British Saddleback Pig, a drawing by Liam O'Farrell Yarcombe Voices ISSUE No. TWO HUNDRED and NINE PRICE 80p OCTOBER 2017

EDITORIAL efficiently pulped by a new electric crusher and the juice produced by a new Vigo press. The equipment was given a Sweet black cherries plucked from a Provence orchard trial run a few days ago and my mother and I can attest that may be delicious and an amber peach ripened in the heat ChateauMoorhillyCornhayne2017isnectarofthegods. So of Florentine sun may be delectable, but the apple is bring your apples, quantities large or small, and if you don't embedded in the human pysche, at its very heart, in the have apples just come and watch a tradition that the people same way that the rose is. Though it most likely originated who walked these lanes and fields a thousand years ago in the foothills of Kazakhstan and though it is cultivated in wouldrecognise. Fulldetailscanbefoundonpage16ofthis almosteverycountryaroundtheglobe,theapplehasalink issue of The Voices. with our own history that is as profound as it is parochial. Our Neolithic forebears harvested wild apples; the Celts The 14th October is shaping up to be something of a discovered that mistletoe, a sacred plant, thrived on apple village day, as it begins with the Market in the morning and trees planted along ley lines. Roman settlers may have continuesintotheeveningwhenthebrilliantPub-Hubteam been expert orcharders and introduced varieties such as invite you to a Wine & Wisdom night, starting at 7p.m., with 'Court Pendu Plat' still grown here to this day, but outside all proceeds donated to the purchase of The Yarcombe Inn the walls of their elegant villas apple trees flourished, as for the community. £6 a head to include cheese and nibbles, much a part of the landscape as oak and hazel. Our a licensed bar selling all the usual favourites - why not make medieval ancestors picked the plump Costard apples that up a team with your friends? To find out more turn to page had proliferated since Norman times in woods and 17 and to enter please contact Lesley P on 01404 881634 or hedgerows to be sold by costardmongers on the streets of email [email protected] towns and cities. The Normans brought Pearmains, too, The Apple iphone 8 with face recognition may have been and taught the British that the fermented juice made the launched and cars that fly is technology that no longer best cider in the world. seems fanciful, but fortunately our lives in this Parish remain firmly linked to the countryside and the seasons. Yarcombe's Apple Day, to be held on Saturday 14th Harvest Home is celebrated in the Parish Church on Sunday October, is continuing a tradition as ancient as any in our 1st October followed by the annual Harvest Lunch to which island story except that this year technology has crept in to everyone is invited; then on the morning of Wednesday 4th lend a helping hand. Thanks to the generosity of a grant by the Sale of Harvest Produce takes place in the Church, with the Blackdown Hills A.O.N.B., this year your apples will be all proceeds donated to charity. As the nights draw in you will receive a warm welcome on the 17th in the Jubilee Hall long-leggedy beasties and things that go bump in the night" when members of the Tuesday Club will be demonstrating gather in The Jubilee Hall for Yarcombe & Marsh Children's quick and easy recipes for you to taste and share. Fund's Halloween Disco. If you'd like to join them (invitations are being sent out soon), call Pamela Rich on The sun sets around six o'clock on Monday 23rd October 07788 100564 or Julie Rich on 07967 965208. and the clocks go back the following weekend. So it will be getting dimpsy at 5p.m., when "ghoulies and ghosties and Miranda Gudenian

IN THE COUNTRY THE HARVESTER The farmer wades in fields of rustling wheat The air fills up with harvest's dusty smells. His hands grasp down the straw to check its feel. hot metal, grease, rotating belts and drum Rubs out a drooping head, blows chaff away, warm on dry lips and flesh that thirsts and burns the grain rolls on his teeth like flint on steel. parched by the itching awns and sweating sun. Now is the culmination of his growing year, The harvester cuts round and round the field, seed he has sown that started Autumn right, eating the crop until a square remains, which season's winds and rain now leave behind. it drives all nature inward as it goes, He cracks the grain to judge the flour is ripe. destroying its once familiar lanes. The Harvester turns in to make a start, A wily fox slips from the shrinking crop, the day is hot, the sun shines burning down. bounding towards the hedge it twists and turns, Working with grease and dust and itchy straw rabbits dart out amongst the crumpled straw hot sweat will scorch stripped bodies brown. speeding along the lines of former runs. The harvest beast, that grumpy dragon, moves The Harvester departs to cut new fields, amidst the billowing clouds of earth and chaff. straw bales begin to dot the stubble ground, Behind, snail-like, a trail of golden straw, strong pitchers lift the golden blocks up high, inside the thumping of its beating heart. tractors and loading trailers move around, The farmer lifts the straw and looks for waste Except where wheels have crushed the spikes of straw blowing the dust away to search the earth, wheat fields lie bare, the last crops all but home. as down the hill the hungry mouth moves on The energy of harvest slows to an end, gorging and shedding crop for all its worth. a plough begins to fold the old year down. Paddles in front stroke in the standing wheat, The pale gold fields are slowly turning brown the open jaws devouring all that comes, fresh earth awakes to breathe in Autumn's air. bending the crop towards its chattering teeth, The farmer walks new ground with eyes cast down, feeding it on beneath the beating drum. whether to risk his seed this coming year?

The hollow plates rub out the ripened ears, John Carter shakers sieve out good grain and blow the chaff, remaining straw walks backward on its way, slipping its crumpled mound to stubbled earth. A belly full of grain lies deep inside pouring to trailers pulled beneath its arm, the golden wheat fills up their bulging flanks as each one trundles to and from the farm. The Harvester moves slowly down the hill, so quietly now its heart-beat almost gone, faint dust clouds rising round a moving shape, rotating rhythms from a distant song. Louder again as up the field it comes with billowing dust and roaring belly sound, a raging bull now paws the baking earth leaving its marks upon the stubble ground.

A young vicar in his new parish had to attend a cremation at a cemetery in a town where he'd not been before. So he programmed the location into his Smart phone Satnav, put the phone in his pocket and set off for the crematorium giving himself plenty of time. But the traffic was horrendous and he got to the crematorium in time to see the coffin already on the dais. He stood by the coffin. At that moment a voice came from his pocket: "You have reached your destination."

Page 2 YARCOMBE WEATHER ~ AUGUST 2017 2017 2016 2015 Av. Max. temp. 18.8°C 22.2°C 20.1°C Av. Min. temp. 12.9°C 14.0°C 12.4°C Av. Overall temp. 15.9°C 18.1°C 16.2°C Rainfall 87.5 mm 56.7 mm 85.9 mm Wettest Day 2nd 16.3 mm 2nd 22.9 mm 13th 25.6 mm Sunniest Day 28th 12.0 hrs approx. 23rd 12.0 hrs 2nd 12.0 hrs Warmest Day 28th 22.1°C 13th 28.2°C 22nd 24.1°C Coldest Night 31st 9.9°C 30th 10.8°C 1st 8.4°C Sunshine hours 152.0 hrs. approx. 176.0 hrs 132.0 hrs This was the coolest August for five years. We had average rainfall but once again the sun shone for the Terrier Racing evening. The weather between the 21st and 28th August was the best of the month when no rain fell and we had an average 6¾ hours of sunshine per day. August and September is the time of year when we experience an invasion in our homes of spiders in particular the larger variety. They scurry out from under sofas and furniture, crawl along skirting boards. These large unwelcome guests with legs spanning 9cm are male spiders who are looking for a mate. I have alredy caught several of them and countless of the smaller varieties. It is also the time of the year when we gardeners find several brown round patches on our lawns where the leatherjackets have killed the grass by eating the roots. Looking at my grass I think we are in for an invasion of the crane fly (Daddy Long-legs). Tony Newman

THIS MONTH'S FRONT COVER ILLUSTRATION BRITISH SADDLEBACK PIG, by Liam O'Farrell Liam O'Farrell does not usually let his work out without payment but has most generously made an exception in the case of Yarcombe Voices. I am profoundly grateful to him for his kindness. However, imagine my surprise when I looked at his address: Old Rose Cottage in the village of Pilton, Somerset. A number of you will recognise it too, for it was once the home of Leslie and Olive Lloyd Jones. For those newer to Yarcombe and Marsh, Leslie was this Parish's much respected and loved vicar from 1973 to 1985. When he and Olive left The Old Vicarage they moved to Chardstock and thence to Pilton. Fondly remembered are the many Yarcombe/Pilton "outings"! "Asanartist,"saysLiam,"Icherishtheordinaryinthingsinlife,Iliketolookagainatallthethingswecansoeasilymiss, and celebrate them. Although much of my work is architectural, the core influences are all about people. My paintings can be in oil paint or watercolours, although fundamentally it is all about the drawing. To me that is where the art of it all is. I exhibit often, including the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition, The Royal Society of British Arts and as far afield as Tokyo." An exhibition of Liam's paintings, prints and drawings will be held from the 23rd September - 8th October 11a.m. to 6p.m. at the barn at Worthy Cottage, Pilton, as part of Somerset Art Works. If you'd like to meet him there just give him a call and he'll come over to the barn to see you. Do please take the time to look at Liam's website liamofarrell.com For enquiries and commissions call 07812 191082 or 01749 899117 or write to Old Rose Cottage, Ford Lane, Pilton, Somerset, BA4 4BT. Email: [email protected] Facebook: Liam O'Farrell Painter Twitter: liams_art Youtube: youtube.com/c/LiamOFarrell Pinterest: pinterest.com/liamsart/ Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/liamofarrellartist The Editor

A man's car stalled on a country road one morning. When the man got out to fix it, a cow came along and stopped beside him. "Your trouble is probably in the carburetor," said the cow. Startled, the man jumped back and ran down the road until he met a farmer. The amazed man told the farmer his story. "Was it a large heifer with a brown spot over the right eye?" asked the farmer. "Yes, yes," the man replied. "Oh! I wouldn't listen to Bessie," said the farmer. "She doesn't know a thing about cars."

