The Special Online edition of the Parish Magazine for , Harpford and Colaton Raleigh

During the time of Coronavirus Emergency our volunteer distributors are not able to get out and deliver the usual printed version of the Parish Magazine – it will be back as soon as possible, but meanwhile this monthly online edition hopes to inform and entertain you during the period of lockdown.

without trespassing through thick Editorial Ramble brambles. So far we've covered most Some years ago, when our daughters of the East ones and are were children rather than adults, we looking forward to Dorset over the had several summer holidays aboard next couple of months. a narrowboat on the canal system. They have been wonderful times of Wonderful times with lots of peace good walks, seeing very few people and wildlife, and it's surprising how to socially distance from, but lots of many city centres are laced with wild flowers, butterflies and bees, ribbons of green. At the end of the splendid trees and dragonflies, and afternoon we'd moor the boat and even the occasional deer. And some often walk into a village to stock up stunning views from the hill tops. on stores or just admire different We've enjoyed wild strawberries and architecture and history. After a raspberries to accompany the cheese whole day of nothing moving more sandwich and thermos coffee! than 3mph, it was surprising how fast Which is a long and rambling way of the traffic seemed to be, even in the saying, 'why would you want to risk 30 limited areas. flying off to Spain for a holiday when A bit of the same feeling in Newton we live in such a wonderful part of the Poppleford High Street as the world?' lockdown eased – it changed from The June sunshine didn't quite match one van and a bicycle to streams of up to the glories of May, despite the traffic almost overnight, and boy, did longer days, but the rainfall has been it feel noisy and fast. very welcome in the garden. I expect By the time you read this, we'll have we shall see more rain – which is had "super Saturday" with the third traditional as we head into what is easing of lockdown and a predicted usually school holiday time. Note rush of visitors / holiday-makers to that the school break is earlier in the Southwest, so I expect the above Scotland, which means they're will sound really dated. already having runs of torrential In between keeping the garden in downpours. order (and the weeds are growing You won't find much in this magazine fast with the showers and warmth), about the detailed rules of what you trying to digest all the emailed can and can't now do – the rules complicated rules about re-opening change daily, often with no warning, the church safely, and keeping the and far too frequently for a monthly necessary food supplies coming in, magazine. This edition is a little later we've been having a 'holiday from than the first of the month, as I was home' by spending days out with a holding fire to see if there was a picnic. church update for 4th July – see next To give our trips a theme, we're page. There may be an August aiming to visit all the Iron-Age Hillforts edition if there is sufficient content, in and – but I hope to be back with a full there are at least thirty of them, printed magazine for September. though a few are not accessible (Copy deadline 15th August, please) Haylor 2 July 2020 Popplemag

mornings a week – see the notice on Church the church gate for days and times. You will have heard that churches Nationally, five million people tuned may open for worship from July 4th. in to a service led by Justin Welby, Subject of course to social distancing, archbishop of Canterbury, in his hand sanitisation and a host of other kitchen on 22nd March, broadcast on rules and guidance, which will need the BBC and Facebook. Google assessment and agreement by the searches for 'prayer' have risen over vicar and PCCs. We are a long way 50%; and when the C of E launched a off what anyone would regard as a 24-hour free phone line aimed at "normal' act of worship. people with limited internet access At the moment the Sunday services and offering "words of comfort and on 'Zoom' will continue – typically hope', more than 6,000 calls were over 60 people each week are part of made in the first 48 hours. that virtual congregation, including a number who could not get to a church Community building, so that is not going to stop The Village Halls at Harpford, overnight or for a long time yet. Newton Poppleford and Colaton A quick 'straw poll' carried out by the Raleigh and the NP Playing Fields vicar on email showed that the Pavilion remain closed. The Tennis majority would not want to come courts are now open subject to social back into the churches at present, due distancing and not sharing to a mixture of safety reasons and the equipment. (See article, page 17) feeling that church would not be the Although most shops are now open, same without singing, close subject to distancing and hygiene fellowship (and sharing coffee measures, the busses are running, and together). doctor's surgeries functioning, the In the coming weeks the vicar, wealth of village social and interest church wardens and PCCs will be clubs remain closed for the exploring manageable ways in which foreseeable future. the churches may open alongside the Some, like music and theatre online service, without putting any performances, have already pressure on people to attend. There abandoned plans for the rest of this may be very good reasons why you year and will review in January. may need to continue to worship in a Other clubs have hopes for different way online or simply at possibilities in September when all home, just you and the Holy Spirit. the schools go back (providing there Colaton Raleigh church is open for are no second spikes). private prayer for a couple of I hope to bring news as and when. Popplemag July 2020 3

is why murder has been regarded as From the Vicar a serious crime in every human There are two powerful desires in us society. Sadly, the respect for other human beings that have been in people’s lives breaks down on too conflict with one another during these many occasions, but most people, last few months. One is the desire to most of the time respect life. stay alive and the other the desire to We should not be surprised, then, interact with other people. Both of that a virus that threatened our own these traits can be found at the very lives and the lives of others is seen beginning of the Bible. The human as an enemy to be fought and condition is described brilliantly in the defeated. The lockdown of our lives, story about Adam, whose name what our Prime Minister called ‘our simply means ‘human’. I n Genesis hibernation’, was our society’s chapter 2 we read: response to the thought of life being 7 …the Lord God formed the man taking away. In the early weeks of from the dust of the ground and the lockdown the mantra was, “save breathed into his nostrils the breath of lives”. And we did it, and to a large life, and the man became a living extend are still doing it, because we being. have this powerful desire to stay Although the writer of this passage alive. knew nothing of molecules, atoms The lockdown, though, has come at a and subatomic particles, we are great cost to another powerful literally made of the same stuff as the instinct. We desire to be in ground. But we are more than a relationship with other people. We mere bunch of particles; we are crave physical touch, conversation animate creatures; we have this and just company. In penal systems mysterious thing called life. Life is solitary confinement is a particularly not something that God created; life harsh punishment precisely because is a property of God himself. it frustrates this human desire. And so the Bible’s understanding is In the same chapter of Genesis in that God made people but gave life. which God gives life to the human it He breathed into the human’s nostrils goes on to say: the breath of life, and the human 18 The Lord God said, “It is not good became a living being. And so we for the man to be alone.” humans have a powerful desire to I am, by nature, an introvert. When I live. And in God’s sight, every have spent a lot of time with other human life—regardless of sex, people, I need to be alone to colour, ethnicity, age, nationality, recharge my batteries. Generally, I religion or any other division you can do not mind my own company. Yet, think of—every single one is valued throughout the lockdown, what I have greatly. craved most is seeing my children Because we are made by a Creator and grandchildren, and singing the who loves and values human life, we praises of God in the company of humans value not just our own lives other worshippers. but the lives of other people too. This Continued next page 4 July 2020 Popplemag From the Vicar, continued New Archbishop of Facetime, Skype and Zoom are all great—definitely better than York to be confirmed nothing—but they are a poor Bishop Stephen Geoffrey Cottrell will substitute for the real thing. be confirmed as the 98th Archbishop The medical experts, though, tell us of York this month. that giving in to these desires will The service, at 11am on Thursday 9th once again threaten our other July, will be broadcast entirely via instinct, which is to stay alive and video conference, available on the save the lives of others. One of the Church of website. things that has made these months The service, which had been due to so stressful is the constant tension take place in York Minster, will be in between these two desires. As we two parts. A legal ceremony with enter July the balance is shifting, but readings, prayers and music, will be the conflict remains: fear of the followed by a film marking the start of potentially fatal disease and the urge Bishop Stephen’s ministry as to hug our extended family. Archbishop of York. Feeling weary and frustrated by these Bishop Stephen Cottrell says: competing desires is not a failure in “Following in the footsteps of my us; we are simply being human, many predecessors, I look forward to creatures made by—and in the serving our nation and bringing the likeness of—the God of life, who love and peace of Christ to our world, himself desires a relationship with us. especially here in the north.” Mark wvwvwvwvwvwvwvwvwvwvw wvwvwvwvwvwvwvwvwvwvw Many of us, during lockdown, have enjoyed making bread; working with yeast and dough is very therapeutic! Our Daily Bread Give us we pray The bread we need today Or, Lord, at least Provide us with some yeast! We’ll feast our eyes To see the yeast-dough rise No fun we lack When we then knock it back. Once more it proves, Then to the oven moves And then we haste That nice fresh bread to taste! By Nigel Beeton

