The Approach of Winter in the Blackdowns, by Don Tapster Yarcombe Voices ISSUE No. TWO HUNDRED and TEN PRICE 80p NOVEMBER 2017

EDITORIAL on Remembrance Sunday, November 12th, for she has always taken an active part in the occasion. This year's A couple of weeks ago in Houston, Texas, a company based commemorations of the centenary of the Battle of in Yarcombe was at the forefront of one of the biggest Passchendaele will be reflected in the service in Yarcombe global dance conferences of the year. The aim of Safe in Parish Church which starts earlier than usual at 10.45a.m. Dance International, the brainchild of Maggie Tomkinson, is to help to ensure a healthy and safe environment for The Friday Forum takes place a week later than usual, on dancers and dance teachers worldwide. A career in dance the 10th, while on the evening of the 11th the brilliant Pub- sounds glamorous, but the risk of injury is ever present as Hub team is organising a meal prepared by television chef, Maggie knows well for dancing has been her life since her food writer and Yarcombe resident Tim Maddams (keep an teens. Whether touring with the New York-based Murray eyeoneVoicesformoredetails). Thismonth,appropriately Louis Dance Company, performing with luminaries such on Wednesday 15th, the Community Lunch celebrates its as Placido Domingo and Dave Brubeck; choreographing, 15th birthday and gratitude is extended to the wonderful performing and directing for theatre, film and television team of volunteers who ensure its continuing success. Liz during her years as Artistic Director for the renowned Freeman, the after-lunch speaker, will be recounting her Phoenix Dance Company, her story is rivetting. It will be fascinating journey through the Rockies. the subject of her talk at the Tuesday Club on 21st From Remembrance Sunday to Christmas is a shortish November in The Jubilee Hall - you don't have to be a Club step and diaries fill up quickly so please add the date of the member to come along, everyone is welcome. annual Christmas Bingo to yours: Monday 4th December, Someone who would have enjoyed Maggie's talk is with a galaxy of festive prizes and all profits donated to the Eleanor Wright who died recently at the age of 95. Eleanor Senior Citizens' Christmas Lunch fund. Don't miss the has been a major part of this community for more than fifty Christmas Tree Festival at the Baptist Chapel from the 8th years but not too many of you will know that she trained as to 11th December; visitors will be asked to vote for the best anactressandlovedmovementandballet. Eleanor'scareer decoratedtreeandifyouoryourvillageorganisationwould on the stage was cut short by the outbreak of war and after like to decorate one of the rooted and potted trees please joining the A.T.S., the army became a central part of her life. contact Pat Bright on 01404 861460. We will all miss her so much and particularly her presence Miranda Gudenian IN THE COUNTRY It's odd, isn't it, how sometimes we do something and We 'discovered' the world and we shared in one another's cause quite unexpected repercussions? Sometimes quite discoveries. We confided in one another, advised one unforeseen consequences - and not always for the worse. another and aired our often hilariously erroneous For instance, take my old school friend, Linda. opinions to one another. The last time I saw Linda she was waving me goodbye Thus it was that a bright and brisk late summer morning and calling something; a message I couldn't quite hear found me waiting, a little anxiously, at our agreed meeting above the clattering of tin cans tied to the car as my new place, the main entrance to a large shopping mall not far husband and I drove away. And she was laughing, a happy from London. A place we were both familiar with and but, somehow, rueful little chuckle. That irrepressible having almost guaranteed parking, it had seemed a good stream of good humour was always with her. It was her idea when we chose it. But people were beginning to signature and how I thought of her whenever I crowd in and noise and confusion were growing. I'd been remembered her. Which was to be quite often as we waiting a while but there was no sign of Linda and I had weren't to actually meet again for over forty years! begun to wonder if we had somehow missed one another. Then I heard it, echoing over the polished floors, that We kept in touch of course. The usual two or three unmistakable, gently rueful laugh - and there she was; a sentences in the corner of birthday or Christmas cards little late, a little older and a little more… assured? It must reporting our triumphs and tragedies, if not always our have made an unremarkable sight to passers-by, two hopesandfears-attheendofeverymessage,thepromised ‘mature’ ladies hugging each other. But to us it seemed meeting. Oh, we would definitely meet up - maybe next more as if one of us had missed the bus home from school half-term. But she was fully occupied pursuing a teaching and we were both overjoyed to discover the other safe and career and I was raising a family and helping my husband sound! run his business. At that time she and I lived in neighbouring boroughs of Greater London. A shortish We sat by the river, ate lunch, drank coffee, and talked. drive apart and yet, both with busy lives, the months And talked. And laughed. And very often interrupted turned into years and the years just slipped away. ourselves, or each other, with: “Do you remember when….?” or “Whatever happened to And here's the thing: it wasn't until old …..?” my husband and I had left London andmoved150milesaway,toDevon, It was as if curtains had been flung that any serious intention to meet back and windows thrown open in wasstirred. Perhapsitwastheadded some dark and dusty corner of our weight of those miles pressing on us memories. Those few hours passed that made plans begin to galvanise, like minutes and far too soon it was but finally a time and place to meet time to go our separate ways again. I were arranged. Strange to say but no walked with her to the car park lift sooner had we agreed this than I and as she stepped inside we agreed became aware of a very slight feeling we would meet again - without of trepidation. There were so many leaving it quite so long next time! It unanswerable questions: would we had been strangely comforting to have anything in common after all discover that, in this at least, time this time, anything to say to each really didn't matter, its passing had other? Would nostalgia overwhelm left our friendship untouched and us and leave us crying into our beer? undiminished. Would we even recognise each other!? With regrettable, and unexpected, speed the lift doors juddered to a Miss Beecham's class had been a comfortable little close but just before they bumped firmly shut a familiar, world where Linda and I had naturally gravitated towards cheerful little ripple of laughter slipped out and lit a each other and almost immediately become best friends. responding smile on my face. How odd and surprising it Then the difficulty had been trying not to talk. From the was, to think that moving to Devon, 150 miles further age of seven to sixteen we shared the greater part of our away, had finally brought a dear old friend so much closer. waking hours. So in a very real sense we grew up together. Carolyn Bacon

Reginald was terribly overweight, so his doctor placed him on a strict diet. "I want you to eat regularly for two days, then skipadayandrepeatthisprocedurefortwoweeks. ThenexttimeIseeyou,you'llhavelostatleastfivepounds,"hisdoctor assuredhim. WhenReginaldreturnedheshockedhisdoctorbyhavinglostalmosttwentypounds. "Why,that'samazing," the doctor said, greatly impressed, "You certainly must have followed my instructions." Reginald nodded, "I'll tell you what though, I thought I was going to drop dead on the third day." "Why, from hunger?" asked his doctor. "No," Reginald replied, "from all that skipping."

Page 2 YARCOMBE WEATHER ~ SEPTEMBER 2017 2017 2016 2015 Av. Max. temp. 15.9°C 20.8°C 17.6°C Av. Min. temp. 11.1°C 9.0°C 9.1°C Av. Overall temp. 13.5°C 17.4°C 13.4°C Rainfall 101.4 mm 81.1 mm 61.2 mm Wettest Day 3rd 20.2 mm 9th 17.2 mm 13th 24.8 mm Sunniest Day 1st 11.0 hrs approx. 8th 9.0 hrs 7th 11.0 hrs Warmest Day 2nd 20.2°C 7th 25.1°C 10th 21.0°C Coldest Night 22nd 6.6°C 30th 9.0°C 27th 6.2°C Sunshine hours 89.0 hrs. approx. 99.0 hrs 164.0 hrs September was wet, cold and very dull with only 89 hours of sunshine, in other words a month to forget. On my walks around Yarcombe and Marsh I have found that the holly trees are covered in berries and the acorns on the oaks are abundant, probably because of the warm early summer followed by persistent rain over the last couple of months. The old saying comes to mind: "If St Michael brings many acorns, Christmas will cover the fields with snow." Luckily the long range forecast does not mention any snow before the New Year. Tony Newman

YOUR GARDEN IN NOVEMBER Well, everybody, the clocks will have gone back by the time you read this report,Ireckonthisyearhasgonefasterthanothers. Well,downtobusiness, I was at the garden centre the other day and a gentleman said to me, "At least it is time to get the sweet peas going." He is right. Us youngsters were taught that best sweet peas are started in the autumn, middle of October was the time we were taught, but it is not too late first ten days of November. You can keep them through the winter in a cold frame or greenhouse, or a porch. As the stems get going you want to take off the tip of the shoot a couple of times and they will become nice strong plants. You can grow them the posh way in the root trainers like Charlie's Mrs Neighbour or you can use the toilet rolls for this task, they are just as good I reckon. But you want to get some long roots for best plants. Granddad and Dad never soaked the seeds like people say to do these days, they chipped the harder-coated ones with a knife on the opposite side to the eye. Coverthecauliflowers,cabbages,etc.,withnettingorthepigeonswillhave a good time. Charlie Chardstock has got some nice parsnips turning in this year. If your rhubarb has been putting up a lot of thin stems you can lift and divide it this month, split crown into pieces and replant the outside pieces. Get the dahlias into the shed but a lot of folk leave in the ground these days. If you have a good one I reckon it is a good idea to dig it up in case we have a bad spell. Miranda was telling me about a dahlia she has got, it's 'Moonfire' variety, she says she has left it in the ground for seven years and she covers it with a good amount of compost to see it through the winter. It is a good month to plant fruit trees. Sheila in Chard says she plants the 'Paperwhite' daffs first week of November, they take about five weeks to flower in pots, she puts them in John Innes No.2 with a bit of grit and keeps them cold in the shed; soon as buds show she puts them on her windowsill, they are a treat at Christmas.