Page 3 SERIOUSLY BAD POEMS FOR - IS IT OCTOBER ALREADY? IT'S GOOD TO TALK RUBBISH. Everybody should try it – it can be very therapeutic. Obviously I do it a lot now (see the last 50 or so Voices articles) and I’m not sure exactly when I started – probably soon after birth. But I remember a particularly satisfying rubbish-talking session during a spell I spent working for a software development company. Three of us were waiting for a transatlantic phone call from a customer having problems with a recently-amended product. The call didn’t arrive on time and we were stuck thumb-twiddling for what seemed like an age, so a new game was invented. Each of us chose a random object – mine was a dustbin lid, the others Concorde and a bicycle. We then proceeded to discuss recognisable relationships or similarities between the objects and to decide which, if any, were superior in any particular category. I opened up the discussion by stating that a common factor was that all three were made of metal, but this was quickly ruled out of order, not simply because dustbin lids could be made of plastic, but also because recent origami publications had shown how Concorde could be constructed from paper. This was a bit of a blow, but I soon notched up a point for the observation that only a dustbin lid could be used as a Frisbee. It was then confidently claimed Concorde was the only flying object of the three, but this was rejected on the grounds that a dustbin lid could be flung (as in the previous example) and that a bicycle could be ridden at high speed over Beachy Head, both resulting in flight, albeit only for a brief period. One of my smirking colleagues later alleged things were looking pretty grim for my dustbin lids as they couldn’t carry passengers like the others, but I corrected him by saying that technically, any spider desperately clinging on for life to an airborne dustbin lid could legitimately be considered a passenger. Now it’s time for the far more sensible 3 Rs: Roughly Rhyming Rubbish: A Blinding Good Tale I'd like to own a labrador and call him Ben or Chuck, But Paddy says I shouldn't 'cos they always bring bad luck. I asked him to explain this to me if he didn't mind. He said, "I've seen how many of their owners have gone blind!" Well Oil Be Those men who wear skirts with no knickers, I reckon they're trying to trick us. There's many a Scot, Independence they plot. North Sea Oil's what their blood's not as thick as! A Lesson In Maths The teachers are after a pay rise. They want 10%, want it quick. I think we should give them their pay rise, When kids are 10% less thick. Everything In Moderation The garden is the place I go when it's hot, for a beer. Then when it's cold I'll get sloshed at the pub which is quite near. On rainy days, I'll have a lager sitting in my chair. And if there's fog, a few large rum and cokes will clear the air. But as I pour another one, I'm thinking this ain’t clever. I guess I should admit I've got a problem with the weather! Talking rubbish has multiple purposes and should not be used in a purely selfish way, for your own enjoyment. Primarily it is excellent practise for those who see themselves as future politicians, broadcasters and journalists. If you become proficient at it you could find yourself working for The Guardian, the Daily Telegraph or even the House of Lords - all establishments that are highly skilled at this kind of thing. It is also a huge advantage to talk rubbish during your courting days, especially if the rubbish is delivered with supreme overconfidence, a technique which experience has shown cannot fail to impress, provided you have taken the simple precaution of ensuring that the object of your desires is somewhat thicker than you are. So be generous with your spoken rubbish. Spread it far and wide and you will become an expert in your field - and the rest of us will lock the gate. Finally remember, wherever you are and whatever you say, always be sincere, even when you don’t mean it. 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. Every penny counts!

When my grandson asked me how old I was, I teasingly replied, "I'm not sure." "Look in your underwear, Grandpa," he advised, "mine says I'm 4 to 6."

Page 4 FESTIVAL OF BRITAIN 1951 When I read the article about the new Festival of Britain in compared with the rides available now at Alton Towers the September issue of The Voices, it took me back to my and Thorpe Park! own visit to The Festival on the 21st July, 1951. We eventually arrived home at 11.15p.m., and I must I went up to town with my mother on the Underground, admit I was very tired but very happy. I think, looking passing areas that had been devastated by wartime back, it was money well spent and a great way to see out bombing but were now being developed with the new the last year of the reign of George VI. building of houses, prefabs, shops and businesses. We At that timeit wasa shamethat somanyofourmen were walked over Westminster Bridge and passed car parks (ex still serving abroad in occupied Germany and fighting a bomb sites?) full of British-made Austins, Hillmans, rearguard action in our Colonies who were trying to Vauxhalls, Singers, etc., but with few Rovers, Jaguars and become independent. There was also a UN-led action in Bentleys. I did notice, however, a few MGs and Austin Korea where my friend, Ken, was an Aircraft Engineer on Healeys. Then nearer the Festival site there was a park for HMS Glory, one of our half dozen aircraft carriers in action motor cycles, again British-made, Nortons, Triumphs, with their Hawker Sea Fury and Fairey Firefly aircraft. BSAs, Ariels. There were also a few motorbikes and sidecars. After all this excitement it was back to going to school, Scouts, Church and Youth Club. When we eventually entered the site we made a beeline for the Dome of Discovery as I wanted to see the Transport There is a great difference between then and now! Then Section and especially the new all-British aeroplanes in we were recovering from a devastating war when nearly the Civil Aviation Section: the Comet, Viscount and one million people from and in the UK died, towns and Britannia. In the Military Section we saw the Hunter, the cities were partially destroyed and lives were Canberra,notonebutthreeVBombers,theValiant,Vulcan dramatically affected. The 2008 recession was self- and the Victor – not the real things but models, photos, inflicted caused by the banks and international drawings and future plans. mismanagement and not caused by a German megalomaniac. We are still suffering the after-effects nine After lunch we walked around and marvelled at the years later. FestivalHall,theSkylonandtheexhibitionsofclothingand food. We enjoyed being in the midst of hundreds of people I think, therefore, that a New Festival of Britain sounds fromallpartsoftheworldtogetherwiththemainlyBritish asthoughitwouldbeanostalgiclookbackathowgreatwe, people loving the whole thing. They were enjoying getting as a nation, have been in the past when we ruled over a awayfromtheirveryhardlifeinhumdrumjobsstillhaving third of the world. It seems to me that now we have to endure rationing and shortages. descended to pleading with them to do business with us and so maybe a New Festival of Britain would put some The day was not over as we went to the Battersea Park pride back into the country. Festival Gardens where we went on the Tree Walk, the George Bright Ghost Train and the Emett Railway – all very tame

YOUR GARDEN IN OCTOBER Well, everybody, I hope we are going to get some dry weather, we could do with it. I read in Voices that Mr Stone is having another Apple Day (see page 16 - Ed.), it is a good idea. Mrs Charlie C was saying to me when she read it that it is a real shame all these apples go to waste each year all over the country, she and hubby Mr Chardstock have a lot of apples from the orchard but Mrs C makes a good lot of apple jelly, apple cake, etc., and you can guess what Charlie makes, folks, it is in the alcoholic line as per usual. Well, down to business, you can make a sowing of the broad beans this month but you'll have to cover them with a cloche or such, best way to keep them growing for an early crop istoputtheminapolytunnellikeCharliedoes. 'TheSutton'varietyisagoodone. MrPopeye is getting in the spinach in a week or two, he puts them under a cloche in the veg patch, he says tell the readers 'Monoppa' and 'Atlanta' varieties are good ones. Charlie's Mrs Neighbour is sorting a new asparagus bed, she has got hubby to do the grafting plus Charlie to give her a good bit of his advice. If you are doing this task it is a good idea to turn in a bucket of muck or compost ever square yard plus a handful of lime. You want to plant one-year-old crowns but you want to make sure they haven't dried out

Page 5 when you buy them. Put in a shallow trench 12" wide and deep, turn in some more muck or compost in bottom of trench and cover with a layer of soil. Hoe a 6" ridge along middle of the trench and put the crowns on this, 18" apart, cover with soil so only the tip of the crown shows. In the spring it is a good idea to give a couple of handfuls of Growmore or such plus after cropping. You don't want to go cutting back the leaves too quick this time of year, you need to leave them to yellow then cut them down, if you don't cut them you will get the beetle plus you don't cut any spears for the first two years. Charlie says to plant 'Gijnlim F1' variety, it is a good one. If you have got an asparagus bed Charlie says end of this month you want to give them a good bit of muck or compost then put a layer of grit over this and then you put a handful of the granular dishwasher salt stuff scattered over which is a good weedkiller. Keep dead-heading the dahlias. Mrs Neighbour told me the dahlias can be used in salads, Charlie and Mrs hadn't heard this one either, they are going to try it, I shall make sure I don't have tea with them for a good while. Sheila in Chard says tell the readers that if you have got the scented leaf pelargoniums planted out like she has it is time to pot up, they can spend the winter on a sunny windowsill. Here's one from Charlie again, folks, he says tell the readers get the autumn- planted garlic, onions and shallots in the ground before Jack Frost comes along. It is month to get the grease bands round the apples and pear trees. A lot of folk have done this task, cut out the fruited canes of the raspberries and tie in new ones for next year. Charlie has been growing variety 'Joan J' this year for first time, he says it is a winner. Happy gardening, everybody! A Yarcombe Gardener

AS THE SUN SINKS SLOWLY INTO THE WEST Almost twenty years ago today we moved into Littledown, the mpg of the Cadillac probably kept the garage ticking a lady Tax Officer and a Regional Manager for a very large over if not the UK Treasury! The school kids were solid fuel company. I was working in Oswaldtwistle (try merciless and knowing he couldn’t chase them would saying that after a few ziders!). I was a National Sales shout out “Tell us a joke you -/@* so-and-so Manning” - to Manager working in the garden trade when a posh head which Manning replied in kind! hunter from the smoke asked if I’d be interested in joining Eric Cantona by contrast would stand quietly on the the coal trade. Anyway, when I stopped laughing he corner of Rochdale Road and wait for a lift into work (an mentioned the salary and that soon wiped the smile off my International striker for Manchester United – Work?!?!). face! They wanted me on the distribution side in the TheMemsahibwouldwaitpatientlyinthequeuetogetout Midlands and at the final chat I had with the MD I asked onto the main road and he would wave so she would wave whereabouts in the Midlands I should move to? He replied back. Just as well she was in her car or I may have been “Taunton”(cuetumbleweedandwindsound)-thatshould coming down here alone! Not only that I’m a true blue have been plenty of warning but then greed and curiosity Manc!!! got the better of me! We didn’t want to be in town again or on an estate, we I’d told the Memsahib that I was to be the Midlands wanted a bit of peace and quiet. Unfortunately such Regional Manager and she said I was lucky it wasn’t the houseswereflyingoffthemarketatthetime,wewouldsee South West “There’s a 300 long list to one but by the time we rang the estate transfer down there!” Fortunately she agent it had gone. For some reason we hadjustbeeninvolvedinsettingupanew had written this part of the region off. I “Customer Desk” (as if we have a choice think we had come through Chard on a to pay tax or not!) and, when the powers- rainy day and that put the tin hat on that! that-be in the region heard this, she went Anyway, one evening I came home and straight to the top of the list and was she said, "We’ve got two houses to see given the job of setting up a “Desk” in tonight so we’ll grab a sandwich and go." Taunton. To say she was as popular as Crippen when she got down here is a The first house we saw was on the A303 massive understatement! Some people in and at seven in the evening in those days it her new office had relatives in the North seemed reasonably quiet. So I said if the desperate to get down here before retiring – one in next house wasn’t any good we would probably put an particular was her new boss whose brother had applied offer on it. Now the Memsahib had seen the next house for the post! during the day but didn’t say anything to me and so we pulled down this lovely little lane and after a couple of Well, I took the bull by the cojones and joined the hundred yards I saw a house. I thought this can’t be it, it's company; the Memsahib gritted her teeth and she too nice not to have been sold. transferred to Taunton. We had a lovely house in North Manchester on as nice an estate as you could get in those Outside the gate was a Land Rover and when we pulled parts. We had neighbours such as Eric Cantona and up we saw it was open with the keys in it. In Manchester Bernard Manning. Manning owned several large cars, one that would have been gone within seconds! So it was a of which was a great big white Cadillac convertible which fairlygoodindicatorofthepaceoflifeintheseparts. Alady he shoehorned himself into; he would pull into the local was mowing the lawn and she showed us round. I didn’t garage where despite the fact that it was self-service they say a word, I was too busy thinking: “Where’s the catch?” would come out and serve him. He was a good tipper and It had been a holiday let and apart from the obvious damp

