Reconnect 14 Aug-Sept 11

FREE BOOKS: We’ve got garden glut cookbooks to give away! visit our website: www.reconnectonline.co.uk

ISSUE 14 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2011

the green living magazine for Exeter, Plymouth and South Devon

Midsummer Fair

Didn’t we have a lovely time?

Wellbeing section

The shape of natural health

FREE please take one and pass it on

Pod almighty

Creative space exploration

Arts and crafts Putting you in the picture

Out and about

Green and community events

local people local events local food local health local environment

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local people local events local food local health local environment COMMERCIAL EDITOR Pete Hardy - 01392 346342 2 Withall’s Gardens, Lympstone, EX8 5JH adverts@reconnectonline.co.uk

to the August/September issue.

EDITOR Martin Foster - 01803 868455 editor@reconnectonline.co.uk 45 Punchards Down, Follaton, Totnes TQ9 5FD PUBLISHER Robin Currie - 01392 411630 robin@reconnectonline.co.uk PUBLISHED BY Reconnect Publishing Ltd, 15 Sylvan Rd, Exeter EX4 6EW PRINTED BY Kingfisher Print, Wills Road, Totnes TQ9 5XN. www.kingfisherprint.co.uk ADVERTISING The deadline for our Oct/Nov issue is September 2. Call Pete or Martin and ask them about our new Easy Pay scheme that spreads the cost over 12 months - an 1/8-page ad costs just £41 a month! If you’re new to advertising (or you don’t like the ads you’ve had elsewhere), we can help you write an ad and design it for you. And, of course, we’ll write the editorial and run it with a photograph to really get the word out there.

Call us now to talk it through...

WEBSITE Visit www.reconnectonline.co.uk and you’ll find: • an online PDF version of this issue • advertisements sizes and prices • details of our magazine stockists • profiles of the Reconnect team To contribute, please email Martin or Pete ECO ETHOS Reconnect is written, designed, printed and distributed locally, using materials from sustainable sources. It is printed using vegetablebased inks and biodegradable fount solution.

The paper is 75 per cent post-consumer waste and 25 per cent virgin fibre (from a sustainable source), chlorine-free and FSC-accredited (www. fsc-uk.org). All by-products of the production and printing processes are recycled. Please recycle this magazine by passing it on to a friend...

COPYRIGHT © 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 try 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, misstatements or mistakes in any advertisements or references

THINGS are moving so fast in the News International phone hacking story that as we go to press, murky Murdoch has just been run out of town over the BSkyB deal and Brooks has resigned, but by the time you read this, it could be that… well, I’m actually reluctant to come up with something too outrageous as an example – not for fear of libel, but because even that might have been discovered to be just the lower part of the tip of the iceberg.

But isn’t the News International Affair more about power than journalism or publishing? To me, it’s yet another indication that the corrupting force of absolute power makes some people prepared to do absolutely anything to acquire one more business, to add one more pound to the bottom line, or to have one more politician eating out of their grubby hand.

While I feel great sympathy for the victims, my more anarchic side can’t help feeling this has done a great job of showing just how dangerous multi-national companies (and national institutions like political parties and the police, for that matter) can be.

While no-one in their right mind would advocate bombs to bring down the system, I do think there’s a real need for VERY LOUD alarm clocks.

And is it too much to hope for that, somewhere further down the iceberg as the water gets even dirtier, we’ll discover just a little piece of muck firmly stuck to the name of a major supermarket chain?

AND so to happier stuff – our Midsummer Fair at Embercombe in July, which was a huge success.

But given that admission was free (we charged only for parking to discourage car use), and we’d never set out to make loads of money from it anyway, how do we measure that success?

Well, it didn’t lose money (phew!), it all ran smoothly, most of the stall holders have already asked if they can book for the next event, visitors clearly had a great time, loads of new people signed up for Embercombe courses and newsletters and we got to meet many more of you, the readers.

Most of that was largely thanks to the organisational skills, teamwork and downright wonderfulness of the Embercombe and Reconnect teams - and another wonderful consequence of the fair is the closer bond it has created between us all.

But I’d like also to give full credit to something rather bigger and more powerful – the ethos that links all the very different people involved; the sense that living more sustainably and with greater emphasis on the importance of relationships (friends, families and communities) can actually make the world a better place to live.

We might all just be onto something here…

Local food pages 6 - 8

Local energy pages 10-11

Eco homes pages 18 - 21

Wellbeing

pages 27 - 35

AND finally, a couple of Reconnect business items that might prove useful or interesting to you.

First, we are looking for someone to join the Reconnect team. As the magazine grows, we need help on the advertising side of things (which is how we finance the whole project, after all) .

So if: you like what we do so much that you want to be part of it; you have (ideally, but not necessarily) some telesales experience; you want to work from home on a (very generous) commission basis and, very importantly, you want to come on board for the long journey and grow with the magazine (we have many exciting plans), just email editor@ reconnectonline.co.uk. … and secondly, my phone number has changed to 01803 868455 – which was actually the number the old 01392 number took you through to anyway (so that still works), but that goes via the internet and sometimes results in an almost trans-Atlantic-style time delay, making me sound either rude or stupid.

And I am neither (on a good day, at least)…

Editor

insight meditation in the buddhist tradition

www.gaiahouse.co.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 Online tips for green funerals A GREEN funeral director has launched a new website to advise families about the process of arranging and holding a funeral.

Green Fuse, which organises contemporary and green funerals in Devon from their base near Totnes, believe families should be allowed to play a larger part in the proceedings.

Jane Morrell, who recently visited California where there is a strong ‘home funeral’ movement, said: “We are committed to taking away the mystique that surrounds funerals and letting families have all the information and support they need to find their own way to say farewell and to reclaim the funeral as a family led event.”

Visit www.greenfuse.co.uk, or call 01803 840779.

Changing the world by changing the way the world does business FOR many Reconnect readers, thinking local and buying local come as second nature. But not all of us think further than our local community.

How do our other everyday actions, such as use of bank accounts and energy companies, impact on the planet?

A search on the internet may provide some answers but the subject is complex.

Barchester Green has been giving expert advice on ethical investment since 1985 and, according to Jonathon Clark who first joined Barchester in 1990, the world of ethical investment has changed dramatically over those 25 years.

With the media concentrating on subjects such as global warming and GM crops, the focus of investors has changed from ethical investment towards environmental investment.

The MPs expenses scandal and the recent hacking debacle has also put the

focus on more than just business - more on how that business is conducted.

Rather than demonstrating and campaigning, Jonathon believes that sustained improvement will come about only by looking long term at changing consciousness and raising awareness.

“The real change comes from people observing the way in which business is conducted and deciding that they want to be a part of that way of doing business,” he said.

Jonathon explained that some investment funds are now more likely to give priority to renewable energy with less concern for labour conditions of those involved in the industry and the nature of the government where equipment they use is being manufactured.

The role of the adviser is to match the characteristics of each fund with the preferences of the individual investor.

City residents are swift to help bird project MORE than 500 Exeter residents have joined forces to help secure a thriving population of swifts.

The Exeter Swift Project is a partnership between Devon Wildlife Trust, Exeter City Council and the RSPB, and residents have been

Barchester Green has a new independent financial Cris Iles-Wright adviser for the South West in the shape of Cris Iles-Wright.

Cris is based in Ivybridge, 10 miles from Plymouth. He will be looking after many of Robin Currie’s clients in the West Country following Robin’s retirement on health grounds, as well as bringing his own clients from his existing practice.

Cris has been on “both sides of the fence” having gained experience in positions with two major life assurance companies before becoming an independent financial adviser.

He has a long interest in ethical matters and is particularly concerned with animal welfare. Cris is married to Tracy, who also helps with the administration of his work.

Zoo’s higher yields

approaching the project team for advice, helping to make nest boxes, installing boxes on their houses, schools and businesses and responding to the swift survey. Over 50 new nest spaces were created Visit www.devonwildlifetrust.org.

THE Institute of Horticulture has awarded the Norah Stucken Award 2011 to Paignton Zoo’s innovative high density vertical crop-growing system.

Paignton Zoo’s Verti-Crop is the first public working prototype of its kind in the world. It is designed to produce sustainable food using fewer resources such as water and land and to reduce carbon footprints and food miles.

The Norah Stucken Award is for outstanding projects which have made a significant impact on horticulture.

Kevin Frediani, Paignton Zoo’s curator of plants and gardens, with the Verti-crop system, left

Friends’ tarot event on cards TWO Torquay friends have joined forces to organise their first Tarot conference in their home town.

The Riviera Tarot Conference will take place at the Riviera International Centre, Torquay on Saturday, October 29, and is expected to attract around 200 people from all over the country.

This one-day event will be filled with lectures and workshops together with opportunities for tarot and palmistry readings by some of the masters.

The two women behind the event are Natalia Virdee and Isla Taylor, who have both been tarot readers for a number of years and also have a keen interest in other modalities such as palmistry, astrology, reiki, psychic development and spiritual awareness.

Natalia, who has a background in mathematics and frequently attended math seminars, and Isla, who regularly organises mind, body and Spirit fairs in South Devon, decided to combine

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their energies to create this exciting new event.

Said Natalia: “It was obvious to us that there are very limited opportunities for local tarot readers and enthusiasts to come together, share their experiences and learn from each other, especially in this part of the country.”

The main speakers at the conference are prominent local figures such as Sasha Fenton and Sara Delphi. There will be a choice of workshops and an opportunity to buy some unique tarot related items at a charity auction in aid of Rowcroft Hospice. In addition, refreshments, a buffet lunch, a delegate pack and free car parking are all included in this package.

There will also be stalls with all things tarot and to create the right ambience and local musician Luc Walpot will provide a harp accompaniment to welcome everyone on arrival and during the lunch break.

Visit www.rivieratarotconference.co.uk

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local people local events local food local health local environment A sound deal from community radio TOTNES FM, the new online community radio station, has come up with a scheme that seems to benefit just about everyone.

Their current priority is survival – it’s a not-for-profit business, and everyone gives their time free of charge, but there are still hefty costs. Radio stations don’t come cheap.

So they are inviting supporters to become Totnes FM members for just £20 a year. That dosh then goes straight into Totnes FM funds and a fuzzy warm feeling goes straight into the members’ hearts.

But members also get a card which gives them 10% discount, on the last Tuesday of each month, in a whole host of stores across Totnes – and they’ve already signed up well over a third of independent businesses, including Greenlife, Riverford, Totnes Pet & Garden Centre and some pubs.

Members only need to spend £17 a month in the stores to get into profit and all those wonderful independent stores and pubs get a welcome boost to trade. We make that a win/win/win deal.

Obviously you’re interested, and obviously you’ll want to know more (like how to sign up), so go visit www.totnesfm.co.uk right now.

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the green living magazine for Exeter, Plymouth and South Devon

Printmaker Deborah Treliving at Cockington Pic Craig Long

Guild spreads its wings THE Devon Guild of Craftsmen has expanded beyond its Bovey Tracey base for the first time.

The contemporary crafts organisation has opened a new outlet at Cockington Court at Torquay’s country park and craft centre.

Seachange Studios complex aims to regenerate Cockington Court as a creative hub and the Guild’s new shop will play a key part, showcasing contemporary crafts made by South West artists such as Will Shakspeare (glass) and Richard Godfrey (ceramic).

There will be 15 new businesses, including studios and shops behind the rose garden at Cockington, as well as makers demonstrating and exhibiting in the Stableyard Craft Studios.

A spokesman for the Guild said: “The £2.85 million project will foster

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local industry, interest and talent as well as promoting the historic attraction as a place of heritage and culture for residents of and visitors to Torbay.

“Integrating the arts and crafts at Cockington will further cement the Bay’s growing reputation as a magnet for creative individuals and businesses.”

Open 10am-5pm, the shop opening also marks the launch of Art on the English Riviera 2011 a new exhibition at Cockington celebrating West Country artists. The show runs until August 29 and features artworks loaned from Dartington, pots by Bernard Leach, paticipatory land art and the world premiere of a new work by Henry Bruce who created the Dartmoor Chair.

Find out more about the Guild at www.crafts.org.uk and about Cockington Court at www. cockingtoncourt.info.

JOINUS We’re looking for help with advertisement sales here at Reconnect and we’d love to hear from you if you’re looking for: n Flexible hours working from your own home; n Payment by (very generous) commission; n A long-term involvement in the Reconnect project.

Experience in telesales would be an advantage but is by no means compulsory. More important is an understanding of what Reconnect is about and a friendly (and effective!) approach to doing business.

If that sounds like you, get in touch.

Send a brief CV and a note of what you could offer to: adverts@reconnectonlineco.uk local people local events local food local health local environment

Editorial: 01392 346204 editor@reconnectonline.co.uk

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local people local events local food local health local environment

LOCALLY sourced, seasonal food is good for the local economy, good for local growers and good for you. And in Reconnect it’s also good for Rat Pack medleys, free books, weather-related pickles and an example of blatant promotion. Read on...

Partying at Greenlife’s 21st and, below, director Jamie Sermon and manager Julie Hore

Shop celebrates its 21st GREENLIFE, the health food shop that has long been part of Totnes and now also sells all over the world through its website, celebrated its 21st birthday with a massive market and party in the town’s Civic Square.

There was music all day, provided by Greenlife owner Mike Sermon, who sang the hits of the Rat Pack, followed by the store’s own Sharie and Michael, the self-penned songs of Matt Sermon, Piping Hot Barn Dance & Ceilidh Band, Jon Stein, acapella group Viva, Jaime Leigh, Sue Robinson, Susan Taylor & Simon Williams and Dani Johnson.