Popplemag July 2020 5

It could even spawn the noun Ottery Deanery zoomer—as in ‘one who zooms’. In church circles we will probably be News talking before long about how we can In Ottery, we say goodbye this month encourage non-zoomers, i.e. those to Revd Steve Weston. Steve has who choose not to zoom, and reach brought so much to the Deanery: we out to the unzoomed, those who have thank him for the range and impact of not yet heard the good news about his ministry with us, and wish him Zoom. every blessing as he begins his Interestingly, my own experience of ‘retirement’ in Bigbury. coming to Zoom was not unlike a We hope that Steve will feature in the Christian testimony. When the Zoom service for our parishes on Deanery Synod last met, on 11th th Sunday 12 July March, I had never heard of Zoom. From Mark Ward, Rural Dean But it was because of being Rural The English language is ever- Dean that I was first came across it. changing and evolving. In the last I did not discover it for myself. twenty years or so, we have seen the Someone who already knew Zoom— letter ‘e’ added to many familiar in my case the Archdeacon—invited words as we became more and more me to a Zoom meeting. I was a little electronic. And so mail became e- nervous as I had not done this mail, which became a noun without before. He made it as easy as the hyphen and has since evolved possible, taking me by the hand into a verb. Instead of ‘sending you (virtually of course with an emailed an email’ I can ‘email you’. Existing link) and accompanying me on my words can also take on new journey. Having been to a couple of meanings. The word ‘zoom’ has meetings with an existing zoomer, I been in the Oxford English Dictionary then felt able to host a Zoom meeting for a long time. When I was a small myself. And before long I was boy in the sixties, my toy racing cars inviting others to join too. zoomed, as did aeroplanes. In the I thank God for Zoom. For all its eighties I owned a zoom-lens for my limitations it does feel like a godsend camera. But in the last couple of at the moment. And maybe the months ‘Zoom’ with a capital ‘Z’ has experience of being introduced to taken on a whole new meaning. something new might teach me If you have not heard of Zoom in the something about sharing the really last ten weeks, you really have been Good News about Jesus Christ. self-isolating! It is the now seemingly We are making progress! Several ubiquitous on-line video conferencing churches in the Deanery are now service, which allows families, open for private prayer, at selected colleagues and even politicians to times. And we look forward to the “meet together” from their own licensing of Matt and Laura Selman homes. Like Hoover before it, the to the Sid Valley Ministry Team, on tradename Zoom may well become 5th August, hopefully in the verb ‘to zoom’—as in, “I am Parish Church. zooming my homegroup.” 6 July 2020 Popplemag Last Year's Garden The Brussels sprouts had blight and the carrots had the fly. The celery was not good because the weather was too dry. The apples made a show but were rotten to the core. The wasps devoured the plums RSCM brings together and the gooseberries were poor. worshippers around the world... With a virtual congregation of just The tom-tits ate the peas under 2,000 on the day and and the blackbirds ate the fruit. approximately 5,000 subsequent The squirrels took the nuts views, we are grateful to all those and the mice love beetroot. who were involved in the recordings, We killed the weeds upon the lawn the choirs, special guests and those who worked the technical 'magic'. But moss came up instead. The borders were so parched and dry It was wonderful for a couple ofus in Newton Poppleford to join together That many plants are dead. with so many singers from across the And yet we like gardening, world. Despite everyone only being It's hard to understand able to join in from their own homes, Why we wage a ceaseless war there was a real sense of unity and With nature on the land. coming together, showing the power and value of music in worship. But winter comes and grips the earth The comments in the ‘chat’ feature of And the winds blow keen and cold. YouTube showed the value in coming 'Tis then that jars of jam and fruit together virtually in prayer and in Are like little jars of gold. song, with people appreciating the opportunity to connect beyond their So Spring will find us once again own communities. For some, it was With our forks and spades and hoes their first experience of a virtual For the joy of one's own garden service. Many participants were Is worth its toils and woes. introduced to new music and were pleased to see and hear the different Freda Young of Bewdley choirs. Thank you to all those who ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ commented during the service or A man goes to the doctors and tells have written since referring to the him he's suffering from a long list of service being moving, uplifting and inspirational. It is also clear, and not illnesses. "The trouble with you", surprising, to read how much people said the doctor, "is that you're a miss singing in their own church hypochondriac". "Oh no!'" says the communities: man, "don't tell me I've got that too".

Popplemag July 2020 7 Despite implementing and planning for significant cost savings and income generating activity it is with a heavy heart that we must report the To all our Members and supporters need to take the unavoidable step of COVID-19 has and will continue to reducing the overall staff headcount have unprecedented economic at Mary Sumner House by about one impact around the World. As a third. movement we have already taken This week a voluntary redundancy significant steps to weather this storm scheme was announced to all staff. and replace a sharp loss of income, Should we not receive sufficient most notably through the uptake of this scheme we will be left Membership’s support of the with no option but to move to a emergency appeal, which has been statutory redundancy process. The humbling. economic outlook for 2021 is bleak By the end of this year we will also with unparalleled levels of economic have reduced costs relative to budget uncertainty, we must ensure Mothers’ by over £1m. We have ensured Union is in the best possible position maximum use of the UK to continue its mission. government’s furlough scheme and I am sure you appreciate decisions of will continue to do so until the end of this nature are never taken lightly. October; put on hold all recruitment; We are sure that you appreciate the reviewed and let go all staff on fixed sacrifice, commitment and hard work term contracts; the SLT has taken a of all staff, it is a big part of what 20% reduction in take home pay and makes Mothers’ Union the unique most recently we offered all staff the and special movement it is. opportunity of an early retirement We will do all we can to support staff scheme and a more flexible through what will be a difficult period sabbatical scheme; in addition, we and we ask for your understanding have negotiated favourable payment and prayers for all staff at this time. terms with our suppliers where With every blessing possible and delayed projects that are of strategic importance to MU Sheran Harper Worldwide President Ensuring a sustainable future for Bev Jullien CEO Mothers’ Union remains the top wvwvwvwvwvwvwvwvwvwvw priority of the Worldwide Board and Senior Leadership Team. The full Expectantly board has met 4 times since this An expectant father rings the hospital outbreak and continues to carefully to see how his wife is getting on. By and prayerfully lead the charity mistake he is connected to Lord's through this crisis. This has brought Cricket Ground. difficult decisions. The Board felt that "How's it going," he asks. in order to ensure the future of the "Fine", came the answer, "we've got charity we must work towards a break three out and hope to have the rest even budget to the end of 2020 and out before lunch, the last one was a for a surplus in 2021. duck." 8 July 2020 Popplemag

