June 2018

WOODBURY NEWS

JUNE 2018

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JUNE 2018 EDITORIAL

We've been hearing a lot recently, on the news and in the press, about community spirit, and reading through this month's Woodbury News, we find manifold examples of this spirit in our own tiny patch of the planet.

One such is the fantastic effort and generosity that goes into the famous Big Breakfasts of Woodbury and Woodbury Salterton, raising very considerable amounts of money for our local FORCE cancer charity. Our June cover features two pictures from the May Woodbury breakfast, with more pictures and a report on p.33.

Involvement is crucial, however, to the vitality of a community, and this month we have appeals for various types of help from volunteers, ranging from painting the red telephone box at the Arch, to putting yourself forward as a Parish Councillor (see the PC article on p.30) to environmental issues relating to re-populating the rapidly diminishing hedgehog community (see Wild-Woodbury article on p.36/37) to keeping control over alien species on the River Otter (Clinton Devon article on p.38/39). It's gratifying to read about the involvement of the schools in introducing students to environmental and community issues, and we are particularly impressed by the contributions of various young people to the conservation and upkeep of our very own Woodbury treasures - a prime example of which is the glorious green grass springing up all over the Woodbury Castle ramparts (see p.39).

AND, talking of contributions, we'd like to make the September issue of WN a special one, with lots of items sent in by you, the readers - pictures, photos, poems, anecdotes, short stories, puzzles, features, experiences let your imaginations run wild and get it all down on paper (or computer) and send to us by the earlier than usual closing date of 7 August. We look forward VERY much to hearing from you...

COVER PHOTOS of the Woodbury Big Breakfast taken by Mike Jeans.

Woodbury News is a Private Company Limited by Guarantee No. 5263356 Secretary: Karen Squires, Willowfield, Oakhayes Road, Woodbury EX5 1JT. 233299

Registered Office: Willowfield, Oakhayes Road, Woodbury EX5 1JT. Tel: 233299

Chairman: Jeremy Boyden, Rosemary, Broadway, Woodbury EX5 1NR. Tel: 233072 Editor: Mrs Sue Bury, Mayflower Cottage, 37 Greenway, Woodbury EX5 1LU. Tel: 233753

Deputy Editor: Mrs Val Arndt, Castlehaye, Castle Lane, Woodbury. Tel: 233175 Subscriptions: Mrs Anna Crafer, 15 Haymans Orchard, Woodbury. Tel: 232007 Circulation: Mrs Beverley Simcox, 2 Beeches Close, Woodbury. Tel: 232858

4 ST SWITHUN’S CHURCH, WOODBURY Associate Minister: Reverend Sid Humphries. Tel:01395 274512 email: revsidh@gmail.com SPECIAL SERVICE for Mission Community: Tuesday 12 June at 19.00. Licensing for Revd Sid Humphries as Priest in Charge.

ST SWITHUN’S SUNDAY SERVICES 1st Sunday - 11.15 All-age Holy Communion. 2nd Sunday: 11.15 Holy Communion. 3rd Sunday: 11.15 Holy Communion; 18.30 Evensong. 4th Sunday: 08.00 CW Holy Communion (said); 11.15 Morning Worship. Morning Prayer: Mondays at 09.15.

NEWS AND EVENTS Lych gate stalls - Saturday mornings 09.30-11.00.

Woodbury PCC Monthly Draw - Draw made at the Charity Coffee Morning 3rd Tuesday each month. Prize every month ranging from £50 to £500. Details from Ken Crundwell 01395 232826.

Further information - Digest available in church. To receive this by email please send your email address to st.swithuns.digest@gmail.com.

CHURCH ALTAR FLOWERS - JUNE 3 & 10 - Mrs S Huish. 17 - Mrs P Michael. 24 - Mrs J Hodge.

FLOODLIGHTING ST SWITHUN’S CHURCH (dusk until 23.00) Sunday 27 May Gordon and Linda Cameron “Many congratulations to Alasdair and Rachael on their marriage on 26 May. With all our love and best wishes from all the Cameron family.”

For your special event, contact Mike Jeans 01395 232544. Floodlight dedications are displayed on the church noticeboard at the lych gate.

ACTIVITY IN WOODBURY CHURCH TOWER The observant folk in the village will have noticed activity in the tower.

NET Solutions have started work on installing mobile phone antennae in the belfry. There is significant work to be done as the area has to be prepared and cables to be installed, but by mid-summer there should be a strong phone signal in the village.

The roof alarm system has been upgraded with a blue flashing light as a pre-signal coming on before the alarm sounds. However it is too sensitive at the moment, being set off by the wind. It will be modified in early June to respond only to people on the roof!

Pat Browne

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6 FoSS (FRIENDS OF ST SWITHUN’S) The FoSS Concert on 28 April was one of the most successful in terms of interesting content and support. Nancie Grist has written a detailed review below: If you didn’t get to this concert, you missed a treat! From the Woodbury Whalers to the final songs from the Devon County Junior Choir it was a wonderful evening of song, music and fun.

Our Whalers’ sea shanties were much enjoyed as usual, but they had a surprise for us at the end when our local Scottish Piper, Robin White, emerged from the vestry in his splendid kit, and accompanied them on the pipes. Bel Canto sang two groups of songs including All in the April Evening, I Believe, The Blue Bird, Far from the home I love (from Fiddler on the Roof) and Postman Pat, which brought a storm of applause when Pat Browne donned a postman’s cap, and from his bag delivered letters to folk in the audience! Bel Canto’s diction and timing were very good, with Robin Lennox keeping them in order and even dancing with Dorothy Ferrier in one item! A special mention must be made of young Daniel Devenish from Exton, who sang the soprano solo in The Blue Bird.

Dorothy sang songs by Jerome Kern, Gabriel Fauré and George Gershwin with great verve, brilliantly accompanied by Dorothy Worthington. We were treated to a performance of two clarinet pieces by Will Thornton, a very talented young man, who played Michael Winograd’s The Sweet Silence, and, with Nigel Alcock’s sympathetic accompaniment, If I were a Rich Man from Fiddler on the Roof.

The superb performances by the Devon County Junior Choir (age range 7-13), were beyond all our expectations. Their conductor Rachel Smith and accompanist Timothy Noon are to be congratulated on the choir’s excellence — some of the children also sing in the Cathedral and other choirs. They had been at the church since 16.30 for rehearsal and tea, and as the clock neared 22.00 they were still singing. One of their final numbers was Engine, Engine, in which everyone was enlisted to join in singing this round, successfully, and with some hilarity. The church was full, with lots of proud parents and grandparents in the audience, and the FoSS Fund benefited by a profit of more than £600. Well done to all involved.

We will be looking forward to receiving Exeter University Chapel Choir for a concert on Saturday 21 July at 19.00; we are very fortunate that they enjoy coming to Woodbury Church (this will be their third visit) to offer us top quality music.

7 FoSS is proposing to finance further masonry work on the external walls of the church and the refurbishment of two of the windows; thus all receipts will be put to good use in maintaining the fabric of Woodbury’s most important historic building.

(Oscar and Rosalila Gibbons who performed with Devon County Junior Choir and Will Thornton on clarinet, all of Cottles Lane Woodbury.)

WOODBURY CRAFT GROUP 29 JUNE, 13.00-15.00, CHURCH ROOMS WOODBURY COMMUNITY PLAYING FIELDS Woodbury Community Playing Fields are proud to announce that the MUGA (Multi Use Games Area) is officially opened!

We have organised a small event to celebrate the completion of the MUGA and we would be delighted if the community could attend to help celebrate.

We will be at the large playing field in Town Lane on Thursday 14 June from 15.30, with the official opening starting at 16.00, and alongside Kids CafĂŠ we will be supplying tea, cakes and ice lollies.

Emma Finnegan

WOODBURY NEWS is available online via Facebook and Twitter.

8 WOODBURY GARDEN CLUB This year’s annual plant sale was downsized as last year we had a lot of plants left over.

Nevertheless, there was a queue waiting outside the Church Rooms eager to buy.

Beans sold within minutes as did tomatoes, lettuce, cucurbits and herbs. The annuals and perennials grown on and potted up by members all sold quickly, leaving a few latecomers disappointed.

Our annual outing this year was to RHS Rosemoor. After a hot sunny Bank Holiday, it was a welcome cooler day. The magnolias were in flower, azaleas and rhododendrons were magnificent shades of pinks, purples and reds. Primroses and bluebells added more colour in the Woodland Garden.

The orchard was full of blossom — let’s hope our community orchard is doing as well. Rosemoor’s plant centre did good business, judging by the bags carried back onto the coach!

The next meeting is on 12 June when Peter Cantrill of Dayspring Plants will talk about Plants that Excite. Visitors and potential members are always welcome.

Liz Hill

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Garden Club trip to Rosemoor

WOODBURY ROYAL BRITISH LEGION Thank you to Jean Carpenter for the pelargoniums she has grown and given us for the War Memorial again this year. Thanks also to Allison and the Brownies for helping to plant the "boats" at the Arch, a great job well done.

GP90 plans are going well — don't forget to ring me on 01395 232696 if you would like a Remembrance cross taken to the Menin Gate at the beginning of August.