Happy gardening, everybody! A Yarcombe Gardener

READER'S RECIPE: with a pinch of salt into a bowl. Rub in 175g/6oz butter or WINDFALL APPLE CAKE 175ml/6floz cobnut oil until crumbly and add 100g/4oz This is a recipe I found online. It Muscovado sugar, 100g/4oz ground cobnuts and says it is adapted from Rosamond 350g/12oz peeled, cored and diced apple. Stir in 2 beaten Richardson's book 'Country eggs and pour into a 20cm/8in tin. Bake for 50 minutes at Wisdom'. It is a lovely autumn tea 350°F/180°C/Gas 4. time treat: Turn the cake out on to a wire rack, dredge with caster sugar and a little cinnamon. Serve warm. Sift 225g/8oz self-raising flour Shirley Haywood

Page 3 SERIOUSLY BAD POEMS FOR NOVEMBER TATTOO YOU is a great 1981 Rolling Stones album, but as I was playing it the other day it got me thinking. Unless I’m very much mistaken, there’s been a notable increase recently in the number of people swanning around with every square inch of their limbs covered in those flippin’ tattoos. It was never like this years ago – at least then you knew any multi-coloured arm that came into view simply had to be attached to a lorry driver, but now you don’t have a clue – everyone from famous footballers down to the spotty blonde who cooks the chips at McDonald’s seems to have willingly submitted to the needle. You must have noticed the heroic one-eyebrowed frown tattoo wearers adopt while explaining how the enormous pain wasn’t THAT bad really (roughly translating to “I’m so brave!”). Well, I for one am not fooled. Sooner or later some of them will have to admit they fell asleep on the sofa while their unruly children ran riot with those indelible ink pens Aunty Mabel bought them. To me, tattoos are a bit like same-sex marriages – I’m tolerant of them but I don’t want one myself and if they’re ever made compulsory you will be able to observe my bottom disappearing into the distance in a cloud of dust faster than you canslamthedooronaJehovah’sWitness. Tobehonestthough,Ifindtattoosalittledrabandold-fashioned. Inthisdigital age I would expect them to move around a bit, perhaps change colour, maybe do a bit of twinkling and show evidence oftheverylatestspecialeffects,butno! Thereoughttobeslideshowssteppingthroughwholecollectionsoftattoos,some with sound added, enabling fanfares to kick in as soon as the tattoo-wearer rolled his sleeves up. Buttattooscomewithrisks,too. Ifyouarguewiththetattooistorinsistonaspecialdiscount,thatfire-breathingdragon doing battle with St George that you wanted adorned across your back could end up as an archery target, a dartboard, or a Kick Me caption. Or worse still – a seriously bad poem! This month we remember more of the original Yarcombe Inn seriously bad poems to encourage those late donations to the campaign via www.yarcombe.net! Remember Skittles At The Yarcombe Inn? Two nights a week THE YARCOMBE INN is now a fine collection, Of athletes of the highest rank and physical perfection, Indulging in a sport that is the best of all conceptions, ! Chucking balls at bits of wood which fly in all directions! IT Yarcombe Inn’s Email Filter System E V I get a lot of email here, addressed to Mr Inn. A The last one from Nigeria told me I'd had a win. S I looked to see whose name it was, 'cos it's polite to thank, 'S But then I found it said it needed details of my bank. T I never gave this info out, in fact I think I laughed. E I may be kinda stupid but I certainly ain't daft! L Remember Music At The Yarcombe Inn? I've owned my guitar many years, to learn it's been a battle, But when my plectrum meets my strings it scares off kids and cattle. Although I'll never make the grade, at least I've seen the light. I'll just pop down THE YARCOMBE INN when there's a Music Night. Time And Motion Studies At The Yarcombe Inn I don't do church but if I did I'd go there every day, Cos I lives down in Yarcombe, and the pub's not far away. It only takes a minute for between the two to lurch, But it's a damn sight quicker if you just cuts out the church! That makes a lot of sense to me 'cos my idea of heaven, Is supping at THE YARCOMBE INN, the bestest pub in Devon! Tattoos would be fine if only they came with an erase button - there are so many occasions when you might need one. You might change your mind. You could discover your tattooist hasn’t passed his tattooing exam and has the artistic talent of a three year-old. Or you might wake up still drunk on your wedding day and, halfway through shaving, spot Ethel’s name written in large bold Times New Roman font on your forehead before realising there’s only an hour to go before you’re due to marry Doris. The possibilities are endless and some are just as frightening as the thought of that needle. Ooh, I’d forgotten about that needle. I’ll have to go now, I feel a bit wobbly. Peter Tarrant Footnote: Don’t forget to check www.yarcombe.net for the latest news about The Yarcombe Inn and to link to the Crowdfunder website to donate and find more info.

Page 4 A LETTER FROM INDIA When did you last see a Bengal Tiger in the road in front of you? On a short visit to South India, I was taken on a day trip to the National Park of Bangalore (Benguluru) in Karnataka State by my new friend Koshy Thomas. As we climbed into the heavily grilled tourist bus to enter the Safari Park, I was invited into the front seat by the conductor and so sat next tothedriver. HowthankfulIwastobeseatedhereasIwasabletotakeaseriesofwonderfulphotosoniPhoneandcamera of the antelope and deer, the elephants and crocodiles, the bears, sleeping lions and one rampant white tiger. But the highlight was the Bengal Tiger initiallylyingontheroadinfrontofus. Thedriverofferedtotakebothstills and a video clip of the tiger who arose from his slumber in the middle of the day, graciously strolled into the undergrowth and gave us wonderful shots of his majestic colouring, patterned back and face. India is crowded, bustling, growing upwards as more and more skyscrapers reach for the skies in cities and towns alike. The sounds and smells of India can assault the senses at times; the traffic is horrendous, despite a few new Toll roads; the potholes on the ‘Old Madras Road’ are damaging; the lorries abound, competing with a multitude of motorbikes and scooters, motorrickshaws and the occasional cycle orskinny cow walking calmly through the midst of the town. As the Diwali festival began soon, garlands of orange, pink and yellow flowers were on sale in the markets and the whole country would celebrate for two weeks. InagrowingsuburbofBangalore,theIndianfriendsIcametovisitliveoppositetheHoskoteMarThomaMissionwhich was founded in 1947 and now has a hospital, nursing school, school for Evangelists, old people’s home and Compassion Centre(fororphanchildrenpreandpostschool). Twopriestsoverseeeightvillagechurchesaswellasthemotherchurch in Hoskote, a town of 40k, but each church also has its own local Evangelist and Catechist to look after their daily needs with the priests visiting monthly. The new church building was partly funded by the Church in Nigeria as a thank you for the many Indian maths and science teachers who went there to teach their children! What a wonderful example of co-operation and vision for the advancement of God’s kingdom! November is a month for remembering – those who gave their lives for our freedom, those whom we love but see no longer on earth, and the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation which has ennobled mankind in so many places, despite the legacy of division within the Church, which is now being slowly restored to Unity all over the world. Look back with thanksgiving and look forward with hope. Revd Simon Holloway

Aunt Meg and the Snake The following poem was kindly provided by Alec Pring who lives in New South Wales and sent expressly for Peter Tarrant...and other readers! It was written by Wilbur G. Hove and first published in the Australasian Post in 1984. - Ed. The day the savage tiger snake A mob of us then pounced on Aunt Struck out at our Aunt Meg And pinned her to the floor Was really rather funny 'cos While father sterilised the wound He bit her wooden leg. With Grandpa's garden saw. The family all gathered round, We thought we had the venom out, But when our workman, Tim, But much to our surprise Set out to tie a tourniquet That wooden leg of Aunty Meg's Aunt up and clobbered him. Soon swelled ten times its size. The parson drove up in his gig However there's a happy side, And promptly took command, 'Tis not all bad, you know. But soon retired in anguish with Whenever we need kindling - why, Large splinters in his hand. We know just where to go!