Page 6 I couldn’t fault it. Even the seven foot wall a yard from the We have been so lucky with all our farmer neighbours kitchen window didn’t daunt me! As we drove off the down our lane, people whose families have lived in Devon Memsahib said, “You don’t like it do you?” I blurted out for generations. Like Allan who gave Christine free rein to “You're damn right I don’t like it - I LOVE IT!” wanderhisfieldswhenshe’soutwalkingthedog. Malcolm So we bought Littledown with all its little foibles and we whoofferedtotakeChrisintoTauntonthroughfourinches have stayed here for twenty years. The wall by the way of snow when I’d just had my hip done and she needed to belonged to us so the very first day I was out with a lump collect me. We also need to mention Murphy (Malcolm’s hammer and very big chisel to reveal a world-beating lurcher) who was the only male dog that Floppy would view! Theblocksarestill inthegardeninvariousroleslike tolerate. He never came up to our place except on the day the raised herb bed. that we took her to the vets for the last time - very strange and touching! Clive, who although he’d only been my We hadn’t sold our house in Manchester at the time and neighbour for a few weeks came round and helped me to we had to beg, borrow and steal to buy Littledown so the replace a ruddy great fence post. We’ve got to especially namewasquiteappropriate,wehavealwaysjokedthatit’s thankournextdoorneighbourswhomovedinafewweeks “Little down and loads to pay”. We kept the wooden after us, Chris and Wendy Rich and their three smashing nameplate on the gate that someone had taken the time to children Jonathon, Adrian and Sally who have done far too lovingly carve out, though it has had several much for us over the years to enumerate here, they have refurbishments over the years. We have always seen the been absolute stars! nameplate as a lucky charm and that our “Little” house has always looked after us. We have also had great tradesmen like our postmen Trevor (who took the grandkids' tent down one very Wearenowgettingtoastageinlifewhereweneedtobe windy day) and of course Paul who always had a couple of nearer to our lads (they’ve told us so!). So we have had to minutes for a cheery chat and slipped us a few extra copies sellourlittlebitofShangrilaandwearemovingtoLincoln, of a certain circular we liked! Even the lorry drivers like still beautiful - but different. We can have takeaways the milk lorry man who always waves or beeps as he delivered again and everyone has superfast Broadband passes and the builder’s merchant driver who stopped his with taxis and buses on demand (I’ve only ever used my lorry in the middle of the lane and helped the Memsahib to bus pass once and that was in London!). My lads can take load a heavy chair into her car. The recycling men who me down the pub and sit me in the corner with half a mild always stack our boxes neatly back on our side of the gate and the Memsahib can go into town and spend her pension and the dustbin men who always have a cheery wave and inallthebigshops-youshouldtoseethesizeoftheirLidl’s! some nice words for Shadow (Even though she always Will I be happy to leave Devon? Decidedly NOT! The barks at them!). Otter Valley and the Blackdown Hills are the most Talking of Shadow we must say that though two of us beautiful places in Britain. Our buyers are two lovely moved into Littledown, three are moving out. If we have people who are totally in love with the area and are more beenaskedonce,we’vebeenaskedadozentimes:“Areyou than used to living in a farming community so will taking Shadow with you?”- the inference being that if we probably understand the demands of silaging. We had to didn’t take her they would happily look after her. Well, laughwhentheir solicitorgotabitmuddledandtolduswe Christine has steadfastly replied: “I’d leave Steve down weren’t in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and here before Shadow!” I would like to go on record now by couldwegivehimsomesortofevidencethatwewere? We saying “She means it!” sent him the map of the Blackdown Hills with the relevant border and of course Yarcombe is virtually the bullseye! We have had twenty years watching the most glorious We also commented that if we weren’t in the Blackdown sunsets from the summerhouse with a glass of wine and a Hills someone had moved them! He had got AONB mixed pint of zider. So it is fitting that as the sun sinks slowly in up with conservation areas; there is a conservation area in the West we are moving east to our next adventure. Your Salford and believe me when I tell you there is nothing lovely Editor Miranda has published every article we’ve beautifulaboutSalford!However,goodsensemustprevail eversentintoTheVoicessoifyouneedtoblameanyonefor andsowearenowpackinglikemadandI’vegottosayifwe them - it’s all her fault! We will miss it all terribly but we hadn’t done this now we wouldn’t have been able to do it leave with many good memories and you can’t ask for in a few years’ time. Is it stressful? I’ve not been this bad anything better in life than that. since my work mobile went in a number five wash! All our love and good luck - chris&steve@littledown

☆ ☆ Thank You, Steve and Chris! ☆ ☆ Thank you, Steve and Christine, for all your wonderful contributions to The Voices over the years which have been so enjoyed and appreciated. God bless, may all go well with you in your new life in Lincoln and, though not quite as the song goes: "We'll meet again, don't know where, don't know when, but I hope we meet again some sunny day"! - The Editor

I'm at an age where I can't take anything with a grain of salt. - Matt Wohlfarth

Page 7 Each year we publish the winning entries in the Flower Show poetry class; here is the poem that took second prize. COUNTRY LIFE In China, country life is nice: In Devon, country life is REAL: The farmers grow a lot of rice; It’s what we live and breathe and feel; They harness oxen side by side The peaks and troughs go up and down, And plough the paddy fields with pride We smile, we weep, we laugh, we frown, In Texas, country life’s a hoot! We surf the highs and ride the lows – The bulls are bold, the cowboys cute: We know that’s just the way it goes; They’ll shoot a duck to eat for tea So when the crops are wrecked by rain, But let the hummingbird go free Or lambs escape along the lane, When greenfly strip the lupins bare, In Denmark, country life’s a treat: Or fences rot beyond repair, The earth is packed with juicy beet, When cows fall sick, the donkey kicks, The pigs have so much beet to eat The horses’ manes are thick with ticks, Their bacon tastes uniquely sweet! The cabbage patch is full of slugs, In Egypt, country life is HOT: The orchard overrun with bugs, It rains a bit – but not a lot; We don’t give up, we don’t complain – The shifting sands hide tales untold, We count our chicks and start again. Come feast or famine, storm or drought, The sun-baked desert shimmers gold… The truth is plain, without a doubt: In Scotland, country life is wild: From Timbuktu to Tennessee, In summer, when the days are mild, There’s nowhere else we’d rather be; The stag patrols the leafy glen, From shady nook to sunlit crest, Revered by monarchs, stalked by men, From sprawling farm to sparrow’s nest, The scent of heather swells the breeze From north to south and east to west… And gannets swoop on shining seas; The Devon country life’s THE BEST! In winter, though, the nights are long – Penny Reynolds Thank God the whisky’s good and strong! In London, country life’s a dream: A bluebell wood, a sparkling stream, A dappled grove, a cobbled street, A perfect field of yellow wheat And other charming rustic scenes Portrayed in glossy magazines Where ponies graze beneath the trees And meadows hum with honeybees

OUR THATCHING LIFE Featuring….Ferrari the Thatcher, Daisy his Apprentice and Stitch her Dog

Ridge Rolls, Reed Boats and the Texan Contingent sparred together hundreds of ridge rolls and then fixed While I watch the Peregrine and the young swallow thousands of cross spars through the wheat reed ridges - competing with maximum speed and agility - the one to and she has heard plenty of cursing when I arrive at a new secure his lunch, the other to secure it's life - Daisy is roof to re-ridge it only to find that there is bugger-all to fix engaged in a it to. The ridge, the peak of a roof, needs four or five ridge litany of rolls being 3" - 4" in diameter running horizontally along o u t r a g e its whole length on each side, the whole thing looking very which finally much like an upside-down reed boat, the kind used on the punctures my Nile. Ridge rolls are needed to give a solid base to fix the bird watching final ridge to, to keep the ridge at a good, steep pitch, and p e a c e : of course to help keep out the rain... In short, if you think " T h a t c h e r ! you could turn your ridge over and float it down a river, THATCHER!! then it should keep you dry for a great many years. I've seen Building a ridge without them will work well enough them; I've first time around, but as the ridge needs to be done more actuallystoodandwatchedthemandtheyareonlyputting often than the rest of the roof what happens is that, as the on two ridge rolls! One on top and one to the side!!" roof thins and degrades, there is less and less to fix to - So far in her apprenticeship, Daisy has tied on and hencethecursingwhenItakeoffaridgetofindnothingbut