Thank you to Optima Graphics who have supported us printing our ID labels so we can find our Standard Bags amongst 1500 others — what a fantastic event this is going to be, commemorating 100 years of the end of the First World War. In addition to those on the official ceremony trip to Ypres on 8 August, branch members’ family and friends can make arrangements to come along and watch over 2000 Legion representatives march through Ypres to the Menin Gate and join in comradeship in Ypres Great Square.

Our commemorations in November are also taking shape and the Devon County President of the Royal British Legion has accepted our invitation to come to see the WW1 exhibition we are putting together with the History Society.

If you or a family member have any Devonian memorabilia please contact me on 01395 232696 about putting your items in the exhibition.

Sandra Huish The Woodbury News attempts to represent a variety of views within the Community, but does not accept responsibility for anything but Editorial comment. While it may publish unacknowledged material, nothing is included unless the Editor knows the name and address of the author(s).

10 WOODBURY VILLAGE GOLF SOCIETY Our first outing of the season, on Thursday 19 April, was a brilliant day. Twenty-five players arrived at Thurlestone having taken varied and sometimes interesting routes, and we gathered to enjoy bacon butties and coffee. The corks had gone, having been replaced by numbered golf balls which were drawn from a bag, and teams were selected. We were treated to a magnificent day of golf which was enjoyed by all, no matter how well or badly they played. The meal afterwards was also excellent.

With the sun shining and little wind, it was no wonder that the standard was good with 16 players scoring 30 points and over, and 5 twos! Nearest the pin on the 17th was Richard Perry who was 12 inches from the hole, so also scoring a two. The other four were Simon Davies, Chris Taunton and Robin Jackson on the 17th and Julian Turnbull on the 6th, so the ÂŁ50 pot was easily divided!

For the teams: in 3rd place team 1 with 80 points, Paul Sanders, Charles Kislingbury and Tim Kirk; in 2nd place team 4 with 84 points, Peter de la Mare, Graham Jackson and Robin Jackson; in 1st place with 85 points, Chris Taunton, Julian Turnbull and Barry Chapman. Individual scores showed how, on a course like Thurlestone, the cream comes to the top! Peter de la Mare and Simon Davies both scored 38 points, Simon playing with a brand new set of clubs for the first time. On count back, 3rd place went to Peter.

Both Chris Taunton and Julian Turnbull scored 39 points (and you will have noted were also in the winning team); on count back, Julian was in 2nd place and Chris (who was also the participant with the lowest handicap) was the winner.

Oake Manor was our second outing and took place on 17 May, proving to be another spectacular day. There was the perfect number of 30 players, so 10 teams of 3 ventured forth. After a good day’s golf with 12 players scoring 30 and over, and 7 twos, there was an excellent meal.

Nearest the pin on the 16th was John Beevers and he also scored a two.

David Miller also scored a two on the 16th. On the 10th, Bob Thomlinson, Phil Hurley, Nick Lewis, and David Harrison scored twos and finally Chris Hatherly on the 14th.

Teams scored well with team 9 (John Beavers, Clive Hurley and Phil Hurley) coming in third with 77 points; team 10 (Bob Thomlinson, Peter Heron and Tony Beck) in second place with 81 points and in first place, also with 81 points on count back, Paul Crafer, Martin Briggs and David Harrison.

For individual: in third place Peter Heron with 36 points, in second place Martin Bennett with 38 points and the winner with an amazing 42 points playing off 13 (but not for long), David Harrison.

The next event is at Launceston on Wednesday 13 June.

Jeremy Browne, Past Chairman WVGS

11 WOODBURY LOCAL HISTORY SOCIETY The History Society had a splendid lecture on Thursday 3 May from Dr David Parker. His subject was Devon in the early Victorian period and was illustrated with contemporary drawings, paintings and newspaper items.

David gave us a wide picture of activities in the county, both of the upper and working classes, covering landscape, houses, fetes, regattas, industry, elections, crime, roads and travel, and many other topics. He pointed out that though the landscape was beautiful, and much admired by travellers to the county, living in it, for the working man, made for an impoverished and hard life.

The power of the aristocracy and gentry, with their huge estates, affected the lives of many Devonians; though they provided employment the wages given were very low and insufficient to cover the costs of food, clothing and rent.

The speaker is so fluent and knowledgeable that he not only informs the audience but conveys the atmosphere of the period with his enthusiasm. His research is very wide-spread, much of it spent in trawling through the wealth of Victorian newspapers which have survived.

The audience thoroughly enjoyed the talk and several members were so inspired that they bought copies of the book that David has written on the subject of the talk.

The next talk will be on Thursday 6 September and will be a history of Woodbury Castle from its earliest times up to the present day.

Gill Selley

MAYTREE PRE-SCHOOL IN WOODBURY Maytree Pre-School is now taking bookings for children starting this September.

Interest in our lovely pre-school is welcomed from across the local area.

Please contact: Admissions Secretary, Claire Partridge - 01395 233525 (mornings), admissionsmaytree@hotmail.com. http://www.maytreepreschool.com Registered Charity No. 900545.

12 Local History Society Summer Outing to Buckland Abbey Wednesday 4 July The History Society Summer Outing this year is to Buckland Abbey near Tavistock.

The Cistercian Abbey was founded in 1278 in a tranquil valley where the monks worshipped, farmed their estate and traded. After the Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1539 the abbey was purchased by Sir Richard Grenville, father of the renowned adventurer who inherited the estate in 1563. Twenty years later he sold it to Sir Francis Drake whose descendants owned it for the next 350 years. It was donated to the National Trust in 1946.

The Abbey church, later converted into a residence, combines furnished rooms with museum galleries, standing in 500 acres of beautiful countryside. The monastery estate includes extensive flower and vegetable gardens, a medieval Great Barn and Cider House. In the Ox Yard is a restaurant serving light lunches and snacks, a National Trust shop and a second-hand book shop. Further details can be seen on the NT website.

The coach will leave the Arch at 09.15 on Wednesday 4 July, returning to the Arch at about 17.00. Everyone (including non-Society members) is welcome to join the outing. The coach fare is £19; entry to the Abbey is free to NT members, £11.55 to others. Please contact Nick Burgess by email nicksueburgess@gmail.com, or David Bowers by email davidbowers88@ yahoo.co.uk or telephone 01395 239338 or 07496 105892 (to leave a message), or any other History Society Committee member, as soon as possible, to ensure a place.

Nick Burgess COMMUNITY CHARITY COFFEE MORNINGS 4TH BIRTHDAY PARTY TUESDAY 3 JULY, 10.00 - 12.00 IN THE CHURCH ROOMS Please come and join us to celebrate this great event.

Free birthday cake for all customers.

WOODBURY NEWS CLOSING DATES 19 JUNE. 17 JULY. 7 AUGUST. 18 SEPTEMBER. 16 OCTOBER. 20 NOVEMBER. 11 DECEMBER. ALL MATERIAL FOR THE MAGAZINE SHOULD BE SENT TO KAREN SQUIRES, WILLOWFIELD, OAKHAYES ROAD by 19.00 on the closing date, with a name and telephone number, or email to karensquires100@gmail.com

13 WOODBURY TENNIS CLUB Tennis for the summer is well under way. The two men’s teams have embarked on their 2018 campaign: the A team are still to register a win, but have gained points; the B team have registered one win and two draws and are mid-table. There will be some mixed friendly matches during the summer.

The junior coaching is well under way too, with experienced coach John Wingate and his assistant Tom Kinch; there are 36 youngsters on court on Wednesday evenings in four sessions. It is hoped that many of them will graduate to club sessions on Sunday mornings.

The club will hold its doubles tournament on Sunday 22 July from 10.00, followed by a barbeque. All members and former members are invited to enter.

The courts are available for the playing of tennis to all residents of the parish and visitors at a reasonable fee of £4.00 per hour, key available at 5 Escott Cottages (Pat Browne 232805) or from Jackie Clarke 232832, but if playing regularly annual membership (£15 junior) is more economical. Pat Browne WOODBURY TWINNING ASSOCIATION Our next event is a lunchtime barbeque on 10 June which John and Lynette Burgess have kindly agreed to host in their garden — Byway Cottage, Byways Lane, Woodbury. The cost is £10 for members and £12 for nonmembers to include a glass of sangria. Please contact Nita on 232314 or Jan on 232694. In May a group of us went to see The Magic of Hollywood, featuring Pasha Kovalev of Strictly Come Dancing fame, in the Exmouth Pavilions. The dancing was excellent, but, frankly, the story line was rather poor in the opinion of some! We are organising a trip to Yeovilton Air Day on 7 July, so please let either Nita or Jan know if you'd like to go. By the time you read this, a large group of us will have visited Bretteville to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of our Twinning Associations. More about this in the next edition.

Jan Owen WOODBURY GARDEN CLUB Plants that excite TUESDAY 12 JUNE, 19.15 for19.30 WOODBURY VILLAGE HALL OPENING UP TO GOD This opportunity for Quiet Prayer draws on a range of Christian traditions and is open to anyone wanting to develop their relationship with God in the company of others. Each meeting is complete in itself.

Sponsored by the White Cross Mission Community.

19.30 to 21.00. 4 June, 2 July 2018 in Woodbury Church Rooms Open to all, free of charge For further information please contact Carolyn Keep 01395 232318.