EINSTEIN'S ADVISE ON HAPPINESS SELLS FOR £1.19M: A note written by Albert Einstein in 1922 containing advice on happy living has sold at an auction house in Jerusalem for $1.56m (£1.19m). Einstein gave the note to a courier in Tokyo in 1922 instead of a tip and told the messenger that, if he was lucky, the notes would become valuable. Einstein had just won the Nobel prize for physics and was in Japan on a lecture tour. When the courier came to his room to make a delivery, he did not have any money to reward him. Instead, he handed the messenger a signed note, using stationery of the Imperial Hotel Tokyo, with one sentence, written in German: "A calm and humble life will bring more happiness than the pursuit of success and the constant restlessness that comes with it." Kindly provided by Matthew Tomkinson

Page 5 ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ WORDS OF CONTEMPLATION AFTER all these years I can still see the faces of my fallen mates. Not a day goes by when I don't remember them. I lost my elder brother, my best friend and countless others. Each day, as they fell in battle, I wondered whether I would survive another twenty-four hours. - Albert 'Smiler' Marshall, veteran of the First World War, speaking shortly before his death at the age of 108 in 2005 HAVE you forgotten yet? ... Look up and swear by the green of the Spring that you'll never forget. - Siegfried Sassoon, from his poem 'Aftermath' written in 1919 A friend of the family used to come to tea. My mother always told me I must not stare at him, but I always did. His face and hands were horribly scarred. I knew he had been shot down in the war and suffered dreadful burns. Here's what war did. It burned flesh. It killed my uncle. It made my mother weep. So I grew up with the damage of war all around me. I learned that buildings you can put up again, but lives are wrecked forever. - Michael Morpurgo ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

OUR THATCHING LIFE Featuring...Ferrari the Thatcher and Daisy his Apprentice. Stitch, her dog, has, as one of our friends kindly put it, gone to run in the meadows in the sky Some people get along in life perfectly well without animals, but Daisy is just, well, more Daisy-ish with a dog than without one. She laughs more, cusses more too probably especially as Stitch was one of those dogs who would always be right where you wanted to be next.... nestled into the reed, asleep in front of the fridge or draped over your feet. It's funny what you get used to. Anyway, we finished at Mr and Mrs M's, adding a new patch beneath the bathroom exhaust pipe. Wherever something breaks through the roof, like a pipe or chimney, the thatch below it may need replacing as often as the ridge, every 7-10 years. A couple of other small patches to fill holes made by birds earlier in the year and then on to Mr and Mrs P's small flintstone outhouse. We are thatching one side in wheat reed and then re-ridging, a few patches on the main roof and then it's onto a complete re-thatch that will take us up to Christmas. With no hound to walk we find ourselves with an empty hour each day. Daisy has started running to fill the time... Odd as she doesn't much like running but perhaps walking feels too much without purpose for now anyway... Alan Ferrari For Lulah, Stitch's Human

AND REPORTS PERSONAL NOTICES

the Blackdown Hills AONB Sustainability Development Apple Pressing@Yarcombe Fund and I was delighted to welcome Jackie Vaughan from A very big thank you to everyone who came along to the their Hemyock office and her husband to our event. Apple Pressing at the Jubilee Hall and helped make it a success. Hopefully this has now become an annual event. With the capacity of the new crusher, the three pressing and bottling teams were kept busy and the whole routine We were blessed with good weather and good crop of was complimented by the loan of two presses from apples. The crushing and pressing started at midday and Richard Booker of Kilmington and Charles Crowe from continued for about four hours with what seemed like a Stockland and I am most grateful for their contribution. near continual flow of juice. Many of the appleers took an active part in pressing and This year, the whole process was made easier with the bottling having thought that all the work was going to be help of new equipment purchased through a grant from done for them, but there were no complaints when they

Page 6 tasted the results of their apples transformed into It is surprising that whatever mix of apples was pressed, delicious juice. the juice always seemed sweet as the taste of natural sugar Several people also enjoyed sampling the cider came through. We were able to press several batches of producedbylocalamateursandleftmainlypoliteopinions applesseparatelyandonecropproducedanalmostcrystal of each of the seven offerings. The comments were so clear juice which I hope the Rich family from Howley are varied that no clear winner could be decided and I thought enjoying again this year. that the ‘prize’ could actually be the pleasure of tasting the Thanks also to Iris and Derek Dyer for their contribution various ciders. Two people were either undecided on how and also to Steve Horner on behalf of the Yarcombe North to vote or just enjoyed the experience so much they had Shoot whose pheasants are now enjoying a large quantity several attempts at sampling all seven entries! Their of freshly pressed pulp. We had no waste with one favourite was the entry which was in fact a blend of all the hundred per cent recycling! vintages from the 2016 competition. This must have Thejuicewhichyoukindlyletme particularly appealed to one of them who then asked if he keep has now been set aside to could blend all the 2017 entries which he delighted in ‘mature’ for a WASSAILING event telling me was also a good vintage and happily took this in JANUARY – more details in the one unique bottle home with him. next issue of Voices. Several visitors had travelled some distance and I don’t Donations are still being mean just from Howley or Stockland, but from the hamlet received and further details will be of Land and also from much further into Somerset. This in Voices. For those of you who were unable to have some couple brought a large quantity of apples and left a very juiceonthedayorwouldlikesomemore,youarewelcome generous donation. They had heard of our event from the to contact me for frozen juice which is still available in internet and I look forward to their revisit next year. The exchange for donations which will be distributed to other couple came to see how the process worked, then community organisations. went back home and returned with a large quantity of eating apples which are always welcome when it comes to Since the first Apple Day back in 1990 at the old Apple blending for a slightly sweeter taste. Market in Covent Garden, the apple is celebrated in various ways every year in many parts of the country and Whatever apples we pressed and in whatever now the Blackdown Hills Business Association are combination, in all the enthusiastic sampling throughout instigating an Apple Way, a 55-mile walk from Taunton the afternoon, all were given the thumbs-up for taste. Cricket Club to Sidmouth Cricket Club which we hope will The workings of the event were feature Yarcombe as a place to visit. Currently there are greatly assisted by helpers from nineteenpubsenrouteandhopefullybythetimetheroute Exeter, Rob Collier from Colyton opens there will also be a twentieth pub, this being The Thank You and more locally the Pidgeon Yarcombe Inn. family, George, David and Lee, and Meanwhile, thank you once again, you made all our hard Peter Bell, Jane Clitheroe and her sister Trish, Clifford work worth the effort. Please make a note in your diaries Sochon and my wife Paula, whose combined stirling that next year’sYarcombeAppleDayislikelytobeheldon efforts were much appreciated and I am looking forward Saturday 6th October. to sampling some of their cider in the coming months. Clive Stone

OCTOBER FRIDAY FORUM Do we send too many young people to university? That was the question for the October Friday Forum. Dennis Abel, as Chairman for the afternoon, started the discussion with some vital statistics and seven appropriate questions. The data showed that the numbers obtaining university degrees had grown 80 times in 91 years - that is from 4,357 to 350,800 between 1920 and 2011. The high costs of a degree today means that thought should be given to the alternative of doing an apprenticeship. Asusual,wecametonosingleconclusion. Therewereclearopinionsbysomethatyoungpeopleshouldbeencouraged go to University, but others felt that there should be a greater emphasis on vocational courses which include industrial and commercial experience. Also it seems that mature students taking part-time degree courses benefit greatly, rather than starting full-time at 18. There was some mention of Higher Education in other countries with Germany being a role model for apprenticeships and China for its world view and high standards. Universities were seen as allowing self-interest and finance to overshadow the relevanceandstandardsofsomecourses, encouragedbypoliticianswhoaremoreinterested in numbers. As usual, it was an enjoyable and lively discussion. Our thanks to Dennis for ably (!) starting us off. Please note that NOVEMBER'S FRIDAY FORUM (details on page 16) will be one week later – on 10th November when the subject will be, ‘Can there ever be real co-operation between world religions?’ Do come and join us if you like to tackle questions like this. Brian and Mary Smith

Page 7 ~ ELEANOR WRIGHT ~ We are sad to report the death at the age of 95 of Eleanor Wright, peacefully at the Musgrove Hospital, Taunton on Friday 6th October. Her funeral service took place at St John the Baptist Church, Yarcombe on 24th October. Tributes will be included in a forthcoming issue of Yarcombe Voices. We send our deepest sympathy to Libby and Graham, David and Margaret, Jonathan and Anthea and all the family.

