Portfolio 2021

Babbacombe Bay Bloomers Introduction to Babbacombe & St Marychurch

Babbacombe & St Marychurch - are older than Torquay and largely Victorian. The districts of St. Marychurch and Babbacombe became merged with Torquay in 1900 as part of the enlarged Borough of Torbay. They both play a vital role in the local Tourist industry, not only for their natural beauty, but because they have unique attractions with the Funicular railway, one of only 16 in the country, a Model Village, Bygones Victorian Museum and Kents Why do we Volunteer? Cavern Prehistoric Caves a mile or so down the road. It’s not for money, it’s not for fame. The main shopping area of St Marychurch became a It’s not for any personal gain. unique and delightful Precinct in 1978. Wooden and It’s just for love of fellowman. stone planters were installed to enhance the precinct It’s just to send a helping hand. with floral displays and are maintained by the It’s just to give the tithe of self. Babbacombe Bloom Group with local traders and That’s something you can’t businesses contributing to funding of the plants. buy with wealth. Babbacombe & St Marychurch are both thriving local It’s not the medals won with pride. communities. With Banks, Post Office and many It’s for that feeling deep inside. independent shops. Including a Butchers, Bakers, It’s that reward down in your heart. Greengrocer, Florist, Coffee shops, Restaurants, Pubs and It’s that feeling that you’ve been a part the candle stick maker in the form of a Hardware shop. Of helping others far and near, that makes you be a VOLUNTEER!

Fore Street, St Marychurch Early 1900’s

Page 1 Portfolio 2021 - Index & Contents

P1 - Introduction to St Marychurch & Babbacombe P16 - Horticultural Achievement - Babbacombe Bay Spring 2021 P2 - Index & Contents P17 - Horticultural Achievement - Sustainable Planting Project P3 - Babbacombe Bay Bloomers Team of Volunteers P18 - Horticultural Achievement - St Marychurch Precinct P4 - SWinB Awards 2020 & Comments from the Community P19 - Horticultural Achievement - The Rose Garden P5 - Community Participation - New Sponsor & Fosters Fund P20 - Horticultural Achievement - The Millenium Copse P6 - Community Participation - Podcast, Renaissance Homes P21 - Horticultural Achievement - Babbacombe Downs P7 - Community Participation - Working with & for the Community P22 - Green Spaces - Tessier Gardens, Cary Park, Brunel Woods P8 - Community Participation - Working with & for the Community P23 - Environmental Awareness - Litter Picking P9 - Community Participation - Working with & for the Community P24 - Environmental Awareness - Litter Picking P10 - Community Participation - Working with & for the Community P25 - Environmental Awareness - Working with Nature P11 - Community Participation - Working with & for the Community P26 - Environmental Awareness - Torbay Council P12 - Horticultural Achievement - Community Bug Bed & Garden Plot P27 - Local History P13 - Horticultural Achievement - Babbacombe Bay Spring 2020 P28 - Local Information P14 - Horticultural Achievement - Babbacombe Bay Summer 2020 P29 - Achievements & Plans P15 - Horticultural Achievement - Babbacombe Bay Summer 2020 P30 - Babbacombe Bay - Quiet, Beauty, Space

We hope you enjoy reading our 2021 Portfolio, this Portfolio has been created by Linda Dennis, a volunteer

Page 2 member, of the Babbacombe Bay Bloomers. It has not been professionally designed or printed. Our Babbacombe Bay Bloomers Team work to improve the community they live in, for the benefit of all. Our Committee & Helpers are:- • Tim Eley - Chairman • Sue Harwood - Secretary • Debbie Hye - Treasurer • Ian Cawley - Team Leader • Brian Baggott, Ian Barnes, Lizzie Bewick, Jenny Brewster, Peter Brookes, Val Brookes, Rob Cook, Linda Dennis, Mike Frew, Toby Hawkins, Peter Hughes, Sam Hughes, Sarah Noon, Helen Pettinelli, Val Potter, Gill Quirk, Ray Reynolds, Von Reynolds, Cathy Ringham, Jenny Saxelby, Jo Sharlott, Helen Smith, Helen Smyth, Martin Southcombe, Mark Taylor, Jennifer Vaughan, Joan Vaughan, Dorothy Westaway, Doug Westaway.

