached site assessment and quotation and a full installation service. Call 01395 223777/07957202024, or visit www.devonfires.co.uk.

OKAY, it’s time to come clean.

This is Martin, editor and one third of the publishing empire that is Reconnect, and I feel I know you all well enough now to admit a dark secret… I drive a car.

Actually, it’s even worse than that – it’s a van.

But then it is something of a multi-purpose vehicle – private car for me and wife Jenny; delivery vehicle for magazine (just try loading up a few thousand mags into a car); and, once Freecycle and eBay have come up with the necessary components for the conversion, it will also be family camper and festival accommodation by next summer.

And as much as I’d love to do all that on a bike, or even on foot, it really wouldn’t work.

Also our van is at least vegetarian…

By the time you read this, we should have a tank installed in a neighbour’s yard (he’s got a similar van) and every time we fill up (via a metered electric pump) it will be with 100 per cent recycled vegetable cooking oil.

Supplied by Green Earth Biodiesel in Crediton, it costs £1.12 a litre (8 or 10p a litre cheaper than conventional diesel), it can be used in our vans (VW Transporters) without modification, and it produces 72 per cent less carbon emissions.

Just what it’s like to be running on the stuff long-term, we have no idea… but we will report back, so watch this space.

Find out if your car or van can go veggie – call Greenearth Diesel on 01363 777750, or visit www.greenearth-biodiesel.co.uk.

Devon Fires Ltd StoveS • Service • inStallation New East Devon showroom now open Units 7&8 Woodbury Business Park, Woodbury, Exeter EX5 1AY.

We carry major lines of British and european stoves meeting the highest standards for emissions. on display - a selection of quality stoves to match all tastes and settings.

• all shapes and sizes • contemporary or traditional • steel or cast iron Free site visit and no-obligation quotation We also supply wood pellets.

Call now for your no-obligation quotation

01395 223777 / 07957 202024 www.devonfires.co.uk www.reconnectonline.co.uk

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Editorial: 01392 346204 editor@reconnectonline.co.uk

15

local people local events local food local health local environment

local energy

Second wave of solar puts emphasis on low-income homes

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You tell us and we’ll tell the readers.

Email editor@ reconnectonline.co.uk

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THE second wave of the Transition Streets scheme, which brings households together to cut energy use and have the chance to get heavily subsidised solar PV panels on their roofs, is well underway.

Householders from across Totnes and district - from South Brent to Allaleigh and from Rattery to Harbertonford - have started cutting their bills and carbon emissions. And priority has been given to lowincome homes.

A spokesperson for the project said: “The number of solar-PV grants is limited, so Transition Streets prioritised the 19

groups who applied with the largest proportion of lower income households – which means that 105 of the 149 households taking part have low disposable incomes.

“A further 12 groups, comprising 100 households, have been invited to take part in the Transition Together scheme to cut bills, make their homes warmer and take up free energy efficiency training from the Energy Saving Trust.

The Transition Together scheme is open at any time to households in Totnes and district. Call 01803 867 358 or email

transitiontowntotnes@gmail. com for more information.

The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) have also just released the findings of research into Totnesian’s attitudes towards energy.

Conducted in February 2010, before the Transition Street scheme started, the DECC research provides a benchmark of local attitudes to energy use and climate change – and will be compared to attitudes after the scheme finishes in March 2011 as one measure of its impact. The results show 82 per cent of people in Totnes

think about their energy use around the home compared to 58 per cent nationally.

It also found 78 per cent of people in Totnes think reducing your carbon footprint is the normal thing to do - compared to 40 per cent nationally - and 13 per cent have joined a local action group on climate change compared to just two per cent nationally.

And 72 per cent of residents don’t think the government is doing enough to tackle climate change, compared with 44 per cent nationally.

RHI news fuels the demand for bio-mass eco boilers LAST issue we said the Government were (almost) definitely (very probably) going to introduce a cash incentive for people installing renewable energy heating systems.

Well, we can now confirm the Renewable Heat Incentive WILL happen – yes, it escaped the recent spending review. And it WILL be introduced in June 2011. But just how much it will be is still a little uncertain…

Although the tariffs won’t be known until the details are revealed “before the end of the year”, the Department of Environment and Climate Change (DECC) says the RHI will “represent over £850m of investment over the spending review period”.

Like its sister Feed-in Tariff, which pays home owners to generate electricity with solar panels, the RHI is designed to encourage the installation of renewable energy heating systems – heating is currently responsible for 47 per cent of UK carbon emissions.

Eligible technologies are: air, water and groundsource heat pumps; solar thermal; biomass boilers; renewable combined heat and power; use of biogas and bioliquids; injection of biomethane into the natural gas grid.

Its biggest impact will be on the use of solar thermal hot water panels and biomass boilers (domestic boilers that heat water and living space using logs or wood pellets).

Rather than metering the amount of energy produced (as in the case of PV panels), it seems likely RHI payments will be ‘deemed’ - based on the potential output of a system designed for a certain sized living space.

For people considering going for biomass, or any of the other technologies covered by the RHI scheme, the delay in finalising details is frustrating – but for the supply and installation companies, it also means a loss in potential income.

“I just wish someone would get on and announce the details,” said Elaine Ewer of Elaine’s Stoves, which will supply and fit biomass boilers. “There’s plenty of interest from potential customers, and a very

Queensgate House, 48 Queen Street, Exeter, Devon, EX4 3SR

HUNDREDS of families in South Devon are taking up the Government’s solar power incentive offer to generate their own electricity.

But PV installer Chris Rudge from Seaton says the take up has been immense, but he has sent out a warning to potential customers to beware of the deals on offer.

The Feed-in-Tarrifs (FITs) introduced in April this year mean that for every kilowatt from your PV array, your energy company will pay you 41.3p, whether you use it or not - and if you don’t use it, you get 3p for any KW sent back to the grid.

But the system must be installed by an MCS (Microgeneration Certification Scheme) accredited installer to earn the FIT payment, which is a legally binding contract lasting 25 years and index-linked.

You can find accredited installers at www. microgenerationcertification.org -

Advertising: 01392 346342 adverts@reconnectonline.co.uk

Elaine is also a stockist for stoves like this Woodwarm real desire to go ahead with systems – but everyone’s waiting for the details to be released.”

Elaine, whose business also sells and fits log burners (which won’t earn RHI) and log-fired boilers (which will) has found log-fired

boilers from the French company Perge to be high quality and popular and plan to supply and fit their wood pellet boilers too.

Elaine will be back to comment on the finer points of the RHI system in the next issue of Reconnect.

we counted 940 installers registered in the South West.

The secret, says Chris, is to do your homework and use recommended installers.

One benefit for those who have not already had their systems fitted is that Chris says prices for systems appear to be going down as equipment gets cheaper. Competition and the rate of the Euro are also bringing down prices, although Chris believes they will soon level out. The recent announcements by the Government about cut backs have not affected the FIT payments.

Said Chris: “There will be a Government review in 2013 to see if there is a more cost effective way of encouraging the generation of green renewable electricity. People who have signed up for FIT payments already will carry on benefiting from the scheme”.

www.reconnectonline.co.uk

VPhase could save 10% on power bills YOU may have one of the greenest homes in Devon making use of PV and solar thermal panels. And maybe you can boast a biomass boiler or even ground or air-source heating.

But have you invested in a VPhase - a device designed to optimise a home’s electricity use and can cut bills by around 10%.

Electrician Byron McNeilMatthews is now selling the VPhase Optimisation device in Devon and hopes families who are considering PV or solar thermal will make a further investment to add to their energy savings.

Byron, who runs Cape Electrical Renewable Energy, says the UK electricity network is supposed to operate at a nominal 230 volts, but because he has come across typical voltages of 240 plus in the South West, equipment is running at a higher voltage, wasting energy.

How to make a PV firm decision

We specialise in the design and installation of:

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www.reconnectonline.co.uk

The VPhase unit stabilises the incoming supply voltage to 220 volts, regardless of the incoming supply voltage.

Greenearth biodiesel Your local biodiesel Recycled from used cooking oil Suitable for cars,vans and heating 72% less carbon emissions Cheaper than conventional diesel Greenearth Biodiesel Unit 4, Marsh End Crediton, EX17 1DN 01363 777750 www.greenearth-biodiesel.co.uk

Savings will depend on the size of the supply voltage and the equipment in use, but examples include fridges and freezers showing typical savings of 17% and normal nonenergy saving light bulbs 15%.