Page 8 a thin coat of fragile reed beneath it. Adding ridge rolls in thing about thatching right in the village is getting to chat at this stage can mean taking off layers of thatch, and more to passers-by and before long we had met the whole group expense - not news any customer would like to hear. as had Mr M. and Paul, who had taken it upon themselves One of the best things about our work, is the people we to re-paint the signpost at the tip of the garden. We were meet. On our way from yard to Mr and Mrs M's roof we allverykindlyinvitedtoabarbequeattheirfriend'shouse. passed a man out for a run. He was wearing bright orange Ms A, the hostess, had brought her smoker oven with her shorts, the kind of hat that has seen a great deal of weather from Texas and she and Bird-dog had spent much of the and a tan to match. I said to Daisy, " I don't think he's from day cooking the most delicious feast. There was smoked round here." brisket and ribs and beer-can chicken - I can't quite remember how Bird-dog said that worked - but it tasted Later that day the same man and his equally weathered great, and Mexican salsas and enchiladas and so many friend walked by and stopped to introduce themselves as other lovely things. There was dancing...not the Texas two Bird-dog and Vino (you sort of have to say their names step, but Bird-dog's own 'Lawnmower', which makes me with a Texan accent otherwise it just doesn't sound right); grin just thinking about it. Thank you so much Ms A - that professional climbers from Texas and South Carolina. was a fabulous night in excellent company. They were staying with family and friends in the village and were interested to see how thatch worked. The great Alan Ferrari

☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ WORDS OF INSPIRATION ALL that I have learned has led me step by step to an unshakable conviction of the existence of God. I only believe in what I know. And that eliminates believing. Therefore, I do not take his existence on belief - I know that he exists. - Carl Jung ARMENIAN folklore has it that three apples fell from Heaven: one for the teller of a story, one for the listener, and the third for the one who 'took it to heart'. What a pity Heaven awarded no apple to the one who wrote the story down. - Nancy Willard ONE of the very nicest things about life is the way we must regularly stop whatever it is we are doing and devote our attention to eating. - Luciano Pavarotti ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

AND REPORTS PERSONAL NOTICES

September's FRIDAY FORUM specifics of each case. For example, in a traditional home the children may not find sufficient stimulation unless The Forum, unsurprisingly, was well attended and after a they went to nursery school where they could interact and delicious lunch, the delegates convened in groups to develop a wide range of social skills. With the advent of discuss an issue that was formulated in the most general computersandiphones,commonplaceinmanyhomes,the terms, namely: "What is the likely impact of working concern of children becoming highly dependent and mothers on their children in terms of their education and almost prisoners of the internet and related technology development?" was voiced by more than one of the groups. In The traditional family model of mum, dad, children and contradistinction the socialising and peer interaction of extended family has in recent times undergone notable children of working parents at nursery schools was change. Mums often are not home-makers but rather go to considered to be of considerable benefit in their work and in the process the roles of mother and father development and education. In the case of traditional have become obfuscated. In some homes dad stays home homes, even if it necessitated the home-maker, gender- and mum goes to work. In some homes there is a single neutral, having to join the labour-force to help fund these parent only. In some homes the parents are of the same activities, the benefits were contended to exceed the costs. gender. These changes in the composition of a family unit The Forum ended with a vote of thanks to Brian and cannot be described as atavistic, for much depends on the Maryforconveningtheeventintheirhomeandorganizing specific circumstances. the lunch and afternoon coffee. During the lively discussion various points of view were Stanley Paulo aired and empirical evidence of situations were carefully and respectfully presented. A priori it was contended that the issue could not be classified as having negative or I bought some HP sauce the other day. It's costing me positive implications because so much depended on the sixpence a month for the next two years. - Tommy Cooper

Page 9 YARCOMBE INN UPDATE An update from the Steering Group of the project to save The Yarcombe Inn: ► Currently the Parish survey has been completed by almost 100 people, the key points from these are: • 89% of respondents are in favour of saving The Yarcombe Inn and developing it into an asset for the Parish, the region and visitors • Over 80% are in support of making The Yarcombe Inn a community hub which will include amongst other things a pub/bar, a café, a shop, a tourist information centre and a B & B. If you have not given your view please either ask for a paper copy from Lesley P. (tel: 01404 881634) or Maggie T (tel: 01404 861786). Or go to the online link: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/YarcombeINN ► A new Crowdfunder site has been set up to continue to raise money to purchase The Yarcombe Inn. ► Other funding routes have been established to support the purchase of the Yarcombe Inn building. The Plunkett Foundation has agreed to provide support with a mixture of grants and loans while the Parish Council has applied to The Department of Communities and Local Government for permission to borrow through a low cost loan from the Public Works Board. This will help leverage further grants. The Yarcombe Inn building would be owned in perpetuity on behalf of the community by the Parish Council. ► A Community Benefit Society will be formed which will oversee the operation of the Yarcombe Inn Hub and it would take a lease from the Council in order to do this. ► Once purchased it is planned to make an approach to the Heritage Lottery Fund for grant funds to renovate the building and establish a sound 21st century venue in a building that fully expresses its history. ► The communication plan has included features on and in BBC Spotlight, Radio Devon, Western Morning News, amongst many others. There will be an feature article in the October issue of Devon Life magazine. CAMRA has carried all news and press releases on both their regional and national social media channels. ► A full business and financial plan with a risk analysis is in the process of being written. A share offer for the Community Benefit Society is also being agreed. ► The Royal Albert Memorial Museum in Exeter which houses the Yarcombe Horse, the Norman corbel stone discovered in the 1990s in The Yarcombe Inn, are very interested in the project and this "horse's head" (Yarky) has become a symbol of the campaign. The Museum has agreed to do all it can to support the campaign. ► A "Your Questions Answered" document is being delivered to all households in the Parish. For more information or to ask any questions please contact: Cllr Clive Stone (01404 861174) or Cllr Maggie Tomkinson (01404 861786).

Out and About with our Roving Reporter, Lesley Sutton Community Lunch with news of Yarcombe Inn Project were on hand to explain the proposalsbeingmadeforthepurchaseofthepropertyand The Yarcombe Inn Project ideas, still coming, for its future use. Maggie Tomkinson Diners at the Community Lunch on Wednesday 13th started by explaining the Crowdfunder, uses for the September enjoyed a meal consisting of beef lasagne with building and marketing of the business. It is proposed that green salad and French bread followed by theParishCouncilbuytheInninperpetuity stewed apples and custard. Cooks for the on behalf of the community. A Community day were Rosemary Abel, Pat Bright and Benefit Society would then be formed to Lesley Sutton with helpers setting up the undertake the running of the building. tables and preparing the extras, Debbie Save The Interest has been expressed by various Carter, Mary Smith and Liz Freeman. Pam Yarcombe Inn! historical charities and grant providers. Foxwell and Doreen Parris took on their There has been plenty of press and TV usual job of dish washing. Rev Simon coverage and the Royal Albert Memorial Holloway said Grace before the meal. Museum in Exeter are keen to help with explanations of Some of the Parish Council Steering Group for the the stone horse’s head (Yarky) in historical terms, and Page 10 perhapshavinghimbroughtbacktotheInnandre-stabled opportunities such as housing. The Steering Group has six in his original home. Clive Stone referred to the months to negotiate with the current owners from 18th refurbishment necessary and possible uses as a May to put an offer in on the building which will expire in commercial venture. There would be a Manager’s flat, mid-November. possible bed and breakfast accommodation, a shop and The Parish Council is to be commended for its Post Office with office facilities and wi-fi and Broadband commitment to those in the community who voted for the on tap as well as a pub/bar and all-day café. motionandforallthetremendousamountofworkthathas There is an Asset of Community Value currently active beendonetoputthisplantogether. Theyurgeeveryoneto on the historic building which means that for a certain complete and return the questionnaires that are available limited time the village has an exclusive right to make an on line and as paper copies in the Hall, Chapel and Church offer. It also has to remain on the market as an inn/ and make their personal comments, either in agreement hostelry and East Devon District Council come down or stating their alternative views. heavily against the sale of such buildings for commercial Lesley Sutton

‘YARKY', THE HORSE HELPING TO SAVE THE YARCOMBE INN Below is part of the press release on the website of The Royal Albert Memorial Museum, Exeter A small stone horse, over 1,000 years old, has become the unlikely key figure in a Devon village’s fight to save one of the most historic and archaeologically important pubs in the South West. Nicknamed ‘Yarky’ by locals, the horse is the hithertohidden archaeological treasurewhichdistinguishesTheYarcombeInn, on theA30between Honiton andChard, as a landmark in medieval construction and a building of national heritage status. So cherished is the little horse, which was found embedded in ancient stone foundations beneath the pub, that campaigners have vowed to return Yarky to his ‘home’ should they be successful in winning back the ancient inn. "He has become the symbol of our campaign, he’s such a charismatic and endearing figure. None of us will rest until we’ve returnedhiminsomewaytothepubandputhimbackbehindthebarwherehebelongs,"declaresNickRandle,Chairman of Yarcombe Parish Council and head of the drive to save the ancient hostelry. Supporting them in this plan is no less an establishment than Exeter’s Royal Albert MemorialMuseum,whereYarkyisondisplaybecauseofhishistoricalimportanceandgreat archaeological significance. He is not only the first ever recorded use in medieval Devon of Ham stone from Somerset but is also a rare depiction of a Norman horse halter and bridle, providing a whole new perspective on the true heritage and origins of the ancient pub building. Says Tom Cadbury, Curator of the Museum: "Yarky may be small but we can see how and why he is so important to everyone in Yarcombe. He is a rare survival and a fascinatingsymbolofthevillage’shistory. Wewanttodoallwecantohelpthecampaigners in their endeavours." Known officially as The Yarcombe Horse, Yarky was discovered beneath the pub’s deep cellar in the 1990s as part of a carved and sculptured decorative corbel stone which would have been part of the interior of a much earlier building. Because of the corbel’s ornamentation and flat surface from which Yarky’s head gazed downwards, experts from The Royal Albert Memorial Museum conclusively dated it to the Norman era as the last remaining vestige of an ancient church and religious settlement on the historic pilgrim path from Cornwall to Canterbury. "Yarky is an absolute treasure as far as Yarcombe is concerned and his importance to us is huge and cannot be overstated. The pub is both his original home and a crucial link to a significant part of the village’s heritage. That is why we are striving so hard to save it," points out Nick Randle. "We are going all out to galvanise the entire community of Yarcombe, the Blackdown Hills, Devon and South Somerset to get behind us and contribute to our fund raising campaign." Merv Edgecombe ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

... JUBILEE HALL 100+ CLUB ... JUBILEE HALL 100+ CLUB ... THE WINNERS OF THE SEPTEMBER JUBILEE HALL 100+ CLUB DRAW WERE: £25 No.76 ★ Russell Parris £15 No.61 ★ Michael and Wendy Clarke £8 No.8 ★ Darren and Naomi Doble ... JUBILEE HALL 100+ CLUB ... JUBILEE HALL 100+ CLUB ...