Popplemag July 2020 9 We will be sending invitations out Coleridge Medical over the forthcoming months for routine health screening, long term Centre condition reviews and our annual flu Coleridge Medical Centre has been vaccination programme. We intend working hard behind the scenes to to keep you safe when you visit us begin to open our doors safely and and social distancing measures and appropriately for our patients as we infection control measures are in cautiously step back into the new place. 'normal' way of life. There will be some physical changes We would like to thank our patients you will notice to the layout of the for their adaptability and stoicism practice. We ask that you wear a over the lockdown when there was mask when you come to the surgery. such a massive shift in the way we These can be homemade and the delivered our services. The use of Government has produced helpful video consultation, telephone guidance for how to make your own consultation and online consultation face covering at home. has rocketed, limiting exposure for If you do need to visit us, there will be both staff and patients, and has plenty of information and signposting largely been well received. Our about how to stay safe and we will community teams have been working make this as efficient as possible for tirelessly to deliver care to our you and our staff. We are here to vulnerable, housebound, sick, elderly guide and support you if you have and frail patients, along with sterling any queries or concerns. support from the voluntary sector. Keep safe and stay alert. We have been fortunate in Devon to wvwvwvwvwvwvwvwvwvwvw have had low levels of COVID 19 and this was in no small part due to people being safe and sensible during lockdown. But we shouldn’t be complacent and we must remain vigilant. We also recognise that for certain individuals their livelihoods have been threatened and their support networks removed. These factors, amongst others, have led to a massive surge in mental health issues, which we are trying to address. If you are struggling to cope, feeling low, anxious or overwhelmed by your thoughts and feelings, you can contact TALKWORKS Devon on 0300 555 3344. They are a free, confidential, NHS talking therapy service for people in Devon. 10 July 2020 Popplemag the half-past-niners as well?' I ask. On the No.9 Listen to me, I've even started talking The loneliness of to my bus Oh!, I do miss my half-past-niners, as a No.9 bus driver we drive past Greendale with its It used to get busy after half past menagerie of animals: I laugh at the nine, that's when it became bus pass pot-bellied pigs; I don't know why but time. they remind me of my grandad Sid. Now I don't see many people, All through the journey gates are especially the half-past-niners – locked shut. There are no Ups and John, Ron, Mable, Joyce, Henry May Downs and Whirl-arounds at Crealy. and Arthur – all these half-past-niners Oh!, I do miss my half-past-niners. used to make my day. I knew all their I approach the roundabout with my ailments; Ron has rheumatism in his empty bus and still the traffic lights left foot's big toe, Mabel had a heart glow red; Park and Ride is empty and bypass in 2009 and now she is fine, no-one's going to town; many shops and Arthur the hypochondriac is are in Lockdown and many may not always looking for an illness, but he is come back from down. self-isolating because even he I'm jolted from my dream-like trance; doesn’t want this one. May used to someone pressed the bell asking me bring her dog Archie along and sit at to stop. There are footsteps on the the very back. stairs, then into sigh comes my Oh!, I do miss my half-past-niners stranger, hood upon his head, music with a joke, a chat and a smile. in his ears, and still he is texting that There's the occasional stranger with very distant friend. He made a his hood upon his head, music in his grunting sound that I assumed to be ears, the phone in his hand texting to "Thanks Mate". I close my doors and a very distant friend. on my way again. Another bus Oh!, I do miss my half-past-niners, comes into view; again we wave. they keep me on my toes, but they Oh!, I do miss my half-past-niners. are all self-isolating. Even the I don't need a calculator to tot up my showers of rain I'm told are now daily takings – about a fiver, that isolated. I drive my bus on its journey includes an old German Mark, some through towns and villages and the Euros and a half-sucked toffee. The city, but still I see no-one except the shift is coming to an end, it's back to driver coming back: we wave to each the depot. Pack up and find my other half-heartedly, until we see transport home. Through the front each other on the way back. door where my wife greets me with a Oh!, I do miss my half-past-niners, smile, "Had a nice day?", she asks. especially the pair that board at the "Yes, you're the second person I've top of the hill, that's Bill and Dorothy seen today." "Never mind, you're on and they always bring me some cake. the late shift tomorrow, and won't be The bus trundles on with an so busy." occasional cough and splutter, 'don't Oh!, I do miss my half-past-niners, I give up on me now, are you missing really truly do.