The unit is not connected to equipment that has heating elements because there are no savings to be made, but it works well with washing machines, tumble driers, dishwashers and televisions.

The VPhase is installed adjacent to the consumer unit (where your house has its fuses or cut-outs).

Said Byron: “The unit is a fit and forget device which requires no lifestyles change, takes only a few hours to install and starts to save money right away.”

He says a manufacturer’s trial between December 2009 and February 2010, on several different properties, found savings of 6-12% and annual savings of £75-135. Call 01392 823212, or visit www.capeelectrical.com.

Editorial: 01392 346204 editor@reconnectonline.co.uk

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local people local events local food local health local environment

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Primary colours

Help with life changes

THE Christmas/New Year period is a quiet time at the Harbour House gallery in Kingsbridge, but they’re back with a bang (Jan 29 - Feb 16) with another great exhibition of work by local primary school children.

Primary Colours features drawings, paintings, collage, printmaking and sculpture from 12 schools, “offering inspiration to artists of all ages and brightening up the gloomy winter days with colourful artworks from floor to ceiling.”

Find out more about all Harbour House events at www.harbourhouse. org.uk.

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DEVON’S cyclists and pedestrians are being reminded that being seen is being safe as the winter draws in.

All Devon County Council schools will be receiving downloadable ‘Be Bright Be Seen’ posters.

Devon County Council has launched its winter campaign to encourage the wearing of reflective clothing for journies to and from school and work.

Devon County Council is also selling reflective waistcoats for adults and children, and Vizi-Straps for bags, rucksacks and dogs.

Car drivers are also being asked to be cautious and look out for walkers and cyclists on the roadside.

local people local events local food local health local environment Anyone for tchoukball?

WE can all recognise aspects of our life we don’t like – some relatively minor, others more fundamental.

One thing’s for sure – doing something about it will mean change.

And sometimes that can be a scary place to go on your own.

Gina Sclater, of New Beginnings, is full of creative ideas to support others in change and transformation.

Her latest very practical service is providing lifestyle consultations “for ladies and gents” – four hours of clothes shopping in Exeter, for example, for a fee of £30.

“We shouldn’t need a reason or occasion to feel good and be our best,” says Gina. “But I also appreciate many of us lack confidence or self-belief, which prevents us moving forward – that’s where I come in.”

Call Gina on 07941459439.

Vets work with African Green Warriors DEVON vets are part of an international team giving expert advice to villagers in Africa to help them rebuild their communities and relearn farming skills.

St David’s Veterinary Practice, which has its HQ at Lympstone, near Exmouth, has vets living in the Gulu and Nakapiripirit regions of Uganda.

After being ravaged by war for 20 years, Gulu communities have enjoyed peace for the last three years, but basic agricultural skills have been lost and need to be relearned.

In Nakups, Karamoroto warriors are being trained as Green Warriors to work with the vets and other charity agencies to provide basic agricultural hands-on training in pigs, poultry, turkeys,

ducks and honey bees. Fish farming is at the project stage.

With help and advice from the vets, the community constructs buildings, provides feed and looks after the animals. The projects are designed to provide an income stream to pay for the children’s schooling.

St David’s Vet Dr John Carr, who with his wife spends several months at a time in Uganda, said he hopes community farming projects in the South West will twin with their counterparts in Africa.

“They can share stories and adventures,” he said.

John, who specialises in pigs and is currently researching the health and welfare of honey bees, also advises the Broadclyst Community Farm project near Exeter (see Local Food on page 6).

TCHOUKBALL (pronounced chukeball) is an indoor team sport designed to minimise injury from aggression and physical contact (see below).

It was first developed in the 1970s by Swiss biologist Hermann Brandt, who believed the objective of physical sport should be “not to make champions, but make a contribution to building a harmonious society”.

Now Tchoukball is in Exeter and organisers are looking for new players.

“It’s fast, fun and friendly and played by both men and women,” says Rob Barker.

“To score, the ball must bounce off a small angled trampoline and land on the floor outside the no-go semi-circle in front of the frame the defending team attempt to catch the ball.”

To find out more, call Rob on 07796 244498, or drop in at Magdelen Court School in Victoria Park Road, Exeter, between 8-9.30pm on Wednesday evenings.

Call 0845 155 1004 or email rshelp@devon.gov.uk.

Exeter Steiner free school plan EXETER may soon have one of the country’s first free Steiner schools.

But it needs your help to secure government backing.

Waldorf Steiner schools follow the motto “education is a journey, not a race” and strive to provide “an unhurried and creative environment where children can find a joy in learning and develop the confidence they need to express themselves.”

Until now, all but one of the country’s Steiner schools have been fee paying, but the government is considering bringing a number of Steiner schools into the state system under its free schools policy.

The more interest in the plan it can demonstrate, the better Exeter Steiner School’s chances of being able to abolish its fees.

Register your interest on the school’s new website at www.exetersteinerschool.com.

Advertising: 01392 346342 adverts@reconnectonline.co.uk

free taster sessions

a new season of wonderful classes

Free taster sessions 10th to 13th January 2011 Exeter, Honiton, Newton Abbot, Kingsteignton, Totnes, Kingsbridge and Plymouth Everyone welcome.

12 week terms thereafter (or buy our new 5 class card).

www.reconnectonline.co.uk

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Also available: Two day workshop 12th and 13th March 2011

Simply Tai Chi 25th to 27th February 2011

With Luke Shepherd (30 years experience)

Sharpham House, Totnes, Devon

Instructor Course 19th March 2011 Kingsbridge, South Devon An inspiring and innovative course which runs over 18 months. Why not train to become a professional teacher of both Tai Chi and Qigong? 20 days, leading to TCUGB Instructor Registration. £1500.

Monthly payment plan.

A weekend of moreish Tai Chi and other treats.

From £199

Classes and workshops, DVDs and T-shirts, Books and Downloads see our website for full details or feel free to give us a ring.

talktous@taichination.com www.taichination.com T: 0845 257 2142

Editorial: 01392 346204 editor@reconnectonline.co.uk

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local people local events local food local health local environment

local people local events local food local health local environment SUNDAY 12 Wreath Making Workshop, Occombe Community Garden, 11am3pm, £4 per wreath, www. countryside-trust.org.uk

WELCOME to our round-up of green, alternative and just generally interesting events taking place across the Reconnect area in December and January. Always check with organisers before setting out. And if you’re involved in an event you think would interest Reconnect readers, get in touch – editor@reconnectonline.co.uk. Have a great Christmas and New Year!

DECEMBER UNTIL DEC 21 Building Materials, installation by Bristol composer and artist Owen Lloyd, Exeter Phoenix gallery, 01392 667080, www. exeterphoenix.org.uk WEDNESDAY 1 Reiki Circle with Veronica Friend, Totnes Natural Health Centre, 10am–noon, 01803 782758, www.veronicafriend.co.uk THURSDAY 2 Christmas gift market, Castle Street, Exeter, 9am9pm, www.exeter.gov.uk/ christmas Talk for National Tree Week with Reconnect tree man Adam Griffin, Global Centre, Exeter, 1-2pm, 01392 438811, www.globalcentredevon. org.uk

The Great Green Folk Event, The Barrel House, Totnes, 8pm, 01803 732779 Villagers, acoustic-based band in concert, Exeter Phoenix, 01392 667080, www.exeterphoenix.org.uk

FRIDAY 3

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Until Sunday 5 Candlelit Dartmouth, Friday procession from 6.30pm, events all weekend Festive Food" - past, present and future, fun cookery evening with Transition Plymouth, Onward House community centre, 55 Greenbank Road, divinesoap@hotmail. com, 01752 562292 Zion Train, reggae-fusion band in concert, Exeter Phoenix, 01392 667080, www.exeterphoenix.org.uk

Candlelit Arias, The Little Opera Company, The Flavel, Dartmouth, www.theflavel.org.uk

SATURDAY 4

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dance-at... Ashburton Town Hall, Barefoot Boogie-style disco, http:// creativedevon.ning.com/ events

Advertising: 01392 346342 adverts@reconnectonline.co.uk

Christmas Celebration Day, quality crafts and mince pies, The Devon Guild of Craftsmen, Riverside Mill, Bovey Tracey, 01626 832223, www.crafts.org.uk Orchard Day – planting fruit trees & hedgelaying, Beeson, 11am-4pm, 0845 456 9325 info@ treesforhealth.org St Nick’s Christmas Fair, Kingsbridge Community College, 01548 853195 SUNDAY 5

THURSDAY 9 Plimoth Plantation, local foods winter-into-spring market, 2.30-5.30pm, www.plimoth.org Talk about child immunisation with Oliver Cowmeadow, Exeter Steiner School, 80 Merrivale Rd (off Buddle Lane) in St Thomas, Exeter, entry by donation, 7.30pm Christmas gift market, Castle Street, Exeter, 9am9pm, www.exeter.gov.uk/ christmas

Occombe Christmas market, festive food & drink, delicious hampers, beautiful wreaths, 10.30am3.30pm, www.countrysidetrust.org.uk

Garbage Warrior, film about life and work of a pioneering architect to build sustainable structures, 7.30pm, South Brent Village Hall, 01364 649290, www. sustainablesouthbrent. org.uk

Chill-out Jazz Lunch, with James Harris and Mike Jones, 12.30pm, The Flavel, Dartmouth, www.theflavel. org.uk

Transition Town Totnes Christmas disco party, Seven Stars ballroom, 7.30pm, £5, www. transitiontowntotnes.org

Deck The Halls, natural foliage decoration workshop, Ash Tree Farm, near Dartmouth, 11am3pm, 01803 712437.