Page 11 ❀ ❀ ❀ Get Well Soon, Joan! ❀ ❀ ❀ Just as this issue of The Voices was about to go to press we learnt that Joan Berry had been admitted to hospital for an operation. Hopefully she will be recuperating at home in Churchstanton very soon. Joan, all your friends in the Parish send you their love, and to Geoffrey, with warmest good wishes for a swift return to full health and strength again.

Yarty Gardening Club I was thoroughly enchanted to read about ‘The Dormouse who Lived in a Jug’ in last month’s Voices. Enchanted and excited as we planted a small copse of hazel whips at the bottom of our field in March and have been amazed at how quickly they have grown in just six months. We have been coppicing some of the older stands of hazel in the hope of regenerating our tiny patch of woodland and the new copse will expand the area of hazel and link the surrounding hedgerows into a continuous corridor. The hedges surrounding us are full of honeysuckle, haws, hips, sloes and blackberries and so we have everything (apart from a large terracotta jug) to welcome a dormouse if one should happen to visit. The members of the Yarty Gardening Club have enjoyed a lovely summer of garden visits and shows and now that the harvest is safely gathered in, it is time to look forward to our autumn programme of talks. Our NEXT MEETING is on 19th OCTOBER at Otterford Parish Hall, Bishopswood at 7.30p.m., when Chris Birchall from Tale Valley Nursery will be talking to us about ‘HERBACEOUS PLANTS FOR SHADE'. You are very welcome to join us. Pauline Bartlett, 01460 234778

you receive from BT, it’s based on the Roll-out programme. The contract same flat rate monthly charge. for this programme was awarded to All credit to Gigaclear, the Gigaclear in December 2016 and the installation is being carried out as a administration of this work is the private venture with no subsidies responsibility of CD&S and carries a BROADBAND from CD&S who as you know are Government subsidy. In the past BROADSIDE based in County Hall in Exeter. week I received a Press Release Incidentally, normally reliable indicating that Buckland would be I am told that Gigaclear has now sources inform me that in other parts one of the first exchanges to be finished digging up our highways and of the country Gigaclear have been connected and at first glance this byways and that this autumn all those permitted to use a high speed appeared to be good news; however, premises due to be connected will diamond-tipped circular saw to cut a on reading my notes I spotted that a have a pot in the road from which 10 cms trench in the road into which similar announcement was made superfast Broadband will be their cables have been quickly laid; back in February and the latest PR available; indeed it will be a the Highways Department of Devon stuff from County Hall carried no firm guaranteedspeedof500mbpsupand County Council has not permitted dates as to when construction will down. such a modern machine to be used commence. This is worrying because As to the progress of BT I know not, and insisted that a JCB equipped with we are now nine months from the but there seem to be optic fibre cables a bucket be deployed to dig the award of the contract which has a strung from telegraph poles round trenches. I shall be interested to find completion date of March 2019 and and about the village and there are out why the bureaucrats made this we still have no confirmed roll-out now certain houses that, having been decision and if you know the answer programme for the first of the connected to the BT system, have a please let me know. exchanges which have been selected download speed of about 60 mbps, for upgrade. Spare a thought for those of us who not the superfast speed the Steve Horner live in the Parish of Yarcombe but are Government has promised but [email protected] connected to the Buckland St. Mary adequate for domestic premises. exchange. We are still waiting for an (In his capacity as a private citizen and However, what annoys me is the fact announcement about Phase 2 of the ratepayer in East Devon). that whatever speed of Broadband

So I went down the local supermarket and got hold of the manager and I said: "I want to make a complaint, this vinegar's got lumps in it." The manager said: "Those are pickled onions." - Tommy Cooper Page 12 Yarcombe & District As we move into September, the new Young Farmers' year begins and therefore on behalf of the Club we would Young Farmers' Club like to say a massive THANK YOU to Liam, Sarah, Anton, August has continued to be a busy month starting Kate and all the other officers for all their hard work with members helping run the bar at Yarcombe over the past year. It has been a fantastic year Terrier Races on Saturday 5th. A successful with plenty of events across the year, sporting evening was had by all and we have been able to success with the men’s football and a superb donate £600 to Yarcombe Church. weekend in June celebrating our 70th We hosted our annual Foam Party on Friday Anniversary. Good luck to Richie, Emma, Jack, 11th August at Hill Shed, by kind permission of the Dan and their team for the upcoming year. Broom family. The event was very well attended with FORTHCOMING EVENTS: all having an enjoyable night. A massive THANK YOU to 23rd OCTOBER - NEW MEMBERS' MEETING at Kate, Dan and all the members that helped with the event, Yarcombe Village Hall, 8p.m. For anyone and to the advisory for helping with the bar and BBQ. interested in joining Young Farmers, come Members have also been taken part in the East along and find out more about what we do! Devon speaking competitions. Senior and 70 For more information about Yarcombe & District Intermediate Brainstrust took place on Thursday YFC please contact our Chairman Richie Barnes on 17th August at Awliscombe Village Hall. We had a team 07519 353652 or our Secretary Emma Dyer on 07462 participating in each competition, with the 344587. Intermediate team coming third and the Senior team Laura Dare, Press Secretary coming fifth. WELL DONE to all those who took part!

ART IN THE BLACKDOWN HILLS Several members of the Parish visited the Hemyock Healthy Living Centre recently where schoolchildren from across the Blackdown Hills were exhibiting some lovely artwork relating to our countryside. Among the schools taking part were Stockland, Buckland St Mary, Membury, Upottery, Awliscombe and Culmstock. It was well worth a visit. Jean Rich

CH AND CH ERS CHUR APEL MATT News from The human and canine form and we all enjoyed a time of fellowship and Baptist Chapel friendship. The morning of August 20th was a little overcast and not too warm, but seven Forthcoming events in October dogs were joined by twenty-two include our ANNIVERSARY SERVICE humans for the Pets Blessing service in on OCTOBER 22nd. As Big Ben has theopenair. Itwasajoytowelcomeour been silenced for the foreseeable friends from the Parish Church and future, except for very special theirpetstoo. Followingareadingfrom occasions,thethemeforthatservice Genesis concerning the animals who is going to be “Clocks”. Do join us if went into the Ark, each pet received a you can for an 11a.m. service, blessing and a doggy treat. How very followed by refreshments. well behaved they all were. There was In case you are planning your Ted and Ollie, Frankie and Scrappy, December diary, don’t forget our Hope, Oscar and Josie. Sandy is a little Christmas Tree Festival from the 8th to car shy and thus his blessing was sent the 10th. In due course of time Pat remotely. Bright will be encouraging village We were joined by a Canadian Mounty groups to take up the challenge of dog. Well, not a real one, but Liz brought a toy one so we decorating a small Christmas tree (which we will provide) could bless him and remember her family in Canada and so that during the festival folk can vote for their favourites. also recall Keith and those lovely gun dogs he trained. With all the creative talent we have in the village I am sure this is going to be a delightful event. Followingtheshortservicerefreshmentswereservedin Thelma Clarke Page 13 HARVEST FESTIVAL on 1st October Children are invited to bring their Harvest gifts to Yarcombe Church on Sunday 1st October at 11a.m. The service will be taken by Barry Brewer FOLLOWED BY HARVEST LUNCH IN THE HALL £6 per head/free for primary school children. Everyone is welcome even if you can't make to to the service. If you would like to book for lunch please contact: Doreen Parris 01460 62502; Lesley Pidgeon 01404 881634; Wendy Rich 01823 601276; Jean Rich [email protected] SALE OF HARVEST PRODUCE, 4th October Please come along to the Church on WEDNESDAY 4th OCTOBER at 10.30a.m., when the harvest produce will be sold and the proceeds will go to the charity 'Compassion'.

Yarcombe & Marsh Pastoral Team: Dennis and Rosemary Abel DECORATION OF YARCOMBE 01404 861774. Rebecca Bell 01460 234002. Joan Berry 01823 601386. Lin Box 01404 861400. Diane Frost 01823 601103. CHURCH FOR HARVEST FESTIVAL Miranda Gudenian 01404 861387. Maggie Lane 01404 861401. Would all of Yarcombe's kind Flower Fairies please note Tony and Heather Newman 01460 234739. Barbara Salter that the Church will be available for decoration on 01404 861465. Doreen Parris 01460 62502. FRIDAY 29th and SATURDAY 30th SEPTEMBER. All floral contributions large or small will be most CHURCHYARD HELP REQUIRED gratefully received and very much appreciated. Many thanks, everyone. For further information please be Could you help us to keep the Churchyard tidy by kind enough to contact Sonia Boyd on 01404 861343. sparing the time to mow the grass once a year? Lots of people use our Churchyard for a variety of reasons, some to sit and enjoy the quiet, others to remember those who have been buried there, some to see the view across the valley. We have also seen people running through to keep fit! Others use it to get from A to B. Usually two people work together to cut the grass and we draw up a rota once a year. We are grateful to all those who continue each year to "do their bit" and hope to gain some more names for next year. If PAUSE FOR PRAYER you can help please contact Churchwardens Pause For Prayer will continue at Maggie Lane's Geoffrey Berry (01823 601386) and Jean Rich house, 8 Drake's Meadow, from 9.40 - 10.00a.m. (01404 861274). each TUESDAY MORNING. There is a prayer board in Church for anyone to write a prayer Churchyard Cutting Rota request which will be included in the Pause for Week beginning: Prayer time. Please come and join a formal time October 9th - D. Barnes & A. Barnes of prayer, followed by a cup of coffee. October 23rd - R. Cottey & J. Quick November 6th - C. Rich & T. Rich Church & Chapel Useful Phone Numbers Hedges - C. Sochon The Parish Church of St John the Baptist: Simon Holloway, Priest in Charge 01297 35433 or 07986 274393. Joan Berry, Lay Many thanks for your help. Contact: 01460 Reader 01823 601386. Churchwardens - Jean Rich 01404 64256 or 01404 861465. 861274. Geoffrey Berry 01823 601386. The Baptist Chapel: Thelma Clarke 01404 861267. Page 14 CHURCH "SPRING CLEANING" DAY ON SATURDAY 7th OCTOBER This is the day when we need volunteers to 'tidy' in the Churchyard as well as inside our beautiful ancient Church, so please come and help if you can for any amount of time you can spare. We will start at 10a.m. Even if you can only spend a couple of hours it would be much appreciated. Thank you very much in anticipation. Jean Rich and Geoffrey Berry, Churchwardens

TES AN DIARY DA D INFORMATION Yarcombe Jubilee Hall Thank you to all those who supported our well attended September Market. We look forward to giving you a WARM WELCOME when you join us at our ☆ ☆ AUTUMN VILLAGE MARKET ☆ ☆ in the Village Hall on SATURDAY 14th OCTOBER, 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 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, 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: 11th November. 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.