Popplemag July 2020 11 I know that the young calves are very Ward Councillor's curious and they will follow walkers and runners, the faster you go, the Report faster they will follow you. There are Walking across fields only two short stretches where you can come into contact with cows. where cows are grazing The cows tend to be at one end of This issue was raised at last month’s the field or the other, never at both parish council meeting. More people sections at the same time so we have been walking the area recently thought it would be useful to give the due to lockdown. Some residents following advice to walkers which is have complained that the cows in the backed up by Countryfile fields in Harpford are not fenced off. (https://www.countryfile.com/go- While I understand their concerns, I outdoors): do think we need to remember that • Remember this is a working farm, farms are a working business that we not a country park. have permission to walk across, they are not country parks and the fields • Be quiet and calm around the cows. need to work as the farmer's priority. • Walk staedily, don't run. Examples were given at the parish • Keep dogs on leads and do not allow council of a person who runs through them to bark at cows. the field with dogs and wonders why • Close all gates carefully, check they the cows follow, and of another have closed properly behind you. person who felt they had to send their • Pick up all dog poo, it's is not OK to dogs in to chase the cows away. leave it even in the long grass (dog Both these scenarios are likely to faeces contains bacteria which can escalate and excite a herd. cause cows to abort). The local farmer does test all his • If not confident in walking near the mature cows for temperament before cows, consider an alternative route. turning them out in the local fields keeping any less suitable cows on The importance to keeping the home farm fields. The cows have to the public footpaths generally been inside all winter and In turn I have spoken to farmers who are very happy to have their heads have said that some walkers down and eat the grass, especially as completely disregard the public many are calving or about to calve. footpaths and walk wherever they like The bulls in the fields are very across their fields. This is not content, having a full herd of young following the countryside code. ladies to serve. The cows are only Walkers are reminded that the level out in the fields for a relatively short of dog poo left on the ground can time in the summer before some go change the PH of the soil and change off for the final fattening up stage what is able to grow there (especially elsewhere (and ultimately slaughter) on the commons) and that dog poo is while the younger cows will be in calf dangerous to grazing animals in for the winter (and back indoors) and fields and highly annoying to anyone calve the following spring/summer. who has the misfortune to step in it! 12 July 2020 Popplemag Ward Councillor's Report hear what they have to say. The ... continued meetings are live streamed to Youtube and Facebook. Residents Bird Scarers and gun can watch the meeting whilst in the shots comfort of their own home with a cup of tea (or drink of choice) which is I know a numbers of residents have very civilised. concerns about their dogs and horses being frightened by these, including Toilets to open in local one accident last year of a rider towns falling from their horse and being injured having been frightened Shoppers and visitors to the town suddenly by a bang. Its that time of may be interested to read that four year again; my own dog at the age of more public toilets are to re-open in 12 has developed an enormous fear East Devon from Monday 29 June, of bangs from both bird scarers and adding to the ten facilities across the guns despite not minding these at all district that opened up a month ago when younger and I have to be really to give better access for the public. quick if she hears them to catch her Opening hours for all 14 toilets will be before she legs it terrified. I have extended from 8am to 8pm during the found some free ‘desensitisation’ summer at a cost of almost £77,000 _tracks (bangs, fireworks, to ensure they are cleaned to thunderstorms etc on the Dogs Trust stringent Covid-19 standards. The Website. These are really for young toilets will be cleaned four times a dogs to teach them not to be fearful day in the summer with viracidal in their early lives but I am going to cleaning products and three times a give them a go. Read the notes day in the winter. Every week the carefully, the idea is to de-sensitize toilets will have a full site disinfected them gently over time, not terrify deep clean. them! The council's street cleaning summer https://www.dogstrust.org.uk/help- budget of £62,000 is also restored to advice/dog-behaviour-health/sound- help deal with the expected influx of therapy-for-pets visitors in the coming weeks. Good news on another front of the The re-opening of further toilets rough collie (Lassie dog) that was lost would be kept continually under and advertised on posters around the review as Covid-19 restrictions are village. It was caught on Harpford further relaxed. Common this week I understand by a Links charity specialising in trapping lost https://eastdevon.gov.uk/coronavirus- dogs and has been safely returned to covid-19/latest-updates/east-devon- its home. residents-coronavirus-update-26- Virtual Council Meetings june-2020/ These are up and running and https://eastdevon.gov.uk/coronavirus- generally open to the public to tune covid-19/latest-updates/east-devon- into, you can listen in via your business-coronavirus-update-25- computer and see the speakers and june-2020/ continued > > > > Popplemag July 2020 13 Ward Councillor's Report concrete as there are no large scale ... continued brown field strategic sites in East Devon. The size of the sites and the Greater Exeter Strategic locations were a real shock for some Plan (GESP) councillors at last Thursday's meeting. I complained last year On 25th June 2020 EDDC councillors about the secrecy with which this were finally given a whole council whole plan has been put together all briefing and report by Ed Freeman – in the name of 'commercial _Service Lead – _Planning Strategy sensitivity'. For example entire new and Development Management on towns are a possibility between NP GESP. This information is considered and Exeter. For anyone who has confidential to members and the followed the sorry development of detail is not to be disclosed to the Cranbrook (allegedly a healthy town, public until 5.00 pm on Monday 29th built from scratch and fully driven by June (just 4 days after most EDDC EDDC senior managers and the councillors were informed of the previous Conservative administration, contents) although regular readers supposedly having its own town will have read my concerns about it centre and jobs on site. It hasn't for some time. The GESP seeks to been able to sustain its own health determine where residential and centre to date). The thought of a business development will take place repeat of this is appalling. Cranbrook in East Devon in the period 2020 – will eventually be a town of 8,000 _2040. GESP concerns itself with properties. Whilst senior officers at housing sites of 500 houses or more. EDDC busy themselves with GESP The government calculator states the 5 year review of the Local Plan East Devon must build approximately gets pushed back although Mr 844 new houses per year (this figure Freeman argues it is happening can be averaged out across years), 'alongside' GESP. but due to complexities of the calculator according to Mr Freeman I asked Mr Freeman what he meant we should actually be building more by the council providing ‘local homes than this to keep 'on a trajectory'. For and jobs for local people’ citing just example this year there has been one example of the Met Office 1060 new houses built in East Devon. moving down from Berkshire and Mid Devon only has to build 363 new bringing many of its existing staff and houses per year in the GESP plan their families who in turn require according to the government houses and jobs and whether he calculator. In total 57,200 homes are recognised what effect this continual to be built in the GESP area by 2040. development had on existing There was a call for sites for GESP residents. He floundered somewhat and 700 sites were put forward and I with this answer before finally have written before about the size of admitting that ‘local residents’ means some of these proposed sites and ‘people who live and work here’. their adverse impact on Newton continued next page > > > > Poppleford as vast swathes of agricultural land will be under more 14 July 2020 Popplemag Ward Councillor's Report infrastructure. He said that more ... continued people would use public transport and therefore it would be cheaper, In other words it does not mean completely dodging the question of existing residents, so leave out the how the buses and trains were word ‘local’ and the sense of the funded in the first place that so many sentence doesn’t change – we must people would allegedly use. build more residential and commercial buildings because the However, what the existing GESP government says so. There are plan doesn't take into account are the those who still cling to the 1980s longer term effects of Covid-19 which Thatcherite theory of trickle down of course was undreamt of when economics which has long been GESP started. Many companies debunked. have found their sickness rates are down and productivity is up as a Last January 2019 Devon Live result of home working and feel that published this article which gives they may no longer need the large more background to GESP: commercial premises that were once https://www.devonlive.com/news/dev considered essential; workers no on-news/what-greater-exeter- longer need to live near to where they strategic-plan-2492502 work. There may be less people The article included the following happy to use public transport for information about the Transport quite some time and less needing to Strategy: do so. The theory that somehow so • trains every 30 minutes, buses many people will be using public every 15 minutes and high-quality transport that the ticket price will go cycle routes between Exeter and down is just bizarre. key towns EDDC will be discussing GESP at the • improve the M5 gateway, A30, A38, Strategic Planning Committee on 23rd A303, A380 & junctions on July. I would hope this meeting will be A35_/_A361 open to members of the public who • double the number of car parking can view the meeting live via Youtube spaces serving Exeter in park-and- or Facebook. ride sites on all main corridors The new Administration • a comprehensive network of walking and cycling routes. The new administration is settling in • a new integrated product which and positions on committees are combines sustainable travel modes being finalised. The live streamed into a single subscription travel meeting to elect a new Leader for the service year had to be taken down mid- • a modern, reliable and low carbon meeting owing to the swearing by network of urban bus routes members of the Conservative group who were both unable to control their Quite how this gets funded remains a own microphones and their own mystery; I asked Mr Freeman how tempers. It turns out that despite these services would materialise and frequent references to playing cricket, be affordable to use, since GESP they are actually very poor losers. does not include money for Popplemag July 2020 15 Ward Councillor's Report ... continued Cllr Paul Arnott (EDA/Democratic Alliance) was voted in as Leader. The sense of entitlement from some long standing Conservative councillors is quite breath taking. A new entire meeting had to be set up the following day to conclude the meeting that was disrupted the previous evening. In a separate meeting Cllr Cathy Gardner was elected as Chairman and I was Red Bridge Update elected as Vice-Chairman of the DCC Cllr Claire Wright has helped council for the second year running. I me to put together the following am hoping there will shortly be a full petition asking DCC to make repairs schedule of meetings published for to the red bridge which crosses the the year and the real business of the river at Harpford so it can stay open council can move on. and keep our connectivity to the Red Bridge in Harpford countryside and other villages. Our DCC Councillor Claire Wright We would be really grateful if you organised a site meeting at the bridge could click on the link below to sign in Harpford attended by DCCs Nigel the petition. Laws and Steve Gardner, myself and Signing is urgent as DCC Ted Swan. DCC now has some now agree the bridge is more funding and it looks hopeful that close to being classified as they might consider doing some repairs to the bridge in situ in order to unsafe, so we would really keep it open for a while longer. The appreciate your support. main issue is the work needs doing Here is the link: before September as once the winter http://chng.it/HxPtBSX4gv comes DCC do not consider working My thanks to Claire for her near the rivers to be safe. A petition negotiation and support with this will shortly open which we are asking really important issue. residents to sign asking DCC to Best wishes please go ahead and do this work. If you use the bridge please sign the Val Ranger, Ward Cllr, Newton petition and ask anyone else you Poppleford and Harpford know to sign it too. This bridge is a Tel 07475 201 340 vital link between Harpford and Email [email protected] Newton Poppleford and the only safe wvwvwvwvwvwvwvwvwvwvw walking route to school, not to Life is 10% what happens to you and mention being a highly valued 90% of how you respond to it. - Anon walking route and part of the . 16 July 2020 Popplemag on until the end of the current year Tennis Club and plan to have the normal AGM in Since my last article a great deal has March 2021. There was not a single happened, and a lot of decisions objection to this proposal so the have had to be made. After about 8 current committee will stay in place. weeks of the tennis courts being The Committee recommended that closed, we are now back to playing the Membership rates be reduced tennis. The weather was great in April this year in view of the almost 7 and May which made it harder not to weeks that the courts were closed be playing tennis. We closed the and the further 5 weeks when we courts on March 28 and were not could only play singles. Thus, our able to reopen them until May 13th membership rates for 2020-21 are and then we were only allowed to £35 for adult membership, £75 for play singles unless the four were families and £8 for Juniors aged 5-12. from the same household. Students etc are £20. Obviously with Wimbledon being cancelled, the Wimbledon Draw did not take place. We cannot start to plan any social activities until the Government changes the rules on social distancing. So, on the social front there is nothing to report. Our Monday Afternoon sessions continue throughout the year. If you are interested, we have a WhatsApp