14 WOODBURY C OF E PRIMARY SCHOOL Woodbury School was a hive of activity last month, with rehearsals for our May Day celebrations in full swing and Year 6 pupils having completed the Key Stage 2 SATs. We are immensely proud of the effort our oldest pupils put into their learning and preparations for these tests and the high level of support they were given by everyone who works with them.

Farewell to Henry We have sadly bid a grateful farewell to Henry Fulls, who has served as a foundation governor at Woodbury School for the past eight years.

A celebration assembly was held where the children and governing body presented Henry with tokens of gratitude for his years of service to the school.

Henry’s involvement with the school began as a pupil himself and continued with his own children attending, followed by his grandchildren — a legacy unlikely to be equalled in the near future! We would like to thank Henry for his invaluable guidance and contributions to Woodbury School; he will be sorely missed.

Cherry Class Visit The children in Cherry class enjoyed a fascinating day at Kents Cavern to support their recent topic of rocks and fossils. They were given a tour of the caves to help them learn more about different types of rock and their formation. They also explored different effects of light and shadow in the caves using torches and had a fascinating day.

15 Willow Class Assembly Parents and relatives of the children in Willow class were treated to a wonderful assembly by Willow class. The children shared their recent learning in various ways – performing a Springtime acrostic poem, sharing their drawings of spring flowers and re-enacting the story of Don’t Spill the Milk.

Ethos Group We continue to explore our school value for this term – Trust.

Our Ethos Group presented a thoughtful assembly to the whole school recently which gave the children lots to consider about how trust is earned.

The Ethos Group are currently planning the installation of our new spiritual garden where all children will be able to spend time to reflect and sit quietly.

They have begun planting some of the beds within the garden and we are all looking forward to seeing how the area develops in the future.

Devon County Show Maple class were busy designing and preparing their entry for the ‘Wheelie Wild’ Wheelbarrow trail at the Devon County Show.

They were given the stop of ‘Bees and Honey’ which lead to the children doing a lot of research and creating some wonderful designs. The class then amalgamated their designs to create a final plan for their wheelbarrow which featured at the show.

16 Sport This half term has been another extremely busy one for our sporting pupils, with events taking place in athletics, golf and Dartmoor 3 Ball.

Woodbury School hosted four other local schools on 16 May for a Year 5 and 6 Rugby Competition.

The afternoon event was great fun and saw both Woodbury teams go through to the semi-final where they played each other! Woodbury ended up with 2nd and 3rd place overall, having played exceptionally well.

A group of children from Year 4 attended a Dartmoor 3 Ball competition at Exmouth Community College on 14 May. When fielding, the children worked well as a team to pass the ball between players to get all three balls into the bucket as quickly as possible. The children used their strategic thinking when batting to look for an empty space without opposing fielders.

With great sportsmanship, teamwork and lots of energy, the children won two of their three games, narrowly missing out on one of the games by two points. An amazing effort in such warm weather!

Outdoor Learning Ash class spent a lovely afternoon in the Forest School area with a special visitor. Tony Bennett from Wild-Woodbury came to talk to the children about the importance of providing homes for animals to encourage nature around us to thrive. He very kindly donated a hedgehog house, bird house, mini bug hotel and a number of bat boxes to install around the school. The children had great fun constructing the boxes and finding suitable areas for them; the afternoon went by very quickly and we are very excited to see what decides to make a home in our new boxes in the future. Thank you Tony and Wild-Woodbury.

17 In another sporting event, Woodbury School played against a number of East Devon schools in a Quad Kids athletics competition. It was a great evening and all participating children competed in every event. Huge congratulations to the team for their sportsmanship and their 3rd place achievement.

WOODBURY WOMEN’S INSTITUTE At the AGM, our President and current committee members were re-elected and the meeting was concluded in record time. After coffee and wine and notification of future events we settled down to listen to Sue C. Medcalf (www.itchybaldscratchet.co.uk).

When Sue’s sister found a badger living under her shed it was the beginning of a totally unexpected journey. As they continued their daily phone calls about the badger, a story began to develop in Sue’s head. When she wrote her ideas down and the result was published, she became (in her own words) an Accidental Author. Her first book was about Itchybald Scratchet, a badger who gets tipsy from eating windfalls and falls down a well. EnorMouse, Neighomi, Eitheror and Wanda (the Australian wombat) are some of the animals who have joined Itchybald, and children would love reading about their comical escapades and the environmental issues that are now introduced into the stories.

Many writers never get a book published, so we were taken through the pros and cons of publishing. Sue has changed to the ‘self publishing’ route and spends some of her time marketing her books. When she visits schools she encourages the children to try writing poems and stories and she challenged any of us who had ever thought about writing a book to get started.

If your talents don’t include writing, decorate a sunhat (to wear to the Garden Party in August) and bring it to be judged at the 12 July meeting when we will be hearing about Blue Plaques. On 14 June we have our outing to Tiverton Canal when we hope to have feedback from the members who went on the mini-cruise (see below). Our new programme looks promising and we hope you will think about joining us at one of our meetings.

Pauline Wratten

18 WI Trip to Bruges, May 2018 In early May, ten ladies from Woodbury WI set off for a mini-cruise to Bruges. By a miracle we all arrived at the Southampton Cruise Terminal together, where we were faced with a huge cruise ship, apparently the biggest British one ever built; she certainly dwarfed the buildings nearby.

We boarded via the glamorous atrium and were directed to our cabins. With nearly two thousand cabins how would we ever find the way back to ours?

Before departure there’s always a lifeboat drill, so we turned up at our muster station wearing warm clothing as instructed. It was very hot and there were over a thousand people standing shoulder to shoulder; I couldn’t help wondering how they would ever get us out in a real emergency. After donning our lifejackets for the drill, we were allowed back to our cabins – we needed a lie down to recover from that experience!

It was a brief repose, as soon afterwards we set sail and it was time for a walk around the ship.

The sun was shining and there was a lovely party atmosphere with lots of hen and stag parties going on and people drinking cocktails out on the deck. We opted for dinner in the waiter-service dining room and enjoyed a delicious meal, after which we were treated to a first class concert in the theatre. There were plenty of places to sit and drink or have a chat, swapping tales of how we got lost on the way to the restaurant. Then there was always the casino for those who fancied a flutter, or a visit to The Crow’s Nest bar.

After a calm crossing and a good night’s rest we arrived in Bruges; we gathered from all parts of the ship (eventually with the correct documents) and disembarked. The shuttle bus had standing room only: would we be asked to get off and wait for the next one? Not a bit of it! The bus was registered for ninety passengers and the driver was not going to budge until we’d crammed another ten people in. Only then did he set off for the port entrance, where we could catch our coach into Bruges.

Bruges has long been a thriving trading city; it is very pretty, with its beautiful network of canals, the stepped-gable houses and the cobbled streets. The main streets are lined with shops, including more than fifty chocolate shops with their tempting displays and street cafes and gift shops galore. Bruges was packed with tourists, so we opted for a boat trip, which gave us a chance to sit down and listen to the commentary whilst admiring the ancient bridges and buildings.

19 The tiny UNESCO-listed medieval centre was a peaceful haven in this crowded city and the medieval Church of our Lady with its huge brick spire was light and airy inside. Unfortunately, we didn’t have time to see the famous Michelangelo Madonna and Child. After shopping for chocolate and sampling the various bars and cafes for drinks, waffles and ice cream we made our way back to the ship.

That evening was a black tie dinner, so we had fun dressing up in our finery.

Then it was off to the theatre again to watch a very professional magic show which left us wondering — just how did they do that?

We all remarked on how well we got on. Although we didn’t all know each other before the holiday, we have now become friends and are looking forward to our next adventure. We had some laughs and some moments of panic but overall, a fantastic time. Well done Livvy for thinking of the idea in the first place and for organising the holiday. It wasn’t easy but was certainly worth it in the end.

Marion Lennox

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ADVANCE NOTICE

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WOODBURY NEWS CLOSING DATE: 7 AUGUST 2018 You may have noticed that this date is earlier in the month than usual - but the editorial team has to have holidays too!

The September issue (with 7 August closing date for copy) will hopefully include articles, poems, puzzles, anecdotes, humorous holiday snaps, etc sent in by YOU, our readers.

Please put your thinking caps on, and from now onwards send through your submissions to karensquires100@gmail.com, clearly marked for September Woodbury News.

THE WOODBURY SALTERTON SCARECROW CHALLENGE 2018 The Great Scarecrow Fete and Trail at the Glebe Field SUNDAY 10 JUNE, 14.00 to 17.00 Scarecrows to be on parade from Monday 28 May to Sunday 10 June Tea, coffee and lots of cake, stalls and games for all.

Please contact Debbie Jung on debbie16j@talktalk.net if you wish to enter. £5 per scarecrow, prize for the best scarecrow.

There is no theme this year so you can do just about anything!

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WOODBURY SALTERTON NEWS HOLY TRINITY Family Service Debbie Jung conducted the April service and Mark Lovett gave a powerpoint quiz about our amazing universe. This was greatly enjoyed and we all learnt a lot. Clare Rooke read the bible story and prayers were led by Evie Chapman, Molly Hayward, Alice and Eliza Rooke and Maya and Lily Nash.

Annual Parochial Church Meeting We now have a Churchwarden.