Page 3 South West in Bloom Certificate Awards 2020 Selection of Comments from the Community & Facebook

The Team of Babbacombe Bay Bloomers were thrilled to have Anita Peller - Well done and thank you all. been awarded 12 Certificates by the South West in Bloom Anthea Garrod - How lovely it all looks! Well done! Judges. Despite the challenging circumstances over the last twelve David Windsor - Super. months we were able to keep up with volunteering efforts in our green Debbie Tandy - Brilliant thank you. areas and with our floral planters. New recruits joined us, which was Emma Victoria White - Hope you all know just how appreciated by everyone you guys are. You do a fantastic job thank you. most welcome, and we have all been highly motivated in keeping the Jacqueline Ginley - Great website- lots of lovely photos and info. local area as beautiful, clean and colourful as possible. Jan Croucher - Your work does not go un-noticed. Thank you for making the Our results for 2020 were as follows:- area so beautiful with colours plants & a whole lot more. Babbacombe in Bloom - Awarded a Certificate of Recognition Jane Moore - Great new logo. Jean Waller - You are all doing a fantastic job. Love the copse, happy Babbacombe Downs - Certificate of Recognition memories. Babbacombe Downs - Certificate for Inspiring Others Jenny Oz - It all looks really lovely. Rose Garden - Certificate of Recognition Jill Howell - Thanks for all your help. Rose Garden - Certificate for Inspiring Others Jo Jones - Looks good folks! Well done! Rose Garden - Certificate for Sharing your Know How Karen Bridges - Wow, how beautiful, good luck you sure deserve to win St Marychurch Precinct - Certificate of Recognition after all the hard work you all put in. St Marychurch Precinct - Certificate for Inspiring Others Karen Thomson - Thank you. You bring pleasure to us all! St Marychurch Precinct - Certificate for Sharing your Know How Kerry Gillon - I've had a look at the website. It's really well laid out, Babbacombe Bay, Millenium Copse - Certificate of Recognition informative and the pictures bring the whole thing together. Well done Babbacombe Bay, Millenium Copse - Certificate for Inspiring Others everyone! Babbacombe Glen Sannox - Certificate of Recognition Kooky & Kitsch - It always looks lovely on the Downs and in the precinct!! Well done to you all and please keep up the good work! Debora Price - As tourist from the Black Country who has been coming to Liz Bonfante - Thank you for your hard work, the Precinct looks brilliant! Torbay most of my life I want to say a big thank you for making Babbacombe Lynne Younger - Walked through the Rose Garden this morning, lovely an even more beautiful place to visit. I have taken many photographs of all thank you. your beautiful displays and am really happy to have found the BBB Martin Brook - Thank you all for your hard work. Facebook, to see the people that have made my holiday photos even more Paul Paulding - Proper Job, much appreciated, looking good, you are the special. No matter what the weather you live in the best place in the world. "Bees Knees“ and the Bees love your work. Peter Beer - It looks beautiful you work so hard. Babbacombe Style - Awards are all well and good and, of course, nice to Philip Way - Fantastic effort. receive. But, the real winners are everyone who gets to enjoy the great work Renaissance Retirement - Thank you for the wonderful job you do. that this passionate group does. We may live in a beautiful place but the Sally Gilpin - Looks so good to see. Thank you everyone. Lovely web site. planting and thought that the team put in to so many areas really does Scott Mitchell - Well done , looks great. enhance our environment. Thank you Babbacombe Bay Bloomers  Simon Wills - Well done Bloomers! St Marychurch Precinct - Thank you guys and gals. Sue Abbs - What a fab bunch of Bloomers. Page 4 New Sponsor Renaissance Homes 2020 - Paul Aitkinhead the Torbay M.P. Kevin Foster - Foster’s Fund 2020 - During the Marketing Manager of Renaissance Homes contacted us advising that last General Election campaign, Torbay M.P. Kevin Foster pledged he would like to be involved with our group as saying ‘we are the soul of not to accept an MP’s pay rise if one was imposed, which it duly communities and we would love to support your efforts’. was. Kevin was determined to be true to his word. He knew what Paul offered to sponsor our new high-vis waistcoats and to ‘help with the salary was when he was a candidate for the job and didn’t feel planting, not just by funding but by people power. Getting hands on in the current economic climate that an MP’s pay rise of this size even if it is helping with logistics or cleaning up, we would love to get was suitable or necessary. Kevin vowed to use the pay rise to involved’. A much appreciated and very generous offer. support projects and charitable organisations that would directly benefit the people of Torbay.