Meanwhile, a host of stalls were doing business, representing every aspect of the health food trade, and all handing out free samples, advice and discounts.

There was also 10% discount all day in the store.

Jamie Sermon, co-owner and director said: “What an amazing turn out. We are so lucky to have inspired such a loyal customer base. We are looking forward to the next 21 years!”

Meanwhile, Greenlife has also got a new window display, running the

length of their Civic Square frontage.

“We didn’t want an ordinary sign,” said store manager Julie Hore. “Everything we do at Greenlife is about the Earth, the environment and healthy living and knowing the Steiner school shared many of our values, we called on them to help. And help they did!”

Ian Powell and his team at the school have painted massive panels depicting Totnes and the surrounding area.

“We will be eternally grateful for the endless hours of hard work they put in to make this project an extraordinarily beautiful success,” said Julie.

Visit www.greenlife.co.uk.

Greenlife’s Steiner School created window display

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local people local events local food local health local environment How local is local?

WELL, it doesn’t get much more local than from your own garden and Reconnect is proud to announce another new regular feature - Organic Gardening.

Written by Joa Grower of Growers Organics, it’s dripping with sensible, practical advice including why you should take a cooking stove to your sweetcorn patch... See page 17.

Make the most of a glut IF you grow your own vegetables (and if you don’t, read Organic Gardening on page 17 and then come back to this bit), you’ll know that nature is rubbish when it comes to timing when crops are ready to harvest.

For weeks you dutifully care for your plants, nurturing them to maturity… and then suddenly you’ve got a glut on your hands, an over-abundance.

You do your best to use as many as you can, but even the sheer wonder of fresh courgettes wanes eventually…

Making the Most of Your Glorious Glut is the latest great title from local publishers Green Books.

Written by Jackie Sherman, it combines her two great loves, cooking and gardening, in a book stuffed with imaginative ideas on how to use and store your produce to avoid so much as a single blackcurrant going to waste.

As well as over 250 recipes for using fresh produce in new and exciting ways, it also tells you how to pickle, preserve, dry, bottle and juice all your surplus fruit and vegetables so that they can be enjoyed throughout the year.

“Making the Most of Your Glorious Glut is the answer to the perennial problem of an over-abundance of wonderful fruit and vegetables,” says Green Books.

“From courgettes to spinach, tomatoes to runner beans or blackcurrants to plums, most gardeners will recognise the sinking feeling that creeps over you when you realise you have had

such a good harvest that you cannot actually face picking, cooking or eating any more. “ And if you don’t grow your own, it’s also a great way to use your share of other people’s surpluses, or fresh produce bought when prices are at their lowest down the local market. A stroll along the hedgerows will produce ingredients for some of the recipes and processes on offer.

So, a great book as you’d expect from Green Books, and it’s available from your favourite local book shop right now for just £12.95 – why not club together with friends or neighbours and share it?

Or, if you’re one of our more enthusiastic readers and you picked up your copy as soon as it hit the shelves, you might just get one for nothing – see below.

And we’ve got three to give away!

THOSE lovely Green Books folk have given us three copies of Making the Most of Your Glorious Glut – and one of them might just end up on your bookshelf. Or, more importantly, open on your kitchen worktop…

To be in with a chance of getting your hands on a copy, all you have to do is email editor@ reconnectonline.co.uk and put ‘I’d

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LOVE that book!’ in the subject box.

The first three readers to get their emails into the editorial mailbox will get one FREE! Now, the rest of you just go and buy a copy now – it’ll save you a fortune…

Look out for another great bookshaped giveaway next time!

Editorial: 01392 346204 editor@reconnectonline.co.uk

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local people local events local food local health local environment One of the Real Food Store’s general assistants, Bill, in the cafe, right, and just a small sample of the local, seasonal produce on sale there, below.

Why we say: go shopping here!

WE make every effort when we feature businesses in Reconnect not to be too blatantly commercial, not too ‘hard-sell’ - the ads do that, after all.

But with Exeter’s Real Food Store we are prepared to make the exception because its a communityowned and run store selling local, seasonal food to the community - now that’s a business we openly urge everyone to support.

Simply looking around the Paris Street store is a delight – finding out what fruit and veg is being plucked from the fields around the city and what special treats Emma Parkin, from Emma’s Bread, has produced from her in-store bakery.

Since its opening in March the social enterprise is thriving and getting busier by the day with more and more people using the café and the first floor restaurant.

Hazel and Steve Glaves at In A Pickle

Pickle sales forecast WHEN pickle expert Hazel Glaves readies herself for a local show, she’s keen to know the weather forecast - but not just because she’s afraid of getting wet.

Hazel, who runs the In a Pickle shop in St Marychurch, and sells her home-made pickles at events all over South Devon, says the weather, and sometimes even the day of the week, will dictate which line will sell best.

Rainy days mean she has a run on pickles which blend well with curries, such as lime and aubergine pickles; whereas on hot sunny days the most popular lines are pickles that go well with salads and barbecues, such as relish and tomato and red pepper ketchup.

Hazel will be taking her huge range of pickles to a variety of shows over the coming months.

In August she will be at Teignmouth Regatta on the 1st, Hennock Country Fair on the 14th and the Steam Rally at Ford House Newton Abbot on the 21st. In September she will be at Ashburton Festival on the 10th, the Agatha Christie Fete in Torquay on the 11th and Widdecombe Fair on the 13th.

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She added: “Our staff are becoming more immersed in the whole ethos of local food and our restaurant menus reflect that seasonal produce.”

Emma says store cook Sima’s first job of the day is to check out what produce has come in store before deciding what dishes to produce.

“The message is that it’s always changing, sometimes on a daily basis, so it’s always worth dropping in,” said Emma.

And since the store opened its doors in March, the number of stock lines available has continued to grow.

The store is trying to appeal to the large city office lunch trade and is offering a range of drinks and sandwiches.

How does a savoury courgette and fetta mint muffin sound?

Fresh food is a speciality - Emma says that the store being so close to its suppliers means they can bring in that morning’s crop to stock the store’s shelves.

Visit www. realfoodexeter. co.uk, email info@ realfoodexeter.co.uk, or call 01392 681234.

New community veg scheme thinks outside the box OCCOMBE Farm, the environmentally-friendly farm run

by Torbay Coast & Countryside Trust, has introduced a veg box scheme.

The boxes will be produced weekly from June – March, as part of a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) scheme which is different to other vegetable box subscriptions.

A CSA is a sociable scheme aiming to get local people directly involved in producing

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the food they eat and learning valuable skills - members are encouraged to get involved in the planting, growing and harvesting of the crops.

Members will also be invited to attend social events such as talks and barbecues.

Torbay Coast & Countryside Trust education and community manager Julian Carnell said: “It is really exciting after four years of planning and hard work that

we are about to start supplying people with genuinely local food, grown right here at Occombe.”

If you are interested in becoming a member of the Occombe CSA veg box scheme at £10 per week there are still a few spaces remaining. These can be applied for by application, available at Occombe Farm, online at www. occombe.org.uk or by calling Torbay Coast & Countryside Trust on 01803 606035.

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local people local events local food local health local environment

School’s out - open-air lessons at Acorns

The nature of schooling ARGUMENTS concerning the benefits, and/or otherwise, of home education continue to rage.

A more conventional school might offer socialisation and specialist teaching skills but then advocates of educating children within their own family might argue that such an important role shouldn’t be left to strangers - however ‘expert’ they might be - and that the natural family bond should be paramount.

But what if there was a different form of schooling, that combined the best qualities of each approach, creating a unique combination of family, community and nature?

When Sharona Parker moved to Devon, she searched the area for a school that would offer the flexibility she needed (she wanted her daughter to attend school two or three days a week so she could spend more time with the family) and which also “involved nature as a partner, supported by themes of low-impact living, climate change, sustainability and social responsibility.”

When none of the local schools measured up, she set about creating her own.

“We wanted a more proactive, inclusive approach to education, one where parents could, if they wished, have more involvement in all aspects of their children’s education,” said Sharona.

“The thought of delegating such a vital element of a child’s early life to complete strangers seemed at best curious.”

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The result is Acorns, a very different type of school based on a 10acre off-grid site at Denbury, near Newton Abbot, featuring a meadow, six acres of sustainably managed oak and hazel woodland, organic vegetable beds and a pond.

Said Sharona: “Children today may have an intellectual grasp of global threats to the environment, but their physical contact, their intimacy with nature, is fading. Acorns is making a small contribution to address these issues, by helping re-engage children (and adults) with nature, healing the broken bond between young and the environment.”

Photo-voltaic cells and a small wind turbine power a large workshop and two classrooms.

“In essence,” says Sharona, “Acorns is concerned with seeds, both actual and metaphorical - sowing seeds and evolving new stories. This is in everyone’s interest because our mental, physical and spiritual health depends on it and the health of the Earth is also at stake.”

With an emphasis on small, intimate class sizes, there is no intention to grow the school beyond 25 children.

It runs Monday-Wednesday (“flexischool to compliment family life”) and there are currently three fully qualified teachers, three forest school leaders and a host of volunteers.

To find out more about Acorns, or to arrange a visit, please call Sharona on 07872 832026, or email oakwood@riseup.net.

Editorial: 01392 346204 editor@reconnectonline.co.uk

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local people local events local food local health local environment

HOW your car could run on recycled cooking oil, why we STILL don’t have the full story on renewable heat incentives and a fence-sitting health warning

Reconnect’s Pete Hardy and Greenearth’s Bill Brown in a blatantly staged photo from our Midsummer Fair

It’s oil change at bio firm GREENEARTH have been featured in Reconnect before, as providers of bio diesel. They collected local used cooking oil, processed it at their Crediton HQ, and sold the bio diesel, ready-to-use, to owners of diesel vehicles.

Well, there’s good news and bad news…

The bad news is that they no longer produce and sell biodiesel. But the good news is, as Greenearth Conversions, they now supply and fit kits that allow any diesel vehicle to run on straight used vegetable cooking oil.

And they sell used and filtered cooking oil, collected locally, so supply won’t be a problem.

The conversion involves the installation of a small second fuel tank, which is used for normal pump diesel, and the conversion of the main tank to hold the vegetable oil.

The engine is then started from cold using diesel from the small tank and, as soon as the engine starts to warm, you can switch over to run on vegetable oil.

This means you can run your vehicle on used cooking oil which, depending on your source, will cost you between 50p and £1 a litre – and it’s all completely legal because legislation introduced in 2007 allows the individual to use up to 2500 litres a year TAX FREE. And you’ll be dramatically cutting your emissions, of course.

Says Bill Brown of Greenearth Conversions: “We can convert any diesel car or van - the only difference is in the complexity of the system the engine needs, which in turn affects the cost of the conversion.”

A basic conversion costs £550 inclusive, and Bill says that would suit most cars up to about 2002. They also supply a DIY conversion for £349.99.

Find out more at www.greenearthconversions.co.uk, email info@ greenearth-conversions.co.uk, or call Bill on 07866 079583.

When you’re going to leave the car for any extended period of time, you select ‘purge’, and the system automatically flushes out the vegetable oil and replaces it with diesel ready for the next start.

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Time for a clean sweep...

IT might seem odd to be talking now about checking out our wood burners, open fires and central heating systems, but in fact it’s the best time.

Chimney sweep Kevin Jones says that in the Autumn he and fellow South West sweeps will be rushed off their feet with a queue of customers wanting to fire up their boilers or light their wood burners. And you might also get keener prices away from the Winter rush.

Said Kevin: “Heating and cooking appliances fuelled by coal, smokeless fuels, wood and oil can be just as likely as gas appliances to cause carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning.

This poisoning is mostly caused by inadequate ventilation or lack of correct maintenance of appliances, flues and chimneys.

“You must not use your fire or wood burner if you think its chimney is not working properly. Signs to look for are fumes or smoke in the house, slower than usual burning, difficulty in lighting or evidence of sooting or staining around the appliance.”

Kevin said CO has no smell, no colour and no taste so you won’t know when it’s present.

He added: “It can kill or maim without warning in a matter of hours. You are most vulnerable while sleeping. Children and the elderly are particularly at risk.

The early symptoms of CO poisoning include tiredness, drowsiness, headaches, dizziness, chest pains and nausea.

Visit www.chimneysweeptiverton.co.uk.

Time the DCC acted...

THE waiting goes on for heating firms and their customers over a government announcement on renewable heat incentives.

So far the announcement, originally due in March, has been delayed twice. And as Reconnect goes to press a spokesman at the Department of Energy and Climate Change said the announcement on tariffs would be made “later this summer” - although their website states July.

The first phase of the scheme includes Renewable Heat Premium Payments which will be lump sums to households that install approved renewable heating equipment.

However, the department has not said how much this is likely to be.

The first phase will also offer tariff payments to commercial operations

who install renewable heating systems with the domestic tariffs coming in next year.

Again, the department has not said how much those tariff payments will be.

Elaine Ewer of Elaine’s Stoves, said the scheme was definitely going ahead and the domestic tariffs would start in October next year.

However, the amount of the tariff and the premium payments have not yet been announced.

“I have six or seven customers treading water waiting to hear what the payments are going to be.

Some of the approved equipment is more expensive than ones not listed so if the payments are not high enough they could choose to lower their installation costs and not apply for the payments.”

... and time for a decision A PV solar panel company has warned householders they might lose out if they “sit on the fence” too long.