Debbie Jung agreed to take on this important role for the church and was unanimously elected. The PCC were re-elected en-bloc and Robin Lee was voted on as a new member. Nigel Dupain was thanked warmly for his work as Treasurer and Jill as Secretary. Revd Sid thanked all the PCC for the various ways in which they help – Valerie Davieson, Philip Dent, Debbie Jung and Katharine Wheeler, and Fiona Vessey for her valuable work as Minutes Secretary. Appreciation was expressed to Aran Brown for his huge contribution and a card was signed.

Coffee Mornings From the beginning of June these will take place every Saturday from 09.30 until 10.30, outside church if fine and inside if not.

Volunteers are needed to run the stalls.

Prayer Fish As part of the nationwide church initiative Thy Kingdom Come, River Of Life, Revd Sid Humphries asked Sue Hudson to knit seven prayer fish, one for each of the seven churches in our Mission Community.

Katharine Wheeler offered to help and has knitted one for our church in the colours of the rainbow, in the style of the early Christian Ichthys style. The Greek word Ichthys is an acrostic for Jesus Christ Son of God Saviour.

The prayer fish has strands of wool hanging down to which people are invited to attach prayers with a paper clip. Jill Dupain introduced the fish in her talk on prayer at the May Family Service.

One of the knitted fish and all the prayers attached from all the fish were taken to the Cathedral at the Pentecost service on 20 May, to remain in the churches afterwards.

WOODBURY SALTERTON WHIST DRIVE TUESDAY 19 JUNE AT 19.30 IN WOODBURY SALTERTON VILLAGE HALL These evenings are friendly and fun – but we would like some more players.

21 School Wedding Revd Sid gave a talk on weddings to Class 1 in advance of the Royal Wedding. The children had made rings and picked bunches of wild flowers and tied them up with ribbon. Each child had brought a soft toy into school and it was decided that Georgia’s Mickey Mouse should marry Finlay’s sabre-tooth tiger with Henry being the vicar.

The class then made their way to church where the friends and family and groom and best man awaited the arrival of the bride and her father. Mrs Wheeler played Here Comes The Bride as they walked up the aisle.

Revd Sid guided Henry through the wedding service and Finlay and Georgia made the vows on behalf of their toys. The happy couple then walked to the back to the strains of the Wedding March before everyone enjoyed juice and biscuits as the wedding reception.

On Friday, the day before the wedding, the whole school attended Class 1’s presentation of the Royal Wedding in church. Mrs Jennie Tweedy was commentator, introducing the various members of the royal family all suitably attired before the bride, Skyla, entered. Finlay was the vicar conducting a simple wedding ceremony between Megan (Skyla) and Harry (Joff). A hymn and the National Anthem were sung. The congregation, wearing union-flag-decorated hats, went back to the school playground (decked with patriotic red, white and blue bunting, and coloured cards with letters of good wishes written inside) to enjoy a piece of wedding cake.

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Royal Wedding celebrations in the School playground

SCARECROWS AND TEDDY BEARS Two fund raising events will be taking place in June.

The Scarecrow Challenge will culminate in viewing and judging on Sunday 10 June. Entry forms for the scarecrows are available from Debbie Jung – entry fee £5. A plan of the village, with the scarecrows’ positions marked and forms for voting for your favourite, will be on sale at The Glebe field from 14.00 on Sunday 10. As usual there will be tea, coffee, cakes and a raffle — and lots of fun.

Teddy Bears’ Picnic and Abseiling On Saturday 23 June you are invited to bring your teddy bear to abseil from the church gallery down the aisle and then to join in the Teddy Bears’ picnic. Bring your bear along at 16.00 and watch its abseiling skills and then have a picnic tea. £5 to enter your bear for three runs. This is to be a fun afternoon and hopefully also raise some funds for our church through the sale of teas.

COMMUNITY COFFEE MORNING Woodbury Salterton Village Hall 09.00 - 12.00 1st Monday of each month.

(Bank Holidays on 2nd Monday of the month). £2 for unlimited drinks and cake.

Everyone welcome (from babies to retirees).

Come and feel part of a community and get to know the people living within the village.

23 WOODBURY SALTERTON WOMEN’S INSTITUTE The May meeting was our AGM and we welcomed Mary Andrews, County Adviser, to assist and to explain the Resolution to us. All voted in favour of the Resolution, which concerned awareness of mental health.

Jill Scott had prepared her financial statement, which was approved. She was thanked warmly in her absence. Terrie Newman’s secretary’s report was also approved.

In her president’s report, Gill Bricknell said it had been a challenging year for some members but we had supported one another. She paid tribute to the considerable contribution which Lis Appleton had played in our WI over many years. We were sad to have lost her. The Committee were re-elected en-masse – Gill Bricknell, Terrie Newman, Jill Scott, Jenny Kemp, Valerie Davieson, Brenda Randle, Glenys Clarke, Judith Mahaffy and Chris Moores.

Katharine Wheeler was co-opted onto the committee and will continue as Press Secretary. Gill Bricknell was unanimously re-elected as President.

Julia Cullen was welcomed as a new member.

Commemorative beakers: the WI Centenary in 2020 is being marked by some beautiful bone china beakers, depicting events over the past hundred years. These can be pre-ordered and cost £10.

The WI stall at the village Table Top Sale raised £60 for our funds.

Some members will be going to the Crediton Flower Festival in June.

The June meeting will be held on 13 June at 19.30 in the village hall and the speaker will be Wendy Richards Wood. The subject of her talk is Women in the RNLI. The June coffee morning will be on 21st - venue to be confirmed later.

IN MEMORY OF LIS On 7 May members of Lis Appleton’s family ran in the Milton Keynes Half Marathon to raise funds in her memory for Exmouth and Lympstone Hospiscare and the Exeter Hospice, both of which were such a help to Lis and to her family. Her son Marcus, his son Tom and his daughter Laura and her husband Adam set themselves the target of raising £1000 and exceeded this.

The total came to £1086 which, with gift aid, brought the total to a magnificent £1311.

Congratulations to them – and how proud Lis would have been of all of them.

24 WOODBURY SALTERTON C OF E PRIMARY SCHOOL We are looking forward to our new children joining us in September as they start reception in Class 1. Many will be familiar with our school, already being part of our Foundation Stage Unit. We are planning their transition and would like to invite our new starters to come in and join us for story sessions at 14.55– 15.30 on Thursday afternoons on 7 June, 14 June, 21 June and 28 June. They are also invited to join us in class on the morning of Thursday 12 July 09.00 – 11.45 to come and play and get to know the other children who will be in their class when they start. On that morning, we will also be holding a ‘Welcome to Class One’ meeting for parents/carers where we will explain what being a reception child is like. Please join us at 10.45. If you are still considering a school placement for your reception age child please feel free to get in touch with us to schedule a school tour.

This term Class 1 will be learning about the countries that make up the United Kingdom. They have already learnt about St George’s Day, and acted out the story of brave St George defeating the dragon.

Then some of the children decided to make shields of their own with a St George’s cross on the front. They have also learnt about May Day celebrations and some very special royal events, including the birth of Prince Louis Arthur Charles and Prince Harry’s wedding to Meghan Markle.

With spring and the warmer weather finally with us, Class 2 will be exploring what plants require for growth and life, learning about the functions of different parts of flowering plants. They will also learn about living things and their habitats, using classification keys to help group, identify and name a variety of different things in the local and wider environment. Alongside these science topics, the children will find out about the lifestyle and practices of the Ancient Egyptians and will consider the importance of the River Nile to early civilisation.

25 Class 2 continue to be enthusiastic mathematicians, with Year 2 getting to grips with multiplication and division. They have enjoyed making up their own number problems for their friends to solve. Years 3 and 4 have been finding out about decimal equivalence, tenths and hundredths, making number lines and carefully placing images of these fractions into the correct place.

As part of their Art and DT topic, children in Class 3 have become Biome Builders, creating their own biome community of plants and animals and thinking about the common characteristics of the environment they exist in.

As well as working hard to prepare for their SATS, they are looking at the Victorians and their influence on life in Britain today, in particular the British Empire, industrialisation and important inventions. Learning in science will focus on forces and electricity; they will also study famous scientists, linking this to the theme of inventions.

Our student teacher Miss Capey is running a lunch time club this term every Tuesday. She and the children meet to enjoy a story book together and some colouring activities linked to the theme of the book. So far they have read: Hot Air, The Wolves in the Walls and The Village that Vanished. The children certainly seem to have enjoyed this time with her.

As the warmer weather has arrived the children have been enjoying the outdoors with the year 5s doing their Bikeability, getting to grips with our country lanes.

We are thrilled with the funding we have received from Woodbury Parish Council for further improvements at our Forest School site and have weekly sessions for the children to enjoy this super learning space.

We hope that the sun will be out as we have our annual sports day on 25 June at 13.30 – 15.30 and our Summer Fair on 12 July. Please come along and join in the fun.

Lastly we’d like to offer a warm welcome to Mrs Sue Windsor Smith who has joined us as our new Federation Administrator at school. She works across both schools in the federation and joins our strong admin team. If you are interested in places in our Foundation Stage Unit for children aged 2 and above, or spaces in years foundation through to year 6, please call Sue and the admin team to arrange a school tour. Alternatively, why not check out our website or Facebook posts.