Renaissance Homes sponsoring us Once every 3 months, awards are made to three local groups and with new High Vis Waistcoats projects, within the Torbay constituency, that directly impact on members of the public. Babbacombe Bay Bloomers were awarded £200 as recognition for their community efforts.

Presenting Paul from Renaissance with a certificate of Thanks

Page 5 Ian Cawley’s Podcast for Renaissance Life Story Group - The Scarecrow Festival sounds fun tell us a bit more about that - Promoting the ‘Babbacombe Bay Bloomers’ in a National A couple of years ago, the Fiesta Red flower shop in St Marychurch ‘Renaissance’ Lifestyle Marketing Campaign. suggested a Scarecrow Trail, inviting the community to make scarecrows, and then selling maps so people could follow a route to Babbacombe is simply a blooming marvellous place to be, the find them all. The proceeds go towards the Bloomer’s running costs. ‘Renaissance Homes’ Babbacombe community sits opposite the We had 60 scarecrows in the first year - 2018 - and 2019 was even beautiful Rose Garden on the corner of Babbacombe Road and better with over 100 scarecrows and people flocking from all over to Babbacombe Downs Road. Many pass by the little garden without come to St Marychurch. We had started making plans for this year’s realising it is a public area, once part of Dr Herbert Chilcote’s festival, but sadly it had to be cancelled, we are hoping it will be back residence Charlwood, which is looked after by the voluntary team in 2022 with a bigger, better Festival. of Babbacombe Bay Bloomers. How can people get involved and help support what you do - We We caught up with Ian Cawley, to find out more about the have new recruits join all the time, with some people just speaking organisation and how they help to keep Babbacombe beautiful. to us when they see us out and about, especially now we have our smart new high-vis vests that Renaissance kindly donated. People Can you tell us about the Babbacombe Bay Bloomers and how the can see exactly who we are and what we do, so often just give us group was established - Originally the group started as St donations there and then. Marychurch and District Action Group in response to the then government calling for local action groups to be set up. I joined the What makes Babbacombe such a special place to live - Apart from group in 2015, at which point we changed the name to the Babbacombe Bay Bloomers of course, Babbacombe is a lovely Babbacombe Bay Bloomers and created a Facebook page which town, with a close-knit village atmosphere and a community who helped encourage a lot of younger people to join. We have a has continued to look after each other during lockdown. Not only fantastic core team of about 12 people with others who drop in and have we got plenty of wonderful local shops in St Marychurch generously give their time helping when they can. Precinct, we’ve also got access to the beautiful Babbacombe Downs and miles of open grassland. Plus, on a clear day, you get a great What sort of events and activities do you run - Our main event is view of Portland Bill. If you’re interested in getting involved with the an annual plant sale, usually held at Babbacombe Fair in June. It Babbacombe Bay Bloomers, you can visit their website, or stop for a was sadly cancelled this year and we’ve also been unable to take chat when you see them out and about. part in the Scarecrow Festival, which has unfortunately affected the donations we receive. Competition-wise, we usually enter the annual South West in Bloom competition, winning Gold for five consecutive years. We have also won eight Neighbourhood Awards and two Gold Tourism Awards, no mean feat for a group solely made up of volunteers.