Yarcombe & District Accountants, for his very entertaining speech. A number of trophies were awarded on the night for achievements Young Farmers' Club throughout the year, a total of sixteen, including sports September is one of the busiest months in the Young cups, ploughing match winner, most loyal member and Farmers' calendar with both our annual Harvest Supper 'Best Entertains' actor/actress. and AGM being held to round off the year. The middle The next day one of our members, Sarah Broom, of the month also hosted the East Devon YFC ‘Just headed to the Malvern Show to compete in the a Minute’ competition whereby team Yarcombe National Floral Arts Final. She came a fantastic took 1st place at the Sidmouth Arms, Upottery. 8th place on the day in the Intermediate class. A Four of our members were selected to go huge WELL DONE goes to her for entering. through to the Devon County rounds in October; a massive GOOD LUCK to Emma, Richie, Jack and Finally, our AGM was held in Yarcombe village Robert. Additionally, the prizes for best male and hall on the 25th. Many members turned out to the female speakers of the night were awarded to two meeting and the election of new officers took place. Yarcombe members, CONGRATULATIONS Richie Barnes Thank you to all members for being so enthusiastic to get and Emma Dyer. involved in the Club this year and to take on new roles. We look forward to the next year ahead with our new Our Harvest Supper was held at Upottery village Chairman, Richie Barnes; Secretary, Emma Dyer and hall on Saturday 23rd September. Members helped Treasurer, Jack Burrough. to serve a wonderful cold meat salad for past and 70 present members, family and friends. A massive For more information about Yarcombe & District THANK YOU goes to them for all their help in and out of YFC please contact our Chairman Richie Barnes on the kitchen preparing and especially to Kate Hopkins for 07519 353652 or our Secretary Emma Dyer on 07462 organising the event. Another THANK YOU goes to our 344587. guest speaker, David Mitchell of Mitchells Chartered Louise Johnson, Press Secretary

Yarty Gardening Club We would all like our gardens to look good at all times and so the September meeting ‘All-year-round Garden’ promised to help us out with lots of ideas. Pauline Wright did not disappoint us with her inspiring talk about her garden at Forton. With her husband David’s photos as illustrations, we were able to see how a rough, sloping pasture grazed by goats has been gradually turned into a beautiful, landscaped garden over the last thirty years. All-year-round colour in their garden is mainly achieved through clever use of foliage. Many trees and shrubs have been planted to give interest through their flower or leaf colour in different seasons. Herbaceous plants supplement the colour palette at different times of the year but no bedding plants are used. This means that not only does the garden look beautiful but it is also easy to maintain. The garden has an acidic soil and so it is particularly spectacular in the autumn with hydrangeas, acers, nandina, sorbus and rhus giving vibrant colour. As autumn gives way to winter it is the structure of the garden which takes over and we saw how lovely the spent stems of rudbeckia and echinops look touched with frost or the conifer trees covered with snow. In spring the garden sings with the vibrancy of rhododendrons, azaleas and magnolias and as summer arrives, the fresh colour of the foliage and flowering shrubs is gradually supplemented with a variety of herbaceous perennials and roses. Pauline said that David takes photographs from a key spot each month which helps them to look carefully at the colour and composition of the garden. Thesesnapshotsintimehaveallowedthemtodecideonwhichplants need moving, which trees need to have their canopy lifted or where something new needs to be planted to inject interest or colour into a border.

Page 8 Wewereintroducedtoahugevarietyofplantsbringingcolourintothegarden,toonumeroustomentionherebutsome particular favourites include: Maroon/red foliage: herbaceous - Persicaria ‘Red Dragon’ and Sedum telephium; deciduous shrub - Cercis canadensis ‘Forest Pansy’ and Physocarpus ‘Diabolo’. Blue/grey foliage: semi-evergreen shrub – Zenobia pulverulenta ‘Blue Sky’. White variegated foliage: evergreen shrub - Pieris ‘Flaming Silver’, Euonymus ‘Silver Queen’; deciduous shrub - Cornus alba ‘Elegantissima’. Then there is golden/yellow foliage: herbaceous - Hosta sieboldiana ‘Francis Williams’; evergreen shrub - Ilex ‘Golden King’, Choisya ternata ‘Sundance’; deciduous shrub - Leycesteria formosa ‘Golden Lanterns’, Acer ‘Autumn Moon’. Silver foliage: herbaceous - Stachys lanata, Phlox variegate, Phlomis russelliana; evergreen shrub - Cytissus battandieri. ‘Pink’ foliage: deciduous shrub and trees - Acer negundo ‘Flamingo’, Salix ‘Hakuro Nishiki’. Pauline told us that she was able to manage on half a day’s work a week to keep the garden looking good, as long as she kept on top of the weeding. However, she maintains that if you cram the garden full of plants there is no room for the weeds to take hold. We left the meeting feeling inspired and with the knowledge that black cotton is a great way to support plants invisibly! Our NEXT MEETING is ‘FLOWERS AND GARDENS WITH MUSIC’ on 16th NOVEMBER in Buckland St Mary Village Hall at 7.30p.m. when Tony Bagwell will be inspiring and entertaining us. Visitors are very welcome to join us. Pauline Bartlett, 01460 234778

YARCOMBE PARISH COMMUNITY LAND TRUST LTD Chairman’s Report for THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING on 16th October 2017 Since our incorporation in March 2016, the Directors have worked tirelessly in their endeavours to seek a suitable site for the proposed development of 6 or 7 affordable homes for rent in our Parish. Initially these efforts were centred on Yarcombe village but these soon proved to be fruitless with the owners of both possible sites not being prepared to sell. Our attention then turned to the Marsh area of the Parish where three possible sites have been extensively researched. One proved to be unsuitable but both the others remain possible and the current indications are that the owner of our preferred site is likely to be willing to sell. A further option has recently arisen with the possibility of a “land swap” between a village charity and a local landowner, with the prospect of a site adjacent to Yarcombe village. This option is also currently being pursued. UntilweareabletofinaliseasiteandagreeHeadsofTermsforthepurchaseweareunabletoproceedfurther. Wehave, however, been advised that Grant Funding from East Devon District Council could be available for our scheme. In establishing our Community Land Trust (CLT) and throughout our efforts to date, we have received great support from Alison Ward and Steve Watson of Wessex Community Land Trust Project, our mentors whom we would like to thank. I would also like to thank my fellow Directors Clive Stone, John Brooks and in particular our Secretary Steve Horner for all their work to date. YoucanbeassuredthattheDirectorswillcontinuetheireffortstosecureasuitablesiteforthemuchneededAffordable Homes in the Parish of Yarcombe. Philip Bearne MCIH, Chairman, Yarcombe Parish Community Land Trust Ltd

Page 9 ... JUBILEE HALL 100+ CLUB ... JUBILEE HALL 100+ CLUB ... THE WINNERS OF THE OCTOBER JUBILEE HALL 100+ CLUB DRAW WERE: £25 No.50 ★ Ann Stockwell £15 No.19 ★ Maggie Lane £8 No.77 ★ Helen Parris ... JUBILEE HALL 100+ CLUB ... JUBILEE HALL 100+ CLUB ...