Robert Thomas of PV Solar Solutions, said: “The Government is committed to £40 million of savings by 2014/15, so the current rate of 43.3p per unit is unlikely to survive.

“The industry hopes that rate will at least be available until April 1 of next year, but we have to be aware too that the Government has already fasttracked the reduction in commercial Feed in Tariffs to August 1 of this year, which has caused problems for land owners and businesses planning renewable energy schemes. Obviously, anyone who signs up to the current rate is guarenteed that, index-linked, for the next 25 years.

“We would urge anyone who wants to take advantage of the very generous current rate to place an order as soon as possible.”

Robert, the Totnes-based agent for the Cardiff company, says there’s another

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reason not to delay.

“The lead time from placing an order and having the panels installed is growing on a monthly basis and by the autumn this could be four months or more,” he said.

“There are a lot of people who have had quotes for installations but who as yet have not made a decision. With more energy suppliers announcing huge electricity price increases, and with a surge in orders expected after the hectic school holidays, the industry is expecting a backlog of installations.”

The good news is solar panels are now very competitively priced and Robert says their buying power means they are competitive within the market too.

“We use all our own trained fitters,” says Robert, “we provide 10 year insurance-backed guarantees on the complete installation, and we are one of the only micro generation installers to gain the Government-endorsed standard, Trustmark.”

Call 0800 321 3539 for a free quote.

Editorial: 01392 346204 editor@reconnectonline.co.uk

11

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All together now Reconnect, Embercombe - and hundreds of you!

IT was the day when everything that Reconnect is about merged with everything that Embercombe stands for to create everything you could want in the perfect day out.

The Reconnect Midsummer Fair at Embercombe was the ultimate celebration of sustainability, community and fun. And we even had good weather (ok, with the occasional shower just to remind us that nature was invited too).

From the Green Marketplace with its huge range of stalls to the wacky welly throwing competition; from rural skills workshops to a fire-juggling, unicycling jester; from local transition groups to the fiery closing ceremony - all life was there and it felt so good to be together sharing it.

We’d like to publicly thank Embercombe for everything they did (and for the friendly and open way they did it), the stall holders for adding their own magic, and of course everyone of you who came along.

So many people have already asked if we’ll do it again and the simple answer is... watch this space!

12

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local people local events local food local health local environment

Seasonal Eating IN the latest of our Seasonal Eating columns, Carol Lee introduces us to the fifth season of the year, with its hint of heat and dash of damp darkness...

SEASONAL eating is easy and cheap at this time of year - foraging for berries and wild food as well as picking fresh from our gardens, allotments and window boxes. Traditional Chinese medicine theory helps to give us insight as to why not only is it great for our purse it is also fantastic for our health and wellbeing.

Traditional Chinese Medicine recognises five seasons slotting late summer in between Summer and Autumn.

Sometimes referred to as an Indian summer I prefer to just call it harvest time.

This ‘season’, which can last a few days to a few weeks, is the balance point of the year before the energy tips over into Autumn and the energy starts to fall away towards Winter. If we are lucky we can still feel some of the warmth of Summer combined with the increasing darkness, dampness and that warning nip in the air of Autumn.

That delicious feeling of contentment from a full stomach and the security of a full larder for the long Winter months ahead epitomises the essence of this time of year. We are in the Earth element time of the year so nourishment and digestion on all levels comes to the fore, meaning it’s time to consider not just our diet but also what nourishes our mind and spirit and makes us feel good.

In nature, the energy at this time of year has transformed from the showiness of Summer into the softer fruitfulness of late Summer; the final ripening is taking place. In terms of seasonal eating this time of year has such a lot to offer, from stuffed squashes to blackberry and apple

Cor!-gettes crumble, nature is bursting with her harvest. There is plenty to choose from; sweetcorn, apples, squashes, cabbage, spinach and courgettes are just a few of my favourite.

So what does this seasonal change mean for how we eat?

• It is time to shift our light Summer diet towards a bit more density, so maybe introducing heavier protein and fat foods, whole grains, seeds, nuts and beans.

• Cut back on raw foods and start introducing warming foods again light vegetable and grain soups are a good place to start.

• As the weather cools you can introduce warming herbal teas using fresh mint, rosemary or fennel.

• Finally, I always think squashes have perfect late Summer energy; providing more sustainable energy than lighter Summer foods but not quite as dense as the heavier Winter roots. Their stunning colours and decorative appeal also perfectly illustrates the richness of the season.

RECIPE: Courgette cake

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Try this lovely recipe for courgette cake it’s a great way to use up that inevitable glut!

(Makes 2 x 1lb loaves or can be tray baked) 8oz courgettes - grated (peel if you don’t want a green cake!); 5oz butter; 9-10oz sugar; 4 eggs (beaten); 11oz self-raising flour; 2tsp ground cinnamon or mixed spice; 4-5oz seedless raisins; 3oz chopped nuts; 2tsp vanilla essence Method: Preheat oven on Gas Mark 4. Grease tins or tray. You can line the tray bake with greaseproof paper. Cream the butter and sugar, beat the eggs and then add the flour alternately, making sure it’s well mixed. Beat in the cinnamon, courgettes, raisins, nuts and vanilla essence. Cook for 1 hour. Make sure you leave the cake to cool once it’s done, because the mixture is quite moist.

You might find you have to very gently ease the cake out of the tin with a pallet knife. Enjoy!

Reconnect’s Seasonal Eating is written by Carol Lee, who offers one-to-one consultations and runs workshops and courses in nutrition, health and wellbeing. Call her on 01363 82794 or visit www.naturalfoodschool.co.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

Artists open their doors

Try this one for scythes...

WHILE lawns have got something of a bad press lately (perfect example of bad monoculture, better dug up and replanted with veg, etc), there’s no disputing the aesthetic and ecological value of meadowland – especially with a smattering of wild flowers…

And whatever the size of your grassy area, it all needs cutting at some point – if you have enough land you might even want to make hay – but do you really want to drive up and down with noisy, smelly machinery?

Bring in the scythes!

Using scythes effectively and safely is a real skill and fortunately there are still people keeping the skill alive by passing it on.

Those of you who visited our Midsummer Fair at Embercombe might have met Alastair Inglis and he’s running a scything course at Wayfield Nurseries, near East Prawle, on Saturday, August 20.

For full details, email Cat Middleditch - cat@ sustainablecreations. co.uk.

And look out too for Alastair’s axe use and sharpening courses in the Autumn…

NESTLED close to the Exe Estuary in the heart of the beautiful fishing village of Lympstone, Brookend is an obvious place for an artist to put down roots.

It’s the home of Debbie Mitchell, who has spent her working life painting theatre scenery. But soon it will double as a gallery for Debbie and two other Lympstone artists.

Sue Paterson, Sheila Stone and Debbie are all taking part in the annual countywide Devon Open Studios event, which stretches from September 3-18 featuring some of their recent work.

Sue will be taking part again after the success of last year where the public were invited into her home at Brookfield Cottages and she recorded over 400 visits.

Lympstone artists, from left, Sue Paterson, Sheila Stone and Debbie Mitchell

Her works feature Lympstone landmarks like the harbour, moored boats and washing lines. Working mainly with acrylic , watercolour and pastel, Sue draws her inspiration from the ever-changing view of the estuary.

Now retired to Lympstone,

Take to the water for a break from shops

Veggie talk THE founder of veggie magazine Viva, Juliet Gellatly, will give a talk at the Barrel House in Totnes on September 15 at 7pm.

She and her magazine are an international voice for animals and her talk will cover the global impact of the meat and dairy industries, the effects of meat and dairy on our health, the benefits of being vegetarian and more.

Juliet knows her stuff, and is a great authority on nutrition and its effects on our bodies and the environment, and is a devoted campaigner for animal rights.

Find out more at www. jasonliosatos.com, www.jasonliosatos.co.uk and www.hlouiseashley. com or call 07958 402047.

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Debbie says she at last has the time to look around and transfer the skills she has learnt working in theatre to depict things that interest her on a smaller scale.

She said: “The ever-changing estuary, and especially the redstone promontaries along the beach, fascinate me.”

For Sheila this is a new venture.

She said: “I moved from North London to Lympstone just over two years ago, having spent all of my working life teaching in inner city schools.

“Lympstone is not only beautiful, it has a vibrant, varied and busy community where it is easy to become involved and to be creative. I enjoy photography and my photographs are those in this year’s village calendar.”

You can visit Sue, Debbie and Sheila at Brookend workshop, Lympstone, during Open Studios daily 10am-5pm (closed Mondays). Devon open studios produces a guide to help visitors plan their own art trail . Free copies are available at tourist information centres, libraries and galleries throughout August and September.

An example of Jentle Trading’s scarves, made from vintage saris

Sari scarves aid women IT’S been a busy couple of months for the new Totnes-based Fairtrade business Jentle Trading.

After making its debut in the last issue of Reconnect, they expanded their range to include vintage sari scarves, handmade by victims of human trafficking in India.

And then it was out on the road for their first two events – our very own Midsummer Fair at Embercombe followed by Quest at Newton Abbot.

Said Jenny Foster (wife of Reconnect editor Martin – but please don’t hold that against her): “Everyone’s reaction has been just amazing. It’s great that the business is already proving successful, but even people who don’t buy anything are really interested to hear the story behind the products.”

The new scarves are made from three layers of recycled vintage sari, using traditional Kantha stitching, in

a women’s co-operative. Each one carries a tag bearing the name of the woman who created it.

The scarves can be bought online for £19.90. Also on the website is the Jentle Trading range of shopping bags, laptop bags, patio planters and shopping trolleys, all of which are made from recycled cement bags in a Bangladesh women’s co-op.

The bags and planters are available in a choice of red, blue or green and the trolleys in red or green. The shopping bags are £9.90; the patio planters (in three sizes) are £4.90, £8.90 and £9.90; the laptop bags (lined with cotton) are £25; and the eco trolleys (with replaceable bags) are £39.

Postage rates are all on the website, but Jenny will deliver free of charge in the Totnes area.

Visit www.jentletrading.co.uk, or call 01803 868455.

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SUMMER is a quiet time for staff at Exeter’s waterbed showroom – so much so they have offered Reconnect readers a special invitation.

If you’re out shopping and your feet are aching there’s a chance to take a rest and relax on one of their waterbed couches.

Brian Cooper, pictured below at his Westcountry Waterbeds in the Guildhall Shopping Centre, is offering free sessions on his amazing Wellness Massage Couch.

Says Brian: “We sit in our little shop and watch hoards of shoppers rushing around in the sunshine, while we are sitting around with no-one to talk to. So if you have 15 minutes to kill, come and say hello.”

Brian says the couch is fully controllable and very relaxing.

“If you want to you can try our fantastic waterbeds without the hard sell.”

Call Brian on 01392 411212 or go to www. water-beds-uk.com.

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local people local events local food local health local environment WHILE it’s generally accepted that computers – and even TVs – have a part to play in children’s education, most experts (including a lot of parents, the most qualified experts of all) agree high levels of exposure are seriously detrimental to children’s development.

What kids need is a chance to think outside of the classroom…

Embercombe is providing a route for children aged 5-18 to have a distinctly 3-D, A sea monster made in cob by Year 7 pupils hands-on experience at Teignmouth Community College by visiting their beautiful 50-acre site which provides an extraordinary outdoor classroom.

Activities provide key learning for many Paignton, made pizza in wood-fired national curriculum ovens in the outdoor garden kitchen, subjects, especially sciences and using freshly picked ingredients, built the arts, and the development of confidence and real life skills for PSHE. rafts and competed on the lake and Jo Clark, head of land-based learning went for a night walk in the woods.

Embercombe is also now enabling at Embercombe, says: “Our aim is to teachers, children and parents to instill, in even the smallest children, a develop their own school grounds as love for the earth. an educational resource.

“For older pupils, we want to provide Their most recent Garden Force Day a direct experience that enables them was spent enabling the children at to feel their connection to our world Churston Ferrers Grammar School in and to know they are part of it. It’s all part of our work to inspire people of all Brixham to create a beautiful garden. ages and backgrounds to take action The team also took their arts and crafts for a truly sustainable world.” on the road to Teignmouth Community College in July to work with the new Cooking, crafts, gardening, film Year 7 to make a school sculpture making and bushcraft are all used to of a sea monster using tactile and impart knowledge and experience. renewable cob.

Secondary school pupils visiting all the way from Edinburgh this Summer have Schools and parents can find out built a lime kiln on site to study the lime more from Jo Clark at Embercombe cycle in practice. on 01647 252983, or email jo@ embercombe.co.uk.

Curledge Street Primary School, from

Pupils unplugged and earthed...

Jently does it...

A carefully selected range of Fair Trade, environmentally friendly products, sold in Devon with love from us

Tale of a boy, a boat... and some socks VILLAGES in Action’s (VIA) Autumn programme will take performances by Shanty Theatre to village halls at Newton and Noss, Whimple, Manaton and Bickington during September.

The Salty Socks of Dunkirk is a story about a boy and a boat and some socks. Set at the beginning of World War 2 and dripping with Brylcream, bunting and BBC broadcasts, a young boy has the world at his feet.

At Dunkeswell Village Hall on September 30, award-winning photographer Ben Osborne presents Jurassic Journey, an exciting fusion of photography, digital imagery, music, poetry and sculpture.

Since 2009 Ben has been recording a visual and audio diary of his experience as he travels the coast.

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Bags made from reycled cement bags Scarves made from vintage saris... ... making a difference to people’s lives Details of VIA events are available from libraries, Tourist Information Centres, district council offices or direct from 01363 773660. See www.villagesinaction.co.uk.