th group where you can tell if people are Then on June 20 we were again playing that day. If you are interested allowed to play doubles even if the 4 in joining the group just let me know. were all from different households. These Monday sessions are open to However, we were advised against all members and we play every resuming Club Nights on Thursday Monday afternoon from 2.00 pm to evenings. Hopefully with the news around 4.00 pm. So, if you fancy a today that the UK has moved to level game of tennis then just come along 3 threat we hope this will be resumed any Monday. We also often play on soon. Wednesdays as well. The Committee decided in view of the If anybody is interested in seeing if lockdown, our AGM which was th the Tennis Club is perhaps is for originally set for March 16 , had to be them, please call me on 01395 postponed. The Committee then 567430 or 07802 755411. I am happy decided as that it needed to fix the to meet anybody on the tennis court Membership Rates for the year. It for a free session to see if those also became increasingly obvious latent but rusty skills are still there, that the AGM could not take place we even have some spare racquets. probably until September. We suggested to the membership that David Zirker the current committee should carry Popplemag July 2020 17 Wednesday SWCoastPath We’re sure that you’ve heard Wanderers about the recent changes which The poem below is just a reminder of mean, as of this weekend, the south the lovely walks done before west will once again be open to Lockdown – and with the hope we tourists. This announcement is a can get together again soon. beacon of hope for the south west Summer Country Walk region, which relies so heavily on Along leafy lanes past lofty trees, visitors, but it is by no means a return what joy to wander where you please. to life as normal. Along paths, across meadows green Our message to locals and visitors where colourful butterflies can be alike is Respect, Protect and Enjoy. seen By following this guidance and the fluttering among the meadow flowers, Countryside Code, we can all a peaceful sight in sunshine hours. continue to enjoy the countryside Shades of red, yellow, white and blue safely during the pandemic. are the butterflies and flowers too. Birdsong above and in the trees, the steady hum of bumble bees stopping by a gentle flowing stream seeing the waters sparkle and gleam. Dragonflies darting, swooping, of colours bright, colours fluorescent, glittering in the sunlight. The soft lowing of the cows Since lockdown restrictions have as they leisurely and happily browse. eased, there has been a marked It is on such a day as this increase in the amount of litter walking in the country is such bliss. appearing in some of our most beautiful, natural spaces. As the charity that looks after the nation’s favourite National Trail – we are on a mission to stamp out littering once and for all, making sure that each and every mile of the South West Coast Path is litter free. And the problem is bigger than you might think. 1 in 4 of us admit to ‘careful littering’ in the UK - leaving our rubbish somewhere that’s just not a bin. But whether it’s left on a bench, window ledge or wall - it’s still #littering. So, help us spread the message #KeepItBinIt - no more rubbish excuses! 18 July 2020 Popplemag This stark contrast was highlighted in Plantlife a recent BBC Wales article, however Our road verge campaign hit the it’s been heartening to see councils headlines in April and May with such as Ceredigion and Denbighshire fantastic coverage on this spring's taking more sensitive approaches to flower-filled verges. The potential managing verges. benefit of lockdown keeping the mowers at bay was covered by BBC No Mow May has been the rallying cry on Twitter and, although part of News, The Times, The Guardian, The our Every Flower Counts campaign, it Daily Mail and The Independent to has taken on a wonderful life of its name but a few... own and the concept has spread to You might’ve also spotted BBC verges too. You might have even Countryfile Magazine’s guide to road seen Iolo Williams mention it on verges and writer Matt Gaw penned a Springwatch a couple of weeks ago! lovely article for The i newspaper on taking a walk on the roadside and the So many people have been calling on wonderful wildlife you might find their councils to not mow the verges along the way. Our campaign was and green space during May, highlighted in international news by especially as these flowers have CBS in the US, and in '5 good news been bringing us some solace in stories for the planet' by video- these difficult times. It’s been journalists at Brut.media. fantastic to see another surge in Closer to home, this time of year can support and we were absolutely make it clear which councils are thrilled to see the petition pass taking progressive steps by leaving 100,000 signatures. This gives us verges wild flowers to bloom and set such momentum to enact real change seed, and which ones could do more in the coming months - thank you to for nature by implementing our best each and every one of you. practice management guidelines. Thanks to your support we are now working with over 20 councils around the UK to provide guidance on making verge management more wild flower-friendly. More councils are making positive changes and we are really making a difference, helping us to raise a greater awareness for the urgent need for change and to advise more councils and organisations. As a small charity, each and every

one of our members makes a big Social media has been abuzz with difference. If you are not already a images of gorgeous verges allowed member, please consider joining us to flower - and an abundance of today - we'd love to have you on orchids! - alongside some instances board. of wild flowers razed to the ground as the mowers start to return. Popplemag July 2020 19

20 July 2020 Popplemag Word Search Mary Mary Magdalene is the patron patron saint both of repentant sinners repentant and of the contemplative life. sinners Jesus drove seven demons from contemplative Mary, who came from near life Tiberius in Galilee. seven Mary was present at the demons crucifixion. She went to the Tiberius tomb to anoint his body: she galilee was the first person to whom anoint the Risen Lord appeared on feet Easter Sunday morning. follower end Jerusalem Crucifixion foot cross tomb body morning faithful humble devotion privilege mankind risen appeared easter gardener disciples return obedient resurrection witness courage

Popplemag July 2020 21 overcrowded, we would encourage Clinton Devon visitors to use one of the many Estates alternatives. The Coronavirus outbreak has A place for exercise and recreation introduced many new people to other at a time when local society has the countryside areas for the first time needed it most. too with riverside footpaths and other For many local people, the commons walking and cycling routes also are the go-to place for regular 'air and seeing increased use. This presents exercise'. The value of this space - to an opportunity to encourage a wider escape from a troubled world, clear appreciation of the landscape but the head and experience nature, has occasionally a few reminders are become even more important since necessary as well. After such a long the Coronavirus outbreak. Clinton dry spell, fire continues to represent Devon Estates were committed after the biggest risk to wildlife and visitor lockdown, to keep the East Devon safety on the commons and would Pebblebed Heaths as accessible as also have devastating impact should possible, to allow daily exercise for it threaten woodland, farmland or local communities, if safe to do so, an rural properties. Please remember approach fully supported by the local BBQs and fires are not permitted in police. The period between mid-April the countryside and to take all litter to mid-May, was probably the busiest home. month ever seen on the commons. The Otter Estuary is also managed The Pebblebed Heaths Conservation the PHCT team. This wildlife area Trust (PHCT) team carefully supports significant populations of monitored the situation and were bird species with its reed-beds an prepared to close the car parks important breeding site during the across the commons, should warmer months. Keeping dogs under government advice or public control, noise down and stopping at behaviour dictate that this was the viewing platforms and bird hide, is necessary. Fortunately, it hasn’t actively encouraged, which ensures been, but visitor numbers remain recreation and wildlife don’t conflict. unusually high. Up-to-date When the Otter Estuary SSSI was information posters are displayed in first designated in the 1980s, paddle car parks, reminding the public of boarding was yet to become government messages on how to widespread in popularity. Kayaks and keep safe, along with specific canoes were occasionally seen on messages relevant to exercising on the estuary, but it is only in the last heathland. The commons are few years that activity of this sort has sufficiently large with generous reached levels that are likely to be enough car parking that it is possible have more significant impact on the for the site to accommodate large site’s wildlife. numbers of visitors spread throughout the day and not undermine self-distancing rules. However, if a car park is

22 July 2020 Popplemag footpaths, bridleways and smaller roads. Newton Poppleford enjoys easy and level access to the River Otter (the (continued) downstream path running a similar Like other rivers there is a Public route and almost parallel to the old Right of Navigation (PRN) on tidal railway line). Paths off Back Lane to waters. This includes the seas, join the East Devon Way, by which estuaries and tidal rivers – up to their they can access Harpford village, historic Normal Tidal Limit (NTL), Harpford Wood (mostly level and no which on the Otter is close to White steep climbs) and Fire Beacon Bridge. Launching within the reserve, Hill/Core Hill beyond. From the including from Lime Kilns or the eastern end of the village ascend to Donkey’s Turn is not permitted, Bulverton Hill/Mutters Moor, via access is from the beach only. Our Northmostown. Access the heathland staff will supplement the existing at Hawkerland, Harpford and signage, including some at the Aylesbeare commons from routes at bottom of the reserve, to make the the western side of the village. significance of the site clear and help Colaton Raleigh has less abundant visitors make responsible choices. recreational open space within the Love this Space | Give Wildlife Space village or the number of walking routes, but still has a network of good Old Railway Line paths providing access to the river or common. Now travelling restrictions The section of old railway line have been lifted areas further afield between Newton Poppleford and are available again, should you wish. Colaton Raleigh is owned by Clinton Devon Estate and provides access to It would be appreciated if residents the farms. The trackway enables our from either village did not enter fields herd of 500 dairy cows to move with crops or grass for grazing or safely between the field and the silage (apart from when sticking to milking parlour and for heavy farm existing footpaths) particularly to traffic to stay away from smaller exercise their dogs as this can roads and lanes as much as possible. significantly compromise animal For these operational and public health. These issues are prevalent safety reasons it is closed to the across the countryside and you may public. have seen posters on gates to explain this. Therefore, the Estate cannot accommodate the recent request of Kate Ponting the parish councils of Newton Countryside & Communities Officer Poppleford and Colaton Raleigh to Tel: 01395 443881 open it for public recreation. Instead Mobile 07917 104250 we would encourage residents to continue to make the most of the E: [email protected] recreational spaces, either within the Visit us at www.clintondevon.com village or by exploring the local Popplemag July 2020 23