Out and About with our Roving Reporter, Lesley Sutton Yarcombe Apple Day the sale of the usual variety of drinks, and taking entry money on the door and for the draw. Saturday 14th October was a busy day in Yarcombe. The Village Market held in the Jubilee Hall had a fairly slow Thanks go to Lesley Pidgeon and the Pub-Hub team who start but numbers picked up during the morning and lots put a lot of time and effort setting the tables, arranging the of people, many unknown to the locals, came to browse food and drink, not to mention the clearing up afterwards, and enjoy a coffee break. Immediately following the making this a most successful and enjoyable evening. Market at midday the Apple Day commenced which was held in the car park behind the hall. It was fascinating to Tuesday Club watch the apples being ground down and transferred to Members met in the Jubilee Hall on 17th October and, for the presses which were then fastened down with a achange,satroundalargetabletoenjoyanatterasawhole wooden lid and the screw tightened so that fresh rather than small groups. Holidays, books and juice was pouring out and into buckets to be placesofinterestlocallyweretopicsdiscussed decanted into bottles. at length and ideas for future events were considered. There was a steady stream of cars from near and far laden with all sorts of The main part of the evening, people’s containers full of this year’s crop for favourite recipes, samples of both sweet processing. Some of the juice is being and savoury dishes were on offer at a held ready for the WASSAIL event in separate table and everyone was JANUARY, the first having taken place at encouraged to have a taste. Copies of the Middle Moorhayne at the beginning of the recipes were available to be picked up and year when all present joined in the tried by others. Pat Bright and Doreen traditional songs and blessed the apple trees, Parris, this month’s organisers, served teas asking for a good harvest (a hope which has been and coffees to be enjoyed whilst eating. granted this season). It is eagerly anticipated that this Another matter discussed was the change of dates of the will become a Yarcombe tradition. monthly meetings to the second rather than third Wine & Wisdom at the Pub-Hub Tuesday. This would tie in more easily with the deadline forreportstobeincludedinTheVoicesanditwouldalsolet The Pub-Hub team chose a winner for their October event others know what the theme of the following month’s by arranging a Wine & Wisdom evening. This encouraged meeting would be. lots of avid quizzers to gather teams together and pit their brains against a series of random questions. Mary Smith kindly offered the use of her home to host theChristmasPartyeveningon12thDecember,having The usual picture quiz (you know the face but just can't a room large enough to seat everybody together. A list of remember the name) was run during the first half of the whatfoodmemberschoosetobringalongtoeatduringthe evening and an anagram sheet of names of local villages evening will be circulated at next month’s meeting. and towns during the second half. General Knowledge, History, Geography and Sport, the usual subjects, were the A Christmas Tree Festival is being held in December at core with Cookery, Animals and to the older element the Baptist Chapel on Friday 8th, Saturday 9th and unheard of questions on Modern Music and unknown TV culminating in the Carol service on Sunday 10th. Village and Film drawing the short straw. organisations are being asked to sponsor and decorate a tree and Rebecca Bell kindly offered to oversee an entry Fourteen teams of six people sat down with a bottle of from the Tuesday Club. wine (to stimulate the brain and more likely the tongue!) a selection of cheeses, chutney, pickled onions, biscuits, Next month’s meeting will again be held in the French bread and other nibbles to sustain them during the Jubilee Hall when MAGGIE TOMKINSON will be evening. Scores varied from the lowest, 59 points to the speaking about her life in the WORLD OF DANCE. winners on 95. The Quiz Master was Phil Bearne. Answer Everyone is welcome to attend on TUESDAY 21st papers were marked by Lesley Pidgeon, Veronica Wadey NOVEMBER at 7.30p.m. and Debbie Luck with other helpers on duty at the bar for Lesley Sutton

Page 10 ☆ ☆ Thank You from Joan ☆ ☆ A big THANK YOU to everyone for their get well wishes, prayers and many acts of kindness, also for the lovely flowers. Joan will thank everyone personally when she is able.

Farewell, Paul and Gillian Farewell to Paul and Gillian Barnacle who are leaving the village after many years at South Waterhayne Farm. We wish them blessings and joy in their new life.

CH AND CH ERS CHUR APEL MATT

☆ ☆ Harvest Thanks ☆ ☆ THANK YOU to ALL who helped make our Harvest a success; the Vicar, Revd Brewer, who came from Seaton, got several compliments afterwards. About sixty adults plus children sat down to the Harvest Lunch which was prepared by our ladies. Thanks also to all who gave the thirteen draw prizes. Jean Rich and Geoffrey Berry, Churchwardens

various salads and dressings, hot potatoes and French sticks with butter weighed down the tables. Wine, red, white or rosé, was available for those so inclined, with apple or orange juice for the children and others. A choice ofapplecakewithcustard,orcheesecakewithcreamwere offered for dessert, with tea, coffee and mints to follow. Many thanks to Jean Rich, Doreen Parris and their team HARVEST FESTIVAL of helpers for the preparation of the food, serving and Yarcombe welcomed the Revd Barry Brewer who took the clearing away and washing up. Special mention to the Family Harvest Festival Service on 1st October. Louise team of junior helpers who came to clear the tables so Dear played the organ. Tim Rich and Jonathon Rich gave politelyandwerewatchedwithtrepidationastheycarried the readings from the Bible. The children took their piled of plates and dishes to the kitchen safely. This family Harvest offerings to the altar to be blessed during the friendly event is both enjoyable and sociable and a good worship. time was had by all. Revd Brewer gave an amusing and relevant address and The Sale of Produce which formed part of the Harvest had the congregation bouncing up and down in their pews display took place at a coffee morning on Wednesday 4th when he accompanied the song ‘Allelulia’ on his guitar October,allowingpeopletocomebackintotheChurchand assistedbythesingingbyLinBox. DavidBristolandHenry view the displays at their leisure. There was a good turn Derryman were sidesmen and took the collection. Tea and out and all money received will go towards our Church coffee were served in the South Transept after the service, charity’Compassion’andoursponsoredchildAngellawho allowing the ladies who had organised the catering to is corresponding with Caitlin King; her latest letter is on escapetotheJubileeHalltocompletecookingthepotatoes display. and setting the tables for the traditional Harvest Lunch. Operation Christmas Shoebox is well under way, only a Asusual thisfamilymeal wasenjoyedbyall andwewere fewremaining;detailsareondisplayintheNorthtransept. pleased that Revd Brewer and his wife were able to attend. Lesley Sutton Revd Brewer said Grace before the meal. Cold meats, Page 11 PAUSE FOR PRAYER Pause For Prayer will continue at Maggie Lane's house, 8 Drake's Meadow, from 9.40 - 10.00a.m. each TUESDAY MORNING. There is a prayer board in Church for anyone to write a prayer request which will be included in the Pause for Prayer time. Please come and join a formal time of prayer, followed by a cup of coffee.

Harvest Flowers Thank You A huge THANK YOU to all the Flower Fairies for the wonderful and welcoming Harvest creations adorning our Church. This very uplifting celebration at this important time of year was most enjoyable. Many members of the congregation expressed their admiration and thanks for all your colourful and thoughtful arrangements. We in turn hope we have actually expressed our thanks and appreciation to our farming community who work so hard all year to bring our Harvest home. Sonia Boyd

Church & Chapel Useful Phone Numbers Stop press!! Children's The Parish Church of St John the Baptist: Simon Holloway, Priest in Charge 01297 35433 or 07986 274393. Joan Berry, Lay Christmas Card Colouring Reader 01823 601386. Churchwardens - Jean Rich 01404 861274. Geoffrey Berry 01823 601386. The Baptist Chapel: Competition Thelma Clarke 01404 861267. Well done to the 12 children who entered Yarcombe & Marsh Pastoral Team: Dennis and Rosemary Abel this competition to see whose colouring- 01404 861774. Rebecca Bell 01460 234002. Joan Berry 01823 in would be on the front of the village 601386. Lin Box 01404 861400. Diane Frost 01823 601103. Miranda Gudenian 01404 861387. Maggie Lane 01404 861401. Christmas card. They were anonymously displayed on Tony and Heather Newman 01460 234739. Barbara Salter the board at the back of the Church for people to vote for 01404 861465. Doreen Parris 01460 62502. the one they thought would be best. The votes have been counted and the outright winner is KATIE RICH, aged 8. Congratulations to her and thank you to all who DECORATION OF THE made the effort to colour in the Nativity scene. CHURCH FOR Everybody who entered will get a small prize. Mary Smith REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY Churchyard Cutting Rota Would all of Yarcombe's kind Flower Week beginning: Fairies please note that the Church November 6th - C. Rich & T. Rich will be available for decoration for Remembrance Sunday on FRIDAY Hedges - C. Sochon 10th and SATURDAY 11th NOVEMBER. All We are very grateful to all those who continue each donations of flowers and foliage will be gratefully year to tidy the Churchyard. If anyone else would like received and very much appreciated. to spare the time to mow the grass once a year please For further information please be kind enough to contact 01404 861274 or 01823 601386. contact me, Sonia Boyd, on 01404 861343. Page 12 CHRISTMAS TREE FESTIVAL - 8th, 9th and 10th DECEMBER We are hoping to obtain rooted, potted trees all roughly the same size. The trees will be available in the Baptist Chapel from 4th December to be decorated in situ. Some will be outside as well. The idea is that village organisations or family groups can make a donation for a tree and decorate it according to their own design. They will be on display until 11th December when they can be taken away if wanted. The Chapel will be open all day Friday and Saturday and the Festival will finish with the Chapel's Carol Concert on the Sunday morning. Mince pies, coffee and teas will be served during these times. Visitors will be asked to vote for the best decorated and most original trees by putting 20p in pots beside the trees. The pot with the most money will obviously show us the winning tree and a prize will be presented. We are hoping that it will be a fun and creative start to the Christmas festivities in Yarcombe. If you would like to take part please telephone Pat Bright on 01404 861460 to reserve a tree.