Jentle Trading

Visit www.jentletrading.co.uk or call Jenny now on 01803 868455

Editorial: 01392 346204 editor@reconnectonline.co.uk

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local people local events local food local health local environment

Run back to wellbeing LOOKING for an inspiring physical challenge? Then how about trying Wild Running.

It could be the spark to fire you out of that rough patch you’re going through.

Wild Runner Ceri Rees is the man behind a new social enterprise in Totnes which aims to boost people’s physical and mental wellbeing by taking them on a run with a difference.

Wild Running offers a subsidised eight-week running programme to Dartmoor and along the South Devon coastline to anyone who wants to sign up.

Said Ceri: “The venture starts in September and aims to put people who may have found it hard to get work back on track, as well as providing a social support network.

“Anyone who can demonstrate their commitment will qualify for the programme, which includes a group running session around Totnes on Thursday nights and a lift to Dartmoor or other wilderness sites on Mondays.”

Ceri, who is a former member of the British Endurance Squad and a keen mountain marathon runner, said: “Totnes is a hotbed for the creative arts but I wanted to offer a more inspiring physical challenge which allows people to break out of their comfort zones and which gets the serotonin moving.”

Those who are interested in taking part, are invited on a preparatory run from Totnes Rowing Club on Thursday, September 1, at 6.30pm and on Thursdays and Mondays from September 5 at the same time. The cost is £6 per week and £4 concessions for people on benefits. Call 07773560335 or email reesceri@yahoo.co.uk.

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MANY of the green lanes in South Devon are referred to as sunken lanes (also known as hollow ways or holloways).

These tracks or drovers’ roads have, over time, fallen significantly lower than the land on either side.

They are created incrementally by erosion by the flow of rainwater water and traffic and some are ancient with evidence of Roman or Iron Age origins.

The high earth banks are frequently topped by hedges and trees whose canopies often form a tunnel – with the banks themselves festooned by carpets of wild flowers, mosses, and ferns throughout the spring and summer months. Following these tracks is like stepping back in time, far removed from the busy lives we lead.

The South Hams of Devon alone has around 200 green lanes covering a distance totaling 190 miles, so they are the perfect way to explore the lesser known parts of the county.

As an introduction to green lane exploring, why not try the three Totnes routes shown on the map below – Jackman’s Lane, Copland Lane and Harper’s Hill. All can be walked independently (as ‘there and back again’ walks) or linked as a circular walk.

The circular walk takes in two

Green lanes - corridors to ancient times

Festival for the folkies THE Dartmoor Folk Festival, a must for the devoted folky, returns to its regular South Zeal venue near Okehampton.

Music this year includes Belshazzar’s Feast, The Jackie Oates Band, Tyde, The Watch, Will Noble & John Cocking, Andy Clarke & Steve Tyler, Issy & David Emeney, Unstrung Heroes, Dartmoor Pixie Band, Tony Beard and Dave Wills.

Find out more at www. dartmoorfolkfestival. co.uk.

A boy thing

short sections of quiet B-road, so follow the advice of the Country Code and keep close to the edge, facing the oncoming traffic (except on blind corners) and try to wear bright clothing.

The section between the bottom of Harper’s Hill and Copland Lane is along the TotnesKingsbridge Road and has a full pavement – you could even get side tracked and pop into the Bay Horse Inn for refreshment!

To link all three Green Lanes here is a grand day out but

the routes are sometimes muddy and Jackman’s Lane and Harper’s Hill are rather steep in places, so walking shoes, wellies or hiking boots are suggested.

Consider taking a packed lunch, energy snacks, water, a first aid kit and a mobile phone if you do the whole circular walk – oh, and a camera too!

AN Extraordinary School for Boys aged 8-12 is a day of challenges laid on by Wildwise, the environmental education project and event management company from Dartington.

The event runs 10am4pm on August 3, costs £30 and features skills and adventures for boys who love messing about in the woods with sticks, streams, mud, fires and a pinch of danger.

Call 01803 868269.

Green Fair FOR 25 years now Exeter’s Green Fair has been promoting sustainble living in and around the city.

This year’s event is on Saturday, September 10, 10am-4pm.

This really is one for all the family, with a wide range of stalls and things to do - all in the beautiful setting of Cathedral Green.

Call 07977 079722, or email info@ exetergreenfair.co.uk.

Your round Harper’s HIll

Ceri Rees

GREEN lanes are Devon’s ancient routes, many of which have existed for millennia. In the first of an occasional series, PHIL HEMSLEY suggests some you might like to explore...

Jackman’s Lane

Copland Lane

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The Old Lady of Follaton, top, and Jackman’s Lane, above, are both on the circular walk.

Pictures all taken by Phil, aka Morpheus71 Photography. Check out more of his images at www. morpheus71photography.co.uk

EXETER Green Drinks, which the organisers describe as “the relaxed and friendly way to share green ideas” is at the New Bridge Inn on Thursday, August 11, starting at 8-9.30pm.

Find out more on 01392 248 894, or 07977 079722.

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local people local events local food local health local environment

Organic gardening WHAT we needed, we decided, was sound practical gardening advice - and who better to provide it than Joa Grower of Growers Organics, who also has a few trade (and family) secrets to share?

WE’RE right at the height of the harvesting season now and there are so many crops to gather in and enjoy.

Surely one of the most summery crops is sweet corn, which should be just about ready now. The best way to check if it’s ripe is to look at the tassels at the end of the cobs. If they have turned brown, peel back the sheath a little bit and dig your fingernail into the yellow corn. If it’s milky then it’s ready to pick.

Only ever pick your corn when you’re about to cook it, because once it’s picked the sugar in the corn starts to turn to starch.

Our family have a sweet corn tradition: when we find the first corn of the season is ready to pick, we take a camping stove and a pan of water down to the sweet corn patch.

We then cook that first corn of the year there in the garden, right by the veg beds, so the corn is pure sugar and no starch. It’s the sweetest corn you’ll ever taste - I recommend it!

If it’s a nice dry sunny day, you should harvest your potatoes. Leave them on the surface of the soil to dry the skins before storing them in sacks or strong paper bags, in a cool dry place to use throughout the winter.

Onions can also be harvested now.

Lay them out in the sunshine or in the greenhouse for a few days before storing them in nets. Any onions that have started to flower need to be used straight away, because they won’t store.

In the fruit garden, the Autumn raspberries should be full of fruit now.

When you’re picking the fruit and you

Sweeter corn... think you’ve got them all, take a second look; but this time bend down and look from underneath. You’ll be surprised by how many you’ve missed!

Of course, with all this harvesting, you’ll be left with some space in your beds for some Winter crops. It’s not too late to plant things like purple sprouting broccoli, brussel sprouts, winter cabbages, spring cabbages and kales see below for more brassica tips.

And if you’ve got any spare ground, sow green manures, such as rye grain and tares.

If you’ve finished your pea and bean crops, remove the tops and put them in the compost bin, but leave the roots in the ground because they will help release nitrogen.

Finally, don’t forget the cabbage white butterflies are still about, so the brassicas will still need a butterfly net covering them - which will also help to keep the pigeons off!

Winter brassicas and leeks WINTER brassicas (brassica is Latin for ‘cabbage’) include purple sprouting broccoli, kales, cabbages, cauliflower and brussels sprouts. All brassicas are rich in vitamin C, so they’re great for keeping those winter colds at bay.

Boiling reduces a lot of the goodness in them so it’s best to steam them for a short time or cook them in a stir-fry.

How to plant your winter brassicas Bigger brassicas, such as broccoli, kale and sprouts, need 30-45cm (12-18”), but cabbages will only need about 25-30cm. Make sure plants are firmed in well - brassicas don’t like having their roots disturbed. In the winter months they need to be sturdy enough to withstand those high winds, but you could also help the taller plants by putting in canes for extra support.

How to plant leeks First make a hole in the ground using a dibber or broken spade/fork handle.

Space them about 15cm apart. Make holes 10-15cm deep and simply drop each leek into them. No need for firming the soil in or filling the hole with any soil - just fill the hole with water, which will ensure the ground isn’t too compacted around them.

Reconnect’s Organic Gardening column is written by Joa and Charlie Grower of Growers Organics. Meet them in person at Totnes market on Fridays and Saturdays, visit www.growersorganics, or call 01752 881180.

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Editorial: 01392 346204 editor@reconnectonline.co.uk

17

local people local events local food local health local environment

Eco homes

T

WE this you bea tha pla

... in which we learn beautiful living spaces DO grow on trees, organic produce isn’t only about food and drink, sustainable living can also be stylish and affordable (see left and over the page) and used furniture project Refurnish has opened a new shop in Buckfastleigh

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• renovation / refurbishment / extension • contemporary & traditional materials & techniques • conservation / eco technologies - biomass, solar • high standards contributing to a sustainable future

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The Pod offers loads of work or living space, plus storage - but leaves a tiny footprint on the earth The inner framework is a thing of beauty but also supports the canvas

Organic September invites us

YES, the picture is Hugh Whittingstall and yes, it w at last year’s Organic Fo in Bristol – but no, we ha on the wrong page.

The Organic Food Festiv is actually just one part o month-long Organic Sep co-ordinated and led by Association and the Org Board, to celebrate all th organic.

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So the food festival, at Br Harbourside on Septemb 4, will certainly be burstin glorious organic food an but there will be other sta too, promoting a total or lifestyle – including local

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local people local events local food local health local environment

Take a bough...

E think you will remember s moment, the first time u discovered the Pod, a autifully organic structure at could be a studio, a ayhouse or even a home…

best ideas, it is said, are the simplest – ovations that even the most curious and tive minds have not discovered, as if require some special magic to reveal r unique gift to the world. an Stickland, it seems, has that magic. an is the embodiment of a subtle man alchemy, combining a creative d with the skills of the craftsman using ainable materials and traditional tools nd his latest creation is the Pod. e Pod was born,” says Rowan, “out of need for a garden shelter and a desire reate an original and beautiful, even astical, dwelling.” result is a thing of beauty and cticality, the essence of the yurt, but an organic shape that allows it and its abitants to live in a natural landscape the minimum impact. an explains: “It rests on a single point, he ground footprint is just one square . But the main weight rests on that nt, so minimum stress is transferred to ree that gives it vertical support. I am ently developing a tripod to vide support where there is a suitable tree available. s shape also means no land ken over, so plants and mals can still use the space eath it and damp, cold and ents can’t creep inside.” he heart of the Pod is a utifully designed and utifully crafted frame made m sustainably sourced l materials, covered by erproofed, lined canvas. Add double-glazed windows and every bit as cosy as a yurt and

Rowan is currently talking to a local stove maker to find a suitable woodburner.

That uniquely beautiful shape has other practical advantages. Beneath the wooden board floor is a ‘cellar’ area, accessed via a trapdoor, where occupants can stash clothes, bedding, etc, creating a clear and open work/living space.

And that small central foot also means the whole structure can be turned in either direction to face the rising or setting sun or to turn away from the prevailing wind.

The Pod can be bespoke built for the individual, so no two examples will be the same, but Rowan says a typical price will be around £4,000.

Find out more from Rowan on 0772 444 9539, or visit www.rowanstickland. moonfruit.com.

Glorious Good Wood

all to ‘give organic a go’

Fearnley was taken ood Festival aven’t put it

val of a ptember, y the Soil ganic Trade hings

ristol ber 3 and ng with nd drink, tands there rganic company

Greenfibres. The company was started 15 years ago with the message that it was vital for consumers to “change resourceintensive habits and become more focused on sustainability and community”.

Their shop and showroom in Totnes stocks a massive range of organic and natural textiles, from organic cotton bed linen, pillows, duvets and mattresses to fluffy Soil Association certified towels, organic and natural skincare and household cleaning products.

They also have a wide range of organic cotton underwear and outerwear for adults and children

www.reconnectonline.co.uk

– “ideally suited for anyone who has sensitive skin or who wants to make a positive change in their lifestyle and buying power,” says William Lana of Greenfibres.

The Organic Food Festival is the highlight of Organic September, when people will be encouraged to ‘give organic a go’.

“Organic is good for you and your planet, is kind to animals and wildlife and allows us to make a big difference - simply through the way we shop,” says William.

The Greenfibres Totnes shop is at 99 High Street.

Visit www.greenfibres.com and www.organicfoodfestival.co.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

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The sum of its parts IF anyone is aware of the down-toearth practicalities of sustainable living, it’s the professional architect.

So when Mike Hope, who works for Totnes-based Roderick James Architects, set out to create a new home for himself and his new family, he exercised what he calls Eco-Pragmatism, aiming to create a sustainable design that responded to real world requirements.

The first practical consideration was ensuring the project met local planning requirements – and that meant getting approval from the notoriously demanding Dartmoor National Park.

The basis of Mike’s dream home was, by most people’s standards, an unlikely choice: a small, Victorian, corrugated iron building known as a ‘counting house’, which had been home and office to the ‘wage captain’, the man who held the purse strings at nearby, and long ago worked-out, Dartmoor claypits.

Other would-be developers had wanted to knock down the original building and rebuild on the site, but Mike was happy to work with the

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THE Counting House, based around a tin-clad former claypit office on Dartmoor, is living proof that sustainable living can combine renovation, stunning design and upto-date eco technology – without busting the bank.

MARTIN FOSTER takes you on a guided tour… national park’s insistence that the original building should remain and retain its original features.

Playing its part in that process, and also fulfilling his desire to “recycle resources on site”, Mike went to great lengths to reuse original materials.