24 July 2020 Popplemag climate change, such as rising sea Otter News – new levels and more extreme weather." cricket pitch and "We know that a good cricket pitch takes a long time to be ready for play. funds approved We applied for permission for the Plans for a new home for Budleigh new ground when we did so that, if Salterton Cricket Club as part of the the wider project were to go ahead, wider lower Otter Restoration Project the facility would be ready for its new have been approved. occupants in good time" The proposals were drawn up on This would mark a big change for the behalf of landowner Clinton Devon cricket club, having played at Estates in conjunction with the cricket Ottermouth since the 1930s but it club. would provide a facility that could benefit the local community all year The planning application, approved round. by East Devon District Council, includes a main cricket square, junior The Lower Otter Restoration Project pitch, single-storey timber-clad moved a big step forward with the pavilion, and equipment store. award of £8.5million as part of Project PACCO - Promoting Adaptation to The 3.5-hectare site, currently largely Changing Coasts, via the Interreg agricultural land, is on the northern France - Channel - England edge of the town off the B3178 East Programme. Dr Sam Bridgewater Budleigh Road. said, "The European funding The new main cricket square would approval is a major milestone for the include 13 wickets, one of which project and we are on the verge of would be an artificial surface, and the another as we are submitting our final project has been designed to meet planning application to east Devon the requirements of both the club and District Council for consideration. the ECB (England and Wales Cricket "Before the coronavirus emergency Board). we had planned to hold an exhibition Dr Sam Bridgewater, from the Lower in so that local Otter Restoration Project, said: people could see the latest "Should the Lower Otter Restoration proposals. Because that's no longer Project proceed, a new home will possible we will host a virtual need to be found for Budleigh exhibition on the project website once Salterton Cricket Club, a long-term the planning application documents tenant of Clinton Devon Estates. are ready. "The project is proposing a way of "To continue our community managing the Lower Otter estuary in involvement, we would like as many a more sustainable way, which would people as possible to visit the online involve restoring large parts of the exhibition. And, together with the land around the mouth of the river to Environment Agency, we will be a more natural, wetland environment. happy to answer any questions about This would improve the local ecology, the project." and help the Otter Valley respond more naturally to the effects of Popplemag July 2020 25 Learn more about it here. Funded by National Lottery Heritage Fund and Tesco, Bags of Help. A message from our Chair of Trustees, Suzanne Goodfellow: 'Exciting times lie ahead with opportunities for ‘green’ recovery; to Working hard for nature! rebuild the world we want in a We are thrilled to have received sustainable way that is more resilient reports of some beautiful butterflies at to epidemics and disasters and our Dunsdon nature reserve in north kinder to ourselves and other Devon, including the unofficial species. Our work goes on, thanks to emblem of the Culm - the marsh widespread support from people like fritillary. It's so heartening when we you. I hope you are able to enjoy the see our work being enjoyed by nature renewal, be it from a garden, a wildlife and people! window or web cam, and find solace in our natural world. We need your support now more than ever.' Read Sue's full message here. Nature news! Meet the scarlet tiger moth. These are day flying moths and the single generation flies around this time of year, and occupies damp areas like fens, marshes, river banks, as well as rocky cliffs near the sea. Please note, it's not a member of the tiger family...

We're excited to be launching our Saving Devon’s Treescapes project! We will work with communities to provide hope and action in the face of the alarming changes that are affecting our precious treescapes.

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26 July 2020 Popplemag

More Nature news! One of our Trustees, Barry, has spotted Common Blue caterpillars. Like other blue butterflies they have Ladybirds! Beautiful, colourful, AND an association with ants - releasing brilliant at munching on aphids in sugar and amino acids so ants gain your garden. The perfect, natural nutrition and the caterpillar gains alternative to insecticides and SO protection from this symbiotic pretty! How many different types can relationship. you spot? Click here to download your ladybird guide...

Wildlife windows... Hedges! The unsung heroes of the Summer is blooming and bursting all natural world! They provide the around us, and the colours are just perfect space for so many different spectacular! Why not take species to feed, seek shelter, and this Summer Flower guide move around from habitat to habitat. on your next wander and wonder at So next time you're next to a hedge, some of these blooms... take a look and see how many of these you can spot. Download the guide here. Spend 5 minutes outside and count how many birds visit your garden or local patch. Keep an eye out for fledgelings that have just left the nest too, have you spotted any of these young birds? Download your guide here. Thank you The Team at Devon Wildlife Trust Popplemag July 2020 27 and burned down, taking the History Group neighbouring properties with it. Pulman's Parish 1978 Standing near the site now is one of the hopeful signs for future Newton Poppleford employment in the village where Mr GREAT DEAL is made Edwin Thiel is making a new piece of nowadays of self-sufficiency, machinery he invented, the "Thiel A but of course, years ago Autoshear" is becoming well Newton Poppleford, like so many of established and the business is the old villages, which were compact expanding rapidly at the moment. self-contained communities to a large Several of Newton Poppleford's extent, was able to support itself very quainter thatched cottages have nicely. disappeared but the village is still The village had its own blacksmiths, sprinkled with this characteristic of two at one time, the most memorable the typical Devon village. Among being Bill Pring; its own shoemakers, them is a lovely building at the barber, baker and wheelwrights plus western end of the village which used a few shops. Nowadays, with to be a sweet shop run by Mr George everything on a much larger scale, Moon and his sister. The shop occupations have largely died out, closed and the cottage might have though there is still a shoemaker's gone the same way as others like it in service in the village: Peter Richards the villagee, but it was reprieved by from Sidmouth calls once a week and that other requirement of the typical collects for repair shoes that people Devon holiday – the cream tea. The leave at the Dairy. Southern Cross Guest House and As the face of the village has Tearooms is one of the most popular changed socially, so it has changed such establishments in the area.With physically with the departure of some Newton Poppleford being so close to old trades. The premises where they the coast it is perhaps surprising that were carried out have either reverted it does not rely more heavily on to being residential, or have been tourism for its income. In fact there burnt down, fallen down or have been are few Bed & Breakfast pulled down. The former Pound in establishments in the village in the village now forms part of a front addition to the Buttered Scone garden opposite the village hall. Tearoom and the Magpie Cottage There were two memorable fires in House. the village; both happened before or Some of the old businesses which during the last war. The first was in made Newton Poppleford self- the 1930s when a thatched cottage sufficient years ago have, as we have that housed an antiques business said, disappeared. New ones have caught fire and burned down. It was sprung up while others have on the site that is now Central expanded. One such is a former Garage. The second was about 1940 butcher's shop now run by Mr Ian when a fish&chip shop which was Ford, who has developed it into a one of three properties caught fire village store and mini-market.