Day of celebration, Seasons health food store, 8 Well Street, Exeter

SATURDAY 6 Making Midwinter/ Christmas gifts and wrapping paper, TTT Offices, 43 Fore Street.

Totnes, 7.30pm, www. transitiontowntotnes.org TUESDAY 7 Late night street market, stalls and entertainment, Totnes, from 5.30pm, www. totnestowncouncil.gov.uk.

Exeter Voices for Christmas at Exeter Cathedral, 7.30pm, £10-22.

Fatstock show, Market Sq, Dartmouth, WEDNESDAY 8 Caring for Your Home, traditional building skills workshop, Kingsbridge Community College, 6.30pm, 01803 861384 or enquiries@ southdevonaonb.org.uk. dance-at... Ashburton Town Hall. Barefoot Boogie-style disco. http://creativedevon.ning. com/events

SATURDAY 11

Christmas craft market, Castle Street, Exeter, 9am5pm, www.exeter.gov.uk/ christmas Kingsbridge Celebrates Christmas, Fore Street closed for jugglers, buskers, bands, carol singers, craft stalls and more.

Exe-Travaganza, five-choir winter concert, Northcott theatre, Exeter, 7.30pm, www. exeternorthcott.com SUNDAY 12 Malina's Dream, puppet theatre for everyone over four, Rattery Village Hall, near Totnes, 3.30pm, www. angelhearttheatre.com Gingerbread House Workshop, decorate your own edible gingerbread house for Christmas, family workshop with tutor Lori Reich, 10.30am-1pm, or 2-4.30pm, Occombe Education Centre, £18 per house, 01803 606035, www.countryside-trust.org.uk Plant a Community Forest Garden, Orchaton near Modbury, 11am4pm, booking preferred 01803 732545 or info@ treesforhealth.org, www. southdevonaonb.org.uk

www.reconnectonline.co.uk

TUESDAY 14 Late night street market, stalls and entertainment, Totnes, from 5.30pm, www. totnestowncouncil.gov.uk.

Candlelit carols in Haldon Forest, Kennford, 7.15pm, £5 a car, booking essential, 01392 834233.

Transition Town Totnes Film Club, The Dartmouth Inn, Totnes, 8pm, edap. totnes@transitionnetwork. org, 01803 867358 Room on the Broom, family show, Northcott theatre, Exeter, www. exeternorthcott.com WEDNESDAY 15 Stoke Gabriel Wassail, folk music, Morris dancing, story telling, Mummers play and apple blessing ceremony, 01803 782585 THURSDAY 16 Christmas gift market, Castle Street, Exeter, 9am9pm, www.exeter.gov.uk/ christmas

Ashburton Green Drinks, informal gettogether with green news and info exchange, The Victoria Inn, North Street, Ashburton, 07939 266969, www.greendrinks.org/ devon/ashburton TUESDAY 21 Late night street market, stalls and entertainment, Totnes, from 5.30pm, www. totnestowncouncil.gov.uk.

Salcombe Christmas Street Party, ice rink, Santa's grotto, craft shed and entertainers, 10am7pm, 01548 844460 SUNDAY 19 Midwinter Crafts Fair, crafts, market, Mummers, Embercombe, Higher Ashton, Exeter, 01647 252983, www.embercombe. co.uk Down the deep lanes, guided walk in the Gara Valley, meet 10.30am at Strete Village Hall (map ref: SX843467), booking essential, 01803 866916, www.southdevonaonb. org.uk Christmas Carols, Bowden House, Totnes, 3.30-5pm, ianhague@phonecoop. coop, 01803 862376 MONDAY 20 Christmas gift market, Castle Street, Exeter, 9am9pm, www.exeter.gov.uk/ christmas

Trees for Food, workshop on using fruit, nuts, flowers and leaves for food and medicinal use, Underwood Discovery Centre, Beeson, 11am, booking preferred 01803 732545/01548 580165, info@ treesforhealth.org, www. southdevonaonb.org.uk

WEDNESDAY 22

SUNDAY 16

Christmas craft market, Castle Street, Exeter, 9am5pm, www.exeter.gov.uk/ christmas

Orchard Wassailing, Occombe Farm, Paignton, lantern making, procession and celebration, 3.305.30pm, £3.50 per lantern, www.countryside-trust.org.uk

FRIDAY 28 Until Dec 31 Cinderella pantomime, matinee and evening performances, £10.50/£9.50/£8, www. theflavel.org.uk SATURDAY 29 Until Feb 16 Primary Colours, exhibition of work by pupils of primary schools across the area, Harbour House gallery, Kingsbridge, 01548 854708, www. harbourhouse.org.uk

JANUARY

SATURDAY 18 Christmas craft market, Castle Street, Exeter, 9am5pm, www.exeter.gov.uk/ christmas

Seed Exchange, Occombe Farm, 2-4pm, free, www.countryside-trust. org.uk

MONDAY 10 Until Thursday 13 Free Tai Chi taster sessions in Exeter, Honiton, Newton Abbot, Kingsteignton, Totnes, Kingsbridge and Plymouth, 0845 2572142, talktou@ taichination.com.

WEDNESDAY 12 Caring for Your Home, traditional building skills workshop, Kingsbridge Community College, 6.30pm, 01803 861384 or enquiries@ southdevonaonb.org.uk.

SATURDAY 15 Until Feb 27 Get Fresh, new South West designer-makers, 10am-5.30pm, at The Devon Guild of Craftsmen, Riverside Mill, Bovey Tracey, 01626 832223, www.crafts. org.uk Hedgelaying training day, meet at the car park (grid ref SX 713 520), 10am, booking essential with DWT on 01392 279244, www. devonwildlifetrust.org

MONDAY 17 Ashburton Green Drinks, informal gettogether with green news and info exchange, The Victoria Inn, North Street, Ashburton, 07939 266969, www.greendrinks.org/ devon/ashburton THURSDAY 20 Food is our Most Powerful Medicine, talk

by Oliver Cowmeadow, 7pm, St Sidwell's Centre, Sidwell Street, Exeter FRIDAY 21 Nathaniel Boyd & Simon Lane, cello and piano concert, Newton Abbot and District Society of Arts Concerts, Courtenay Centre, 7.30pm, 01626 852626, www.nadsa.co.uk SATURDAY 22 Beach Clean, Churston Cove, 11am-12pm, www. countryside-trust.org.uk Rock pool ramble with AONB estuaries officer, meet North Sands car park, south of Salcombe, 12.15pm, www.southdevonaonb. org.uk WEDNESDAY 26 Caring for Your Home, traditional building skills workshop, Kingsbridge Community College, 6.30pm, 01803 861384 or enquiries@ southdevonaonb.org.uk.