Page 6 Without a Sense of CARING there Working with and for the Community can be NO Sense of COMMUNITY Babbacombe Bay Bloomers

Volunteering around Babbacombe Bay Page 7 Babbacombe Bay Bloomers at Work

Page 8 Members of the Bloom Team welcoming the new ‘Garden Retreat Cafe’ to St Marychurch

New Volunteers Sean & Cathy Working with and for the Community New Volunteer Helen

Members of the Bloom Team welcoming the Page 9 New Volunteer Mike new ‘Puzzled SweetPage Shop’ ? to St Marychurch New Volunteer Brian Presenting ‘Certificates of Thanks’ for their support, to Smart Crafts & Café Babbs. We have our own branded Mugs, Masks & Key Fobs. We purchased a ‘Thank You Key Workers’ banner to display in the Precinct and new bunting to welcome the return of the traders after lockdown. During the months of lockdown we have supported the traders by adding face book posts with photos of their seasonal shop window displays, along with photos of flowers, tree blossom & views from around the Bay. We work together to make Babbacombe and St Marychurch a special place to live.

A Face Book Post

Working with and for the Community Page 10 Summer 2020 - Our first Babbacombe Bay A Community Fundraising Bloomers Video Tour. Stuart from the Puzzled effort for the Torbay Hospital Sweet Shop, in Foxlands Walk, kindly offered to film League of Friends. An and edit a Video for us. We were very pleased with organised sponsored walk in our first attempt and also enjoyed the soundtrack September 2020. which blended in well. The Video was sent to South West in Bloom and was added to their web site. A lovely day for the walk around our We presented Stuart with one of our ‘Certificate beautiful coastline, starting out at of Thanks’, along with a gift for his help and 09.00am and arriving in Brixham at 1.30pm. support in making our Video. He is a great addition to the local Community. The Babbacombe Bay Bloom team of walkers raised over £100 for the Torbay Hospital League of Friends. A tiring but enjoyable day.

Page 11 Community Bug Bed on the Downs New Neighbourhood Group - Petit Plot Community Garden In 2011 Torbay Council was starting to dispose of small parcels of unused land, It was proposed that the waste Shirley land at the side of the allotments, at the back of Hartop Road, be sold to a local developer for garages. A group of people in the surrounding streets were unhappy about this as the path through to St Marychurch Road had been used for generations. After much negotiation a community association was formed and a Right of Way application made. Torbay Council was in favour with the proviso that the waste land be leased to a member of the association and made into a community facility. Shirley Holbrook took on the lease in 2012 and the association members worked hard to clear the ground, sow the lawn and build fences. A competition was held to name the area and Petit Plot We maintain a community flower bed on the Community Garden was chosen as the area is both tiny Babbacombe Downs for the sole purpose of and accessed from Petitwell Lane. encouraging pollinating insects. A perfect spot to sit David for a while and look at the amazing views whilst Seating was added, decking erected and flowering keeping an eye out for a visiting bee, butterfly or shrubs planted, so the garden could be used for hover fly. This Spring we have been tidying and community activities such as table top sales, cream teas, revamping the area, giving it a fresh makeover. art exhibitions, and children's holiday craft clubs. Over the years however many members have become elderly or moved away and for the past couple of years just two of the original volunteers have been managing the area. Help has recently been offered via the Babbacombe Bay Bloomers volunteers. There is a new program of planting, painting and adding more features to encourage birds and insects. Attractive new signs have also been added. We see Petit Plot becoming a place for people to sit and enjoy nature for many more years to Linda Page 12 come. Page 13 Horticultural Achievement – Babbacombe Bay – Spring 2020 Page 14 Horticultural Achievement - Babbacombe Bay - Summer 2020 Page 15 Horticultural Achievement - Babbacombe Bay - Summer 2020 Page 16 Horticultural Achievement - Babbacombe Bay Spring 2021 Torbay Sustainable Plant Project

Babbacombe Bay Bloom Chairman, Tim Eley, began a mission to make greater use of sustainable planting in and around the Torbay area. The plants are grown at the Shekinah Mission - Growing for Life, based in Paignton. The Growing for Life project is a therapeutic horticultural charity providing opportunities for people in recovery or seeking recovery. At Growing for Life you can get Flowering in May involved with growing vegetables, fruits and flowers, or other practical jobs along with learning cooking and life skills.