28 July 2020 Popplemag cold drink, or take in the well- Auctioneer in Pulpit as manicured gardens. Bidders make up the Or saying hello to strangers and Congregation patting the enthusiastic pup, avoiding A former Methodist Chapel in Newton the screaming seagulls and the Poppleford was auctioned on youngsters on their skateboards and Thursday, ending a period of history. the Frisby flying past. The High Street chapel, which dates Now we are in Lockdown: we tend back to 1936, was put on the market our gardens, trim the grass and tidy last year after falling congregation the borders. What do you do when numbers forced the church council to all the jobs are done in and out of the suspend services. house. We can't go to our Over 60 Since then the Sidmouth branch of Club for bingo and beetle drive, a General Accident has been handling slice of cake and a mug of tea: we the sale of the chapel, which was can't go to the Lunch Clubs or the placed on the market for £30 - 35,000 Coffee Mornings or the Big Breakfast. in July 1998. Because we are in Lockdown and we don't know what to do. Richard Harman, manager of General Accident, said there had been a great I was at in my armchair looking out of deal of interest from buyers leading the window at people and vehicles up to the sale. 'We have shown passing by – not many now, as we about 30 people around the chapel in are in Lockdown. The buses go by the course of the last month, and with few passengers or empty, were there at least once a day.' supermarket delivery trucks, lorries, tradesmen's vans and cyclists in The auction was conducted at the bright coloured clothes. I had a light- chapel ,with the auctioneer standing bulb moment – with all these passing in the pulpit and the bidders and by, we could get our money out and interested parties in the pews. The predict what would come next. chapel was bought by a Devon couple for £41,000 and it is believed So me and my competitive partner that they will convert it for their own sat looking out of the window and use. started our little game, with predictions some right and many, In August 2007 it was advertised for many wrong. I felt very confident and sale at £349,000. threw the gauntlet down; my wager and prediction was to name the next five vehicles to pass. So with my five pence wager sitting on the side and my partner matching the wager with a smile on her face – my first four Lockdown Ouch - 1 predictions were correct. There was Lockdown, it's affecting all of us. We only one to go. We could hear a used to go out to the local places to rumble coming down the road but, shop or just walk along the seaside, this being Newton Poppleford, it was maybe an ice-cream, cup of tea or a herd of cows, and I was again wrong. Popplemag July 2020 29 I'm made to take a shower and stand Lockdown Ouch - 2 there to drip dry. She returns with We are in Lockdown. The wife is bleach and scouring pad and that's very busy cleaning: cleaning parts of when I start to cry. the house that have been ignored since we moved in. She's got her feather duster, rubber gloves and watered-down bowl of bleach. I'm busy in the dining room, really doing nothing, keeping my head down, trying to avoid eye-contact because I know I could be next. She dashes past, with cleaning products too numerous to mention. wvwvwvwvwvwvwvwvwvwvwvw Back down she comes; I dash behind A woman is complaining to her friend the couch. She hasn't seen me, about the amount of housework she soback upstairs she went with has to do. "I spend all day at the scouring pad in hand. My heart is office, then come home and wash the beating fast, my breathing a bit clothes and dishes. And every irregular but slowing as she passed weekend I wash the kitchen floor and me crouched behind the couch. all the windows." I creep out from my hiding place; I'm "But what about your husband?" asks desperate for the loo. I hear the her friend. vaccum cleaner growling at the "I make him wash himself," she says. carpet, so I make my escape to the wvwvwvwvwvwvwvwvwvwvwvw loo. Then my name is called. I answer with terror in my voice. "Take Actual complaints received by a the lid off that idustrial size bottle of resort chain (before lockdown!) bleach.' Well, after a struggle, On my holiday to India, I was sometimes with my hand, then some disgusted to find that almost every pliers, and then a monkey-wrench it restaurant served curry. I don't like finally relented. spicy food. My fear is that I will be next in line for The beach was too sandy. We had to this cleaning spree, but no, she's clean everything when we returned to found another shelf that has our old our room. games on – like Monopoly and Ludo No one told us there would be fish in and that game we never could quite the water. The children were scared. understand. The dust, she says, is It took us nine hours to fly home from two feet thick: I think that's an Jamaica to England. It took the exaggeration, the shelf is only one Americans only three hours to get foot six. The games go back, all spic home. This seems unfair. and span. "There," she sighs, "now I was bitten by a mosquito. The that's all done. There's only one brochure did not mention mosquitoes. more to be seen to." and stares at me. 30 July 2020 Popplemag Sidmouth Sea Front My name is a Sydney seagull And Sidmouth is my home My mates have all vacated As hardly a human can be found. I am feeling so flipping hungry As I swoop up and down the beach Just a couple of exercise bods there So no tit bits for me to reach. Perhaps I shall fly over to the Ham Where the great festival takes place wvwvwvwvwvwvwvwvwvwvwvw Alas, no people seem to be there The queue So no goodies now being fed into While waiting in a long queue early their face. one morning for the supermarket to I’ll head up to Connaught gardens open for us ‘seniors’, I was surprised As a lovely cafe is up there to see a young man saunter along I perch upon the wall to observe and try to cut in at the front of the But not one person is on a chair. queue. A furious old lady waved her cane at him, and he quickly backed My next stop is the Harbour Hotel away. A flight just across the road No food spilling out of the bins A moment later, the young man tried outside again. He managed to dodge the old As the hotel now seems to be closed. lady, but then two old men started Just where have all the people gone? shouting at him. Again, the young Help, for my body is getting thinner man backed away. I was rather partial to ice cream cone But he wasn’t giving up, and soon the And nicking a tasty pasty for my young man approached the queue for dinner. the third time. By now, all of us pensioners were ready for him, an So where have all my mates gone? angry wall of opposition. Have they gone to rubbish tips The young man stood there for a inland? moment, and then shrugged his Or are they following boats out at shoulders. "If you people won't let me sea? unlock the door, none of you will ever As fish I find non tasty and far too get in to shop." bland. wvwvwvwvwvwvwvwvwvwvwvw So please you humans come back home Coronavirus: I miss you oh so much: For the first time in history, we can just the thought of no more ice cream help save the human race by lying in cones front of the TV and doing nothing. Is one worry far too much. Let’s not mess this one up! Sue Trude, Clyst St Lawrence wvwvwvwvwvwvwvwvwvwvwvw Popplemag July 2020 31 traditional face-to-face gig to promote Tech Corner their music. Handling Big Files Churches have always been leading I’ve been really pleased with how well the way for presentations and using our customers have adapted to life in technology in sermons, and many of lockdown. It certainly is strange them have been recording the meeting contacts only through video traditional Sunday services to or phone calls, but most of our small- distribute to their flocks via video business customers have made services or their own websites. positive changes to allow them to Some written publications have keep trading. started producing electronic copies of Our production team would usually their newsletters as PDF documents. be very busy at this time of year These files are often small enough to dealing with company and medical send via email, but a much better conferences, many of those annual way to distribute these is to use a file events are now planning to remain sharing service like dropbox or electronic-only for several years and mailbigfile or even upload them to maybe indefinitely. As one of my your own website to allow people to customers said: “why bother download the files in their own time. spending £200k on a conference that We’ve helped a few of the local can be done online for £2000.” publications stay in contact with their readership: The Tipton Times Small businesses have adapted too. magazine has gone totally electronic We help over a dozen yoga, Pilates, and their new news website has and other group therapy teachers and online articles and you can view the they have all made good progress in recent editions: producing online content to allow https://www.tiptontimes.org.uk. them to meet their customers’ needs. Newton Poppleford parish magazine A common question is how to is also about to launch their new site distribute content to the masses. For with a magazine archive at video content this is quite simple, https://www.popplemag.org.uk most people would produce a video If you want some no-obligation advice file using their smartphone or tablet, about your computer then feel free to then upload this to youtube or get in touch. We keep an eye on the another video platform. You can then new computer market and often have simply share the link to your youtube good refurbished machines in stock page in a tiny email. It’s even and ready to go. possible to have a private youtube channel for invite-only content, so if I hope you find this information you only want your own yoga useful. If you would like to see students to see a video after paying particular subjects covered then for a course then this is possible. please feel free to ask at www.alfindlay.com. We also look after a few musicians who have been forced to record their Al Findlay | Freelance IT & AV new material and publish it via their Support Consultant | 01395 542500 website rather than rely on a 32 July 2020 Popplemag Bishop James. It was a wonderful, Melanesia News joyous service and an honour to be A Tale of Two Countries present. Before leaving Santo, we Last year MMUK (Melanesian visited the Rural Training Centre Mission UK) Trustee Daphne Jordan which had been relocated from and Revd Canon Cate Edmonds Ambae and were struggling in the (former vicar of ) continued limited facilities. They we pleased to the Christian Distinctiveness Training receive visitors but looked forward to in ACoM* Schools and meet friends returning to Ambae. Finally, we met both in Vanuatu and the Solomon with members of the Mothers’ Union Islands. After a long journey it was who explained their work. We were great to be greeted by Father Rayner particularly interested in their work in Port Vila. After settling into our around gender-based violence. Much hotel, we were visited by Karen Bell good work is being carried out by the the new High Commissioner for MU. Leaving Vanuatu, we departed Vanuatu. Karen explained that there for the next leg of the project to had not been a HC in Vanuatu for Honiara to start the school visits. We fourteen years. It was interesting to were honoured to be part of the note that following Brexit the British Enthronement of Archbishop Leonard Government