THURSDAY 27 Amandine Savery, classical pianist in concert, The Flavel, Dartmouth, www.theflavel.org.uk FRIDAY 28

BOVEY TRACEY: Every other Sat 01626 834109 ASHBURTON: Tues to Sat 01364 643836 BUCKFASTLEIGH: every Thurs 01803 762764 CREDITON: first Sat 01363 775928 DARTMOUTH: second Sat 01803 861202 EXETER: every Thurs 01392 665480 EXMOUTH: second Wed 01404 44030 KINGSBRIDGE: first and third Sat 01803 861202 NEWTON ABBOT: every Tues 01626 215426 PLYMOUTH: second & fourth Sat 01752 306552 SOUTH MOLTON: fourth Sat 01769 572252 Updates to: editor@reconnectonline.co.uk

www.reconnectonline.co.uk

Winter Tree Identification with a trust ranger, Occombe Farm, 9.30am- 12.30pm, £3.50, booking essential, 01803 606035, www.countrysidetrust.org.uk SATURDAY 29 Kitchen garden in winter, workshop with horticulturist Stevie Rogers, Ash Tree Farm, near Dartmouth, 2-5pm, booking essential, 01803 712437, www.southdevonaonb. org.uk.

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Editorial: 01392 346204 editor@reconnectonline.co.uk

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local people local events local food local health local environment

The joys of green tomatoes and fine carrots (eventually)

Go Green composting

Robin decides that allotment gardening makes a rather good metaphor for financial matters - just watch out for potato blight on your investments...

WELL, I don’t want to write the same article again and again, so while I will touch on financial issues, it will only be as an aside.

As a result of which I had to cut them down and burn them, which was one of the most emotionally devastating experiences I can recall.

And I’ll also try not to go on and on about the environment and how we all need to do stuff to save it but only some of us are actually willing to get our acts together - which may sound similar to things I’ve said before...

However, I managed to retain quite a few of the green tomatoes and, with help from my lovely wife, was able to produce quite a few bottles of excellent green tomato chutney, despite it being about six months earlier than I would have expected.

Ok, so what else can I talk about?

I’ve also already mentioned my ceramics - and thanks, incidentally, to all those of you who visited the Totnes exhibition. The Exeter show, though, is still running until December 18, open 10am-9pm on Tuesday and Wednesday and 10am-5pm on Thursday and Saturday (www. picture-box.co.uk/unearth, 01392 221076).

I could talk about the allotment, because that’s important to me, but it’s winter so there isn’t much to discuss except choosing what I want to happen in the future and what I need to arrange now to make this occur.

So yes, it’s quite a good metaphor.

One of the issues about the financial market is that there are a whole variety of events we can’t predict and they can have both positive and negative effects.

Like sowing the carrot seeds, there are companies starting up which look and feel excellent... but don’t always succeed.

But if you’re committed to them, in due course and with your support, they’ll turn out to be rather wonderful.

Although, having said that, it may be quite a good metaphor! Not least because my allotment is genuinely organic and we’ve had an ‘interesting’ year in terms of certain things growing badly and others growing really well.

And we discovered that someone really liked the pears in my tree because they stole all but four of them last month. So it’s not entirely different from ethical finances...

Well, let’s look at the allotment in more detail.

Earlier in the year, for example, I sowed carrot seeds but, because of the unexpected weather conditions, they simply didn’t come up. After resowing (three times in the end), they eventually grew – and turned out to be some of the best I’ve ever produced. To my astonishment.

And the tomatoes were also amazing, although not in the same way. That is, they grew wonderfully well - the weather was so hot in June – and some of the plants reached nearly eight feet tall and sprouted literally hundreds of fruits. But then potato blight struck and, within 24 hours, the entire crop was infected.

Streetheat turns it up YOU will probably have seen (or even more likely heard) Streetheat, the Exeter-based Samba band – they had a very busy 2010, including opening this year’s Llama Festival and Beer music festival, a string of Devon and Somerset carnivals, summer community events, bonfire parties, Exeter’s Timepiece nightclub, and, to keep things seasonal, Christmas fairs.

They are a charitable community collective, typically 25-strong when playing (although they have had up to 38 players!), and feature tight, choreographed interweaving, and rapidly changing rhythms based on the famous Brazilian music... plus a bit of crowd participation.

Streetheat celebrate their 20th anniversary in 2011 and are planning a big birthday year of events - you won’t miss them if you are nearby!

Find out more at www.street-heat.co.uk.

Fayre meets big demand Robin Currie is an Independent Financial Adviser and a specialist in green, ethically-screened and environmentally-sensitive funds.

For an appointment, call Robin direct on 01392-411630 or e-mail robin.currie@barchestergreen.co.uk.

Details about the workshop Making Friends with Money are available at www.makingfriendswithmoney.co.uk or by calling Sharn Kern on 01392-346336

TORQUAY’S Imperial Hotel is hosting a Mind, Body, Spirit weekend in the New Year with free entry for the public.

The event is organised by Tim Barrs, who has run several similar fairs in the area, and has been made bigger to cater for the demand his previous events have attracted.

Tim said the fair, on February 5 and 6, was designed to “enlighten, relax and free people’s minds”.

There are still vacancies for stall holders and therapists - call Tim on 01803 664827.

Feedback from the latest workshop in Plymouth Very well run!

Has crept up on me in a really powerful way!

Profound for us all!

Unusual and extremely enlightening!

Very worthwhile for exploring ‘self’!

Fun and interesting!

Excellent to look at psychological problems through the lens of money – and very helpful!

Interesting, engaging, creative, confusing, intriguing, tiring (!) fun, sad and lots all together..

Surprising! Fun! Obviously it connected as I came to tears!

Next workshop details? Check out the website at

w w w. m a k i n g f r i e n d s w i t h m o n e y. c o . u k 22

Advertising: 01392 346342 adverts@reconnectonline.co.uk

www.reconnectonline.co.uk

GREEN businesses don’t get much greener than Go Green.

Run by Eric Mahy, who lives in Chudleigh, Go Green collects garden waste fortnightly from Teignmouth, Chudleigh, Newton Abbot, Dawlish, Kingsteignton, and Bovey Tracey.

The materials are composted and sold back to gardeners in the area, along with mulch, logs, and wormeries.

The company, which gives work to disadvantaged young people, also hires out a chipping machine and produces kindling sticks, green waste sacks and planters made from pellet wood, which are sold from their website and from a stall at Chudleigh Farmers’ Market.

Call 01626 85 35 58, or visit www. gogreendevon.com.

Get a taste of Tai Chi IF you’ve been thinking of finding out more about Tai Chi and Qigong, here’s the perfect opportunity – at last, a New Year’s resolution you can keep!

Tai Chi Nation are running free Qigong and Tai Chi taster classes in Honiton, Exeter, Kingsteignton, Newton Abbot, Totnes, Kingsbridge and Plymouth.

For full details call them on 0845 257 2142 or have a look at www. taichination.com/devon - and tell them we sent you…

C�en �t� e ��i C�i Wednesday 7pm - '.30pm Crediton Arts Centre Opp. Parish Church, Crediton

Tai Chi for Health Push Hands for Self-defence Robert 07973 263049 www.blacktigerkungfu.com

oFQUAl ACCREDItED CoURSES (on the new Government Framework)

lEVEl 3 CoUnSEllInG SkIllS

RIVIERA IntERnAtIonAl QUAlItY tRAInInG ACADEMY

Commencing 10th February 2011 Cider making with Exmouth Lets members

Lets scheme goes online THE Exmouth Local Exchange Trading Scheme is now up and running with members trading online following the launch of their own website.

The spark to the scheme came from LETS chairman Delia Pemberton and partner Paul Strange, who moved to Exmouth from London where they had been involved in a number of similar and highly successful schemes.

The Exmouth system features a website that allows members to manage their own accounts, and a paper-based scheme also exists for those without internet access.

All transactions are settled at the same rate 10 Cockles per hour. To avoid any member being out of pocket, cash expenses (ingredients, fuel, etc) could be charged in cash.

The group obtained a £1,000 grant from Exmouth Town Council towards the cost of building the website and a further £250 came from the Co-operative Membership Community Fund towards printing costs.

Said Delia: “We now have 34 members, and trading is beginning to take off. We hope the launch of the website will mark the real beginning of Exmouth LETS.” Visit www.exmouthlets.org.uk

lEVEl 2 CoUnSEllInG SkIllS & ConCEptS Commencing 8th February 2011

lEVEl 4 DIploMA In thERApEUtIC CoUnSEllInG Commencing June 2011

01803 315075

CBt CERtIFICAtE

Commencing March 2011

the

devon

schoolof

shiatsu

for further information contact www.riqta.co.uk info.riqta@btconnect.com

film hortbsite s a 3 Year see ur we on o Professional Training

www.devonshiatsu.co.uk

Shiatsu Diploma Next Foundation Years: April or Sept 2011

part-time study one weekend a month

• Thorough Clinical Shiatsu Training • Subtle & Physical Anatomy • Food Energetics • Business Skills

Shiatsu Discovery Weekends Buckyette Farm, Totnes TQ9 6ND Tel 01803 762593 Email: info@devonshiatsu.co.uk

Two inspiring days of learning and experiencing Shiatsu Next: 12/13 Feb & 21/22 May

Plug in to electrical recycling WE all know we need to recycle and we assign most domestic materials to the appropriate bins without a second’s thought.