Many of our areas in Babbacombe are now benefiting from the addition of sustainable planting, adding all year round colour, reducing watering efforts, the cost of plants and attracting a diversity of wildlife. Flowering in January Flowering in October

Flowering in April The Sustainable Trial Site looking beautiful in May

The power of a garden lies in its very smallest inhabitants. Page 17 Gardeners who look after them will have the greatest positive impact for biodiversity. Our Areas - The St Marychurch Precinct SUMMER 2020 – SPRING 2021

Page 18 Our Areas - The Rose Garden

The Rose Garden - was once part of Doctor Herbert Chilcote's residence "Charlwood", he lived there from 1869 until his death in 1886. The house is now the Woodland Park Nursing Home. The garden fell into neglect, but in 2016 Babbacombe Bay Bloomers started a revival project, clearing the overgrown garden and dividing it into two sections. Lizzie & Peter Val & Mike The Wooded Area - has been tackled and planted with ferns, foxgloves and hellebores in the shaded area and in the sunnier border a mixture of shrubs and sustainable flowering plants including: rosemary, fuchsias, salvias and Jennifer euphorbia. Wild garlic plants have been removed and more planting and revamping is ongoing during 2021. Bench seating is provided in both areas. The Sunny Side - is an ornamental garden with shrub filled borders, roses, rose arch and lavenders. There is also a small lawned area surrounded by various shrubs. The summer roses are magnificent and much enjoyed by the Cathy local bees and insect population. A Wildlife and Recycling Area - was Maintaining the Rose Garden & Joan created behind the shrubs, along with a water butt. The Group can usually be found working at the Rose Garden on a Wednesday morning, weather permitting. Revamping and new planting is in progress during 2021. Rose Garden Sign - A beautifully carved Walnut Wood Interpretation Sign has been sited in the Rose Garden, along with a dove cote. The Rose Garden - is well used by locals and visitors as a quiet oasis of calm and beauty, yet only a stone’s throw from the very scenic Babbacombe Downs. A special place to sit and while away some quiet time. Jo & Rob Mark, Ian C, Ian B

Page 19 Linda Helen Our Areas - The Milennium Copse

Millennium Copse - In 1999 the St Marychurch District Action Group put forward a proposal to Torbay Council to adopt a strip of land alongside the St Marychurch by-pass to mark the celebration of the Millennium. Due to fly tipping and neglect, it had become an eyesore. The aim was to enhance the area and protect it from future development. This community inspired wildlife and conservation project began in January 2000. Bags of rubbish and large quantities of earth were moved and a massive commemoration stone transported to the site and placed in a prominent position. Timber fencing and kissing gates were added. On completion of the basic groundwork, local boy scouts and volunteers planted one hundred native trees and shrubs. Oak, Ash, Field Maple, Wayfarer, Spindle, Hawthorne, Common Privet, Wild Rose, Holly and Gorse. We have continued to plant various bulbs, and sow wild flower seeds. More Bird nest boxes and bug houses have been added attracting many new birds and insects. Field and Wood Mice, Frogs, Toads, Newts and Slow Worms are often spotted, along with Badgers, Foxes, Owls and Bats. This year Babbacombe Bay Bloomers have continued with strimming, clearing, hedge laying, coppicing, making more Winrows, (dead hedges), to create an even better wildlife haven and removing Alexanders that were overpowering the wild flowers. The Bird Boxes are being lived in by Blue tits. A lovely woodland area for all to enjoy.

Page 20 Babbacombe Downs - Babbacombe Bay is a shallow, wide, north- GREEN SPACES - Babbacombe Downs south indentation into the south coast. It is bounded by Torquay to the south and Teignmouth to the north. The breath-taking landscape has designated UNESCO Global Geopark status, one of only seven in the entire UK and 140 in the world. The dramatic scenery, exceptional coastline and rocks were formed millions of years ago at the bottom of a warm tropical sea and then scorched by the equatorial sun. We are all very proud of our incredible local geology and rich cultural heritage and encourage locals and visitors alike to explore this fascinating area.

