AUTUMN 2015 Devizes Outdoor Celebratory Arts Festival Fortnight Will Soon be Here! 23rd August – 5th September 2015 It’s not often that Devizes can boast of a world premiere, but that’s exactly what DOCA is proudly presenting this year at its annual International Street Festival on the 30th & 31st August 2015.
“Equilibrius is a high wire show which draws from a less known British tradition of touring funambulism,” says Jo Beal, Artistic Director. “Some may remember Chris Bull from his spectacular hire wire walk across Devizes Market Place in 2013. He, and his new wife Phoebe, are back this year as The Bullzini Family to premiere their new show, Equilibrius, staged between two bespoke towers and believed to be the first touring hire wire rig since the 1950’s.” Alongside the spectacle of the high wire, a myriad of some of the best UK and international outdoor performers will again be showcasing their talents. Directie & Co. from Holland will be washing their dirty linen in public, literally, in Laundry XL! Mufti Does Games is waiting to recruit you as part of their crew to play MASSIVE Battleships and children will love foraging for ingredients to pacify a hungry troll in Plunge Boom’s Trolls Kitchen. And that’s just for starters…. The International Street Festival is just one of the highlights of 2 weeks of creative fun and inspiration which kicks off in style once again in Hillworth Park with the Picnic in the Park, forays through a fabulous fringe programme, an explosive Confetti Battle, and culminates in the always extraordinary Devizes Carnival.
And it’s not too late to join in! Applications for Carnival entries are available from Devizes Books, Devizes Town Council and Scholars in the Little Brittox, or downloadable from www.docadevizes.org.uk. DOCA is also recruiting its crew of volunteer Summer Festival Makers. We’d love to hear from you if you would like to join this merry band of ‘get-it-on-ers’. Just phone Outdoor Arts Manager, Jay Haigh to find out more on 07897 121236. So, here are the dates for your diary as we look forward to a summer of amazing events organised by DOCA: • 23rd August Picnic in the Park • 30th/31st August International Street Festival • 2nd September Confetti Battle • 5th September Devizes Carnival Website: www.docadevizes.org.uk Email: [email protected] Phone: 07880 239598 (Jo Beal, Artistic Director)
Real Community Power For a long time most of us who live in and around Devizes have come to realise that control of where new housing is to be located needed to be taken away from speculating developers and put back in the hands of the community. There is a general sense that for too long there had been no control over where new houses are built with great sways of our rural boundary being dug up and replaced with winding estates.
The work on developing a neighbourhood plan, which regains that control, is now almost complete. It started with many of you saying how you believed our town should develop in terms of housing and the Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group, who have been leading this project were pleasantly surprised that most people agreed that new homes are needed for local people but greater thought had to be given to where they were placed and equally importantly how they would fit in with the current built environment. These views sit at the heart of the plan because, whilst we recognise that further housing will bring additional strain to our road network, schools and health facilities, every town in the country is expected to grow. Therefore, whilst we will need to have more houses, the impact needs to be mitigated and how that can be achieved in Devizes is set out in the Neighbourhood Plan.
The vision for the Neighbourhood Plan is clear, Devizes should grow in a manner which enables its residents to live a sustainable lifestyle, with a reduced need to travel; where there is a provision for easy access to open spaces and the public realm and the scale and ambiance of the built environment promotes wellbeing.
The full plan is available on the Devizes Neighbourhood Plan website, but in summary the plan seeks:
• To keep the majority of new developments within 20 minutes’ walk of the town centre. • Ensure that new development is no bigger than 65 houses. • Housing to enhance the public realm. • Promote the reuse of brownfield and previously developed sites.
The Neighbourhood Plan is now at a critical stage in its development, which is community endorsement. On the 17th September there will be a public referendum and you will be asked to go to a polling station to vote for its adoption. The Devizes Area Neighbourhood Steering Group strongly recommends that you support the plan to ensure that in future years, the town can guard against unwanted development on a scale that has a material impact on all our lives.