But what about electrical equipment? The big stuff like cookers, freezers and those old TVs are too bulky for most cars and too heavy for most people to carry.

And when it comes to computers, things get even more troublesome because that old PC contains a mass of information you really don’t want to fall into the wrong hands – identity theft is a very real worry.

But if you live within the PL1-PL12

www.reconnectonline.co.uk

area of Plymouth, the Absolute Recycling Company will come to your rescue.

They will any unused electrical and electronic equipments – and offer an assurance that their 100% secure hard drive shredding service will destroy all your data.

The even better news is that all the equipment they take in assessed and, where appropriate, refurbished and resold, which keeps it out of landfill and helps people on a budget to get online.

Find out more at www.arcreycling. co.uk or call 01752 775961.

ORGANIC & NATURAL SKINCARE 101 HIGH STREET, TOTNES | WWW.AROMATIKA.CO.UK

Editorial: 01392 346204 editor@reconnectonline.co.uk

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local people local events local food local health local environment

WELCOME to Wellbeing, This is THE place to be for the latest news and views from the vibrant local wellbeing scene.

If you’re looking for a natural health therapist or personal development practitioner, the advertisements provide a comprehensive directory with stories to add depth and background.

Centre of Mid Devon

To advertise here costs just £85 for a 1/8-page (like those below) and our threefor-two introductory offer brings that down to less than £30 a month.

Please note too, that we are introducing a new Early Bird payment from the next issue - so get that ad booked before December 17 and

you can save another 5%, plus 5% if you settle the invoice promptly, plus a FREE link from our online PDF to your website - it must be Christmas!

Call our Wellbeing specialist Louise Woods (above) on 07866 013 637, call Pete on 01392 346342, or email adverts@ reconnectonline.co.uk.

On The Journey to understanding

ALTHOUGH Cullompton, in Mid Devon, isn’t officially within Reconnect’s distribution area, copies of the magazine are making their way up there – and more and more people are reading the online version, which is, of course, available everywhere.

So for everyone who lives in, or visits, Mid Devon, the Natural Care Centre, at 29 High Street, Cullompton, is run

by Sue Keeping and therapies on offer include kinesiology and massage.

Sue also runs free Wednesday afternoon and evening drop-in sessions in Johrei, Japanese family healing.

“It is simple and powerful,” says Sue, “and families who use it in Japan get an 80% discount on health insurance.”

Call 01884 35695.

THOSE people whose jobs and lifestyle mean they are tied in to the rat race of daily survival often feel the need to find a sanctuary to reinvigorate and inspire their cluttered minds.

In the heart of the Devon countryside lies an oasis of calm and beauty where just such a programme attracts people from all walks of life.

Embercombe offers what it has called The Journey which, in the word’s of Embercombe’s founder and course director Tim ‘Mac’ Macartney, is intended to “touch hearts, stimulate minds and inspire committed action for a truly sustainable world”.

Their previous programme attracted people from all walks of life, wanting to understand themselves better and contribute more meaningfully in the world.

Mac explained that people came to rediscover their softness, their connection to others, to find the courage to make their lifelong dreams happen now that their families were grown up. Or they want to put away the dark thoughts that cloud their lives and prevent them from seeing the joy of being alive.

“Maybe they desire to find out how they can integrate their artistic selves with their successful, driven, business selves and bring more meaning

Mana Harmony Truly Transformational Healing Workshops and 1-1

Monday &Tuesday 7pm-9pm & Weekends 01752 301078 07948 756104 email mana_harmony@live.com www.manaharmony.co.uk

and satisfaction to what they are doing in the world,” he said.

One of the students, Sally Bourne, who works as an interior designer, said: “It was the hardest and best five days of my life. It has inspired me to push on and follow my dream of a business which supports artisans working in an ethical and sustainable way.”

Wherever you are in life, says Mac, The Journey is a five-day residential programme that will offer you a step onwards.

The next Journey is on April 10, 2011, with only 20 places. Call 01647 252983, or visit www. embercombe.co.uk.

Transform to find a new way to live

A process to transform and heal

MANY of us struggle with anxiety brought about by the stress of modern living - and different people handle that stress in different ways.

Transformation is one form of healing which many are turning to in a bid to find release.

Practitioner Lin Lovel had a big response after being featured in the last issue of Reconnect.

Said Lin: “One example was a young person who was in a great deal of distress, including self-harm and anxiety.

“She travelled a considerable distance to see me. I was able to spend a good deal of time listening and offering advice and guidance within a safe caring space, followed by a healing session which she said had helped her a great deal. I later received a text from her saying that she was much more positive and confident in making valuable informed choices following her session.”

Lin’s workshops are currently running on Monday and Tuesdays, 7-9pm in Plymouth.

Weekend Workshops are due to begin on December 4/5 and 11/12, 10am-3.30pm, and will run in January 2011.

Call 01752 301078, email mana_harmony@ live.com, or visit www. manaharmony.co.uk.

THAT a process can “transform and heal the body, soul spirit” is no minor claim – but then Psychophonetics is nothing if not wide in its scope.

Described by founder Yehuda Tagar as a method of selfdevelopment, life coaching, counselling, consultancy and psychotherapy, it is based on Rudulf Steiner’s Psychosophy.

Yehuda says: “It has a significant contribution to make to personal, professional and spiritual development and is applied by individuals, organisations, businesses and communities,” says Yehuda.

“It extends the art of conversational counselling to embrace direct experience through body awareness, movement, visualisation and sound. It acknowledges the living body, soul and individual spirit as aspects of an integral human constitution. It facilitates effective recovery from addiction, depression, anxiety, trauma, abuse and dysfunctional behaviour patterns. And it complements holistic and anthroposophical medicine in the healing of a range of issues.”

There are Psychophonetics workshops and courses running in different locations including South Devon over the coming months.

Call 0792 0100 794, or visit www. psychophonetics.co.uk

Soundz Magic “experience the beauty, bliss and power of Sound Healing”

Gong/Sound Baths in the community

Learn how to free yourself from all that inhibit your rightful abundance of love, health, happiness and harmony Contact Lin Lovel (MA, PGDip,CQSW, PA Dip, Cert Adult Ed)

24

Festive love and every wish for a happy 2011 from us all!

Exeter, Teignmouth, Torquay and Totnes.

Check the dates Go online to www.openspirit.co.uk or call Martyn on 0800 955 3488 or 0777 1392 915

Advertising: 01392 346342 adverts@reconnectonline.co.uk

local people local events local food local health local environment

www.reconnectonline.co.uk

Wendy’s first day at the Chinese hospital

The Chinese way THE vitality of the doctors and humility of the patients made a long lasting impression on Wendy Morrison, a traditional acupuncturist from Buckfastleigh, on her recent study trip to Eastern China.

The Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital in Hangzhou uses acupuncture, Chinese herbs and Tuina bodywork as the primary means of treatment, alongside western medicine.

Said Wendy: “The hospital was a hive of activity at 8am, with people receiving acupuncture in the outpatients department. Dr Bao, head of the department, almost skipped from one patient to another, treating facial paralysis, prolapsed disks, incontinence and obesity, to name but a few.

At least six patients at any one time - it was quite something to see!”

Scalp acupuncture was used on the Stroke Ward, with needles left in for 12 hours!

“One patient was expected to be walking within 15 days of the initial stroke,” said Wendy.

“The stroke specialist said the sooner acupuncture starts, the better the prognosis.”

Find out more at www.wendymorrison-acupuncture.co.uk.

PsychotheraPist anorexia - DePression - Phobic anxiety

Andy White

bsocsci (Psych) Dip rF. Dip Psychosynthesis.