Clare Rooke, Chair of Governors

26

A massive thank you to everyone who came to the Woodbury Salterton table top sale, although sadly it was not as well supported as hoped. The lovely people who did attend supported the raffle and refreshments very well, raising £170 for the village hall.

Thank you to all the sellers who purchased a table — without you, there wouldn’t have been an event.

Louise Lee TIME OUT WITH TROPICS fundraising pamper and bingo evening FRIDAY 1 JUNE, 19.00 MALTSTERS ARMS, WOODBURY £5 a ticket available in advance, or on the door, to include all your bingo games to win Tropic goodies tropiclauradoolan@yahoo.com 07725 881259 WOODBURY TWINNING ASSOCIATION SUMMER BBQ SUNDAY 10 JUNE AT 12.30 BYWAYS COTTAGE, BYWAYS LANE, WOODBURY £10 members, £12 non members.

Contact Nita 232314 or Jan 232694 WOODBURY HISTORY SOCIETY SUMMER OUTING to Buckland Abbey WEDNESDAY 4 JULY Coach leaves The Arch at 09.15.

All welcome. For details see separate article.

27

28

EXTON NEWS ST ANDREW’S CHURCH, EXTON SERVICES FOR JUNE Sunday 3 - Trinity 1, 18.00 Evening Service.

Sunday 10 - Trinity 2, 09.30 Holy Communion. Sunday 17 - Trinity 3, 09.30 Lay-led Service. Sunday 24 - Trinity 4, 09.30 Holy Communion.

EXTON CRAFT GROUP No more meetings until the Autumn. Date to be announced.

EXTON GARDEN CLUB Our speaker at the April meeting was Katherine Murray, whose talk was on hardy fuchsias. Sixteen years ago Katherine decided on a change of career and bought a nursey specialising in hardy fuchsias, with a thousand varieties.

She likened this experience to an arranged marriage, but fortunately it turned out well. There are currently about 5,000 varieties, some of which are not fully hardy.

Most fuchsias originated in South America so with the wide range of climate and conditions, there is a fuchsia for any situation, whether hardy or tender.

There are also different types of flower, some tubular, some with upward looking flowers, double and single varieties and a few yellow ones which have come from New Zealand. There are many with gold foliage which do need to be in the sun, but most are happy with some shade.

There are a few with pure white flowers but most are shades of red and a combination of pinks. As they flower in late summer — usually September to the first frost — they give colour when many summer flowers are over.

There is also a small number of dwarf types bred from the original Tom Thumb; these are suitable for a rockery. No fuchsia likes to be waterlogged, and there is only one major problem: there is no effective fungicide for rust, which means destroying and burning the leaves.

Eileen Pratt ESTUARY LEAGUE OF FRIENDS We provide tailored services and host activities for people of all ages who require help and assistance to live as independently as possible in their own homes. Provided by voluntary and paid staff.

For a variety of services including transport for local residents see website: www.estuaryleague-of-friends.co.uk or phone 01392 879009 for dates and reasonable charges.

WOODBURY NEWS to your door …

If you are a new resident to the area, or would like your Woodbury News to be delivered to your door monthly, just call Beverley Simcox on 232858 and she will put you in contact with your local deliverer.

29 EXTON LADIES GROUP The Exton Ladies Group assembled for their April meeting in Exton Village Hall. There were several visitors who had come to hear guest speaker Todd Gray, a historian and writer with a keen interest in the West Country. He spoke about the Cathedral Yard fire, in which the Royal Clarence Hotel as well as several other buildings were virtually destroyed. The event made headline news nationwide, since the hotel was mistakenly thought to be the oldest in the country. Mr Todd had been very much involved in reporting from the scene and the subsequent investigations. The talk was illustrated with graphic images of the fire, the firemen and their appliances, and the damage done to nearby buildings. In one of these we saw Adrian Francis, a cameraman and Exton resident who was reporting for South West television at the time. Mr Todd went on to speak about the ancient properties in the surrounding area; the largely unoccupied upper floors are in danger of serious deterioration. He clearly feels tremendous interest in the ancient buildings of the city, which, having survived the blitz, should be preserved and protected from further neglect.

The meeting continued with plans for a June outing to Bath and concluded with the ever popular tea, biscuits and friendly chat.

At the Exton Ladies Group May meeting, an appeal was made for donations for the Tea Stand, the ever popular Cake Stall as well as books and Tombola prizes for the Village Fete on 16 June.

Chris Bilyard introduced the speaker of the day, Marilyn Spencer, whose topic was the Estuary League of Friends. The project began modestly in a garage, and over its 30 years has developed into a remarkable charity, which recently gained the Queen's Award for Voluntary Services. It provides tailored services, largely run by volunteers, and hosts social activities for people of all ages who require help to live as independently as possible in their own homes. The services on offer range through assistance with hospital visits, prescription collecting, cleaning, gardening, hairdressing, shopping to help in time of bereavement, the complexities of form filling — the list is endless. Transport is provided by volunteers, using their own vehicles as well as two minibuses. Modest charges are made in some cases. Children from local schools provide interaction between the generations, beneficial to all.

Funds come from lottery money, Comic Relief, Trust Funds, proceeds from such local charities as the Topsham to Turf Swim and of course from sales in the Charity Shops. The new Hub, opening in early July will provide extra services such as a cafe and a laundrette as well as much-needed space for a range of planned activities. The area covered includes, Topsham, Countess Wear, Cat & Fiddle Park, Clyst St Mary, Ebford, Exton, Ringswell Park, Digby & Sowton and the Rydons. For further information call 01392 879009.

The meeting ended with the usual tea, and cheery chatter. Visitors always welcome on the second Thursday of the month. Call Chris on 01392 875974.

Elsie Wood

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WOODBURY PARISH COUNCIL

Tony Le Riche and David Craig, Clerks Woodbury PC, Greenside, Greenway, Woodbury, EX5 1LP Tel: 01395 233791. Email: woodburyparishcouncil@gmail.com. http://woodbury-pc.org.uk Readers may recall that last year there was a campaign to keep the red telephone box at the Arch when BT wanted to replace it with a modern grey steel unit. The Parish Council is pleased to announce that the campaign was successful and the red box will remain. It is hoped that it will become redundant when the new mobile phone mast is installed in the church tower.

If this happens, the Parish Council will take over the phone box and put it to good community use. A book exchange and/or a community notice board has been suggested but the Parish Council would welcome further suggestions.

In the meantime, as residents will have seen, the red box is in a poor state and urgently needs tidying up. BT have given permission for us to do this and have even supplied us with a comprehensive paint kit to carry out the job. Last year, several volunteers came forward to redecorate the red box but had to be turned away as BT had not then made up their minds about what they were going to do. Now the red box can now be redecorated and so the Parish Council is inviting those volunteers to come forward again to do this work. Please contact the Clerk or just call into the Office, which is open each morning on Mondays to Thursdays.

Cllr Cheryl McGauley was re-elected as Chairman of Woodbury Parish Council this year. Cheryl has the village at her heart and has a very straightforward way of getting things done. Cllr Pat Bricknell was re-elected ViceChairman. Pat is a Woodbury Salterton man and so this gives a good balance to the Parish Council. They are both looking forward to exciting times ahead.

A Woodbury Councillor has resigned and so there is still a vacancy for a new Councillor for the Woodbury area. There is also a vacancy for a Councillor from the Exton area to replace another Councillor, who also resigned last year. All this is fairly normal for a Parish Council and there is no doubt that volunteers will come forward who can bring a variety of skills with them. In particular, for Woodbury, it would be very useful to have someone with practical skills who might be willing to undertake minor works but could also advise on larger projects.

The new General Data Protection Regulation arrives on 25 May. No doubt many readers will have received some form of communication from other organisations about renewing their preferences for being contacted. This is a great time to ignore these requests so that the unwanted mail or email eventually stops. The Parish Council is not exempt from this and so you may be getting a similar request from the Clerk in the coming weeks.

31 We don’t sell your details to anyone but we do need to keep a note of the activities and contacts for Parish organisations so that we can help to coordinate and foster community activities.

We would like to thank parishioners and local businesses for their responses to our local consultation for the Woodbury Neighbourhood Plan. The Steering Group are now busy re-drafting sections. A revised plan will then be reported to the Parish Council and then there will be a more formal consultation.

Finally, on the joyous subject of parking, it has been brought to our attention that parking in Fulford Way has become a little haphazard and there is concern that it could inhibit Emergency Services access. Whilst we recognise parking can be congested on occasions, please could we ask that people are mindful of the need for access.

Agendas for future meeting, and minutes of meetings can be found on http://www.woodbury-pc.org.uk/ PCSO 30734 JUSTIN WILLIS Break-ins and burglaries Please circulate this message as far and wide as possible. Over the past few weeks there have been a number of burglaries and attempted break-ins to garages and sheds. There have been a couple in Bonfire Lane where a suspicious male has been challenged and a number of attempts in the Culvery Close area. Can people please keep their properties and outbuildings secure. If you are in your gardens please keep the front door locked — likewise if you go out, make sure all windows and doors are secure, don’t leave anything valuable in your cars and call 999 if any suspicious people are in and out of neighbours’ gardens. It’s not a huge problem at the moment but if not dealt with could become much more serious.