He said: “When we stripped the interior, we discovered it was lined with wonderful pencil-bead tongue and groove boarding – all of them, and the original floorboards and doors, were cleaned and re-used.

“We also used as many of the original structural timbers as we could, and any beyond repair were replaced and used as firewood.”

The only masonry in the house was the original chimney, which they discovered used bricks bearing the name and location of the clay pit owner: “Martin - Lee Moor”. The chimney itself had to be rebuilt, so the unique bricks were incorporated in a patio at the rear of the house.

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local people local events local food local health local environment That Dartmoor location was also a major factor in another point on Mike’s Eco-Pragmatism checklist – ecology. It was important to Mike, and to the national park too, that the completed house occupied the same footprint and sat comfortably within its beautiful surroundings, and Mike’s oak-framed, larchclad extension is built on just six foundation pads, covering the same area as the flat-roofed, blockwork extension it replaced.

Oak frame buildings are something of a trademark of Roderick James Architects, who have a longstanding relationship with local specialists Carpenter Oak – who provided the frame for Mike’s extension.

Environmental considerations are obviously central to any sustainable build project and Mike’s design follows what he calls ‘build tight, ventilate right’ principles. The walls were first highly insulated and then snuggly clad - the original part of the building in new, shiny corrugated sheeting and the new wing in that luscious rich larch. The ventilation is taken care of by a hitech heat recovery system.

The Counting House has two woodburners, one with a backboiler linked to an underfloor heating system, and the other providing space heating in the living area.

That backboiler also feeds a thermal storage cylinder, which will ultimately also be supplied by solar thermal

Family home - Mike with wife Zoe and son Alex Pics: Kim Sayer

Transition project in new push

panels on the south-facing roof of the new wing to keep the hot water flowing over the summer months.

Said Mike: “The whole system, designed and installed by Sungift Solar of Exeter, is designed to grow.

We hope eventually to make the place carbon-neutral.”

The literal bottom line of any build project is the cost and Mike’s build budget was just £150,000 on top of the £302,000 cost of the original building.

But speaking to Mike, it’s immediately obvious there was another still greater priority running through every aspect of the build – to create a comfortable, practical and beautiful home for him, his wife Zoe, and their young children, Alex and Thomas.

And in that respect The Counting House adds up perfectly.

Contact Mike Hope at Roderick James Architects on 01803 868000 or visit www.rjarchitects.co.uk. Call Carpenter Oak on 01803 732900 or visit www.carpenteroak.com.

KEEN to maintain the momentum of the hugely successful Transition Street project, Transition Town Totnes brought together groups past, present and future at their recent Big Coffee Morning.

Aiming to inspire Totnes residents to create new Transition Streets groups, and for existing groups to Want a smoothie? First pedal the bikecontinue to meet powered blender - the kids loved it! Salad and develop new tasters too, on the Incredible Edible stall, below ways of living Totnes have created the Follaton more sustainably, Community Cinema, which shows the Big Coffee Morning also films in the community hall every included local projects Seedy month.

Sisters, Nut Trees and Incredible Edible, advice on grant The cinema group’s going from applications from Community strength to strength, and has Service Volunteers and tips on recently been awarded a £9,000+ fixing your bike from Dr Bike.

Lottery grant to buy their cinema Star-struck Reconnect editor Foster equipment. But having seen him perform on-screen, we reckon he’s was hanging around to catch his probably best keeping his cinema role in the latest Transition Totnes activities at the screening end of film about the unexpected sidethe process… effects of Transition Streets – he and other residents of Follaton in Transition Streets co-manager Adrian Porter said: “Transition Streets has shown that setting up a group can save you an average of £580 a year on your bills.”

Back in June the Transition Street scheme won the £10,000 Ashden Award for Sustainable Energy, which was presented to coordinator Fiona Ward by Grand Designs presenter, Kevin McCloud.

Visit www.transitiontowntotnes. org and www. follatoncommunitycinema.co.uk.

Furniture project opens new store in Buckfastleigh REFURNISH, that friendly community charity that sells secondhand furniture and household goods AND provides jobs for young people who need help to get into employment, has opened a new shop.

And its new Buckfastleigh branch is actually a shop, unlike its larger warehouse-like cousins in Newton Abbot, Ivybridge and Totnes – and it’s smack in the middle of a community, occupying the store next to the Co-op on the town’s high street.

As well as a great source of good quality, affordable furniture and electrical items, Refurnish is also a good way of getting rid of unwanted items – especially those hard to dispose of white goods.

Refurnish regional manager

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David Banks said: “We will collect unwanted washing machines, fridges, freezers and so on free of charge – or they can be dropped off at any of our branches, Monday to

Saturday. All we ask is that they are in a reasonable cosmetic condition – we have full-time trained engineers working in Totnes and Newton Abbot, and two in Ivybridge, so we

can fix any electrical or mechanical problems.

“All our electrical items are fully checked and approved before we sell them.”

The only proviso is that you call them first: “Some breakdowns can make repair uneconomic,” said David. “If we have to write-off a washing machine, for example, we can re-use spare parts and sell the rest for scrap, but some fridges can sometimes just cost too much to repair and we have to pay to dispose of some non-recyclable components.”

Call the new Buckfastleigh Refurnish shop on 01364 643661, or visit www.dff.org.uk for details of the other branches across the area.

More Eco homes on page 25

Editorial: 01392 346204 editor@reconnectonline.co.uk

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local people local events local food local health local environment

mbs events/groom

LOOKING for the hottest events over the next couple of months? Look no further. Or maybe you’re searching for the best place to spread the word about an event you’ve got planned for October or November... well, guess what? Just email us the info now - editor@reconnectonline.co.uk AUGUST MONDAY 1 UNTIL MONDAY 8 Louise Bourgard, exhibition at The Flavel gallery, Dartmouth, www. theflavel.org.uk Cockington Woodland Wildcamp, Cockington, suitable 7-14 years, 10am9pm, booking essential, 01803 606035, www. countryside-trust.org.uk TUESDAY 2 UNTIL SUNDAY 14 Contemporary Passions iv, exhibition of work

by South Hams Arts Forum, Harbour House gallery, Kingsbridge, 01548 854708, www. harbourhouse.org.uk Scare those crows!

Workshop making scarecrows, bird scarers and mini scarecrows, Community Garden, Occombe Farm, 10.30am12noon, booking essential, 01803 606035, www. countryside WEDNESDAY 3 Exeter Chan Meditation, Friends Meeting House, Exeter, 7.15–9.30pm 07814004741, exeter@ westernchanfellowship.org THURSDAY 4 UNTIL SUNDAY 7 Dolphin and whale watching, Berry Head, training provided, book a twohour slot on 01803 882619 or email: berryhead@ countryside-trust.org.uk A Crystal Skull

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Experience with Lindsay Ball. Totnes, 10am3.30pm, 07814790016, lindsayball@k-c-t.co.uk, www.k-c-t.co.uk FRIDAY 5 UNTIL SUNDAY 7 Dartmoor Folk Festival, South Zeal near Okehampton, www. dartmoorfolkfestival.co.uk SATURDAY 6 Earth Singers Introduction, Bath, peteralfredplease@hotmail. com Staverton and Lanscove Garden Show, recreation ground, Staverton, www. stavertonlandscovegarden show.co.uk MONDAY 8 UNTIL MONDAY 22 Deborah Alexander, exhibition, The Flavel, Dartmouth, www.theflavel. org.uk WEDNESDAY 10 Canoe the Geopark Coves, explore Torbay coastline, meet Seashore Centre, Goodrington, 10am-4pm, booking essential, 01803 606035 Café Acoustica, B-bar, Barbican Theatre, Plymouth, 01752 242021, www.b-bar. co.uk Toots and the Maytals, Exeter Phoenix, 8pm, www. exeterphoenix.org.uk THURSDAY 11 Discover Natural Beekeeping, talk by

local expert Phil Chandler, Education Centre, Occombe Farm, 7.30-9pm, booking essential, 01803 606035 Danu Fox at Gaunt’s House Summer Gathering, workshops, performances, www. gauntshouse.com Exeter Green Drinks, 8–9.30pm, 01392 248 894, 07977 079722 SATURDAY 13 A Crystal Skull Experience with Lindsay Ball. Totnes, 10am3.30pm, 07814790016, lindsayball@k-c-t.co.uk, www.k-c-t.co.uk MONDAY 15 UNTIL FRIDAY 19 Folkworld, workshops and tuition for folk and world musicians, Rattery Village Hall, www.folkworld.org Beach Club – beach survival skills, The Seashore Centre, Goodrington Sands, 1-3.30pm, booking essential, 01803 606035 TUESDAY 16 UNTIL SUNDAY 21 Arthur Glendinning exhibition, Harbour House gallery, Kingsbridge, 01548 854708, www. harbourhouse.org.uk SATURDAY 20 UNTIL MONDAY 29 Budleigh Salterton Art Club, exhibition and sale, public hall, 10am-5pm, 01395 445620, barry. suechapman@btinternet. com

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local people local events local food local health local environment CELEBRATING 50 years as one of the world’s best loved ska and reggae groups, the legendary Toots and The Maytals will play at the Phoenix in Exeter.

Winners of the Best Reggae Album in 2005, they’re in town on Wednesday August 10.

acorns/parker

Scything course, Wayfield Nurseries, East Prawle, email Cat Middleditch, cat@ sustainablecreations.co.uk

UK tour, Totnes Civic Hall, 7.30pm, 07977 449901, www.encounters-arts.org.uk

Craft & Holistic Fair, Totnes Civic Hall, 11am4.30pm, 01803 664827, www.bodymindspirit.org.uk

FRIDAY 9

TUESDAY 23 UNTIL SEPTEMBER 4 Mick Allen photographic exhibition, Harbour House gallery, Kingsbridge, 01548 854708, www. harbourhouse.org.uk WEDNESDAY 24 Discover your inner poet with poet Chris Brookes, meet Berry Head car park, 10am-3pm, booking essential 01803 853870 SATURDAY 27 AND SUNDAY 28 Freedom Fields Festival, Freedom Fields Park, Plymouth, from 11am, 07722 308462, www. mutleygreenbankfestival. co.uk SUNDAY 28 Starhawk workshop: Earth Spirit, Earth Action, www.transitiontowntotnes. org/whatson, 07752 660177.

SEPTEMBER SATURDAY 3 UNTIL SUNDAY 18 Devon Open Studios, www.devonartistnetwork. co.uk SUNDAY 4 Littorals, poetry and land art workshop on the Blackdown Hills, Somerset, www.fire-in-the-head.co.uk, call 01548 821004 TUESDAY 6 UNTIL SUNDAY 11 My Body, My Self exhibition, Harbour House gallery, Kingsbridge, 01548 854708, www. harbourhouse.org.uk WEDNESDAY 7 No Victory For Violence, Combatants for Peace

The Maccabees, indie band, Exeter Phoenix, 8pm, 01932 667080 , www. exeterphoenix.org.uk SATURDAY 10 Raku Firing Day workshop, Potting Shed, Ashprington, Totnes, 01803 865033/07528 351431, richenda@ pottingshedworkshop.com Exeter Green Fair, Cathedral Green, Exeter, 10am-4pm, 07977 079722, info@ exetergreenfair.co.uk MONDAY 12 UNTIL THURSDAY 15 Earth Singers Module 1, Tintagel, Cornwall, danufox@gmail.com

351431, richenda@ pottingshedworkshop.com A Crystal Skull Experience with Lindsay Ball. Harbour House, Kingsbridge 10am3.30pm, 07814790016, lindsayball@k-c-t.co.uk Craft & Holistic Fair, Totnes Civic Hall, 11am4.30pm, 01803 664827, www.bodymindspirit.org.uk MONDAY 18 Fascinating Aida - The Cheap Flights Tour, Exeter Northcott, 01392 493 493 , www.exeternorthcott.com SUNDAY 18 Autumn Berry Gathering with Trees for Health, Follaton Arboretum & Village Hall, Totnes, booking essential, 01803 732545/ 0845 456 9325, www.treesforhealth.org.uk

TUESDAY 13

MONDAY 19 sept

UNTIL SUNDAY 25 Collaboration exhibition, Harbour House gallery, Kingsbridge, 01548 854708, www. harbourhouse.org.uk WEDNESDAY 14

UNTIL SUNDAY 25 Ancient Sites of West Cornwall, pilgrimage, walking, camping led by Danu Fox, danufox@gmail. com

Glass and ceramics workshop, Potting Shed, Ashprington, Totnes, 01803 865033/07528 351431, richenda@ pottingshedworkshop.com

SUNDAY 25

Reginald D Hunter, comedy, The Flavel, Dartmouth, 8pm, www. theflavel.org.uk THURSDAY 15 Talk by Juliet Gellatly, founder of veggie magazine Viva, Barrel House, Totnes, 7pm, www.hlouiseashley. com or call 07958 402047 Reginald D Hunter, comedy, Exeter Phoenix, 8pm, 01932 667080, www. exeterphoenix.org.uk SATURDAY 17 Painting With Fire, Raku workshop, Potting Shed, Ashprington, Totnes, 01803 865033/07528

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herbs and honey

Get to know a tree from the Celtic tree calendar – the apple. Trees for Health workshop at Sharpham Estate, near Totnes, 11am4pm, 01803 732545 info@ treesforhealth.org TUESDAY 27 UNTIL OCTOBER 2 Kingsbridge - Then and Now, archive photographs, Harbour House gallery, Kingsbridge, 01548 854708, www. harbourhouse.org.uk Dave Swarbrick and Martin Carthy, Exeter Phoenix, 8pm, www. exeterphoenix.org.uk THURSDAY 29 Ruarri Joseph, folk, Exeter Phoenix, 8pm, www. exeterphoenix.org.uk

Editorial: 01392 346204 editor@reconnectonline.co.uk

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local people local events local food local health local environment

Coming soon...