THE CRAFT CLUB meets every Monday between accurate an estimate as possible (minimum order 500 2p.m. and 4p.m. in the Jubilee Hall. If you are litres). Orders can always be amended or left close to interested in joining please phone Pat Bright on the deadline date if this enables you to obtain a more 01404 861460 - or just come along! accurate reading. I will acknowledge receipt; please provide address, post code and telephone number. The bargaining power of bulk buying ensures that oil companies offer a cheaper price. If you live in BULKBUYHEATINGOIL-Atthetimeofwriting(12th Yarcombe, Marsh or nearby villages you can take September) the price of a barrel of oil has increased to advantageofthisbyorderingeverymonth,occasionally just under $55, that equates tojust over 40ppl. The next or once a year. For details please contact me, Colin deadline date for ordering oil will be WEDNESDAY Stewart, at [email protected] or phone 01297 25th OCTOBER. Please submit either a specific 792538. (Alternatively, contact Miranda Gudenian on amount or if ordering a "top up" then please give me as 01404 861387). Page 15 Yarcombe Apple Day @ The Jubilee Hall A great Devon tradition is returning to a place very near you on Saturday 14th October @ Yarcombe Village Hall Preparations are well under way for the Apple Pressing already been received and in return they would like some Day at the village hall on SATURDAY 14th OCTOBER. juice, preferably when it has turned to cider! This process The Apple Day is being run as a non-profit making has been started on their behalf by Tony and Vicky community event and all surplus funds will be donated to Wiggins who followed on from the very first pressing and Yarcombe community organisations. the progress of this cider in the making will be There is no charge for pressing your apples and demonstrated on the day. following the grant from the Blackdown Hills AONB OnSaturday14thitisintendedtosetupbyMIDDAYand Sustainability Fund your apples will be pulped by a new for early arrivals there will be some apple juice from last electric crusher and the juice will be produced by a new year’s crop, for those who have not already sampled the Vigo press. This will take away much of the heavy manual Moorhayne 2016 vintage (I can vouch it is delicious! - Ed.) labour involved with this very traditional Devon and you are welcome to sample and see how well it countrysidepastimeandleaveyoualltoenjoythefruitsof freezes. Apple juice can be successfully frozen and advice your apple crop. In order to comply with the conditions of on this and apple juice pasteurisation and cider making the grant, donations will be anticipated, relative to the will be available on the day. Cider can be made in small or quantity of apples being pressed. If you have a large large quantities. quantity of apples to be pressed on 14th October I would There will also be a CIDER TASTING be pleased if you would kindly let me know if there is a COMPETITION based on local amateur specificorganisationthatyouwishtoseebenefitthisyear. Last year the donations were given to the Jubilee Hall and ciders and I already have three entries and Yarcombe Voices. would welcome more examples of local ciders to be brought along to the event. It would be helpful if you could wash your apples and please bring your own containers for the juice, but Please let me know in advance if you would containers for smaller quantities will be available on the like to enter your own cider. day. It would be appreciated if you let us have some juice One of the main aims of the grant is for this equipment as a contribution to the eagerly anticipated WASSAIL to be used to raise money for Yarcombe organisations. event in January – details to follow in the December Another requirement of the grant is that the equipment is edition of Voices. also to be made available to hire in the wider community I am pleased to say that my own Moorhayne apple crop and for other organisations, again to raise money for our thisyearisquitegoodandsomewillalsobedonatedtothe community organisations. Please contact me should you Yarcombe Apple Day as freshly produced apple juice wish to hire the equipment. which will also be available on the day for a suitable Thanks to the generosity donation to help swell the funds raised for your of the Blackdown Hills community. If you or anybody you know has any apples AONB and their you would like to donate or have pressed, please let me Sustainability Fund we know or just bring them along on the day. now have our own Ournewequipmentwassuccessfullytestedforthevery equipment to make this a first time when Geoff and Maureen Rich came over from yearlyeventandthisyear Howley and pressed some of their apples, being the same there is a full day of variety which had made beautiful clear juice at last year’s activities at our Jubilee Apple Day. Again this year, one donation of apples has Hall, with the Market in Page 16 the morning, the Apple Pressing in the afternoon and the As soon as the last article was released, I had an order evening rounded off with Wine & Wisdom organised by forbothapplejuiceandciderfromsomeonewhoisunable the Pub-Hub team. A busy day for Yarcombe - we would to join us on the day, but will evidently be with us in spirit very much like to see you at all three events! at Yarcombe Apple Day, and hopefully you have put the Don’t let your apples go to waste. If you do not have any date in your diary. If you wish to find out more or book yourself, please come along, watch the apples being in a large quantity of apples for pressing please crushed and pressed and take home some natural organic contact Clive Stone 01404 861174 or email apple juice and help raise some donations. [email protected]

HELP SAVE THE YARCOMBE INN We would like to invite you to Wine & Wisdom at Yarcombe Village Hall On Saturday 14th October, from 7p.m. Wine Teams of 6 at £6 per head to include cheese, bread and nibbles. Licensed & Bar with all the normal stock. Please enter your team with Lesley Pidgeon - 01404 881634 or 07970 644632, [email protected] Wisdom All proceeds will go to the purchase of The Yarcombe Inn This event is organised by the Pub-Hub team working with the Parish Council's Save The Yarcombe Inn Steering Group. Come and join in a fun evening, bring your friends and make sure you book your place. If you can't quite make up a team speak to Lesley P and she might be able to help you! All proceeds go to purchase The Yarcombe Inn for the community and so your support will be much appreciated.

NEXT EVENT 11th NOVEMBER: A MEAL PREPARED BY WRITER AND TELEVISION CHEF TIM MADDAMS.

The next PARISH COUNCIL MEETING takes place on training. Born to Move every Tuesday and Thursday for MONDAY OCTOBER 2nd at 8p.m. in The Jubilee Hall. children from 2 - 16 years. See www.ledleisure.co.uk Call Everyone is most welcome to attend. Honiton Leisure Centre on 01404 42325 or check out the Facebook page for more details. HONITON FITNESS CLUB was relaunched in September. Adults and juniors. Jump start your day - open from PARISH FOOTPATHS: If anyone finds a problem with the 6.30a.m. weekdays and 8a.m. weekends. Badminton, Parish paths then please contact me, Maggie Tomkinson, squash, table tennis, swimming, gym workout, personal on 01404 861786 or email [email protected] Page 17 uesda that you do NOT need to phone 999 for permission to use T y Club it, however, if you need to use it then you also DO need to phone 999 to request an ambulance. "QUICK AND EASY RECIPES TO TASTE AND SHARE" STUDENT GRANTS 17th October at 7.30p.m. The Parish Council would like The Tuesday Club extends a warm welcome to to invite any students within the anyone who would like to come along to The Parish of Yarcombe and Marsh to apply Jubilee Hall and enjoy tasting and sharing quick for a Student Grant to assist with your and easy recipes introduced by Doreen Parris studies. Should you be interested, and Pat Bright. If you wish to bring a sample of your recipe it would be very much appreciated. please email Sarah-Jane Martin, Parish Clerk, at [email protected] by For more details of this event please ring Mo Rich 01460 61254. 31st October 2017 The next meeting of the YARTY GARDENING CLUB is on Reminder to all children who have 19th OCTOBER at Otterford Parish Hall, Bishopswood at coloured in a Nativity scene! 7.30p.m., when Chris Birchall from Tale Valley Nursery will be talking to us about ‘HERBACEOUS PLANTS FOR If you have coloured in the Nativity picture for the Parish SHADE'. You are very welcome to join us. Christmas card it needs to be returned with your name and age on the BACK of the sheet by Harvest Sunday at Pauline Bartlett, 01460 234778 the latest. There will be space on the board at the back of the Church for you to pin it up. The congregation at the services in October will vote for the best one for the card. KEEP CALM AND COMPLETE THE There will be a small prize for all who enter a picture. ONLINE POT HOLE WEBSITE The more of us who report local potholes, the more notice OPERATION CHRISTMAS is taken and the more likely they will be repaired. Please SHOEBOXES! follow the easy to follow link below and report whatever potholes you can. EDDC have advised that the first ones to be repaired are the ones with the most reports by different people. https://new.devon.gov.uk/roadsandtransport/ report-a-problem/

This year the shoebox appeal has got off to a great start with14boxesalreadyfilled-andhopefullytherewillbe many more. Please do pick up a leaflet from the table by the Church door which has all the information neededforfillingashoebox,includingtheofficiallabels 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. Boxes should be ready by the first week of November. It is also possible to fill a box online. For any more information, please phone me on 01404 861541 or e-mail [email protected]

Mary Smith

DEFIBRILLATOR REMINDER: A reminder that there is a defibrillator inacabinetonthefrontwalltotheright-hand side of the main door of the Jubilee Hall. Should you need to use it just go to the hall and collect it from the cabinet. The defibrillator is very easy to use: once you turn it on it has a 'voice' that tells you exactly what to do and where to putthepads. Picturesandlightsguidetheusertoo. Simply follow the prompts and the voice messages. Please note

Page 18 Yarcombe & Marsh Children's Fund - Halloween Disco Monday 23rd October from 5p.m. - 7p.m., at The Village Hall The Children's Fund will be hosting a Halloween Disco on MONDAY 23rd OCTOBER from 5p.m. - 7p.m., in The Jubilee Hall, Yarcombe. Invitations will be sent out to all the children we know about! Please contact Pamela Rich on 07788 100564 or [email protected] or me on 07967 965208 or [email protected] if you would like to come or for more information. Julie Rich, Chairman