Dip adv hiPs. Dip adv ex Psych. andy is a highly qualified psychotherapist with over 20 years’ experience. andy is a published author - Going Mad to stay sane. a psychology of self- destructiveness (Duckworth 1996) and the Living Dream (self and society 2001). andy is also an internationally recognised teacher and is currently director of the Gnostic circle, a school of philosophy and psychology based in exeter, which runs a variety of workshops for the general public and a one-year diploma in transpersonal Psychology. andy has premises in chulmleigh and exeter 01769 581 720

Core Core Process Process Psychotherapy Psychotherapy An An approach approach that that draws draws on on modern modern Western Psychotherapeutic Western Psychotherapeutic understanding understanding and and the the wisdom wisdom and and compassion compassion of of Buddhist Buddhist psychology psychology MA Mark Mark Craig Craig MA

01803 865672 01803 865672 Totnes Totnes

MA Colin Colin Sutton Sutton MA

07811 285875 07811 285875 01363 774837 01363 Exeter & 774837 Plymouth Exeter & Plymouth

Registered Psychotherapists Registered Psychotherapists

www.reconnectonline.co.uk

Editorial: 01392 346204 editor@reconnectonline.co.uk

25

local people local events local food local health local environment

local people local events local food local health local environment Touching the now for a better future

Kate Harris

Life Coaching & Self Esteem Specialist Individual and group sessions using cognitive behavioural therapy and life coaching near Totnes, South Devon. Many years experience in the NHS, qualified Occupational Therapist BSc (Hons), member of Health Professions Council.

SELF ESTEEM & STRESS MANAGEMENT LIFE COACHING TASTER DAYS held in relaxing farmhouse setting.

For further information contact Kate Harris:

t: 01803 847674 m: 0777 949 6240

www.kateharris-lifecoaching.co.uk

Integrated Acupuncture Mark Edlund-Plater M.B.Ac.C Totnes and Teignmouth Donations in Totnes (Tues) Introductory offers 01803 862803 07506 179 808 mark.edlundplater@gmail.com

Body, Mind, Spirit Fair

Imperial Hotel Torquay, 5-6 Feb 2011 Come and join us to experience a whole range of therapies, readings and craft stalls designed to enlighten, relax and free your mind.

Full details at www.bodymindspirit.org.uk Tel: 01803 664827 26

Edenrise - a venue for workshops and retreats, outside Totnes

The foundation of great and deep work THE most important feature of a residential venue is surely that it works for the course facilitators and the attendees – and there is no doubt that Edenrise, near Totnes, works very well indeed.

From February 8-13, for example, Edenrise is the venue for Passionate Presence Retreat: Diving in Deep, run by Katheryn Trenshaw, artist and expressive arts therapist, and founder of Passionate Presence Events.

“For me, as a teacher and workshop facilitator, it is a dream come true,” says Katheryn. “A space that supports and sustains those who pass through is a blessing indeed and for what I do makes all the difference.

“The space is perfect for movement work as well as creative exploring and inquiry.”

Edenrise is set among rolling hills, with a stream and a host of spaces, indoors and out, in which to work, play and practice. Its water comes from a borehole, the wooden dance floor is reclaimed and the water and building itself are heated by solar power. All of which contributes to its inviting energy.

“Passionate Presence is all about dropping into ourselves and being a space through which our creativity and purpose can arise without effort,“ says Katheryn. “A place like Edenrise, created with such love and attention to a myriad of beautiful details, supports just this kind of unfolding work beautifully.”

For more information on Passionate Presence Events see www.ktrenshaw. com. To find out more about Edenrise, visit www.edenrise.org.

Find out more about Passionate Presence at www.ktrenshaw.com or call 01803 863552.

Advertising: 01392 346342 adverts@reconnectonline.co.uk

the inner movement of the person treated.

Seiki is a path of devotion, trusting that the body already knows the way.”

Research into Seiki shows that as well as generally improved wellbeing, benefits also include increased awareness of one’s needs and a clearer focus in life.

Reconnect editor Martin Foster saw Daniela for a series of sessions featuring a combination of Shiatsu and Seiki techniques.

“I soon found relief from the sciatica I was experiencing,” says Martin, “and even those few sessions, with the exercises Daniela taught me to do on my own, gave me an introduction to the self-awareness and calmness her treatment instils.”

Daniela practices Shiatsu and Seiki in Totnes and is running a yearly programme of training in Seiki for bodywork therapists and those interested in natural health.

The first of her introductory half-day workshops, Seiki – Touching the Now, is in Tavistock at Abbey Mead Natural Health Centre, on January 29.

Find out more at www.lifehealingarts. org, or call 01803 862653/07941 841555.

2011

Passionate Presence events with

Katheryn Trenshaw

“Katheryn’s work is powerful, effective, illuminating and has freed the way I approach my work and my life.” Donna, USA

Are you ready for real freedom? Dare you step into your deep connected power and really be here now? Are you ready to open your heart and love?

There is nothing to change. It is not about self-improvement. It is simple.

Upcoming: Jan 21 - 23 • Feb 8-13 (retreat)

01803 863552 • info@ktrenshaw.com www.ktrenshaw.com

City office escape route AN oasis of calm has been created in the centre of Exeter to help local office and shop workers cope with the stresses and strains of daily life.

Exeter Mind and Body Clinic is situated between Princesshay and Cathedral Green within the peaceful cloisters.

Founded by Cathy Towers (right), it has an experienced team of therapists offering lunchtime specials – small classes including back and neck pain, mindfulness and meditation, and offering therapies such as reflexology and Zero Balancing.

There is particular help for sport or dance-related conditions, desk worker strain as well as general stress and pain symptoms – or simply to feel good.

Facing death to learn about our lives WE can learn a lot about ourselves by facing our own mortality.

According to educator, nurse and healer Annee Bury it can reveal much about our relationships and how to live a full and free life.

“Our culture separates life and death and we prefer not to talk about dying and only face it when it inevitably comes around,” says Annee. “Talking about dying is never easy but we have to begin sometime.”

Annee provides education about living, death and dying as well as professional end of life support for dying people and those who love and care about them. She is also setting up a service entitled Befriending Dying. With her colleague Deborah Kelly, Annee has developed a course to provide

BY way of an introduction to SeikiSoho, it probably makes sense to start at Shiatsu – but it’s important to recognise the differences too.

Like Shiatsu, Seiki is a form of Japanese bodywork and was founded by Akinobu Kishi, himself a Shiatsu master, in 1980. And like Shiatsu, Seiki involves hands-on treatment, without the necessity to remove any clothing.

Seiki, though, does not use stimulation or manipulation.

“The hands or thumbs are used to make the connection but not to stimulate,” explains Totnes-based Shiatsu and Seiki practitioner Daniela Coronelli (pictured).

“Every moment emerges from the relaxed and very sensitive following of

people with a safe, sacred and creative space to explore the nature and meaning of dying and death.

The course draws upon sociological, Celtic, shamanic and other understandings of living and dying and will encourage participants to reflect on the meaning of death and its place in their life.

Annee lives in North Devon but works across the South West and is running a series of taster days, March-May in Bath, Honiton, Sussex and Oxford. The course itself is being held in Honiton from August 2011 to June 2012.

Call Annee on 01237421252, text on 07812 179059, email anne@ landcross.fsworld.co.uk or visit www.thebidefordapothecary.co.uk.

www.reconnectonline.co.uk

Said Cathy: “These lunchtime specials give you a 45-minute taste that feeds the whole body, not just your stomach. It is geared towards local business people with just a lunch hour to spare on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.”

Call 07989 564660 or 01395 278437, or email cathy.mindandbody@gmail.com.

Stuck or overwhelmed?

Like more confidence or inspiration?

Want to make the world a better place?

Coaching with me empowers you to clarify your purpose, overcome barriers and build on your passion and talents so you make the changes that matter.

Arrange a free exploratory session Phone Erica on 01803 867209 or e-mail erica@inspiringaction.co.uk

For your free stress-busting MP3 go to www.inspiringaction.co.uk

www.reconnectonline.co.uk

Editorial: 01392 346204 editor@reconnectonline.co.uk

27

local people local events local food local health local environment

localMassage people local events local food local health local environment Holistic Practitioner

Catching up on the things we’ve not been allowed

Registered with The Massage Training Institute and Aromatherapy Complementary Therapies Association

PSYCHOTHERAPIST Andy White freely admits he didn’t set out with some virtuous vocational drive to help people.

“I came into psychotherapy through my own trauma,” he says. “I was so moved by the help I found in psychotherapy I decided to train and help others to find their way.”

Andy, who specialises in anorexia, depression and phobic anxiety, works in Exeter, Totnes and Chulmleigh in Mid Devon. He is also an accomplished artist (see www.andywhiteartist. co.uk) and advocates healing through creativity, rather than trawling back through the past.