For more information, or to contact us, please visit us at www.devon-cornwall.police.uk or www.dorset.police.uk, or, e-mail 101@devonandcornwall.pnn.police.uk or, 101@dorset.pnn.police.uk Forthcoming events for June & July 3 June Classic Car & Steam Show. 11.00 to 15.00. At Darts Farm. BBQ, Bouncy Castle, Side Stalls with live music. Entrance £2 or £5 for 2 Adults with 2 Children.

Monday 2 July The new building “Nancy Potter House”, Nelson Close, Topsham will open its doors: Monday to Friday from 09.00 to17.00.

Saturdays 09.30 to 14.30. There are rooms to hire for business or private functions.

32

ROUND AND ABOUT

BIRTHS Congratulations to Lizzy and Paul Glanvill who have just had a baby girl called Freya Edna Glanvill born on 12 May, weighing 7lb 14oz.

We are pleased to announce the safe arrival of Alfred (Alfie) Geoffrey Lee to parents Robin and Louise Lee. A very welcome brother for Florence, and grandson for Ngaio Southard.

DEATH Barbara Hester (nee Brimblecombe) died in Exeter RD&E hospital on 29 April, and had lived in Woodbury for 12 years.

Barbara, the daughter of Percy and Ethel Brimblecombe, was born on Valentine’s Day 1937 in Moretonhampstead. Percy was one of 14 children of George and Laura Brimblecombe, who ran the sawmills in the town. Barbara had two children: Nigel who lives in Woodbury and Roslyn who lives in San Francisco. In later years Barbara enjoyed painting and attended art classes in Sidmouth, and produced some excellent work. Her health and mobility had been affected in recent times, but her death was quite sudden after a short illness. Her funeral was on Friday 4 May in St Andrew’s Church in Moretonhampstead, where she is now buried.

The family apologises to anyone who may have wished to attend, but notices were not possible, due to time constraints. Nigel and Roslyn Hester and family.

THANKS Marian and Derrick Mead thank their many friends and neighbours for all their support and good wishes following Derrick's fall. The replacement shoulder is working well and we are away on a holiday in the sun. We can only thank everyone including all the staff at the R D & E Hospital, the ambulance service, and Woodbury Surgery for their kind attention; we are lucky to live in Woodbury.

Woodbury Village Hall was filled with many eager people wanting a Devon Big Breakfast on one of the busiest days of the year, 19 May. We served approximately 190 breakfasts which enabled us to give FORCE £1,100, a fantastic result. It was the people of the village and further afield that made this possible and of course the great Big Breakfast team.

Thank you all for all your support both on Friday night setting up and delivering a good service on Saturday — the coming together of the community for such a good cause.

Chris Lear

33 THE DEVON BIG BREAKFAST

GREEN BANANA DRAMA It’s a very exciting year for Green Banana Drama as we celebrate our tenth year! Having grown up in Woodbury, I knew that I wanted to run my summer school in the village but I couldn’t have expected that ten years later it would still be going strong. We started in the summer of 2008 with tales from Native America in the Church Rooms, where I once had my fifth birthday party! From then we have been to the first Olympics in Greece, travelled Around the World in 80 Days and had a lot of Musical Mayhem. By 2016 we had outgrown the Church Rooms and moved to our new home at the Village Hall, where I had attended playgroup as a child and had my wedding reception in 2008.

We have been super heroes and travelled through time and this year we are Pirates!

The best thing about Green Banana Drama is the lovely children that I have had the privilege of teaching and watching grow up. Some have attended the summer schools for many years and it always feels a little sad when they grow up and move on. I want to thank the students and families of those children for all their support and fun over the past ten years. Here’s to a great 2018 summer school this August — The Pirates of Nan’s Pants (see ad on p.27).

For more information contact Marie Kelsall on 07870 296670.

34 COULD YOU BE A FRIEND TO THE GULLIFORD CEMETERY? The Gulliford Cemetery is jointly managed by both Woodbury and Lympstone Parish councils, as it is the Dissenters' Cemetery on the boundary between the two parishes. Not only is it a beautifully peaceful place to visit; it is also an important part of the history of both parishes.

Following on from the fantastic help clearing the burial ground, we are forming the Friends of Gulliford to support, promote and raise money for restoration works for this historical site.

If you feel you could help at any level, whether that be to help at work-parties clearing the area after the winter, to be on the committee and help with the running of the group, to support fundraising events, or would simply like to be kept up to date with our activities, please let us know by emailing Jane Moffatt on janepmoffatt@ gmail.com.

We hope to organise a meeting of those interested in the group in the next few weeks and will put the information on the Lympstone and Woodbury websites. If you know anyone who you think might be interested in joining us, please show them this article.

Editor’s Note : In order to maximise submitted copy and photographs into Woodbury News, it may be necessary to reduce the size of some items.

The Editorial team will attempt to do this as carefully as possible.

35 THE HOME LIBRARY SERVICE The Home Library service is delivered countywide by the Royal Voluntary Service on behalf of Devon Libraries. It is a free service providing library books personally chosen by the volunteer for their ‘reader’. Books can be in normal print, large print, audio books or CDs. I joined as the service manager in August 2017 and remain convinced there are more people who would benefit from the service. We deliver to those who cannot reach the library due to ill health, mobility issues or caring responsibilities, and it can be a temporary arrangement or longer term. We also deliver to individuals in residential homes. As well as trying to get the word out to anyone who is lonely or isolated and might benefit from a regular visit, I am also looking for volunteer co-ordinators to manage the delivery of the service in Honiton, Seaton, Tiverton, Totnes and Dartmouth. If you are interested in volunteering and would like to receive books, please contact me on 07786635163 or cathy.saunders@royalvoluntaryservice.org.uk.

Cathy Saunders WOODBURYSTOCK 2018 - CORRECTION OF DATE …

In the last issue of Woodbury News the wrong date was given for this year’s Woodburystock. The correct date is 9 June (not July as stated previously).

Goodness knows how that occurred but the offending computer has been taken into the garden and beaten with a stick.

So to business. The annual Woodburystock festival in support of FORCE Cancer Charity is finally set to go ahead on Saturday 9 June from mid day to midnight at The Malthouse at The Maltsters Arms, Woodbury.

It can be confirmed that for 2018 the whole festival is being offered free.

Questions have been asked on the street! Have we gone mad? Well, you could say so, but this year we’re relying on good will to fill up the FORCE charity donation buckets.

To recap: all donations to FORCE cancer charity; organisers take nothing; bands and other performers all give their time and talent for free; dancing may break out at any moment during the day - a wide range of music will certainly happen.

Acts for the day start at 12.30 and include: Far From the Delta, The Artful Codger, Bicton Street Blues, The Billycocks, Pennsylvania Rail Road, Hooper & Mills, Nine Pound Catfish, Doctors Orders, The Engine Room, Souled.

Once again thanks go to all our supporters, Ned Hoste of 2H Design in York, Yellow Mouse Studios now in their new studio on Exeter Quay, Ewins Photography and Brooklands Events.

Sunshine has been ordered. See you there…

36

HEDGEHOGS IN WOODBURY SALTERTON As we have mentioned before, hedgehogs are in big trouble. It is estimated that in the 1950s we had more than 30 million hedgehogs in the UK. A survey in 1995 estimated that numbers had dropped to less than 1.6 million and it is believed that numbers have now fallen to below a million. If the decline continues at the current rate, hedgehogs will be extinct within the lifetime of the children currently at school in our parish. We are lucky to have quite a few hedgehogs in Woodbury and Exton but it is suspected that they are already extinct in Woodbury Salterton. There have been no confirmed sightings from Woodbury Salterton since we started WildWoodbury in January 2016. There is anecdotal evidence that there were some present about five years ago but those were few and far between. After consultation with a number of specialist wildlife rescue centres we have decided to start our most ambitious project to date. The Woodbury Salterton Hedgehog Project aims to see hedgehogs returned to the village in good numbers. It is not going to be an easy task and it will need a massive community input if we are to succeed.

There is no single cause for the decline in hedgehog numbers. Loss of hedgerows and the use of pesticides, particularly slug pellets, are undoubtedly part of the problem. Climate change means that they do not hibernate as they should and so are active during the winter when there is little food around for them. The disruption to their natural cycle means that they are having litters of young late into the year. The late born hoglets do not grow fast enough and do not carry enough fat reserve to survive the winter months. Hedgehogs need hard cold winters so that they are dormant when food is unavailable. Badgers are known to eat hedgehogs if their natural food is in short supply but they have coexisted with hedgehogs for thousands of years and so it is considered unlikely that they are the cause of the decline (we have healthy badger populations in Woodbury and Exton where hedgehog numbers are higher).

The first part of the project is to establish if we have any hedgehogs or are they totally extinct in the village?

37 If we can find pockets of land where they are still surviving that will be a massive bonus and will make the chances of increasing numbers much easier. We need all sightings of hedgehogs to be reported so if you see a hedgehog, alive or dead, we need to know where it was and when. We are installing automatic camera traps in a number of areas and are hoping to capture some video/photographs of any existing family groups.

The second and hardest part of the project will be to adapt village gardens into more of a hedgehog-friendly environment. Hedgehogs normally range between one and two km per night. They forage for slugs and snails in gardens and hedgerows over a huge area. Unfortunately, their options are now limited. The modern trend is for fences instead of hedges and the food source is no longer there due to the use of slug pellets and pesticides.