Yarcombe Flower Show 2018 - joining the Book Track and Summer Reading Challenge. There is something to offer everyone on board so why not Your ideas needed please! hop on and take a look? If anyone has an suggestions or thoughts as to what they THE HOME LIBRARY SERVICE : Love reading but can't would like to be included in the 2018 Flower Show get to your library? The Home Library Service can bring schedule, then please let me, Julie Rich, know on 07967 booksandCDstoyourdoorforFREE. Theserviceprovides 965208 or email [email protected] - we would a wide choice of titles; large print books, audio books and love to have some fresh and fun ideas. CDs; free reservations; no fines. Books are delivered by security-checked volunteers from the Royal Voluntary FERNE ANIMAL SANCTUARY Service who will treat your confidentiality as a priority. A great day out for all the family. Ferne Animal For information phone 0345 155 1001 or email Sanctuary is set in 51 acres of beautiful countryside and [email protected] is home to an ever-changing menagerie of animals MOBILE LIBRARY - The Library Van stops near the including dogs, cats, horses, pigs, goats, sheep, rabbits, Village Hall car park, Yarcombe from 2.00p.m. to birdsandmore! WehaveaNatureTrail,achildren'splay 2.30p.m. on WEDNESDAY 4TH OCTOBER. Please do area and of course fields and enclosures with our animal come and see what a useful asset a mobile library is. residents to say hello to! We're open seven days a week (except Christmas and New Year's Day) so please stop by, enjoy a walk around the Sanctuary and finish with a YARCOMBE JUBILEE HALL coffee or light lunch in our café. Our opening hours from COMMITTEE MEETING October to March are 10a.m. to 4p.m. Please can all Hall Representatives attend the Ferne Animal Sanctuary, Wambrook, Chard, TA20 3DH. next Hall Meeting on MONDAY 30th 01460 65214 OCTOBER at 8p.m. If you are unable to make this date, please ask someone else from your THE MOBILE LIBRARY organisation to come along. Also please THE MOBILE LIBRARY SERVICE: We have remember to bring your forms with ideas on something for everyone: access to books, audio books, how to improve the usage of the Hall! large print and DVDs. Membership is FREE, no ID needed; no charge for borrowing books and there's a great choice. Helen Parris, Hall Secretary Non-fiction, large print and children's books can be reserved FREE. You can reserve books online and collect From Monks to The Millennium by Ruth Everitt is available them from the Mobile Library. Children have extra fun as a pdf; please contact the editor of The Voices (page 22).

Page 19 YARCOMBE INN CAMPAIGN TO FEATURE IN THE OCTOBER ISSUE OF 'DEVON LIFE' MAGAZINE - ORDER YOUR COPY NOW! Don't miss the October issue of Devon Life magazine which will feature an article about The Save The Yarcombe Inn campaign. Order your copy to be delivered by Honiton Paper Shop: phone 01404 41222!

S137 Grant Applications for Village Organisations Yarcombe Parish Council sets aside a sum of money each year that can be applied for by organisations in the Parish for projects that will be of benefit to the residents. Applications will only be considered on a yearly basis. For further information and for application forms please email or phone the Parish Clerk. Please return completed application forms by email to the Clerk at [email protected] Guidance notes for applying for a grant: Yarcombe Parish Council asks that a request for a grant be submitted in writing and that as much of the following information as possible is supplied: 1. Some background to the group applying for the grant– its objectives or what it does. For larger grants, a statement of their financial affairs and/or details of previous fund-raising activities. 2. How the grant is intended to be spent and a timescale. 3. The amount required or a suggested amount if this is a contribution. 4. The benefit to the residents or businesses of Yarcombe. For example, if the money is requested for a group or club, how many local residents are involved? 5. The value for money or appropriateness of the grant request to the Parish Council. 6. An indication of the funds held by the organisation/reason for seeking a grant. 7. After the event – some feedback in the form of a statement of how the money was used. In addition, the Parish Council would welcome a representative at a YPC meeting to answer any questions which may arise whilst the grant is being considered. Sarah-Jane Martin, Parish Clerk, 01404 861234 or [email protected]

A30 THROUGH YARCOMBE VILLAGE TO BE CLOSED FOR 9 NIGHTS From 2nd October for approximately nine nights the A30 through the village will be closed for essential highway maintenance from 1900 to 0600 hours, excluding the weekend. Diversion signs will be in place.

ANNUAL FIREWORKS ON FRIDAY 20th OCTOBER Stockland Primary Academy are holding their annual fireworks event at the school on Friday 20th October. Doors open at 6p.m. For those of you who have not attended previously, a professional firework company is employed to undertake an incredible display of fireworks - definitely worth attending! (If you have any children/ grandchildren who are slightly worried by the noise they can watch from inside one of the school buildings instead). Tickets are available to purchase via the school office and all include entry into a raffle. Thewinnerwillgettopressthebuttontostartthefireworksdisplay! Additional raffleentriescanalsobepurchasedfor£1each. TICKETS:£20forafamilyticket(family membersonlyupto5perfamily). £7foranadultticket. £4forachildticket(Freeentry for under 3s). £5 for over 60s. ThePTFAwillbesellingfood(burgers/sausages/soupetc),drinks(hot/cold/softand alcohol) and cakes (we will be asking for cake donations nearer the time please!). There is also a JACK O'LANTERN COMPETITION each year - please bring carved pumpkins with a tea light candle on the night! Prizes are awarded. Fancy dress for the children is optional and again prizes are awarded for the best outfits! WE LOOK FORWARD TO WELCOMING YOU! Page 20 YARCOMBE & DISTRICT YOUNG FARMERS' CLUB NEW MEMBERS' MEETING on 23rd OCTOBER at Yarcombe Village Hall, 8p.m. For anyone interested in joining Young Farmers, come along and find out more about what we do! For more information about Yarcombe & District YFC please contact our Chairman Richie Barnes on 07519 353652 or our Secretary Emma Dyer on 07462 344587.

LETTER FROM A READER IN AUSTRALIA attended Bishopswood School from mid-1942 to August 1945, then Yarcombe School to August 1948. One term at Dear Miranda, Honiton High School before my family migrated to A few lines to let you know how much I enjoy reading Australia in January 1949. I've made six return visits to Yarcombe Voices. I first became aware of The Voices when England over the years and of course seen many changes. I last visited England in August 2015 and I must say it is the The schools and the 'Ye Olde Yarcombe Inn' have closed, best village magazine I have ever read. Congratulations! there are houses and the A303 where our cows once Since my 2015 visit my cousin Olive Cousins has sent me grazed. On my last visit I was disappointed at how untidy every issue and I have kept them all. parts of Marsh had become. I can remember how neat and Now let me introduce myself. My name is Alec Pring and tidy Charlie Hooper kept the hedges and roadsides with I lived at Yonder Marsh Farm - more later. Back to The just hand tools. Also on my visits I've had the pleasure of Voices: firstly I enjoy your interesting and varied editorial, renewing childhood friendships. On my last visit I met then it's on to Peter Tarrant's 'Seriously Bad Poems', Shirley Briant, Margaret Hoare and Henry Derryman. For nothing like a laugh to brighten up the day! Recently I've the last two it was the first time I had seen them since our had so much pleasure reading John Salter's contributions, school days in 1948. John is a few years older than me, I'll be eighty in June, but Soon after arriving in Australia my father purchased a I can still recall many of the people, places and events even sugar cane farm in Northern New South Wales. Sugar cane thoughit'snearlyseventyyearssinceIleftEngland. Thank being a tropical plant is mostly grown further north in you, John. Queensland where the temperatures are warmer. But 8% Another of my favourites is 'In The Country' where, for of Australia's cane is grown in NSW. I'm still an active instance, Merv Edgecombe gives mention to many of the farmer but do get some help from my neighbours. Most of plants, trees and birds which were part of my life when the cane grown in NSW is what we call two-year old cane; living at Marsh. Next, Tony Newman's weather reports. that means it takes two years from planting to harvesting. Your summer temperatures are on a par with our winter Prior to harvesting we burn the cane to remove the large temperatures, we can grow flowers and vegetables all the volume of dead leaves and make harvesting and transport year round, but the summer is too hot for some vegetables. more efficient. When we first bought the farm all the cane I won't comment on all the contributions but I find each was harvested by hand, now it's all cut by machines and one so interesting in their own way and a pleasure to read. most of the growing process is done from the comfort of an air conditioned tractor cab. I've never married so have no From reading The Voices it seems Yarcombe is a vibrant family to carry on the farm. I lived for many years with my community with so much going on, the Pop-up Pub is the partner Maureen but sadly she passed away just prior to one which appeals to me the most and if I ever visit Christmas 2016. Maureen had three sons but they are not England again I'll make sure I come along and enjoy some interested in farming so one day I'll have to sell up. of your hospitality. I look forward to reading the next issues of The Voices when Olive sends them to me and re- Wishing everyone over there the best of health and reading the ones I have kept. happiness. Kind regards to you. Alec Pring Now back to me. I lived at Yonder Marsh Farm with my parents and brother Bryan. The farm was only thirty- Thank you, Alec, for your lovely letter, which was so much sevenacresbutmyparentswereabletomakeagoodliving appreciated. I send you warmest regards from all of us milking twelve cows by hand - how times have changed. I here in Yarcombe and Marsh. - The Editor