“I’ve found that life’s trauma can sometimes be a result of what we have not been allowed, or have not allowed ourselves, to be.

“Unlived life will not sit idly on the shelf - to paraphrase Marie-Louise von Franz, ‘it will turn round and bite you.’ So I work a lot with frustrated potential and the struggle of bringing new things into one’s life.”

Andy, an internationally recognised teacher, is also director of The Gnostic Circle, a school of philosophy and psychology based in Exeter, which runs a variety of workshops for the general public.

Call 01769 581720, or email fo@ andywhitemosaics. co.uk.

Arcturus gift vouchers

Festive art and massage SHOPPERS fighting their way around Exeter stores in the December dash for presents can take a break and still do some shopping...

At Exeter Natural Health Centre, artist Joe Webster and masseuse Alice Brockington are creating a day of

experiences away from the hustle and bustle of the busy streets.

A large range of therapies will be on offer as tasters to recharge and refresh, all within an exhibition of landscape and abstract works exploring colour and health in the earth and body.

You can also buy gift vouchers for therapies or artwork.

The event is on Saturday, December 4, 2-6pm, in the Centre between Queen Street and Gandy Street.

Call 01392 422555, visit www. joewebsterart.com

A VOUCHER that can be exchanged for a range of complementary therapies is a gift that could make a really positive impact on a friend’s or family member’s life.

The Arcturus Clinic in Totnes offers vouchers for the Float Centre and a whole range of therapies, including homoeopathy, reflexology, acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine, chiropractic, counselling, energy healing, Cranio-Sacral therapy, hypnotherapy, Western herbal medicine, Emotional Freedom Techniques and more.

Arcturus is the only clinic supervised and directed by a medical doctor, Dr Stephen Hopwood, who said: “The vouchers give the means and capacity to start on a New Year’s resolution journey to health and vitality.”

Visit www.arcturusclinic.co.uk, 01803 868282.

There’s more Wellbeing news on page 31

SPECIAL OFFER any massage with this ad

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M Massage is great for relieving stress, easing aches and pains, mobilising joints, and improving body awareness and posture

Massage Reiki Available at TheAromatherapy Observatory, Ridgeway, Plympton Ashburton Plymouth Plympton

Introductory Offer - £5.00 off 1st massage treatment at The Observatory 01752 342124 www.theobservatorypractice.co.uk

0845 6436864 / 07816 835238

www.easenflow.co.uk 0845 64 36864 email easenflow@googlemail.com

INSIDER ART

Running in Exeter 2011 ART IN MENTAL HEALTH: A Foundation Course in Art Therapy ARTS AND HEALTH COURSE Accredited by University of the West of England Short courses in SANDTRAY THERAPY, DANCE MOVEMENT THERAPY & CREATIVE WRITING For more information visit the website www.insiderart.org.uk or e-mail info@insiderart.org.uk

www.easenflow.co.uk easenflow@gmail.com Counselling

Counselling

Over 32 years’ experience

Cathrin Wildwood Sexuality Therapist

Counselling individuals and couples for any issues related to sex, intimacy and relationships www.sexualitytherapist.co.uk hello@ sexualitytherapist.co.uk Tel: 07870 888141

Healing

- offers confidential therapeutic counselling for individuals and couples. www.caseconfidential.com

PAT HOARE. DIP. COUNS. B.A.C.P. ACCREDITED COUNSELLOR AND SUPERVISOR Email: pat@pathoare.eclipse.co.uk

Group facilitator, Louise Hay Trainer, Inner-Child work Family/Sex Therapy.

Critical Incident Debriefing.

G.H.R. Accredited Hypnotherapist.

Analytical Therapy for phobias, emotional difficulties, stress etc.

Suggestion Therapy to stop smoking, for weight control, nail biting, confidence, study, driving tests etc.

Free 20-minute consultation: Telephone 01392 410090 for appointments.

24a Gandy Street, Exeter EX4 3LS

Exeter Mind and Body Clinic

A refreshing new service for Central Exeter

Therapy & Healthcare Tel: 01752 266002

Would you like to be a part of it?

• Acupuncture • Alexander Technique www.btcplymouth.com • Aromatherapy • Cognitive Behavioural Therapy • Counselling • Craniosacral Therapy • Homeopathy • Hypnotherapy • Hot stone massage • Nutrition • Reflexology • Reiki • Shiatsu • Traditional Thai Massage • Yoga Therapy

Marc Craig, Cognitive Hypnotherapist, working from the Barbican Therapy Centre in Plymouth. Helping you help yourself to get the life you want and deserve dealing with a broad range of issues including PTSD, depression, anxiety, weight issues, phobias, public speaking. Bring this advert in and get £5 off per session.

Bring this advert in and get £5 off per session.

Barbican Therapy Centre

7 Stokes Lane, Barbican, Plymouth PL1 2LW Tel: 01752 266002 www.btcplymouth.com

There is still some rental availability at this discreet and well-managed venue with two well appointed therapy rooms and a group/training room.

Contact for more information: Cathy Towers 01395 278 437 or 07989 564660 www.exetermindandbody.com hypnotherapy

hypnosis

LONDONCOLLEGE COLLEGE OF OF LONDON CLINICAL HYPNOSIS CLINICAL HYPNOSIS Exeter CPPD inExeter Clinical Hypnosis Course dates available on line PG Cert - MSc AllStart coursesDate: accredited

by Thames Valley September 24th University 2009 For more information, and to get a prospectus visit the website www.lcch.co.uk Phone 01297 20144

CPPD in Clinical Hypnosis PG Cert - MSc

All courses accredited by Thames Valley University

www.reconnectonline.co.uk

Health centres

Health centres

Professional Complementary 7 Stokes Lane, Barbican, Plymouth PL1 2LW

Advertising: 01392 346342 adverts@reconnectonline.co.uk

Bowen therapy

Counselling

Barbican T herapy Centre

28

Arts & Health

£5.00 off

For more information, www.reconnectonline.co.uk

and to

Cognitive Behavioural Hypnotherapy Clinical Hypnotherapy

Helping you to take control of your life

Help with Anxiety, Depression, Habits, Phobias, Confidence, Insomnia, Pain and more Clinics in: Exeter ~ Sidmouth ~ Axminster ~ Seaton

Michelle Hague BA(Hons)Cert ed D Hyp PDC Hyp PDCBHyp MBSCH 01297 20144 or 07761 773563 www.takecontrolofyourlife.co.uk Editorial: 01392 346204 editor@reconnectonline.co.uk

29

local people local events local food local health local environment Journeying

The Bridge between Shamanism and Therapy

A series of Journeying Days following the natural cycle of the year. This course gives you a gentle space, time and powerful techniques to access your connection with the earth and with yourself allowing you to deepen your sense of strength, purpose, grounding and direction.

From 10 am to 4.30 pm, at the Friends’ Meeting House, Pavilion Place, Exeter

Psychotherapy

and Counselling

Helen Cross

M.A. Core Process Psychotherapy UKCP Candidate in Training

Saturdays, 20 Nov, 11 Dec - 2010, 5 Feb, 12 March, 14 May, 11 June, 6 Aug, 24 Sept - 2011

Totnes Chudleigh Exeter

Cost: £50 per day, £40 per day if four or more days are booked together.

Some concessions available.

Free introductory session

To book please contact: Louise Page, Tel: 01392 860509, E-mail: louise.page@campion.f2s.com SHIATSU

Would you like to reduce the symptoms of stress, adopt a more healthy, balanced, lifestyle or cut down your use of drugs with side-effects?

Daniela Coronelli MRSS(T)

Has over 22 years integrated bodywork experience

‘SEIKI Touching The Now’ ½ Day Workshops begin in January 2011, in Tavistock

THE PRACTICE is based in Totnes

www.lifehealingarts.org

Contact: 01803 862653/ 07941 841555

Lineage adverts Building plot for sale

TOTNES Build your own sustainable house! Plot for sale with full planning permission for four bedroom house. Two minutes from High Street and station.