TES AN DIARY DA D INFORMATION

THE CRAFT CLUB meets every Monday between advantageofthisbyorderingeverymonth,occasionally 2p.m. and 4p.m. in the Jubilee Hall. If you are or once a year. For details please contact me, Colin interested in joining please phone Pat Bright on Stewart, at [email protected] or phone 01297 01404 861460 - or just come along! 792538. (Alternatively, contact Miranda Gudenian on 01404 861387). BULK BUY HEATING OIL - The next deadline date for ordering oil will be SATURDAY 25th NOVEMBER. STUDENT GRANTS Please submit either a specific amount or if ordering a The Parish Council would like to invite "top up" then please give me as accurate an estimate as possible (minimum order 500 litres). Orders can any students within the Parish of always be amended or left close to the deadline date if Yarcombe and Marsh to apply thisenablesyoutoobtainamoreaccuratereading. Iwill for a Student Grant to assist with your acknowledgereceipt;pleaseprovideaddress,postcode and telephone number. studies. Should you be interested, please email Sarah-Jane Martin, Parish The bargaining power of bulk buying ensures that oil companies offer a cheaper price. If you live in Clerk, at [email protected] by Yarcombe, Marsh or nearby villages you can take 31st October 2017

Page 13 charge for borrowing books and there's a great choice. January's Yarcombe Voices Non-fiction, large print and children's books can be The December and January issues of Yarcombe reserved FREE. You can reserve books online and collect Voices have to be produced within the space of them from the Mobile Library. Children have extra fun three weeks because of Christmas printing joining the Book Track and Summer Reading Challenge. There is something to offer everyone on board so why not deadlines and in recent years I have not found hop on and take a look? this easy to achieve. It is also not fair on my THE HOME LIBRARY SERVICE : Love reading but can't dear, long-suffering mother as we approach get to your library? The Home Library Service can bring Christmas! The years roll by and with reluctance booksandCDstoyourdoorforFREE. Theserviceprovides I have actually listened to the counsel of wise a wide choice of titles; large print books, audio books and friends. Therefore, this is to let you know that I CDs; free reservations; no fines. Books are delivered by intend to produce an abbreviated i.e. smaller security-checked volunteers from the Royal Voluntary version of the magazine for January, with only Service who will treat your confidentiality as a priority. the reports and of course ALL diary and For information phone 0345 155 1001 or email information notices as usual. From February the [email protected] magazine will be back to full size, as it will be for MOBILE LIBRARY - The Library Van stops near the the rest of the year. Village Hall car park, Yarcombe from 2.00p.m. to 2.30p.m. on WEDNESDAYS 1st and 29th NOVEMBER. Miranda Gudenian, Editor Please do come and see what a useful asset a mobile library is. THE MOBILE LIBRARY THE MOBILE LIBRARY SERVICE: We have something for The next meeting of the YARTY GARDENING CLUB is everyone: access to ‘FLOWERS AND GARDENS WITH MUSIC’ on 16th books, audio books, NOVEMBER in Buckland St Mary Village Hall at large print and DVDs. 7.30p.m. when Tony Bagwell will be inspiring and Membership is FREE, entertaining us. Visitors are very welcome to join us. no ID needed; no Pauline Bartlett, 01460 234778

Yarcombe Jubilee Hall Thank you to all those who supported our well attended October Market. We look forward to giving you a WARM WELCOME when you join us at our ☆ ☆ LATE AUTUMN VILLAGE MARKET ☆ ☆ in the Village Hall on SATURDAY 11th NOVEMBER, 10a.m. - 12 noon where you can buy from a wonderful variety of stalls and enjoy a coffee and a slice of cake with friends. Perhaps take home one of Lesley's tasty Hot Pies or Angela and Gillian's quality Cakes. Fresh Local Vegetables from Mrs Rabjohns; Fresh Farm Eggs, Cheese and Clotted Cream from Christine; Excellent Cakes, Puddings and Bakery from Gillian Broom; Louise with her Quality Honey; Angela's Fine Small Cakes, Scones and Cheese Straws (scrumptious); Claire's Healthy Plants and Flowers. MANY CRAFT STALLS including Anne's Fine Needlework; Sheila's Greetings Cards, Presents and many Children's items; Ian's Metal Work, Paintings and Art (commissions undertaken); Robin's Crafted Bird and Flower Boxes; Second-hand Book Stall, Brenda's Bric-a-Brac Stall, Craft Club Stall, etc. Hot Pie Stall ~ Refreshments ~ Raffle ~ 100 Club Draw By buying from your village market you are helping to sustain your Village Hall. Future Markets : Second Saturday in the month: 9th December. Buskers and new stalls always welcome; help with running stalls available. Contact John Carter, 01404 861353. Please let us know if you would support any other products being on sale.

STOP PRESS!! That local gorgeous Flapper Group the Craft Club will be holding the first of their wonderful Christmas gift Craft Sales at our next Market, don’t miss.

Page 14 HELP SAVE THE YARCOMBE INN Next event: a meal prepared by television chef and food writer Tim Maddams at Yarcombe Village Hall on Saturday 11th November Watch out for posters and an eVoices with more details nearer the time or contact Lesley Pidgeon - 01404 881634 or 07970 644632, [email protected] This event is organised by the Pub-Hub team working with the Parish Council's Save The Yarcombe Inn Steering Group. All proceeds go towards the purchase of The Yarcombe Inn for the community and so your support will be much appreciated.

Yarcombe Flower Show 2018 - Your uesda ideas needed please! T y Club If anyone has an suggestions or thoughts "A DANCER'S as to what they would like to be included in the 2018 Flower Show schedule, then please let me, Julie TOURING LIFE" Rich, know on 07967 965208 or email on 21st November at [email protected] - we would love to have some fresh and fun ideas. 7.30p.m. in the Jubilee Hall when Maggie Tomkinson The next PARISH COUNCIL MEETING takes place on will be giving an illustrated MONDAYNOVEMBER27that8p.m.inTheJubileeHall. Everyone is most welcome to attend. talk on her dancing "life on the road". HANDBELLS GROUP: The Handbells Group meets ever EVERYONE WELCOME Wednesday at 6.15p.m. to 8.15p.m. in The Jubilee Hall. Newcomers very welcome! For more details please ring Mo Rich on 01460 From Monks to The Millennium by Ruth Everitt is 61254 available as a pdf; please contact the editor of The Voices.

☼ ☼ ☼ ☼ ☼ ☼ ☼ ☼ ☼ ☼ ☼ ☼ ☼ ☼ ☼ ☼ ☼ ☼ ☼ Announcing the next COMMUNITY LUNCH on Wednesday, 15th November, at 12.30p.m. in the Jubilee Hall, Yarcombe £4 FOR A TWO-COURSE LUNCH & COFFEE/TEA All very welcome! FOLLOWED BY: "Travels through the Rockies with Liz" Please phone Lesley Sutton to book (01404-861386 and leave message on phone) by Sunday, 12th November. Organised by St John the Baptist Church, Yarcombe ☼ ☼ ☼ ☼ ☼ ☼ ☼ ☼ ☼ ☼ ☼ ☼ ☼ ☼ ☼ ☼ ☼ ☼ ☼ Page 15 THE SENIOR CITIZENS' YARCOMBE JUBILEE HALL CHRISTMAS LUNCH & COMMITTEE MEETING Please can all Hall Representatives attend the ANNUAL CHRISTMAS BINGO next Hall Meeting on MONDAY 30th OCTOBER The Senior Citizens' Christmas Lunch will take place at 8p.m. If you are unable to make this date, this year on SUNDAY 3rd DECEMBER. Invitations please ask someone else from your organisation will be delivered with copies of The Voices and Miranda to come along. Also please remember to bring Gudenian has kindly agreed to take the names, either by your forms with ideas on how to improve the telephone or by email. Once again Clifford Every and usage of the Hall! Cindy and Shaun Vining will be gathering helpers to Helen Parris, Hall Secretary assist at this annual event. If there is anyone receiving the State Pension who does Light Up a Life not receive an invitation please let us know as it is It is that time of year when we are promoting our Light Up becoming increasingly difficult to keep up with A Life Appeal, where we invite local people to remember everybody’s birthdays. loved ones through our Book of Memories and local remembrance services. Donations towards the cost of the meal are very gratefully accepted. The Bingo which is held each year Your local remembrance services will be to help the funds will be on MONDAY 4th on Wednesday 8th November, 7p.m., St Paul's Church, Honiton or Thursday 30th DECEMBER in the Jubilee Hall when the exceptional November, 7.30p.m., St Mary's the Virgin Christmas prizes will go to those with the lucky numbers. Church, Axminster. A fun evening for all ages. To put your dedication into our Book of Memories, which will be at your local ANNUAL service, please pick up a leaflet at our nearest shop, visit ourwebsitewww.hospiscare.co.ukorcontactuson01392 CHRISTMAS BINGO 688020 or [email protected] Monday 4th December The Jubilee Hall Doors open 7.30pm NOTE - This month the Friday Eyes down 8pm Forum is taking place a week later than usual on the second Friday of Please support this fun November. event as all profits go to the Senior Citizens' Christmas Lunch Fund

OPERATION CHRISTMAS SHOEBOXES DEADLINE 12th NOVEMBER! Please do pick up a leaflet from the table by the Church door which has all the information needed for filling a shoebox, including the official labels to stick on the box. A reminder that pre-covered boxes can be bought for 50p from Lin Box. There is a display in the Church with more information. Please could all filled shoeboxes be taken to Glebe Farm (or left in the Church) by SUNDAY 12th NOVEMBER. For any more information, please phone me on 01404 861541 or e-mail [email protected] Mary Smith

"NO COLD CALLERS" STICKERS: This is to inform you that free NO COLD CALLERS stickers are supplied by Honiton police; it is hoped that these will be available shortly from a pick-up point in Yarcombe and Marsh. If you have one displayed then any cold caller is acting illegally and the police would be able to intervene. Page 16 REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY AT ST JOHN THE BAPTIST CHURCH, YARCOMBE 10.45a.m. to 12 noon on SUNDAY 12th NOVEMBER, 2017

"They shall grow not old as we that are left grow old: Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning We will remember them."