CAN YOU HELP ME TRACE MY RELATIVES? My name is Gary Brennan; my mother's name was I am hoping that someone out there could give me any Millicent Loosemore, born to John Loosemore who was information about my grandmother's family, the Paull's of born in Yarcombe in 1865. I came here recently to retrace Yarcombe. Any help would be gratefully received. I have his steps to moving to the USA and in the hope of getting in several photos of the Paull family, particularly of my great- touch with any other Loosemores in our clan in the area. If great-grandfather on an early 1900s postcard with the you know any and they would like to find out about John, caption printed on the front "Yarcombe's oldest man" (see please would you ask them to email me at the village website www.yarcombe.net on the 'Ancestral [email protected] or 1(559)351-6165 by phone. Searches' page). If you have any information please email Thank you for your attention, [email protected] Gary Brennan Alan Bartlett Page 21 Churchinford & District Village Hall’s ☆ ☆ Thank You ☆ ☆ Cinema Club presents on Wednesday October 4th at 2.30p.m. and at THE YARCOMBE YOMP 7.30p.m.: Sadly we will not be able to run the Yarcombe Yomp again this year and possibly not in the future Hidden Figures PG unless we can find a running group who wish to Based on a true story of putting man on the moon being make it their race. May I thank all those very one of humanity's greatest achievements, but the women helpful people who worked in all weathers to make who played a part in getting him there have gone unsung it happen and helped to provide refreshments on for too long - and the fact that some of them were African- the day. It was good fun while it lasted and American is the draw of this inspiring, Oscar-nominated provided a good source of income for the Village account which stars Taraji P Henson, Janelle Monae and Hall. Thank you again all you hardy helpers. Kevin Costner. John Carter The Village Hall will open at 2p.m. for the afternoon showing at 2.30p.m., and For Jubilee Hall bookings please contact at 6.45p.m. for the evening showing at Tamsyn King on 01460 234346. 7.30p.m. There will be a bar in the evening. Entrance charge is £5, payable HANDBELLS GROUP:TheHandbellsGroupmeets at the door. Before the evening ever Wednesday at 6.15p.m. to 8.15p.m. in The Jubilee performance why not order fish and chips from The York Hall. Newcomers very welcome! Inn on 01823 601333, bring them to the Churchstanton Room and enjoy a drink from the Hall's bar. The York also does more than fish and chips! POWER CUT? CALL 105 to be put straight through to the local electricity network operator. Call 105 with any welfare concerns related to a power cut, or if you are worried SHORT MAT BOWLS about the safety of over or underground electricity cables or Thursday afternoons at 2.30 - 4.30p.m. and sub-stations. 105 is free from most landlines and mobiles. evenings 7 - 9p.m. in the Village Hall. All equipment provided. Pay as you go (£2.50/ CHURCHINFORD & DISTRICT COMMUNITY SHOP session including coffee). Before you go to town, try the Churchinford Community Shop. All newcomers welcome to join us - Over 2,000 items in stock and competitive pricing! Daily come and have a go! deliveries of quality Fresh Fruit & Vegetables, Dairy, Bread, Cakes, Sandwiches & Pasties. Fresh Local Meat, Free Range Eggs, Beers, Wines & Ciders. News and Stationery. POST OFFICE OPEN Mon - Fri 9a.m. - 5p.m. Coffee shop. FREE use of Community Computer and Wi-Fi. Book Exchange, Local Art, Pottery and Cards. OPEN Mon - Fri 8a.m. - 6p.m. Sat 8a.m. - Illustrations in Yarcombe Voices : We are grateful to Liam O'Farrell, Mike Budden, Bill Sanderson and to This England and Evergreen magazines for use of 2p.m. Sun 10a.m. - 12 noon. illustrations; others originate from the late Don Tapster and Ruth Everitt. Every Churchinford, TA3 7DJ. Tel: 01823 601026 effort has been made to acknowledge the source of illustrations; any inadvertent omission will be rectified in the next issue if notification is sent to the editor. Email: [email protected]

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 NOVEMBER MAGAZINE IS: SUNDAY 15th OCTOBER. 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 22 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.

YARCOMBE POST OFFICE HARDWOOD LOGS FOR SALE Free cash withdrawals from selected banks. 10' trailer load £150. Hi-capacity landrover A selection of savings accounts. Pre-order load £120. Phone T. Coombe on 01404 foreign currency. Mobile phone top-ups. 861320 or 07860 550733 Travel insurance. Postage. Bill payments. Cheques and cash deposits with selected COTTAGES, CATS & CANINES banks. Gift cards. I offer a service of Dog Walking, House/Pet OPEN EVERY TUESDAY 10a.m. - 12 noon Sitting and General Animal Care for people out at work all day or away from home for A.G. LONG & SON, longer periods. Please contact CHRIS PURPOSE MADE JOINERY HOLMES on 01404 861795 or mobile 07999 Bespoke Doors, Windows, Stairs, Kitchens, 547037 or email: Wardrobes, Cabinets, etc. 30 Years' [email protected] experience. TONY LONG 01404 861307 or visit us at aglongjoinery.com I HAVE MOVED! RETTER'S GARAGE - TYRES YOGA CLASSES Discount new tyre sales. Fitting Want to try yoga, but think you're not and balancing. Puncture repairs. flexible enough? Perhaps you've tried yoga in Tom Retter, Otterwood, Newtown, Buckland the past, but haven't found a class that's right St Mary, Chard, Somerset, TA20 3ST. for you. MY YOGA LIFE classes offer a Phone 07436 793158 simple, light-hearted, no-fluff approach to email [email protected] yoga, with time for individual practice in a supportive environment. Classes across East CHIMNEY SWEEP Devon - see website for more details and Member of the Guild of Master Sweepers. booking, or contact Caroline directly. Saturday service available. Clean & sweep FIRST CLASS FREE! £50. Bird's nest removal £90. Cowls fitted W: www.myyogalife.co.uk T/p: 07799 691429 from £90. Phone Stuart on 07432 118318 or E: [email protected] FB: myyogalifeuk email [email protected] T: @carolinemaddams

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Yarcombe Voices is printed by Chard Digital Print. 01460 66211

Page 23 FOR QUICK REFERENCE Friday 29th/Saturday 30th September, decorating The Parish Church for Harvest Festival (page 14). Sunday 1st October, Harvest Lunch, The Jubilee Hall, 12.30p.m. (page 14). Sunday 1st October, deadline for return of Parish Christmas card colouring picture (page 18). Monday 2nd October, Craft Club, The Jubilee Hall, 2 - 4p.m. (page 15). Monday 2nd October, Parish Council Meeting, The Jubilee Hall, 8p.m. (page 17). Tuesday 3rd October, Pause for Prayer, 8 Drake's Meadow, 9.40 - 10a.m. (page 14). Wednesday 4th October, Sale of Harvest Produce, The Parish Church, 10.30a.m. (page 14). Wednesday 4th October, Cinema Club, Churchinford Village Hall, 2.30p.m. & 7.30p.m. (page 22). Wednesday 4th October, Mobile Library in Yarcombe, 2 - 2.30p.m. (page 19). Wednesday 4th October, Handbells Group, The Jubilee Hall, 6.15 - 8.15p.m. (page 22). Thursday 5th October, Short Mat Bowls, The Jubilee Hall, 2.30 - 4.30 & 7 - 9p.m. (page 22). Friday 6th October, Friday Forum, Glebe Farm, 12.30p.m. (page 18). Saturday 7th October, Church 'Spring Cleaning' Day, The Parish Church, from 10a.m. (page 15). Monday 9th October, Craft Club, The Jubilee Hall, 2 - 4p.m. (page 15). Tuesday 10th October, Pause for Prayer, 8 Drake's Meadow, 9.40 - 10a.m. (page 14). Wednesday 11th October, Handbells Group, The Jubilee Hall, 6.15 - 8.15p.m. (page 22). Thursday 12th October, Short Mat Bowls, The Jubilee Hall, 2.30 - 4.30 & 7 - 9p.m. (page 22). Saturday 14th October, Village Market, The Jubilee Hall, 10a.m. - 12 noon (page 15). Saturday 14th October, Yarcombe Apple Day, The Jubilee Hall, from 12 noon (page 16). Saturday 14th October, Wine & Wisdom, The Jubilee Hall, from 7p.m. (page 17). Sunday 15th October, Yarcombe Voices' deadline (page 22). Monday 16th October, Craft Club, The Jubilee Hall, 2 - 4p.m. (page 15). Tuesday 17th October, Pause for Prayer, 8 Drake's Meadow, 9.40 - 10a.m. (page 14). Tuesday 17th October, Tuesday Club, The Jubilee Hall, 7.30p.m. (page 18). Wednesday 18th October, Handbells Group, The Jubilee Hall, 6.15 - 8.15p.m. (page 22). Thursday 19th October, Short Mat Bowls, The Jubilee Hall, 2.30 - 4.30 & 7 - 9p.m. (page 22). Thursday 19th October, Yarty Gardening Club meeting, Bishopswood Village Hall, 7.30p.m. (page 12). Friday 20th October, Stockland School Fireworks (page 20). Monday 23rd October, Craft Club, The Jubilee Hall, 2 - 4p.m. (page 15). Monday 23rd October, Halloween Disco, The Jubilee Hall, 5 - 7p.m. (page 19). Monday 23rd October, YFC New Members meeting, The Jubilee Hall, 8p.m. (page 13). Tuesday 24th October, Pause for Prayer, 8 Drake's Meadow, 9.40 - 10a.m. (page 14). Wednesday 25th October, Handbells Group, The Jubilee Hall, 6.15 - 8.15p.m. (page 22). Wednesday 25th October, Bulk Buy Oil deadline (page 15). Thursday 26th October, Short Mat Bowls, The Jubilee Hall, 2.30 - 4.30 & 7 - 9p.m. (page 22). Monday 30th October, Hall Committee meeting, The Jubilee Hall, 8p.m. (page 19). Monday 30th October, Craft Club, The Jubilee Hall, 2 - 4p.m. (page 15). Tuesday 31st October, Pause for Prayer, 8 Drake's Meadow, 9.40 - 10a.m. (page 14). Tuesday 31st October, deadline for Student Grant applications (page 18). Wednesday 1st November, Handbells Group, The Jubilee Hall, 6.15 - 8.15p.m. (page 22). Thursday 2nd November, Short Mat Bowls, The Jubilee Hall, 2.30 - 4.30 & 7 - 9p.m. (page 22).

OCTOBER SERVICES YARCOMBE BAPTIST CHAPEL 1st October at 11a.m. - Harvest Festival at The Parish Church, followed by Harvest Lunch (page 14). 8th October at 11a.m. - Songs of Praise led by Brian Smith. 15th October at 11a.m. - Café Church with Peter Halse. 22nd October at 11a.m. - Anniversary Service with Thelma Clarke (page 13). 29th October at 11a.m. - Rev Nigel Freathy. YARCOMBE PARISH CHURCH 1st October at 11a.m. - Harvest Festival, followed by Harvest Lunch in the Village Hall (page 14). 8th October at 11a.m. - Parish Communion. 15th October at 11a.m. - Mission Community Holy Communion at Dalwood. 22nd October at 6p.m. - Evensong. 29th October at 11a.m. - Mission Community Holy Communion at Stockland.

You will find a Yarcombe Inn "Your Questions Answered" sheet included with your copy of Yarcombe Voices this month. A second wave Crowdfunder has been set up at https:// www.crowdfunder.co.uk/yarcombe-inncommunity-project-second-wave Go to the village website www.yarcombe.net to donate and for the latest news of the Save The Yarcombe Inn campaign!

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