Robin looks forward to what’s next (when it turns up) WELL, first of all I’d like to thank so many of you for your support! Literally hundreds of letters, cards, emails and phone messages acknowledging my shift from being an ethical specialist IFA and becoming something else. The overall message has been ‘congratulations!’ (which was rather wonderfully supportive) and the result is that I’ve been looking seriously at what’s next.

The first thing I’ve decided is to stop running the workshop Making Friends With Money. This has been going since 1993 and the feedback has been marvellous and it has genuinely changed peoples’ lives. But while I remain extremely proud of it, I think it’s time to move on and develop something else. And when I made this decision, it triggered two other workshops, which are being developed one about psychic healing and one about intuitive energy.

In case you didn’t know, I’ve been regarded as a psychic since my 50th birthday when, to my astonishment, I met an intuitive woman who said: “Hello. Nice to meet another psychic”.

I felt very cynical but, interestingly, the following week I met another telepathic who said virtually the same thing. And another and another and another over the next three weeks.

When it happens once, it could just be an incident, and twice could be a coincidence. But after three times, it starts to feel more profound. And when it had happened six times, I started to get the idea that it was actually a real message. And having been told that I was intuitive, I started to see my past in a slightly different way, realising I’d always known things not everyone else did - even though I didn’t know how I’d known. If you see what I mean…

So I decided to go off and do some training courses and discovered I was regarded as being ‘highly intuitive’ even though it was new to me. I’ve therefore been practicing psychic healing for most of the last eight years and realise now that this is one of the areas I particularly want to focus on. In the near future I will be offering psychic healing to the public so, if you are interested, let me know!

I’m keen to set up a workshop to encourage other people to develop this aspect of themselves.

And I am also planning one on dealing with our personal energy – not least because so many of us have issues in the current life which are related to incidents from previous ones, but we mostly don’t realise this.

But all of us are intuitive – even if we don’t acknowledge the existence of the option. It’s one of those things that also affects our relationship with

24

money – that we have inherited a series of beliefs from our parents because, as a foetus, we pick up what our mum thinks about certain things which she regards as important and, so that we can stay safe, when we come into the world, we already have a series of assumptions we’ve inherited.

So hang on for a couple of months - the information will be here in Reconnect when it’s been set up!

As to what else has been going on, I am delighted to let you know that the Bristol solar panel development I mentioned in my last article will now be receiving the capital to be set up in the near future. Thanks!

And, as and when this has been organised, it will be possible to develop similar projects in other parts of the Westcountry, which was one of the reasons for promoting the Bristol plan. Something that will develop free electricity for society without any pollution or carbon emissions sounds great. But if so much power is provided that can be put back into the national grid and make an ongoing return (irrespective of the desirability of the stock market), this is fantastic. And extremely desirable.

And if we can then demonstrate that this is happening, it is likely that other similar projects will be set up and more and more solar electricity will be generated. And once something like this becomes standard, it’ll become the norm, replacing power generated from burning oil or coal or through nuclear power.

So yes, keep an eye on Reconnect for more news of that in the near future too!

Anything else? Well, I’m still finishing the novel and the fact that so many people who saw my ceramics exhibition at Embercombe said so many wonderful things has meant that I’ve been recommended to at least two local galleries. I’ll let you know when this is happening!

I’m off to the studio now, so have a great summer and I look forward to what’s next (when it turns up)!

Glass beads by Lisa Smith, part of the South Hams Arts Forum show and, below, Dartmoor March 2011 by Arthur Glendinning

Arthur’s moor productive RESPECTED local artist Arthur Glendinning adopted a very different way of working to produce art for his next exhibition at Harbour House gallery in Kingsbridge.

He would normally spend months on a painting, but he instead now visits Dartmoor, sits “in the wilderness of tors, sheep and wild horses and cattle in vigorous communication” and completes a painting ‘en plein air’ in four hours.

His exhibition runs from August 12-21.

Other forthcoming shows includes the work of 11 South Hams Arts Forum members from August 2-14, Mick Allen’s panoramic photographs August 23-September 4, a celebration of collaboration September 13-25, and photographs from the Kingsbridge Cookworthy Museum archive September 27-October 2.

Find out more at www.harbourhouse.org.uk.

You can email Robin at robin.currie@ btconnect.com and see his weird and wonderful ceramics at www.robincurrie.co.uk

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local people local events local food local health local environment No Victory For Violence THERE’S a unique opportunity to hear from both sides of the MIddle Eastern conflict when No Victory For Violence visits Totnes on Sepetmber 7.

Eight Israeli and eight Palestinian members of Combatants for Peace will tell their personal stories of transformation from violence to nonviolence.

It starts at 7.30pm ion the Totnes Civic Hall, Call 07977 449901, or visit www.encountersarts.org.uk, to find out more

Gay meet IF you’re a gay or bi man in Devon, you need to know about the QTs (Queer Totties, since you ask), who meet regularly in Totnes and around South Hams.

Find out about the full Autumn programme from friend of Reconnect Jon by emailing queertotties@ live.co.uk.

Stefan’s special touch on wood FOR Stefan Batorijs, carpentry is more than just a job – it’s a highly enjoyable art form.

And many of Stefan’s customers will agree. You only have to look at some of his recent work to spot the special touches he has added to what would normally be fairly mundane projects.

Stefan enjoys a challenge.

Simple tasks such as constructing a shed, or building a bookcase have become opportunities to express his creativity.

He learnt his trade from his father who made a lot of the family’s furniture. As an artistic person, Stefan has always wanted to bring creativity into his work as a carpenter.

Over the years he has had many other careers. Most recently he was running an NHS ecotherapy project in Plymouth, working with people with severe mental health problems. But his big love is wood and carpentry.

Working as a part-time associate lecturer at Plymouth and Exeter Universities specialising in Wilderness therapies, he now plans to go back to university as a student reading for a BA in

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Sewage alerts

furniture and interiors.

Stefan uses the Trompe l’oeil (French for ‘deceives the eye’) method when working on garden projects and tries to incorporate designs that make the end product something sensual either for its look or feel. He is also interested in making sure his work conforms to the Golden Mean Principle - a geometric equation which underpins many of the designs in nature.

Stefan runs a company called Glorious Good Wood. If you have any timber design or construction projects you can call Stefan on 01364 652162.

Stefan at work, right, and just one example of his varied production, above

THE Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) text service, which sends out alerts after raw sewage is discharged, has been extended to cover another 16 beaches.

SAS have worked closely with South West Water (SWW), the Environment Agency (EA), local authorities and Visit Cornwall.

SAS have commended SWW for voluntarily providing SAS with real time information on raw sewage discharges from Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs).

SAS’s online map will automatically update whenever there is a CSO sewage spill and SMS text messages will be sent for free to anyone who has signed up for the service.

You can sign up at www.sas.org.uk or by texting “SAS (beach name)” to 64446 messages are charged at your normal network rate, then alerts are received for free whenever they occur.

Editorial: 01392 346204 editor@reconnectonline.co.uk

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local people local events local food local health local environment Eco group put in some legwork REMEMBER the 350 campaign day in October 2009? It was all about reducing our carbon dioxide emissions to get CO2 levels in the atmosphere down to less than 350 parts per million - a safe limit for the environment.

The next 350 event, this time encouraging sustainable means of travel, is on Saturday, September 24. And Sustainable Crediton, who held a big event in the town’s square to mark the 2009 event, are again doing their bit.

The Transport Group are setting up three routes around the town and are encouraging people of all ages to use carbon-free methods of moving around – ie their legs, on scooters and bikes and, of course, walking and running.

Read more about Legwork Live at www.sustainablecrediton.org.uk.

Sustainable Crediton at the town’s last community market

Walk Tor to Tor on Pilgrim’s Way A 140-MILE route from Dartmoor to Glastonbury is the first stage of a plan to create the Mary/Michael Pilgrim’s Way, which is hoped will eventually run right across England.

Chairman Richard Dealler said: “Our vision is for a pilgrimage route that can be walked as a whole or in sections, by people of any faith.”

As a pilot project, the group has established the route between St Michael’s Brentor, the highest parish church in England and Glastonbury, legendary destination of Joseph of Arimathea.

Said Richard: “This 140 mile journey, a significant undertaking in itself, has a nice symmetry - from Tor to Tor, connecting the wild beauty of Dartmoor with the mythical Isle of Avalon.

“Along the way are numerous sites to inspire or nourish the spirit, including churches and holy wells, wayside crosses and standing stones, burial mounds and hill forts.

“Co-operation from The Dartmoor National Park Authority and Devon and Somerset County Councils has enabled us to put up occasional way markers

Art outdoors IF your idea of summer fun is to experiment with creative expression in the heart of ancient woodland, you might be interested in a one-day workshop in the Blackdown Hills.

Sculptor Michael Fairfax and poet Roselle Angwin have a long history of creative collaboration in outdoor projects, and finding new ways of bringing art and language together.

They met on a Year of the Artist project at Hestercombe Gardens, and also worked together at the Cotswold Water Park. Michael was recently lead artist on the Neroche Project in Somerset, and Roselle’s new collection Bardo has recently come out on the heels of her novel Imago.

Scorhill Circle on Dartmoor, above, and one of the Pilgrim’s Way signposts at Bickleigh Mill, right

Their workshop is on Sunday, September 4, costing £50. In the spirit of a day retreat, they’ll be using silence, words, found natural objects the intrinsic patterns and forms of the natural world and playfulness to encourage you to stretch your imagination.

along the way.”

Mary/Michael Pilgrim’s Way is a not-for-profit organisation, funded by personal donations and grants from the Dartmoor Sustainable Development Fund, Cooperative Community Fund and Elmgrant Trust.

Find out more at www. marymichaelpilgrimsway.org.

Visit www.fire-in-the-head. co.uk, call 01548 821004.

The Sharpham Trust

Interactive Wildlife and Education Charity.

• ‘Wildlife Experience’ days for all ages.

• Hands on Creative Learning Workshops upcoming events with sharpham in Nature.

Summer Explorers • Wildlife Habitat Creation. www.wildaid.co.uk

E info@wildaid.co.uk T 0845 601 2599

A week of outdoor adventure and creative play WildAid events are run by our team of experts that at Sharpham for 8-11 year olds.

Booking: includes presenter Call and Erica naturalist Nick Baker. £20/day early risers (9.00am) on

Interactive Wildlife and Education Charity.

• ‘Wildlife Experience’ days for all ages.

• Hands on Creative Learning Workshops in Nature.

• Wildlife Habitat Creation.

d.co.uk

T 0845 601 2599

26

outdoors

WildAid events are run by our team of experts that includes presenter and naturalist Nick Baker.

01803 732542 or email: admin@ sharphamtrust.org

£15/day sleepy heads (10.30).

Overnight Camp £15. Sibling discount and Don’t Stop Me Now funding available

Visit our website for details of this and other Sharpham events in 2011

Free Saturday forest school taster session 17th September. Following six school sessions start 24th September. Cost £90 for six weeks.

Don’t Stop Me Now funding available

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Into the Woods Wild Adventure Club

www.sharphamtrust.org

local people local events local food local health local environment Bodywork is perfect for multi-strand life WELCOME to Wellbeing.

As a reader you will find information on, and advice from, some of the top wellbeing therapists and personal development practitioners from across South Devon.

And if you’re a therapist looking to grow your business, look no further. A 1/8-page advertisement here can cost you as little as £41 a month.

And we will also help you put your advertisement together, with free advice and copywriting plus amazingly affordable design.

Finally, we can offer professionally written editorial to ensure you get across your message, in language your clients will understand, but without compromising your integrity. Call us now to find out more - 01392 346342.

Tai Chi Nation’s Matthew Rochford is back after a break from teaching... but no, that’s not him above - it’s actually Tai Chi Nation’s Joe Salmon doing Qigong. We just really liked the picture. Find out more about Matthew on page 30.

LIKE many people in South Devon, Alice Pollak is self-employed and enjoys what many call a ‘portfolio career’ - earning a living from a number of different jobs or businesses.

For some of her time (“when there’s work available”), Alice is a conservator, restoring and conserving ancient textiles - carpets, curtains and tapestries – for collections and stately homes.

But she decided she also wanted to work with people, so she was looking for a new profession that would fit in around her other work. She first considered midwifery.

“I took a one-year diploma in bodywork,” said Alice, “primarily to see if I would enjoy working with women on such an intimate level. But I discovered I absolutely loved massage and I’ve stayed with it.

“Working with objects is all-encompassing, and I constantly have to take into account factors like their history, the environment and the materials used.

“There are many factors in bodywork too – the person’s emotions, their lifestyle, their physical condition – but it’s a collaborative experience, a process two people enter into.”

Alice completed her diploma training and a subsequent six-month remedial course at The School of Bodywork, based at the Exeter Natural Health Centre, where Alice also sees clients (as well as at The Forge in Totnes).

School director Emma Gilmore said: “Bodywork training and practice is perfect for anyone who needs to work odd hours to fit around other work or a family.”

The school offers a complete range of courses and all 2010 students passed with between 75-98 per cent, with either a credit or distinction.