DO YOU HAVE LOVED ONES WHO bicycles, garden tools or household appliances - either to DIED FOR THIS COUNTRY IN WAR? be repaired by qualified experts or to be shown how to repair them themselves. At a recent meeting to discuss the approaching REMEMBRANCESUNDAYSERVICEonNovember12thit We recently visited an "outreach" of the Tiverton Repair was decided to inaugurate a slight change to the usual Café held in Bampton and witnessed firsthand how format. If anyone living in the Parish has loved ones who effective such an initiative can be. For instance, two ladies were killed serving this country in war - it may be your were fully occupied repairing and remodelling clothing grandfather, or great uncle, or someone in a more recent thathadbeenbroughtinbylocalpeople,whileapedalbike conflict - and you would like them to be remembered in was being re-tuned and a DAB digital radio was being Church this Remembrance Sunday, then do please let repaired. All this is undertaken on a voluntary basis, with Michael Ford know so that their names can be read out donations from those whose items are being repaired following the Roll of Honour of those from this Parish going towards the cost of hiring the premises. It's a Win- killed in service of this country. Please telephone 01404 Win for all involved - including, of course, the 861284 or email [email protected] environment, with less stuff going to landfill. We're considering setting up a Repair Café in the Blackdown Hills and would love to hear from you if you'd be willing to share your skills, from time to time, on a Saturday morning. So, if you'd like to be part of the conversation, please email me, Trisha Comrie, at THE REPAIR REVOLUTION [email protected] or phone 01823 602908. "I'msorry,sir/madam,it'snotworthrepairing;itwouldbe To quote The Repair Café slogan: "Bin it? No way!" cheaper to buy a new one." How many times have you heard that phrase, I wonder, as you reluctantly consign it SHORT MAT BOWLS tothebin? ThewordsofAmericanretailinganalyst,Victor Thursday afternoons at 2.30 - 4.30p.m. and Lebow, speaking shortly after WW2, might help us evenings 7 - 9p.m. in the Village Hall. understand how this state of affairs has come about. "Our All equipment provided. Pay as you go (£2.50/ economy....demands that we make consumption our way session including coffee). of life, that we convert the buying and use of goods into All newcomers welcome to join us - rituals....we need things consumed, burned up, replaced come and have a go! and discarded at an ever-accelerating rate." However, an initiative started by Martine Postma in Holland in 2009, called The Repair Café, offers a welcome alternative route and is now sweeping across the globe with over 1300 cafes worldwide. It's very simple. People take their items - be they electronic, furniture, clothing,

Page 17 compartments to check for any rotten posts or damage to Churchinford & District Village Hall’s the wire and reporting back to the Trust. There may also Cinema Club presents on Wednesday be opportunities to get involved in practical conservation November 1st at 2.30p.m. and at work, for example clearing conifer re-growth to allow native flora to thrive. Full training will be provided, 7.30p.m.: including maps of the sites, appropriate contact information and information on what to look out for. The Sense of an Ending 15 Interested? Contact John Greenshields on 01823 660764 Based on the novel by Julian Barnes. or [email protected] Tony (Jim Broadbent), a curmudgeonly divorced man, is forced to confront his past when he receives a mysterious UFFCULME SCHOOL CRAFT FAIR ON legacyfromthemotherofhisuniversity SATURDAY 18th NOVEMBER, 10a.m. – girlfriend, Veronica. With Charlotte 4p.m. at Uffculme School. Free Entry Rampling, Harriet Walter and Emily Mortimer. Are you already counting the sleeps ‘til Christmas, unsure about what to buy for friends and family? Why Wednesday November 29th at 7.30p.m.: not come along to the Uffculme School Craft Fair, with over 100 stalls showcasing a unique range of The Levelling 15 bespoke and unusual gifts, including hand-made Somerset trainee vet Clover Catto (Ellie Kendrick) returns Christmas decorations and delicacies, glass, wood, home after hearing of her brother Harry's death - in what ceramics, candles, knitwear, clothing and so very appears to be a suicide. Finding the family farm in a state of much more. horrendous disrepair, Clover is forced to confront her father. Her discoveries send her on an emotional journey of Enjoy our festive food and drink, all proceeds go to reckoning with her family, her childhood and herself. the School PTFA to support all the children in the school community. The Village Hall will open at 2p.m. for the afternoon Why not take a stall at the Craft Fair, hire charges showing at 2.30p.m., and at 6.45p.m. for the evening start at only £15/table? If you are interested in selling showing at 7.30p.m. There will be a bar in the evening. your wares then please contact: Phryne on Entrance charge is £5, payable at the door. Before the [email protected] for an information pack. evening performance why not order fish and chips from Don’t miss out, request a spot now! The York Inn on 01823 601333, bring them to the Churchstanton Room and enjoy a drink from the Hall's Illustrations in Yarcombe Voices : We are grateful to Bill Sanderson and to This bar. The York also does more than fish and chips! EnglandandEvergreenmagazinesforuseofillustrations;othersoriginatefromthe late Don Tapster and Ruth Everitt. Every effort has been made to acknowledge the source of illustrations; any inadvertent omission will be rectified in the next issue VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: The Blackdown Hills Trust is if notification is sent to the editor. looking for volunteers to help check stock fencing around the grazing units in the Neroche Forest area. These sites are managed by the Blackdown Hills Trust on behalf of the YARCOMBE POST OFFICE Forestry Commission and are a magnet for rare butterflies Free cash withdrawals from selected banks. such as Wood White and Duke of Burgundy and an array of A selection of savings accounts. Pre-order plants, insects, birds and mammals. The areas are part of foreign currency. Mobile phone top-ups. Travel Higher Level Stewardship Agreements and are grazed by insurance. Postage. Bill payments. Cheques and English Longhorn cattle in the summer months. cash deposits with selected banks. Gift cards. The volunteer role will involve walking the stock fence twice a year during spring and autumn in the grazing OPEN EVERY TUESDAY 10a.m. - 12 noon

NEED A LIFT? LIKE A FRIENDLY CHAT? NEED ANY HELP? Do you need a helping hand? Then the YARCOMBE & MARSH GOOD NEIGHBOURS' SCHEME is just a phone call away TELEPHONE THE CO-ORDINATOR JUDITH DAVID ON 01404 861685 WHO WILL PUT YOU IN TOUCH WITH A 'GOOD NEIGHBOUR'

THE DEADLINE FOR RECEIPT OF ITEMS FOR THE DECEMBER MAGAZINE IS: WEDNESDAY 15th NOVEMBER. Please be kind enough to 'post' items in the box provided in the Parish Church, or send to the Editor at The Beacon, Yarcombe, EX14 9LU. Tel: 01404 861387. Items can be sent by e-mail to [email protected] Whilst we very much welcome all contributions to this non-profit making magazine, we take no responsibility for views expressed within the pages. Views expressed are not necessarily those of the Editor. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without permission.

Page 18 BUSINESSES, SERVICES, FOR SALE & WANTED FOR DETAILS OF BUSINESS ADVERTISING AND FEES PLEASE CALL 01404 861387 OR EMAIL [email protected] ADVERTISEMENTS IN YARCOMBE VOICES WILL ALSO BE INCLUDED ON THE VILLAGE WEBSITE.