Woodbury Salterton has some of the most beautifully manicured gardens in East Devon, as can be seen during the Open Gardens season, but to a hedgehog they are an inaccessible toxic wasteland with nothing to eat in them. We need everyone to create a small patch of wildness in their gardens and to create pathways for hedgehogs to roam around as they wish.

The third part of the project is relatively easy. Once the first two stages have been accomplished we need to provide simple but safe shelters and log piles for the hedgehogs to rest in during the day. We also need to provide hedgehog homes where they can have young and hibernate.

The really great news is that if the above can be achieved, the wildlife rehabilitation centres Prickly Ball Farm from Newton Abbot, and Secret World in Somerset have agreed to supply us with hedgehogs that have been rescued so they can be released throughout the village. This will help to increase the local population. Before that can happen we have a lot of work to do. It would be very cruel to release hedgehogs into unsuitable habitat where they cannot roam and find natural food. Both organisations will need to see the evidence that the area is suitable for introductions and a survey of the area will be carried out before any hedgehogs are released.

You can start helping the project right away by doing the following three things  Stop using slug pellets  Put out a bowl of water and meat-based dog/cat food at night  Make 125mm ( 5 inch ) holes in your fences We will be putting regular updates in the Woodbury News and on the new Facebook Group - Woodbury Salterton Hedgehog Project.

If you have any questions please get in touch with us at info@wildwoodbury.org or call Tony Bennett on 07971 082384.

Please join our Facebook group: Wild-Woodbury and check out our website http://www.wild-woodbury.org to find out more about what we are doing to help our local wildlife.

38 CLINTON DEVON ESTATES News from the farm, river and commons Our staff are busy making preparations to open the farm as part of Open Farm Sunday on 10 June. Join us between 11.00-16.00 at Otter Farm, Colaton Raleigh, for a chance to see a working dairy, find out how organic milk is produced and why supporting British farming matters. Lots to see for all ages and refreshments available. Entry from north of the village off B3178, Exmouth Road.

The warm weather in the last month has sprung all plants into growth, including invasive non-native plants such as Himalayan balsam.

Himalayan balsam (Impatiens glandulifera) is related to the busy lizzie, but reaches well over head-height, and is a major weed problem, especially on riverbanks and waste land. It grows rapidly and spreads quickly, with each plant capable of producing up to 2500 seeds in explosive pods.

From the top of the river Otter catchment to the sea, landowners, environmental agencies and community groups are all involved with reducing its impact. In the lower part of the valley the focus is to target the tributaries. This means the banks of the main river are still dominated by tall stands of the pink, scented plants. But without tackling the seed source up-stream any action here would be ineffective.

If you would like to get involved and lend a hand, even occasionally, contact kate.ponting@clintondevon.com 01395446918 for more information on your closest group.

Cattle returned to the commons last month, joining the ponies on Bicton common, grazing the mires on Colaton Raleigh common, and very soon a group will graze Hawkerland common, as the fencing project on Hawkerland is almost complete. We look forward to welcoming livestock on to this part of the heaths for the first time in a number of years.

The final stage is to install two cattle grids on the road that crosses Hawkerland common. The fence line has been designed so that it follows the perimeter of the common; fencing along the roadside would have split the heathland area in half which we felt would have a negative impact on visitor access and the open nature of the view. The work is planned to start on 6 June with the small road off the A3052 to Hawkerland closed for two weeks. Joney's cross carpark will remain open during the work.

39 News for Woodbury: Woodbury Guides joined the Pebblebed Heath Conservation Trust for an evening of conservation work at Woodbury Castle last month.

Countryside Learning Officer, Kate Ponting, explained the background to the site including the history and why the recent restoration work was necessary.

The guides learned how we are trying to stabilise the restored earthworks by planting grass and encouraging people and dogs to stay off them during this time to prevent erosion. The girls were keen to get involved and make their own contribution to this project by carefully sowing 50kg of grass seed on the ramparts in the north-east of the castle, before carrying out a litter pick. Thanks for your help girls!

Countryside Learning Officer, Kate Ponting 01395 446918 kate.ponting@clintondevon.com.

RSPB AYLESBEARE COMMON Just a quick note from us all here at RSPB Aylesbeare Common. We’ve had a really busy few weeks enjoying the sunshine but mostly working on the heaths fixing many of the fences and other infrastructure ready for the summer. The heath has come alive with the hum of insects including many dragonflies, damselflies and butterflies. We are pleased to report that the Dartford warblers are looking good despite the harsh and sporadic cold spells we experienced. Hopefully you all get the chance to come and visit the heaths and pebble beds over the next few months to see them in all their flowering beauty.

We are busy organising a heap of summer events for the public including Big Wild Sleep-Outs and of course our annual Heath celebration – Heath Week 2018! All information on these can be found on our website, social media and Eventbrite where you can book onto any of the upcoming events!

GOOSEFIELD SUMMER PICNIC With live music from Andy Marshall 6 JULY, 19.00-22.00 (Gates open 18.30) Bring your own picnic and support our licensed bar.

Tickets in advance £10 in advance or £12 on the gate.

Contact Judith 01392876821, Eddie 01392873335 or David 01392 875009.

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WOODBURY NEWS ADVERTISING RATES SMALL ADS: (3 lines) private £2.00.

(3 lines) Business £5.00 (£50.00)

SMALL ADVERTISEMENTS

FREE TO COLLECT FROM EXTON Vibrating Exercise Machine in perfect working order, together with illustrations. Contact 01392 877584.

BUSINESS ADVERTISEMENTS BOO TO A GOOSE THEATRE Top 10 in UK 2017. Magical pop-up children’s shows for stress-free parties with puppets, games and face painting. www.bootoagoosetheatre.co.uk 01395 233874. (1/12) ENSUITE ROOM with king size bed B&B, lovely private space. £50 per night. Do you have friends or family visiting over the summer and need an extra bedroom? We can help! Tel 07817 509712. Winson Cottage, Cottles Lane, Woodbury. (2/2) FOOT HEALTH PRACTITIONER - Lindsey Waddell MAFHP. Nail cutting, foot care, treatment of corns and callus. Home visits. 01395 263496. (4/12) ELECTRICIAN James Sliman Local, reliable, fully qualified and experienced. NAPIT registered and insured. From a socket to rewire 01395 276323 07866 313812 www.jslimanelectrician.co.uk (10/12) FOOT HEALTH PRACTITIONER & REFLEXOLOGIST Former RGN provides routine nail and skin care (inc corns and callus) or a reflexology treatment. Nicky Mattin (MAFHP itec RF) 01395 233222/07807603690 (8/12) PROPERTY MAINTENANCE – James Waddell Interior & Exterior, Carpentry, Flooring, Fencing & Gates, Plumbing, Decking, Bathrooms & Kitchens, General Repairs. Free Advice & Estimates 01395 263496 (12/12) WE ARE POSH NOSH! With over two decades of experience in the catering industry we are at the forefront of special occasion and event catering in Devon and the West Country. We are committed to providing first class cuisine with outstanding levels of service. Phone:- 01392 444877 or email: info@posh-nosh.co.uk (11/12) ROOFING Woodbury based RWI Roofing Specialising in Slating, Tiling, Re-Roof, New Roof, Repairs, Guttering. For a friendly, reliable service call Ray 232926, or 07988 691051 (As recmd in OurLocalExpert.co.uk) (11/12)

41 BUSINESS ADVERTISEMENTS Cont’d/...

GIVE BIRTH CALMLY - relaxed, confident and alert with Good Birth Class with KG Hypnobirthing.

Find out more: libbyclapham hypnotherapy.co.uk phone: 07986 157854 (9/12) HOME SWEET HOME DECORATORS - Lucy Ryan Lady interior and exterior decorator. Walls, ceilings, woodwork, up-cycled furniture, garden painting and more. Professional, very tidy, competitive, reliable and friendly. Fully DBS checked. Free estimates. Phone: 07484 272534 (5/12) WOODBURY HOLIDAY HOME TO RENT in centre of village. Luxury accommodation for 4 people, 2 en-suites, parking, courtyard garden. Weekly holidays & short breaks. www.woodburyholidays.co.uk 01579 350365.

(10/12) FARMHOUSE BED & BREAKFAST AND APARTMENT, twin and double rooms. CL Caravan Club site. Jenny Broom, Courtbrook Farm, Clyst St George. 01392 877710. www.courtbrook.co.uk (9/12) ACCOUNTS AND TAX SERVICE Sole Trades, Partnerships, Limited Companies and Personal Tax. Full range of advice. Fixed fee plans and free initial consultation/quotation. Wheelers Accountants Tel: 233184 (16/24) MATHS TUITION: Experienced, female Maths teacher available to teach primary to GSCE level maths, 11+ and SATs prep. Reasonable rates. Jane Moffatt on 01395 279952/07730 877889 janepmoffatt@gmail.com. (5/12)

BRISCOE TREE CARE - tree work and hedge cutting. All waste disposed. NCH Arb qualified at Bicton College. Fully insured. Free quotes and advice. Call Jon Briscoe on 01392 668931 or 07825 002362 (3/12) COMPUTER REPAIRS AND UPGRADES; Broadband and wireless connections; Data recovery and backup; Windows, iPads and Apple computers, Virus and spyware removal; No fix no fee - Evening visits to suit you. Contact: Mark Doyle 01395 233694 (10/12) SQUIRREL COTTAGE Self catering 16th century property full of character, available for weekly holidays and short breaks. Sleeps 5. Graded 5 Star. www.thecottagecompanydevon.co.uk Tel: Kay 0776 9975557 (2/12) EVERTHING PLUMBING AND HEATING – For all your plumbing and heating needs. Large or small jobs at fair prices. Local, reliable and efficient.