Find out more at www.schoolofbodywork.com, or call 07711656011.

Contact Alice on 0777 5846 500 or email alice. pollak1@btinternet.com.

Counselling course inspired a new career A COURSE of counselling proved a lifechanging experience for Exeter therapist Rosemary Pell, pictured right.

She decided that, after 20 years in the energy industry, she wanted to set up her own counselling practice.

Rosemary worked for SWEB (now EDF) advising on energy efficiency and insulation, but in 1996 she followed her heart and set up a counselling practice.

She said: “I believe strongly in mind/body connection. I seek out holistic therapies

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for any of my own ailments - acupuncture, osteopathy and homeopathy being favourites.”

Rosemary said that sometimes painful experiences, worries or difficulties about our past, present or future make it hard for us to enjoy life.

“By learning to develop an understanding of ourselves and our problems we can treasure good memories, live more happily in the present and move forward to a new and happier life.”

Rosemary’s Exeter practice deals with a host of issues including relationships, bereavement, low self-esteem, trauma, stress, anxiety, panic attacks, problems at work and anger issues.

She added: “I believe a good sense of humour is an excellent medicine as part of healthy mental well being.

Visit www.rosemarypell.co.uk, or call Rosemary on 01647 253264 Practice address: 1 Walnut Gardens, St David’s Hill, Exeter EX4 4DH

Editorial: 01392 346204 editor@reconnectonline.co.uk

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local people local events local food local health local environment Exploring new worlds with Kwa-Angels IF you’re looking to explore the spiritual and psychic worlds or to receive reading or healings, Kwa-Angels will be able to help.

Alison Hennessey and Colin John focus their work on all things psychic and spiritual.

Their services range from offering exciting party packages, learning opportunities through various workshops and training as well as oneto-one divination, spirit communication and therapeutic treatments, whether at a booked venue or at your home.

Colin and Alison are both Reiki Masters and teachers and Kwa-Angels regularly run Reiki courses and provide an on-going mediumship and psychic development group.

In addition, they introduce people to a range of skills such as dowsing, scrying, spirit guide communication, candle magic, automatic writing among other skills. Workshops conducted by professional specialists include shamanism, healing, past lives, psychic art and many more.

Events include vigils at locations in the Exeter area in which participants get the chance to explore spirit phenomena in allegedly haunted places using experiments, technical equipment and séances.

They also host an annual Life Fair with a variety of stalls, readers and free talks.

Call 0845 1260352 email: angels@ kwa-angels.co.uk www.kwa-angels. co.uk

Gareth’s new practice RATHER than asking his patients to keep travelling out of town for treatment, chiropractor Gareth Noble has opened a new practice in Totnes.

Gareth has been seeing a number of Totnes clients at his practice in Kingskerswell but as numbers increased he realised a new Totnes base was inevitable.

Said Gareth: “I think there’s a real need for a chiropractor in town and I already have several Totnesian patients who visit me in Kingskerswell, so it made complete sense.

“It also helps that I live in Totnes, although I originally hail from Bangor in sunny Northern Ireland. My wife Holly was brought up in Totnes and our two children are excited

Gareth Noble and his family about the prospect of me working closer to home.”

Gareth, who is an holistic chiropractor, is giving 50% off the initial consultation,

which is normally £50.

The practice is at Unit 6, Baltic Wharf Business Park.

Visit www. noblechiropractic.co.uk or call 01803 873746.

Dancer Frida’s alive in the moment ANANDA Dance is a Totnesbased company offering dance performances, workshops and massage.

Founder Frida Hillfon has a background as a performer in physical theatre and intuitive dance and she creates dance performances collaborating with local artists.

She is currently rehearsing Wave of Life with dancer Jade Moon. The performances are improvised but have a clear structure, says Frida. ”The improvisation makes me present and every time is unique,” she says.

“I take in the space, the audience, my dance partner, my body… it’s being alive and present in the

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moment - I surrender into the unknown.”

Frida says she is planning to collaborate with yoga teacher Justin Dalton who teaches Scaravello Yoga and they will be offering workshops and retreats after the Summer.

Frida also offers Thai Yoga Massage from Totnes and the Massage and Wellbeing Centre in Exeter.

Said Frida: ”The dancer in me likes this massage. It’s so physical both for client and therapist and works on your whole body from toes up to head and involves stretches. Having said that it can be done very gently as well and is shaped to suit the individual.”

Visit www.ananda-dance.com.

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local people local events local food local health local environment A THERAPY training organisation is celebrating the success of their new diploma course, which allows students to study to degree level.

The Heartwood Centre for Counselling and Psychotherapy, based at Dartington, first piloted their Level 5 Psychotherapy Diploma course last year. And student Jane Schindler-Ord has now successfully passed both the diploma - and a foundation degree.

Heartwood director Leigh Smith says: “The diploma allows our students to move up through the stages of training and to work as professional psychotherapists.

“It is linked to the Open University Foundation Degree in Counselling, so students who take the diploma can add on extra work and also qualify with an OU Foundation Degree.”

World expert is new patron MANY people with an interest in homoeopathic medicine will know of Miranda Castro, author of the widely available, Homoeopathy Handbook and Homoeopathy Guide for Mother and Baby.

Miranda, who is based in America, is a wellrespected homoeopath who teaches all over the world. She has enjoyed a long association with The British School of Homoeopathy, based in Exeter, and recently added to her endorsement of the school by becoming its patron.

In a personal message sent to the students on their final weekend, Miranda said: “I am thrilled to be reconnected with the British School of Homoeopathy after all these years.

“I am thrilled also that this fine school is still going strong, with all dedicated flags flying high and to hear the educational philosophy and practice has deepened and matured.”

The school has an excellent reputation for the promotion of good clinical practice, which enables Student Jane Schindler-Ord (left), tutor Mark Hartshorn students not only to have a good academic training and Heartwood director Leigh Smith but also to prepare them to set up in their own practices after graduation. It is this emphasis on theory and practice, as well as the school’s care of the wellbeing of the student that led to Miranda The Level 5 Psychotherapy surroundings helped to enrich highly commending the ethos of the school.

Diploma will now run annually. my studies.”

Mo Morrish, principal of the school said: “We are New to Heartwood is the Level 6 all so proud and delighted to have such an excellent Mark Hartshorn said: “It was Diploma in Supervision. connection with Miranda Castro and will make sure so lovely teaching on this our links with her are firmly forged over the coming diploma. The students loved Leigh said: “We’re looking years. It is a real boost for us to have someone like the environment and engaged forward to this being just as Miranda taking such a keen interest in the work we fully with the course material, successful!” do.” which was carefully designed Heartwood are enrolling for the to strengthen confidence and The school is interviewing for new students for the self-belief. It is so exciting to see next courses now. Find out more next academic year which begins in September. at www.heartwoodcounsellling. the students graduate with such For more information about the school, look at the a well recognised and respected org, call 01803 865464, or email website: www.britishschoolofhomoeopathy.co.uk or heartwood1@btconnect.com. qualification.” email bsh@enhc.org or tel: 01392 422555.

Heartwood’s first graduate

Jane Schindler-Ord says: “The training at Heartwood has encouraged me to work at a deeper level with my clients.

Leigh and Mark Hartshorn, the course tutor, were very supportive and encouraged me to make the most of my skills.

“Studying at the Heartwood Centre in the beautiful

New practice in the centre of Plymouth THE Waterloo Surgery in Plymouth has undergone a transformation.

Renamed The Waterloo Wellbeing Centre, 191 Devonport Road, Stoke, is now the home of a counselling and psychotherapy practice.

The centre offers a spacious, harmonious and peaceful environment in the heart of the city, with free onstreet parking close by.

The centre specialises in psychotherapy, counselling, mindfulness training, professional training, talks and workshops for those in the helping and healthcare professions.

Julie Jeffs, who runs the centre, said they aim to become a centre

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for training events. Training in mindfulness, therapeutic counselling and CPD for caring professions, will be on offer from September.

She added: “We will be offering a two year diploma course in Mindfulnessbased Psychotherapeutic Counselling Training run in association with the Karuna Institute starting in January.”

Rooms at the centre are suitable for individual or group therapy and the main training room on the ground floor accommodates 15 students.

For more information or to hire a therapy room call Julie on 01752 318595, or email info@ psychotherapyplymouth.co.uk.

Editorial: 01392 346204 editor@reconnectonline.co.uk

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Toxic effects of electro-pollution GREENLIFE, the Totnes natural food store, is now a haven for shoppers wanting to avoid the effects of electropollution.

The store in the market square has established the first “harmonised” retail space using Phi energy DOTs to overcome the toxic effects of electro pollution coming from their powerful wi-fi router, eight computers, 12 fridges, three cordless phones and strong lighting.

Greenlife have employed the services of Phi Harmonics to provide electro DOTs and a wifi DOT. All the staff are now wearing a bio DOT to balance and strengthen their own energy field and the shop environment has been balanced by placing phi space DOTs in a grid around the shop.

Lucy Blyth, marketing director of Phi Harmonics, explained that collectively

this creates a clear open energy flow to enhance health, wealth and happiness.

She added: “The energetic structure of a shopping environment impacts the commercial success of any venture. Big businesses, including banks, have used feng shui for years to improve the energy flow. Energetic disturbances such as emotional residue, architectural imbalances, and geopathic stress all have an effect.

This is further compounded by the electro-pollution in which we are now immersed.”

Greenlife’s manager Julie Hore said: “We want the very best shopping environment for our customers and we want our staff to enjoy being here.”

Call Lucy Blyth on 01803 782008.

Matthew back to teach again TAI Chi teacher, a driving force behind Tai Chi Nation and all-round nice guy Matthew Rochford is back!

Matthew, pictured left, has been taking a break from teaching for the last nine months to focus on his own practice, but now he’s returning renewed and re-invigorated to teach again.

Said Matthew: “After 11 years of teaching weekly classes intensively it was nice to get some perspective!”

Matthew’s new course will be entitled Embrace Tiger Return To Mountain.

Tai Chi Nation is also offering free taster sessions at Sharpham, September 5-8, a weekend workshop there with Luke Shepherd in October and more free tasters in November.

Visit www.taichination. com for full details, or call 0845 257 2142.

Help to tackle the inner feelings of fraud SPEAKING to Kate Harris recently she made a point we’ve heard echoed by other therapists - that it’s interesting how the right practitioners and clients seem to find each other.

We’d have to say it’s at least partly due to the razor-sharp marketing power of Reconnect ads and editorial, of course, but it does sometimes seem there might be another force at work.

Many of Kate’s clients are, on the surface, extremely successful people leading busy demanding lives.

But, Kate says: “No one can see their inner-fears and doubts,

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but they feel them intensely. By recognising this, and taking the brave step to tackle their feelings of being a fraud, my clients are guided to a place where they can be free of this inner-doubt.

“They can perhaps then relax their expectations of themselves and be more true to themselves. With a good dollop of intuition, alongside the cognitive behavioural therapy I use, I can get them in touch with their wise self!”

Visit www/kateharris-lifecoaching. co.uk, or call Kate on 01803 847674.

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local people local events local food local health local environment

Creating the perfect sand tray CREATING a thing of beauty from pieces of wood is as much an art as putting paint to canvas.

Carpenter Stefan Batorijs strives to create designs and practical pieces of furniture where the end product is pleasing to the eye and to your touch.

Now Stefan has been helping a local Jungian sand tray therapist to create a tray that adds to the experience.

The therapist came to him asking if he could create a tray with particular dimensions.

Said Stefan: “I made three different designs using different types of

joint. I created something that had a very sensual feel to it. All the timber was rounded off and when a child is playing in there you can see they are actually enjoying the texture of the sand and the wood together. “ Stefan chose to paint the inside of the tray blue to represent the sky, sea and the beach.

Since his first tray was delivered word has got around and he is beginning to get orders from all over the country.

Read more about Stefan on page 25, or you can call him on 01364 652162.

Jeff’s adventures in video LIFE coach Jeff Sleeman, who specialises in career transformation and facilitates the Happy Mondays career change seminars, likes to practice what he preaches. Much of Jeff’s time is spent helping clients to look beyond the constraints of a conventional job, to focus on their strengths, innate talents and passions, and then to find ways of incorporating these attributes into their work lives.

But Jeff’s own career is diverse, encompassing corporate roleplay, training, music promotion and professional acting work.

And he has now added the role of music video producer to the list.

Jeff worked with Exmouth-based film director Steve Moles and local singer songwriter Adelia to

Jeff, right, with Steve and Adelia produce a promotional video for her song Rapunzel.

Said Jeff: “I’ve never been involved in the production side of films before but it was a fantastic experience and drew on my talent for organisation, ability to motivate people, love of music and passion for the film business.

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“I strongly recommend anyone who is feeling stuck in their work lives to try new experiences as a way of unleashing their creative potential and getting inspiration to move forward.”

For more about Jeff visit www.jeffsleeman. com and to access Adelia’s video go to www.youtube.com/ watch?v=1tVc1Zj8YvA

Editorial: 01392 346204 editor@reconnectonline.co.uk

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Hypnotherapy’s NHS role MANY of the therapies we feature in the Wellbeing section carry the ‘alternative’ tag, even though some are in regular use in a conventional way.

Now hypnotherapy has come into the focus of mainstream health providers and is finally being recognised for its effectiveness in treating a variety of conditions such as pain relief and stress, depression and irritable bowel syndrome, which together affect millions of people in the UK. A report by the Royal Society of Medicine now says that hypnosis could be used on a range of medical conditions to save the NHS millions of pounds.