HOUSE FOR SALE IN FRANCE PHEASANTS FOR SALE Lovely detached three-bedroom house in Pays Local shoot. Oven ready. Please contact David de la Loire for sale by an old Yarcombite. 130 Meyrick on 01404 861457 sq.m. of living space and third of an acre garden. Phone, internet connected. Quiet location in HARDWOOD LOGS FOR SALE beautiful countryside. £145,000. http:// 10' trailer load £150. Hi-capacity Landrover load www.magnoliaproperty.co.uk/details/11617 £120. Phone T. Coombe on 01404 861320 or 07860 550733 A.G. LONG & SON, PURPOSE MADE JOINERY COTTAGES, CATS & CANINES Bespoke Doors, Windows, Stairs, Kitchens, I offer a service of Dog Walking, House/Pet Wardrobes, Cabinets, etc. 30 Years' experience. Sitting and General Animal Care for people out TONY LONG 01404 861307 at work all day or away from home for longer or visit us at aglongjoinery.com periods. Please contact CHRIS HOLMES on 01404 861795 or mobile 07999 547037 or email: YOGA CLASSES [email protected] Want to try yoga, but think you're not flexible enough? Perhaps you've tried yoga in the past, I HAVE MOVED! but haven't found a class that's right for you. MY RETTER'S GARAGE - TYRES YOGA LIFE classes offer a simple, light-hearted, Discount new tyre sales. Fitting and balancing. no-fluff approach to yoga, with time for Puncture repairs. individual practice in a supportive environment. Tom Retter, Otterwood, Newtown, Buckland St Classes across East Devon - see website for more Mary, Chard, Somerset, TA20 3ST. Phone 07436 details and booking, or contact Caroline directly. 793158 email [email protected] FIRST CLASS FREE! W: www.myyogalife.co.uk T/p: 07799 691429 E: [email protected] FB: myyogalifeuk T: CHIMNEY SWEEP @carolinemaddams Member of the Guild of Master Sweepers. Saturday service available. Clean & sweep £50. KING ELECTRICAL, FOR Bird's nest removal £90. Cowls fitted from £90. ALL YOUR ELECTRICAL NEEDS Phone Stuart on 07432 118318 or email Qualified Registered Electrician, flexible working [email protected] hours. 24/7 EMERGENCY CALLOUT. Free no obligation quotations and always happy to help CHURCHINFORD & DISTRICT COMMUNITY SHOP out over the phone. Before you go to town, try the Churchinford Community Shop. Call 01823 970113 or 07714 637592 Over 2,000 items in stock and competitive pricing! Daily or email [email protected] deliveries of quality Fresh Fruit & Vegetables, Dairy, Bread, Cakes, Sandwiches & Pasties. Fresh Local Meat, Free Range Eggs, Beers, Wines & Ciders. News and Stationery. P & P INTERIORS SOLUTIONS POST OFFICE OPEN Mon - Fri 9a.m. - 5p.m. For all your decorating needs. No job too big or Coffee shop. FREE use of Community Computer and Wi-Fi. small. First class job done every time. Ring Book Exchange, Local Art, Pottery and Cards. Paula for a free quotation: OPEN Mon - Fri 8a.m. - 6p.m. Sat 8a.m. - 01404 861591 or 07824 886377 2p.m. Sun 10a.m. - 12 noon. Churchinford, TA3 7DJ. Tel: 01823 601026 Email: [email protected] JUBILEE HALL BOOKINGS: Please contact Tamsyn King on 01460 234346. Yarcombe Voices is printed by Chard Digital Print 01460 66211

Page 19 FOR QUICK REFERENCE Wednesday 1st November, Mobile Library in Yarcombe, 2 - 2.30p.m. (page 14). Wednesday 1st November, Cinema Club, Churchinford Village Hall, 2.30p.m. & 7.30p.m. (page 18). Wednesday 1st November, Handbells Group, The Jubilee Hall, 6.15 - 8.15p.m. (page 15). Thursday 2nd November, Short Mat Bowls, The Jubilee Hall, 2.30 - 4.30 & 7 - 9p.m. (page 17). Thursday 2nd November, Maggie's Men, The Baptist Chapel, 7p.m. Monday 6th November, Craft Club, The Jubilee Hall, 2 - 4p.m. (page 13). Monday 6th November, Maggie's Ladies, The Baptist Chapel, 7p.m. Tuesday 7th November, Pause for Prayer, 8 Drake's Meadow, 9.40 - 10a.m. (page 12). Wednesday 8th November, Handbells Group, The Jubilee Hall, 6.15 - 8.15p.m. (page 15). Thursday 9th November, Short Mat Bowls, The Jubilee Hall, 2.30 - 4.30 & 7 - 9p.m. (page 17). Thursday 9th November, Maggie's Men, The Baptist Chapel, 7p.m. Friday 10th November, Friday Forum, Glebe Farm, 12.30p.m. (page 16). Friday 10th/Saturday 11th November, decorating The Parish Church for Remembrance Sunday (page 12). Saturday 11th November, Village Market, The Jubilee Hall, 10a.m. - 12 noon (page 14). Saturday 11th November, Yarcombe Inn fund-raising meal, The Jubilee Hall (page 15). Sunday 12th November, deadline for return of Operation Christmas shoeboxes (page 16). Monday 13th November, Craft Club, The Jubilee Hall, 2 - 4p.m. (page 13). Monday 13th November, Maggie's Mix, The Baptist Chapel, 7p.m. Tuesday 14th November, Pause for Prayer, 8 Drake's Meadow, 9.40 - 10a.m. (page 12). Wednesday 15th November, Community Lunch, The Jubilee Hall, 12.30p.m. (page 15). Wednesday 15th November, Handbells Group, The Jubilee Hall, 6.15 - 8.15p.m. (page 15). Wednesday 15th November, Yarcombe Voices' deadline (page 18). Thursday 16th November, Short Mat Bowls, The Jubilee Hall, 2.30 - 4.30 & 7 - 9p.m. (page 17). Thursday 16th November, Maggie's Mix, The Baptist Chapel, 7p.m. Thursday 16th November, Yarty Gardening Club meeting, Buckland St Mary Village Hall, 7.30p.m. (page 8). Saturday 18th November, Uffculme School Craft Fair, Uffculme School, 10a.m. - 4p.m. (page 18). Monday 20th November, Craft Club, The Jubilee Hall, 2 - 4p.m. (page 13). Monday 20th November, Faith Matters, 8 Drake's Meadow, 7p.m. Tuesday 21st November, Pause for Prayer, 8 Drake's Meadow, 9.40 - 10a.m. (page 12). Tuesday 21st November, Tuesday Club "A Dancer's Touring Life", The Jubilee Hall, 7.30p.m. (page 15). Wednesday 22nd November, Handbells Group, The Jubilee Hall, 6.15 - 8.15p.m. (page 15). Thursday 23rd November, Short Mat Bowls, The Jubilee Hall, 2.30 - 4.30 & 7 - 9p.m. (page 17). Thursday 23rd November, Maggie's Mix (pre-Lite-Bite), The Parish Church, 7p.m. Saturday 25th November, Bulk Buy Oil deadline (page 13). Monday 27th November, Craft Club, The Jubilee Hall, 2 - 4p.m. (page 13). Monday 27th November, Parish Council Meeting, The Jubilee Hall, 8p.m. (page 15). Tuesday 28th November, Pause for Prayer, 8 Drake's Meadow, 9.40 - 10a.m. (page 12). Wednesday 29th November, Mobile Library in Yarcombe, 2 - 2.30p.m. (page 14). Wednesday 29th November, Handbells Group, The Jubilee Hall, 6.15 - 8.15p.m. (page 15). Wednesday 29th November, Cinema Club, Churchinford Village Hall, 7.30p.m. (page 18). Thursday 30th November, Short Mat Bowls, The Jubilee Hall, 2.30 - 4.30 & 7 - 9p.m. (page 17). Sunday 3rd December, Senior Citizens' Christmas Lunch, The Jubilee Hall, 12.30p.m. (page 16). Monday 4th December, Annual Christmas Bingo, The Jubilee Hall, 7.30 for 8p.m. (page 16). Friday 8th - Sunday 11th December, Christmas Tree Festival, The Baptist Chapel (page 13).

NOVEMBER SERVICES YARCOMBE BAPTIST CHAPEL 5th November at 11a.m. - Ian Foot. 12th November at 10.45a.m. - Remembrance Service at the Parish Church (page 17). 19th November at 11a.m. - Alan Blake. 26th November at 11a.m. - Café Church with Rev Nigel Freathy. YARCOMBE PARISH CHURCH 5th November at 11a.m. - Holy Communion. 12th November at 10.45a.m. - Remembrance Sunday Service (page 17). 19th November at 11a.m. - Morning Worship. 26th November at 7p.m. - Lite-Bite "Let there be Light" (page 12).

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