Hi-Line Team Strimming on the Downs

Bloom Team Members Litter Picking on the Downs

Page 21 Tessier Gardens - was created in the early 1900s by Mr Herbert Tessier and his wife when they moved to Babbacombe from London. The gardens were donated to Torquay Borough Council in 1933 to be used as a place of rest and quiet for adults only. The gardens are open from morning to dusk each day and locked at night. Packed with a stunning variety of trees and plants this horticultural haven has many lovely places to sit and to enjoy a beautifully tranquil and uplifting space. With its well-known Sun Temple, beautiful rose arch, pond and all sorts of other delights round each corner this gorgeous garden is well worth a visit. In 2007, a Tessier Gardens Friends Group was created. This voluntary group work to help maintain the grounds and have also donated various trees, bulbs and shrubs. They have regular work parties and run guided walks as well as tending this very special garden.

Tessier Gardens Volunteers & the South West in Bloom Judges 2019 Volunteers make a difference to Tessier Gardens

Cary Park - was provided to commemorate Queen Victoria’s Brunel Woods - Isambard Kingdom Brunel once planned to retire Diamond Jubilee in 1897. The land was given by Robert S.S. Cary and to Watcombe, Torquay . He commissioned the design of a garden was designed and constructed by the St Marychurch Local Board. and house overlooking St Marychurch. The garden was created but Cary Park has been cared for and maintained by the Council since the sadly Brunel died before the house was built. The garden has demise of the Local Board. Cary Park, which gives its name to the become woodland but many of the species and features of conservation area, was laid out in the 1890s as a public park. Robert Brunel's time survive. The wood was badly damaged in the 1990 Cary died in 1898 and the fountain in Cary Park was erected 1903. storm and a commemorative sculpture was carved out of one of the Giant Redwoods. This sculpture is an imposing feature. There is a network of paths to follow with stunning views over the Bay.

Page 22 Environmental Awareness

Page 23 Regular Litter Picking Events around Babbacombe, St Marychurch and the Downs

Page 24 Babbacombe Bay Bloomers working with Our Bug Houses The Millenium Copse Nature - Environmental Awareness & Bird Boxes Bird and Bat boxes in various areas. Bug Bed on Babbacombe Downs. Composting - Copse & Rose Garden. Making a Difference Copse - Woodland Management in place. Local Rewilding Blue Heart Areas. Sustainable Planting used where possible. Water Butt & Storage area in the Rose Garden.

Bug Bed on the Downs

Rewilding Area Glen Sannox Rewilding Visitor Our visiting wildlife

Bug Bed Visitor New Bug House The Millenium Copse Page 25 In Torbay each property is supplied with two Depending on where you live you may recycling boxes which are emptied be provided with a seagull proof bag, weekly. Recycling facilities may be different for which should be used for anything you residents who live in flats or communal buildings. cannot recycle. All houses with a seagull Households are provided with both a small food proof sack will receive a weekly caddy to use in the kitchen and a larger food collection. Additional information for waste bin to store outside. The large food waste Torbay Council waste and recycling is readily available bin will be emptied weekly. Most households are on Torbay Council’s website. provided with a wheeled bin for any general Environmental household rubbish that cannot be recycled. This is collected fortnightly. Awareness •General household rubbish that cannot be recycled •No recyclable waste •Polystyrene •No food waste •Non packaging plastic e.g. toys •No garden waste and plant pots •No DIY waste 2021 - A brand new fleet of recycling and waste •Black plastic food trays •No bulky household waste vehicles have been introduced to improve •Plastic wrapping e.g. cling film •No Clinical Waste services in the bay. Nine new recycling vehicles • and plastic bags No hazardous waste e.g. have been delivered to Torbay, with a further asbestos or plasterboard •Wallpaper 11 due. In addition, six residual waste collection vehicles were delivered in January. You can recycle your grass cuttings and other garden waste by taking them to the Recycling Centre. These new vehicles have the ability to collect more recycling as they optimise the load space, There is also a cash on collection service for collecting meaning they can stay out longer and return garden waste from households in Torbay. This service is less to the recycling depot to offload. This is offered at a charge of £12 for up to 8 bags and £1 for done by moving plastics and cans to the upper every additional bag. deck via a vertical loader which gives a maximum capacity of 850 kg. They also include Monthly garden waste collection points operate in a new heavy duty cardboard compaction Brixham and Torquay every month between February and system which can compact up to one tonne of November. Torbay residents can take their household cardboard. The new vehicles have also been garden waste to the collection point between the hours designed to reduce the noise of glass being of 9am and 1pm. The waste is then sent for composting. collected.