were setting up fourteen and took the greetings from Bishop new High Commissions in the South Robert and the Diocese of Exeter, as Pacific, the West Indies and in Africa. well as greetings from CSM Karen explained that she had three associates. The next day Cate main roles: Working with the travelled out to Verana’aso to visit the Government on issues of democracy, Sisters and Daphne spent time in the World relations and especially trade Education Office. The Sisters are with Britain, and Climate Change. We struggling to raise funds for a new introduced her to the work of MMUK chapel as theirs is unsafe. Sadly, it and the schools links programme as feels that the Sisters are the “poor well as promoting the Article One relation” and receive little support. project. Karen recognised that the During our stay in Honiara we also three important and leading groups in visited the Mothers’ Union Vanuatu life: The Government, the Headquarters and received updates Chiefs and the Church. The next day on their work. They were preparing we departed early for Espiritu Santo for a grand celebration of 100 years where we were met by old friends of Mothers’ Union in Melanesia later Joses, Diocesan Secretary, though that month. We also visited the recently retitled Operations Manager Christian Care Centre, with its 40 and Augustine, Director of Education. residents including children and We later met with Bishop James and teenage girls who had escaped their his staff at the Diocesan offices. The abusive homes. next few days were spent visiting continued next page > > > schools. We were invited to the *ACoM - Anglican Church of Cathedral on the Sunday for a Melanesia. which has historic and Mothers’ Union Service where 10 current links with our corner of East new members were admitted by Devon, particularly Feniton. Popplemag July 2020 33 The Sisters of the Church and the countries. There have been lockdowns Melanesian Sisters work together at and curfews in the recent weeks in both the CCC to provide a safe and countries. Mass movement of people to homely environment. We were very the rural areas is current in Solomon impressed by the facilities in the Islands following a call by the national beautiful setting. During our stay we government to reduce population density made a courtesy visit to David Ward in Honiara. Both countries have the British High Commissioner to announced the likely downturn in our explain our project. It was interesting economy as most economic activities to meet up with him to hear more have scaled down. While it is the case about the political situation in the now in global economy, it will be more Islands. We were also invited to tea severe on developing countries like ours. at Government House to meet Sir As we focused on health measures, our David and Lady Mary Vunagi, the two countries were badly hit by Tropical recently appointed Governor General Cyclone Harold. It claimed some dear of the Solomon Islands. It was lovely lives and caused serious damage to to meet up with old friends, who homes, properties and food gardens, certainly were having to get used to a especially in Guadalcanal and Makira. very different way of life. Eventually it In Solomon Islands twenty-seven people, was time to return home. It had been including women and children were an exhausting but interesting and washed overboard by high sea gusts from enjoyable three weeks. We hoped a passenger boat from Honiara to Malaita that we have made some significant in the early hours of 3rd April. All were contributions in education and declared dead; only six bodies were relationship building. We thank recovered and given reverential burial, MMUK for all their support and look the rest were never recovered. forward to further engagement. Tropical Cyclone Harold entered Revd Canon Cate Edmonds Vanuatu and other Pacific countries at the increased strength of a Category 5 storm on 6th April. It caused severe damages in Vanuatu, leaving about five thousand people homeless. It destroyed a lot of Church properties in Vanuatu; the DOVNC Bishop’s official residence, the Office building, Church buildings, staff wvwvwvwvwvwvwvwvwvwvwvw houses and other properties. They are The Wider View gradually recovering from the aftermath The Most Revd Leonard Dawea – of the cyclone while strictly adhering to Archbishop of Melanesia COVID-19 health standards and As I write Solomon Islands and Vanuatu measures. are among the very few countries in the Tropical Cyclone Harold is an obvious world still COVID-19 free. But nobody testament to the ever-changing weather can be certain for how much longer this patterns resulting from the increasing will be. Despite that, the social, climate change issues in our island economic and religious impacts are nations. already impacting heavily on our What 'Back to Normal'? 34 July 2020 Popplemag Office, (walking to the chapel in the dark, Now the Adventure dodging frogs along the way!), to eating kasava and kakake (affectionately known Begins as “swamp taro”), attempting to fix the On Holy Saturday I arrived back to a waterpipe after heavy rain fall but much changed and much quieter London spending most of the time swimming in than the one I had left a month before. the river, as well as several logging trips Having confirmed my safe arrival in the with the Brothers to collect firewood. Solomon Islands in an email exchange It was a real privilege to be welcomed in with Katie Drew (MMUK Executive by the Brothers, Novices and Aspirants Officer), who had been kindly helping and to be allowed to join them in their me to organise the trip, she replied, everyday lives. I was also given the “Now the adventure begins!” privilege of preaching on Mothering Neither of us knew at that stage how Sunday, where Novice Patteson very accurate her response would prove to be! kindly helped me to write and deliver As an ordinand in the Church of England, sections of the sermon in Pijin, as well as I was eager to experience the life of the narrating the Passion play on Palm Anglican Church and the shape of Sunday, which thankfully was in formation in a very different context English! before being ordained deacon and However, during this time with the beginning my curacy this summer. Brothers, I was also becoming I am also currently researching for a PhD increasingly aware of the spreading thesis exploring how the church engages pandemic of COVID-19. Thankfully faithfully in politics and so found myself because of internet access at particularly drawn to the Melanesian Kohimarama Theological College I was Brotherhood’s recent history in their able to stay relatively up to date as things pivotal role as peacemakers during the changed across the world. Yet, because ethnic tensions at the turn of the of the rapid speed at which things millennium. Particularly striking is the changed, I was not able to move my Brothers’ distinctive and committed flights forward quickly enough to avoid pattern of prayer and worship, which is being stuck in Solomons indefinitely, as not a retreat from the world, but the Australia, and then the Solomon Islands structure and lifesource that enables them too, closed their borders! Being stranded to live fully for the world, serving their in Solomons felt very surreal. On the local communities and wider society so one hand, I was in paradise with beautiful faithfully. idyllic surroundings, as life continued I was initially intending to visit for a pretty much as normal at Tabalia and couple of months, throughout Lent, Holy across the Islands. Yet every time I Week and over Easter, with the purpose would walk up to “Kohi” to speak with of participating in and learning from the friends and family back home, I would be communal life and worship of the updated on the worsening spread of this Brothers. Immersing myself in the deadly virus. This led to a time of community at Tabalia as much as uncertainty, for me, but perhaps primarily possible gave me a chance to experience for my family back home, as I had three their beautifully simple but varied life flights cancelled in my attempt to return together. And I loved all of it– from to the UK. continued > > > daily attending the very early First Popplemag July 2020 35 With things changing not just daily but But most importantly, the Brothers hourly, and no clear indication of how continue to prepare spiritually, to be there long the lockdown would last, it was for the people of Melanesia, shining the unclear just how long I would be light of Christ in the darkness, knowing stranded in Tabalia. that whatever comes their way God is But I was reassured by the Brothers that I with them. Or as the Pijin version of was welcome to stay with them for as John’s Gospel beautifully puts it; “nao long as necessary, even if that meant matta stay dark… erytime get light.” being there at Christmas, and being Eventually I was able to be squeezed ordained whilst I was out there! Though onto a US repatriation flight as the 200th they also knew my need to get back to and final passenger on the plane. The my wife Lily, and so continued to pray circumstances of the last-minute flight for me. meant I sadly missed Easter weekend at Tabalia and had to say very rushed Having been back to Honiara a couple of goodbyes, but perhaps not having long times to speak with the British High drawn out goodbyes was more Commissioner, however, it became clear appropriate as I very much hope to that there was little that could be done in return. terms of arranging travel home other than praying and waiting for things to open up The flight itself left Honiara, the first again. time there had ever been a plane of that size on the runway, to head to San Ultimately though, it was hard to become Francisco via Hawaii, before I caught my overly anxious about my situation partly onward flight to London. By the time I because of where I was stranded. I arrived back in the UK I had completed a remember one Sunday afternoon messing round the world trip, just not in the around in the canoe in the sea with some circumstances I had quite imagined! of the younger boys and one of the Brothers, and just thinking how fortunate It is very hard to thank the Brotherhood, I was to be doing this whilst everyone and all those I met, enough for their back in the UK was stuck inside! hospitality, generosity, and kindness throughout my time with them, But also during this time, the rhythm of particularly under such uncertain prayer and worship at Tabalia really gave circumstances. During my stay I was me a sense of peace, as well as learning struck by their warmth but also their from and being held by the Brothers’ sense of fun. Their commitment to God own deep trust and reliance in God that and to one another is dedicated and all would be well. Of course, we were sincere, yet at the same time full of life also aware of the potential threat and and laughter! I have left with much to be impact of COVID-19 arriving in the thankful for, but also much to learn from Solomon Islands, not just on the limited them, and I am certain that this health resources but also the social and experience will continue to shape my economic implications. own life of faith and ministry for the rest We began to discuss some of the ways of my life. Sam Rylands the Brothers needed to prepare wvwvwvwvwvwvwvwvwvwvwvw practically, in modelling good hygiene Popplemag is produced for the both for their own sake, but also for all community and is published by St the communities across the islands. Luke's Church, Newton Poppleford. 36 July 2020 Popplemag