Gas safe registered.

Tel Synergi SW: 07557 526167. www.synergiswltd.co.uk. (1/12) RUBBISH REMOVALS Domestic and Commercial. Environment Agency licensed. No job too small. Tel: 0800 335 7610 / 07979 841376. www.rubbishremovalsexeter.com (*)

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FORTHCOMING EVENTS 28 May-10 June The Woodbury Salterton Scarecrow Challenge 2018.

1 June Time out with Tropics pamper/bingo. Maltsters Arms, 19.00.

3 June Classic Car and Steam Show. Darts Farm. 11.00-15.00.

6 June WS Village Hall AGM. 19.30 in the village hall.

9 June Woodburystock Festival, midday to midnight, Maltsters.

10 June Summer BBQ - Woodbury Twinning Association. 12.30.

10 June The Great Scarecrow Fete & Trail at Glebe Field. 14.00-17.00.

10 June Open Farm Sunday. Otter Farm, Colaton Raleigh.

10 June Topsham Secret Gardens. 13.00-18.00.

12 June Garden Club Plants that Excite, WVH, 7.15 for 7.30.

13 June WS WI Women in the RNLI, WSVH, 19.30.

14 June Official Opening of MUGA, Playing Fields, Town Lane. 15.30.

14 June Woodbury WI Summer Outing.

16 June Woodbury Fun Day. 16 June Exton Village Fete.

23 June Teddy Bear Abseil, Holy Trinity Church, WS. 29 June Woodbury Craft Group. 13.00-15.00, Church Rooms.

3 July Coffee Morning 4th Birthday Party. 10.00-12.00 Church Room.

4 July Local History Society Summer Outing. Buckland Abbey.

6 July Goosefield Summer Picnic. 19.00-22.00 (gates open 18.30).

7 July Yeovilton Air Day. Woodbury Twinning Association.

10 July Garden Club. The bee-friendly garden, WVH, 19.15 for 19.30.

12 July Woodbury WI Blue Plaques, WVH, 19.00.

21 July FoSS Summer Concert, St Swithun’s, 19.00.

22 July Tennis Club Tournament and Barbecue. 10.00.

4 Aug. Garden Club Flower and Vegetable Show. WVH. 14.00.

9 Aug. Woodbury WI Summer Garden Party.

6 Sept.

History Society The History of Woodbury Castle. WVH. 19.30.

12 Sept.

Woodbury WI Flock of Sheep, WVH, 19.00.

22 Sept.

Progressive Supper. Twinning Association.

11 Oct. Woodbury WI Wine and Cheese Evening, WVH, 19.00.

1 Nov. History Society The Water Mills of East Devon. WVH. 19.30.

8 Nov. Woodbury WI, Christmas Craft, WVH, 19.00.

10 Nov. RBL Exhibition. WVH. 13 Dec. Woodbury WI Lighthouses, WVH, 19.00.

43 APRIL WEATHER The wet spell continued with a vengeance into the first half of April. Then without a by-your-leave winter turned to summer in the space of two days. Just as in several recent years, we missed out on that lovely spell of spring weather with puffy white clouds and showers driven in from the Atlantic. It is now clear that many of our outdoor plants did not survive the snows of March. The martins arrived at the end of the month and before the swallows, but with a severe lack of land-based insects quickly disappeared to waterways nearby.

So to the stats: rainfall was 95.5mm (3.75ins and 174% of average), max/min temperatures were 22C/2C and winds were variable, as they say on the weather forecast!

PJH ROYAL BRITISH LEGION COFFEE MORNINGS 7 & 21 JUNE. 5 & 19 JULY. 10.00 - 11.30.

RBL ROOM behind Woodbury village hall.

All are invited to join us on alternate Thursdays.

TOPSHAM RUGBY CLUB CAR BOOT SALE BANK HOLIDAY MONDAY - 27 AUGUST FROM 09.30-13.00 Back by popular demand. Public on foot - free entrance.

We would welcome a £1 donation for parking.

Sellers will be welcome to set up at 08.00 with fees of £6 per car or small van, larger vehicles and trailers at £10 each.

The clubhouse will be open with hot food and drinks available all morning and the bar will also be open towards lunchtime, with guest ales and longstanding favourites on offer.

For more details visit www.topshamrugby.co.uk or call Bee Jenkins on 01392 873651.

Do email your high resolution photos of local people or events to Karen at karensquires100@ gmail.com The editorial team still needs a wider spread of news, particularly about our younger people. What are you all up to? Why don’t YOU write an article or send in a photo?

Photos taken with a camera, rather than a mobile phone are preferred as they reproduce more clearly on paper.

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*

Last-minute Contributions

*

Here are those Brownies referred to in the British Legion article on p.9 – lovely smiling faces, but pity we can’t see the results of the planting efforts!

Maybe in the next WN?

And here’s a different kind of contribution to the life of the Parish – sporting success!

Congratulations to Rebecca Squires who on 13 May became the Under 15 Devon Champion in not only 100m, but 200m and 300m sprints at the Devon Track and Field Championships held at Exeter Arena. We wish her good luck in the next stages of regional, and hopefully, national competitions in July.

On the same day, Becca was awarded the Under 15’s Coaches Player of the Year for Girls Rugby. She plays for Excombe Girls a newly merged team from Exmouth RC and Withycombe RC. It’s always good to read about the lives of people in the Parish, not just the reports from the various societies – important though those are. We’d love to collect a diverse range of contributions from you, our readers, in our ‘special’ September issue of WN – please let us hear from you!

Ed. (Details on p. 19)

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WOODBURY NEWS ADVERTISING RATES

SMALL ADS: (3 lines) private £2.00.

(3 lines) Business £5.00 (£50.00)

DISPLAY ADS: £17.00 ¼ page (£185 p.a.)

To: Karen Squires, Willowfield, Oakhayes Road, Woodbury EX5 1JT Tel: 233299 (e-mail karensquires100@gmail.com).

The Woodbury News accepts no liability for:- i) Any claims made by the advertiser; ii) Any errors or omissions in the advertisement as submitted by the advertiser; iii) Any legal action as a result of the advertisement.

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Woodbury Salterton Village Hall Hall –Tables and Chairs, Well equipped kitchen with cooker and fridge, crockery and cutlery inclusive in hire.

Modest Rates.

Woodbury Village Hall Hall and two meeting rooms, Fully equipped kitchen WIFI, sound system and projector Available for: Dances and Parties Wedding Receptions Meetings and Classes Jumble Sales and Craft Fairs Badminton, Plays, Business Lettings

For bookings please contact:

For bookings please contact: Robin or Marian Lennox Tel: 01395 232126

Pat or Gill Bricknell 01395 232463

email:- woodburyvh@gmail.com www.woodburyvillagehall.org.uk

T.D. BUILDERS General Quality Building Service * New builds & Extensions * Brickwork & Block work * Rendering & Plastering * Drives & Patios * All types of building work undertaken !!

FREE ESTIMATES

01395 233995 or 07751 738092

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Little China Fish & Chips and Chinese Food to Take Away Telephone Orders Welcome 01395 233353 The Arch, Woodbury EX5 1LL OPENING HOURS CLOSED MONDAY Tuesday 5pm - 10pm Wednesday - Saturday 12 noon - 1:45pm & 5pm - 10pm Sunday 5pm - 9.30pm Food Allergies If you are allergic to any ingredients, please advise when making your order.

Cash Only

WOODBURY SALTERTON

W.S. TAXI 1 - 8 People

LOCAL & LONG DISTANCE

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Welcoming New Patients A friendly, caring practice providing the very latest treatment techniques, in a relaxed setting:

 Routine dental care with oral health assessment

 Cosmetic dental treatments including whitening, implants, veneers

 Crowns made on the day of your visit, with no need for impressions!!

Facial Rejuvenation treatment also now available.

Speak to our friendly team.

Tel: 01395 442552

www.budleighdentalpractice.co.uk

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Mike Dickson Gardening All Jobs Considered Specialist in hedge cutting, shrub pruning and grass.

Tel: 07985 697205 WOODBURY GARAGE

    

MOTS SERVICE REPAIRS ALL MAKES & MODELS ENGINE DIAGNOSTICS

The Arch, Woodbury EX5 1LL woodburygarage@hotmail.co.uk

T: 01395 233004 M: 07527 125956

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Woodbury Dance Studio RAD BALLET Grades and Majors

Children from 2½ years Principal: Mary Griffiths ARAD, MA(Oxon) Tel: 01395 271249 marygriffiths@hotmail.com www.woodburydance.co.uk All classes at Woodbury C of E Primary School

ALL BUILDING JOBS CONSIDERED

R. Miller & Son Painters and Decorators THORNS COTTAGE, WOODBURY

Tel: Woodbury 233773 All work expertly carried out under personal supervision.

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