Jacky added: “We’re confident that with more research, hypnosis will be recognised as an extremely useful tool to be used alongside mainstream medicine. What we need are doctors, dentists, nurses, psychologists, physiotherapists, radiotherapists - the whole gamut of people who treat patients - trained in using hypnosis as another tool in their treatment programme.”

Michelle Hague, who operates in the South Devon area, is a Clinical and Cognitive Behavioural Hypnotherapist and an International Lecturer with the London College of Clinical Hypnosis and a Fellow of the British Society of Clinical Hypnosis.

The news was tempered by critical reports about She said : “The London the danger of hypnoCollege of Clinical cowboys who are Hypnosis who train unqualified and likely GPs and dentists to to do more damage use Clinical Hypnosis than good. As with all alongside Professional complementary therapies Clinical Practitioners, it is important to ensure have long advocated its Michelle Hague that the practitioner you benefits,” she said. are intending to use is properly “Properly trained professionals who qualified. recognise the need for Continuous Jacky Owens is the president of the Professional Development (CPD) RSM’s Hypnosis Section and is a and have a high regard for ethics qualified nurse who uses hypnosis in and supervision will be able to use her work with cancer patients. clinical hypnosis to good effect.

She said: “If doctors were able to “It is very important to ensure that the refer patients to properly trained hypnotherapist you see is well trained hypnotherapists, it would save a and has studied with a reliable cash-strapped NHS a great deal of institution to a satisfactory level. It is money.” equally important for those wishing She said making hypnosis a standard to train to find the right course.” part of the ‘NHS toolbox’ would Call Michelle on 07761 773563 lead to the public becoming better or 01297 20144, or visit www. informed about the procedure. takecontrolofyourlife.co.uk

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EXETER Mind and Body Clinic has expanded with the addition of health detective and holistic health practitioner Jacqueline Kareh.

Jacqueline is the lady behind SCIO therapies and stress and wellness testing plus the SCIO group events which support healing and harmony on an individual and planetary level.

She’s pictured here (left) with Nikhila Ludlow (Feldenkrais practitioner) and clinic director Cathy Towers (Zero Balance practitioner, psychotherapist and counsellor) outside the Exeter Mind and Body Clinic tipi at our Midsummer Fair.

Call the clinic on 01395 278437 or 07989 564660.

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CONTINUED ON PAGE 35

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Living on less...

If you really don’t need it, let it go WELCOME to my latest celebration of life with less consumption and more contentment in the mix.

I ended my piece in the last issue (mainly about how to still enjoy books and music without spending much, if anything) with these words: “Next time I might look at… local community exchange systems… unless anyone has a better suggestion…”

In fact, I’ve continued to get an unprecedented level of response to this page, which is some measure of the interest around this subject, so I’ve decided to include a couple of readers’ comments. LETS, Freecycle and similar will be featured another time, so if you have a contribution to make on those subjects, you know where I am…

In the meantime, David Topple wanted to share a “great little rule” he’s introduced into his life over the last few years.

He says: “The rule is that whenever I acquire ANYTHING new for my home, or for myself, I have to sell or give away (usually to a charity shop) something else of roughly equivalent size or weight.

“Alternatively, I leave it in the parking bay behind my home in central Exeter, and it’s truly amazing how something you deposit there can be gone in a couple of hours. I disposed of a superfluous piece of furniture this way a few days ago.”

I first saw this simple method of passing on unwanted household goods and leftover materials when we were visiting our son and his family in Australia. Landfill sites over there were charging long before ours, so there was also a financial incentive to devise

THERE’S been an amazing response to Living On Less from readers - read on to discover David’s ‘great little rule’ and Sylvia’s thoughts on the dying art of lending out the books and CDs you love so much...

What a giveaway an alternative and simply leaving it to be taken away seems to work very well.

Incidentally, David says he’s also developed a new state-of-the-art social media system, featuring 3-D visuals and Surroundsound. It requires only two items of equipment which most people already own – and if I tell you the two items are a living room and a sofa…

Going back to the books and music theme of my previous ramblings, Sylvia Rose emailed to ask: “What happened to the culture of borrowing and lending?”

When she was a student, she recalls, every new LP (that gives us a timeframe, Sylvia) was “first played to death and then loaned to a friend so they could hear how brilliant it was”.

Likewise with books – even as you read

it you’d be wondering who would be best suited to borrow it next.

“These days,” says Sylvia, “I’m equally impoverished but I find friends recommend books, music, etc - for me to buy myself.”

Sylvia’s solution is simple: “ When I go round to theirs and peruse their CDs, bookshelves, etc, and ask to borrow something, they’re surprised - but always agree…”

She adds: “What we have here, as ever, is a need for not just personal change but a culture change too, away from individual consumerism towards more communal practices. We’re very conditioned in our world to think that change needs to happen most on a personal level. But it’s culture change that achieves more.”

On the larger issue of change, I agree it’s cultural change that has the biggest impact – but that shift can be brought about by a critical mass of individuals, sharing their thoughts and actions, exactly as we do here in Reconnect, and of course via the social media.

I used not to lend books, CDs or DVDs because they seldom came back to me – partly because I forgot who I’d lent them to. But as I cut back my spending and bought more from charity shops, recycling centres and jumble sales (borrowing new titles from the library, bless ‘em), I found the old desire to share came back – along with the joy of discussing the book/film/music with the borrower once they have enjoyed it. It’s like attending lots of little, impromptu book clubs and someone else having my books wasn’t really a loss at all.

And if you must keep track of them (some of us are ‘collectors’ after all), just make a note of who you lent it to (my dad kept a list of book titles in an alphabeticised address book - mainly because he’d otherwise forget what he’d read), or write your name inside the cover and leave it to the conscience of the borrower…

Sylvia also said she liked that I wrote about not consuming as “positive choices rather than guilt-driven deprivation!” - and I think that’s a really important point.

‘Choice’ is one of those words that in recent years had been corrupted by the political speech writers, primarily as a way of justifying the selling off of essential public services to the free market.

Personally, I don’t feel the need for lots of choice when it comes to health care or education – I just want a good local doctor, hospital and school. And, based on recent history, I seriously question the private sector’s ability to provide them.

But in fact we already have a great deal of choice in our lives.

We can choose to see education as a way to enrich our lives or as a boxticking exercise on the way to a highly paid job.

We can choose to help, respect and have positive relationships with people, or we can exploit them for our own gain.

We can choose to devote our lives to doing something that improves the quality of our lives and of those around us – or we can measure our success by the number of products we can buy, use and throw away.

Choices are valuable things – let’s ensure we make them well.

your local solution-focused hypnotherapist Michael Sanders practices in Plymouth and Exeter

01822 834799

www.hypnotherapist-plymouth.com

Your past can't be changed.

Your future can!

Registered with the Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council

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local people local events local food local health local environment HEALING DIVINE Inspiration get-togethers, meditations, discussions, healing - personal and planetary - using crystals and more. £5.00 donation welcomed. Kingsbridge. Contact Lindsay M: 07814790016. Email: lindsayball@k-c-t.co.uk.

These groups are held on Thursdays, 9 and 23 September and Saturdays, 6th and 20th August and 3rd September.

PSYCHOTHERAPY EXPERIENCED and qualified psychotherapist welcomes individuals and couples for confidential sessions in Harberton near Totnes. Lucia Capaldi BA (hons) UKCP. For an initial free meeting call 01803 840424 mob: 07809 441 519. www.luciacapaldi-psychotherapy-devon.co.uk SITUATIONS VACANT ACORNS is seeking a dynamic, inspired teacher of science/ natural history to compliment our highly motivated and committed team. Please phone Sharona, 07872 832026 for initial discussion.

STAR CONNECTING COURSE GUIDED by the Master Hilarion and the Lord Melchisedek, through Amuna Ra. At Brixham, Devon. 22/23 Oct: Awakening to Your Soul Origins. 10/11 Dec: Conscious Channelling.

28/29 Jan: Ascension Practices and Star Portals. £125 per weekend. www.PleiadianRegression.co.uk 07532 195256 TALKS JULIET GALLATLY, founder of Viva Magazine www.viva. org.uk, talks about the global impact of meat and dairy products. The Barrel House, High Street, Totnes, 7pm Thursday, September 15. For more information contact Jason or Louise 07958 402047. www.jasonliosatos.com & www.jasonliosatos.co.uk and www.hlouiseashley.com YOGA YOGA in Central Torquay. Weekly classes Mondays and Thursdays, 5.30pm. www.earthyogatorquay.co.uk. Phone Virginia 07875 217970.

YURT CAMP EARTH - STAR YURT CAMP: Sacred Stillness in the heart of Devon, 30-2 October. Meditation and Gongs with Amuna Ra. Medicine Wheel Making. Residential/nonresidential. Details: www.PleiadianRegression.co.uk www. havenmeadowsyurtcamp.co.uk Bookings: 01803 866864.

WORKSHOPS AND COURSES DIARY AUGUST EVERY TUESDAY QIGONG at The Exeter Phoenix Centre with Brad Richecoeur, 5.30-7pm. Suitable for all levels. 0845 3305086 www.qigong-southwest.co.uk EVERY TUESDAY QIGONG - weekly classes in Totnes. 5.30 - 7pm with Daverick Leggett. 0845 4561852 Daverick@qigongsouthwest.co.uk.

EVERY FRIDAY QIGONG at St Johns Church Hall, Totnes with Brad Richecoeur, 10-11.30am. Suitable for all levels. 0845 3305086 www.qigong-southwest.co.uk LUNCHTIMES AND EVENINGS MEDITATION, Mindfulness and Massage groups £5 - £8.

Lunchtimes and evenings. Exeter Mind and Body Clinic (near Debenhams). Contact Jacqueline Kareh 07850 008133.

WEDNESDAY 3 EARTH Singers: Port Meadow through sound, song and story, Oxford. One day intro workshop. Special price £25.

Families welcome. email: js@jackiesinger.co.uk MONDAY 15 SCIO stress and wellness tests plus therapies: introductory talk. 6pm. £2 inc refreshments. Networking.

Exeter Mind and Body Clinic. Contact Jacqueline 07850 008133.

MONDAY 19 - SUNDAY 25 ANCIENT Sites of West Cornwall. Pilgrimage, walking/ camping led by Danu Fox: Cost £250 email: danufox@ gmail.com

SEPTEMBER EVERY TUESDAY QIGONG - weekly classes in Totnes. 5.30 - 7pm with Daverick Leggett. 0845 4561852 Daverick@qigongsouthwest.co.uk.

MID MONTH DETOX/Holistic Weightloss group. Starts midSeptember. Exeter. Book early, save money. Contact Jacqueline, experienced nutritionist/ health practitioner: 07850 008133 www.exetermindandbody.com SUNDAY 4 TO SUNDAY 11 DECEMBER “EMBRACE Tiger Return To Mountain”. Tai Chi training with Matthew Rochford (20 years experience). An eight-week course (20 hours) covering Tai Chi Form, five loosening exercises and partner work (Cheng Man Ching Style). Dartington. Cost £100. Call 0845 257 2142 for information and booking or visit www.taichination.com.

MONDAY 5 – THURSDAY 8 FREE Tai Chi and Qigong taster sessions with Tai Chi Nation teachers Joe Salmon, Chris Waters, Daniel Attwell and Bob Harrisson-Daniels. Towns covered: Honiton, Exeter, Newton Abbot, Kingsteignton, Totnes, Kingsbridge, Pensilver, Okehampton. www.taichination.com Tel: 0845 257 2142.

WEDNESDAY 7 Sept NO VICTORY For Violence – eight Israeli and eight Palestinian members of Combatants for Peace, touring the UK, tell their personal stories of transformation from violence to non-violence, 7.30pm, Totnes Civic Hall, 07977 449901, www.encounters-arts.org.uk.

THURSDAY 18

SATURDAY 17

SCIO deep relaxation, recharge, self and planetary healing. Group event. Shared meal, dance. Buckerell, near Honiton. 3pm. Contact 07850 008133 healthdetective@ hotmail.co.uk

A CRYSTAL Skull Experience with Lindsay Ball. Harbour House Kingsbridge 10.00am. - 3.30pm. £25.00. Contact Lindsay Mob: 07814790016. Email lindsayball@k-c-t. co.uk”.

Carpenter Oak produce hand crafted and uniquely designed timber frame buildings,

Carpenter Oak produce hand crafted and uniquely designed timber frame buildings, including contemporary houses, barn-houses, extensions, conservatories, boathouses, including contemporary houses, extensions, conservatories, aboathouses, cabins, garden structures, publicbarn-houses, buildings and timber engineering.

We can partnership with Roderick James Architects LLP. cabins,complete gardenarchitectural structures,service publicinbuildings and timber engineering.

We can a complete architectural service in partnership with Roderick James Architects LLP. For fur ther information, please contact Lee 01803 732900 │ lee@carpenteroak.com │ www.carpenteroak.com

For fur ther information, please contact Lee our ‘show barn’ in Devon - The Framing Yard, East Cornworthy, Totnes, TQ9 7HF 01803Visit 732900 │ lee@carpenteroak.com │ www.carpenteroak.com

Visit our ‘show barn’ in Devon - The Framing Yard, East Cornworthy, Totnes, TQ9 7HF

Newbuild │ Extensions │ Garden Rooms │ Conservatories │ Commercial Buildings │ Garages and outdoor structures

Newbuild │ Extensions │ Garden Rooms │ Conservatories │ Commercial Buildings │ Garages and outdoor str Main image courtesy of Kim Sayer