OIRO £190,000 Tel 0798 9164579 or email trudy@trudyturrell.plus.com Counselling

COUNSELLING from experienced BACP accredited counsellor. I offer a supportive environment to connect to yourself and explore issues. £35, some concessions available. Dartington. Contact Gavin McKivragan, 01803 868655, 07847 006207, gavin. mckivragan1@virginmedia.com

Charity’s hot news update

PSYCHOTHERAPY

A Journey Round the Year 2010-2011

Counselling

phone 01626 834599 www.hcpsychotherapy.co.uk Every Wednesday

TAI CHI. Chen Style Tai Chi, 7 – 8.30pm at DAVID OXLEY experienced, qualified and reconnect-july10.indd 1 Crediton Arts Centre. Tel: 07973 203 049.04/07/2010 fully accredited BACP Counsellor trained in Psychosynthesis and completing MA in mindfulness- www.blacktigerkungfu.com. based psychotherapy (Core Process) with Karuna Every Friday Institute, offers counselling in Central Exeter & QIGONG at St Johns Church Hall, Dartington. Sliding scale david_oxley2@hotmail.

Totnes with Brad Richecoeur, 10-11.30am. com, 01392 258855, 07876 051093 Suitable for all levels. 0845 3305086 www.davidoxleycounselling.co.uk www.qigong-southwest.co.uk COUNSELLOR (BACP Accredited) with practice in central Exeter, offers confidential counselling for adults, young adults and couples.

Income-related fees. Tel: Cath de Wolf :07505 484347. Plus: facilitated peer group supervision in central Exeter for school counsellors. Small fee negotiable. Contact as above.

Shiatsu

SHIATSU. Welcoming you into your body, helping to shift old pain/ patterns. Special winter deals.

Call Kirsty Hurd-Thomas 01803 862808

13:04:41

DECEMBER Sunday 5

TRADITIONAL craft hand bookbinding day with Tom O’Reilly. The Iron Mill Institute, Exeter Tel 01392 219200 info@ironmill.info.

Sunday 12

MAGICAL ANGEL WORKSHOP – Run at lovely family hotel in Teignmouth (Lunch available) Further details: please Phone 01626 77404 or email healers@lighthavencentre.com JANUARY

WORKSHOPS AND COURSES DIARY Every Tuesday

QIGONG at The Exeter Mint Methodist Church with Brad Richecoeur, 5.30-7pm. Suitable for all levels. 0845 3305086 www.qigong-southwest.co.uk

local people local events local food local health local environment

SUPPORTERS of Olivia Seck’s African mission to help midwives in Senegal could be giving more than just cash to the cause. They are invited to take part in an ancient ritual firewalk across red hot coals.

Olivia is planning a trip to Senegal to work with African Birth Collective, a charity to help and advise midwives on effective techniques to cut one of the highest infant mortality rates in the world.

Olivia, who spent her childhood in Senegal, is holding a Birthing Wisdom Outreach Sponsored Firewalk on Sunday Dec 5 at Dartington, 3-7pm.

She is looking for sponsors but also wants supporters to take part in the firewalk and find their own sponsors.

The firewalk costs £35 with a minimum of £65 sponsorship money.

Contact Jolie on 07794 381447 or Olivia on 01803 226127.

Sergie’s personal touch PRACTITIONER Sergie Hajikakou is passionate about kinesiology and the changes it can make to advance individuals’ lives.

“Kinesiology is a natural way of improving health and energy,” says Sergie. “Through specific muscle testing we can identify the gaps in your health and, in conjunction with nutritional advice, return you to the very best of health.”

Sergie combines a specialist service in kinesiology and bio-chemistry, with workshops, health seminars and sports injury sessions.

“We are able to tailor a programme that is as individual as you are,” he says.

Healthserg also runs accredited training courses in kinesiology (Balanced Health Foundation levels 1-4) for professional or personal use - ideal for anyone looking to improve their health and for those wanting to work in the healthcare industry.

“You will learn valuable techniques to bring the body back to balance,” says Sergie. “Come along to our free health talks to find out more about your health and how the body works.”

To find out more about individual treatments and training courses, call 07851 007719 or email sergie@ healthserg.co.uk. Healthserg is based in William Prance Road, Plymouth.

The Granary is perfect base for practitioners in Mid Devon IF you’re a health practitioner working in Mid Devon, you’re probably already aware of the facilities offered

by Woolsgrove Court, near Crediton.

But if you’re working elsewhere in Devon, and looking to expand into a new geographical area, the centre’s facilities could prove very attractive.

As well as the suite of rooms used by therapists based at Woolsgrove Court,

The Granary is a beautifully converted traditional barn that can easily accommodate seated groups of 30-40 or 15 for moving classes (it’s used for belly dancing

classes for two nights of the week, for example).

“Although The Granary is a traditional building, set in the beautiful, peaceful Mid Devon countryside,” said Sylvia Seage, who runs Woolsgrove, “it offers full modern facilities, including a bright, airy meeting space,

a kitchen and reception area and plenty of parking within our five-acre grounds.”

Sylvia can also provide B&B accommodation for those running residential courses, and there’s a country inn, which serves great meals, just two minutes’ walk away.

The Granary is available at £12.50 an hour, or £100 a day – negotiable for regular or long-term bookings.

Call 01363 84226, visit www.woolsgrovecourt.co.uk.

January 2011

ADVANCED Diploma Counselling, with the Dartmoor Centre for Counselling and Psychotherapy. Enrol now. For details of all training courses call Ken Rabone on 01297 440630.

Email : office@safespaceforcounselling.com www. safespaceforcounselling.com FIRST Certificate Counselling. with the Dartmoor Centre for Counselling and Psychotherapy. Enrol now. For details of all training courses call Ken Rabone on 01297 440630.

Email : office@safespaceforcounselling.com www.safespaceforcounselling.com Saturday 8

the green living magazine for Exeter, Plymouth and South Devon

Reach out to the heart of South Devon with an advert in Reconnect Placing a lineage ad in our Wellbeing section could not be easier - just fill in this form and send it to us.

Your ad can cost as little as £17.

Your wording ........................................................................................................................ ............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................. .............................................................................................................................................

Name .................................................................................. Tel ...........................................

Lineage ads cost 85p a word - minimum of 20 words.

Count up words and send us a cheque payable to Reconnect Magazine to 2 Withall’s Gardens, Lympstone EX8 5JH or leave your number and we’ll call you to pay by card.

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Advertising: 01392 346342 adverts@reconnectonline.co.uk

DIPLOMA Creative CBT with the Dartmoor Centre for Counselling and Psychotherapy.

For details of all training courses call Ken Rabone on 01297 440630. Email : office@ safespaceforcounselling.com www.safespaceforcounselling.com Saturday 22 & Sunday 23

CERTIFICATED KINESIOLOGY basic course (Exeter) open to anyone. Learn exciting, practical, truly holistic health care tools. Start training with Jane, tutor for UK's oldest school - The Academy of Systematic Kinesiology. Details 01626 891811 kjvanspyk@tiscali.co.uk www.holistictherapyexeter.co.uk Sunday 23

ENRICHING Healing and Development Workshop – Run at lovely family hotel in Teignmouth (Lunch available) - Further details: please Phone 01626 77404 or email healers@ lighthavencentre.com

Course runs Mar/Apr/May/Jun 2011

Saturday 29

FROM COUNSELLOR TO COACH: Crossing the Bridge, by Michael Carroll. The Iron Mill Institute, Exeter Tel 01392 219200 info@ironmill.info.

www.reconnectonline.co.uk

sergie@healthserg.co.uk

www.reconnectonline.co.uk

Editorial: 01392 346204 editor@reconnectonline.co.uk

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WELL, HAVE A WONDERFUL CHRISTMAS AND A FANTASTIC NEW YEAR! And you don’t need to send me a Christmas card or anything (thanks for the idea though).

And you probably won’t get one from me either.

But if you still actually have personal ethics and environmental criteria (e.g. you would prefer not to support companies who are destroying the atmosphere) and need some financial advice, it might be worthwhile giving me a call.

Yes, I’m still around.

Still being the Green Money Man in the West of England.

Still a qualified IFA and still available (despite having an allotment and ceramics exhibitions and all that stuff…)

So will look forward to being in touch in the near future…!

BARCHESTER GREEN INVESTMENTS SERIOUS ABOUT MONEY, SERIOUS ABOUT LIFE ON EA RTH

Call Robin Currie on 01392 411630 15 Sylvan Road, Exeter, Devon EX4 6EW • mob: 07973-533352 e-mail: robin.currie@barchestergreen.co.uk • www.barchestergreen.co.uk www.makingfriendswithmoney.co.uk

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Independent Financial Advisers regulated by the Financial Services Authority.