Page 26 Local History - Original Minton Pottery Signs

Local Civic Society Blue Plaques

Babbacombe Downs 1960’s

Original sign of Babbicombe spelling

Vintage Postcard Oddicombe Beach

Local History Society - Started in September 2004 with the aim of furthering interest in the local history of St Marychurch and Babbacombe and to encourage participation in research to publish articles and pamphlets so that the history of the area is recorded. In conjunction with the Friends of St Anne's Hall the group are endeavouring to produce an archive of the area consisting of photos, memorabilia and recording memories from local inhabitants.

Page 27 The Ventura and her sister ship Azura first arrived in Babbacombe Bay in August 2020

These Cruise Ships have been causing quite a stir in Torbay with spectacular views of them from Babbacombe Downs. Ever since the P&O sister ships Ventura and Azura first sailed into Torbay the majestic cruise liners have been attracting numerous visitors daily. They are amongst the largest cruise ships ever built for the British market. The liners normally accommodate thousands of passengers and staff, but were anchored awaiting the end of the coronavirus pandemic in line with Foreign Office advice to all Brits against cruise ship travel. Twelve huge cruise ships in all have been spotted anchored off Torbay because the South Devon coast offers secure anchorage with the prevailing weather.

Page 28 So much to say about Babbacombe Bay - Summer 2020 Achievements 2020 - 2021

2020 - Awarded 13 South West in Bloom Certificates 2020 - New High Vis Waistcoats, sponsored by Renaissance Lifestory 2020 - New Logo 2020 - New Sponsors 2020 - New Sustainable Planting 2020 - New Volunteers 2020 - New Website 2020 - BBB Video used locally for promoting the Bloom Team & the area 2020 - BBB Video used in a National Marketing campaign - Renaissance Homes 2020 - BBB Used in Local Press as good example of Volunteering by Torbay Council 2021 - Promoting Local Traders & Shops with publicity via our social media 2021 - Revamping the Rose Garden with new planting schemes and general maintenance 2021 - Replanning & maintenance of the Copse to encourage more wildlife 2021 - Sprucing up the St Marychurch Precinct, Painting, Planting, Weeding 2021 - Replanting Wall troughs in Foxlands Walk and general clean & tidy of the area 2021 - To date presenting 35 ‘Certificates of Thanks’ to local traders, sponsors & individuals 2021 - Our aim is to continue with our Gold standard, find new sponsors, new volunteers, and commit ourselves to supporting the local community in any way we can.

Torbay Council - Babbacombe Torbay’s Natural Environment Services Bay Bloomers are a great example As usual, those Babbacombe Bay Bloomers have of a local volunteering group who been busy doing a fab job looking after some of get involved with their local green Torbay's green spaces. spaces.

Page 29 We hope you enjoy your visit to Babbacombe Bay, thank you for reading our Portfolio Babbacombe Bay - Quiet, Beauty, Space

2020 & 2021 are years we will always remember - VOLUNTEERS HELPING TO BUILD A BETTER WORLD. Octavia Hill the 19th Century Social Reformer and Co-founder of the National Trust firmly believed that:- 'We all want quiet, We all want beauty, We all need space. Unless we have it, we cannot reach that sense of quiet in which whispers of better things come to us gently’. Page 30 Volunteers making a difference

Beautiful Babbacombe Bay