COUNCIL MEETINGS Council Surgeries – 2015
Devizes Town Council meetings are open to the public and at the beginning Council Surgeries are held in the Town Hall on the dates below between 6.00pm and 6.45pm. of each meeting there is an opportunity for members of the public to ask Councillors are nominated to attend the monthly Council Surgeries as follows: questions. If you would like to know when we are holding our meetings visit 8 September 2015 : Councillor Mrs Evans & Councillor Wooldridge our web site at www.devizes-tc.gov.uk. Failing that you can always 6 October 2015 : Councillor East & Councillor Johnson telephone us on 01380 722160. Dates of Council meetings can also be 3 November 2015 : Councillor Nash & Councillor Carter found on the notice board outside the Town Hall. 1 December 2015 : Councillor Corbett & Councillor Geddes South West in Bloom! Devizes & Roundway in Bloom 2015
Members of the Devizes & Roundway In Bloom Committee, with Mayor For the third year running the Devizes & Cllr Roger Giraud-Saunders, welcomed the regional judges for South West Roundway in Bloom committee in Bloom on a blisteringly hot day at the beginning of July. organised a very successful Open Garden weekend in June, raising just shy Judges Terry Porter and Lesley Jellyman began and ended their judging of £1,000 through ticket sales and tour in Hillworth Park, which has also been entered into the new Best Park refreshments for the Mayor’s Appeal. category. Terry knows Devizes well and was delighted to see that the same high standard has been upheld and improved upon across the town. Lesley has never visited our town before and she was full of complements The Devizes & Roundway in Bloom committee then turned its attention to about the whole town, including the many community groups she visited. the 2015 summer competition.
On the morning tour the judges visited Wansdyke School, Drews Pond Judging took place during the month of July and for many days the sun Wood and the Roundway allotments before walking through town to see shone. Judges results were collated and returned to the Town Hall ready how vibrant the town centre looked on a busy market day. The many for invitations to be sent out to winners. hanging baskets and tubs provided by local businesses were extremely well received as was the Pennybank, the Chequers Garden and the War The Devizes & Roundway in Bloom Presentation Evening will take place Memorial. on Tuesday 29 September at 7.00pm in the Town Hall. This event is open to all whether you have entered the competition this year or are thinking This year we have entered seventeen groups into the It’s Your about entering next year and would like some tips, please come and join us. Neighbourhood category, the most ever. This meant the judges had an extremely busy afternoon as they visited the Devizes Bowls Club, Cornerstones, Greenacres (the Richmond Fellowship), the Sidmouth Club, Albion Place, The Ginnel, Old Swan Yard, Waiblingen Way Resident’s Difficult Decisions Association, Devizes Cemetery and Woodland Walk. The tour finished with a visit to Andrew Sharp who has again planted hundreds of flowers along From time to time, like all organisations we have to make difficult his wall on Southbroom Road and was last year a recipient of the Local decision, some of these are not very popular and some will make extra Gardening Hero award from the Devizes and Roundway In Bloom work for service users. Recently the Joint Burial Committee have had to Committee. make such a decision, as it has become increasingly concerned that rough sleepers in the woods behind the cemetery are having an impact The judges were rightly impressed with the standard and commitment on visitors. from all groups, local traders, the Town Council and gardeners and both asked for their thanks to be passed on to everybody who opened their After working with both the Merchant Venturers, the owners of the wood, gardens and green spaces this year. the Police and other interested parties felt that enough is enough and therefore steps need to be taken to encourage these campers to find a The results will be announced in September and we have our fingers more suitable place to pitch their tents. One reason Belvedere Wood is crossed for another great result until then! popular for camping is its proximity to running water, which is located in the cemetery. Council Surgeries It has therefore been decided to turn off the water supply at the stand pipes from the 1st September for two months in the hope that this will The Town Council and the Police have come together to hold joint make the use of the wood for camping less attractive. This will naturally residents surgeries once a month and will enable local residents to have a significant impact on those tending graves, however, given the bring their issues and concerns to both the Police and Councillors number of calls received by the authority about the problem, it is felt at the same time. these measures may go some way to reducing the issues cemetery visitors are experiencing . If successful, we will then continue our discussions with the Society of Merchant Venturers about how in the future the wood Town Mayor, Councillor Giraud-Saunders says, “this is an can become a community asset and be enjoyed by anyone who wishes excellent initiative as so often the issues that the Council are asked to walk through it. to deal with require a multi-agency solution. Having the Police working with us will enable us to act swiftly”. Notices will be placed in the cemetery advising when the water will not be available and at those time we would suggest that if you need water to maintain floral tributes, you bring a full litre bottle of water with you, Dates for the surgeries are published at the bottom of the front which should be adequate for your needs. page and no appointment is necessary. We are sorry for any inconvenience that this decision may cause, however, we feel that it is necessary action to preserve the sense of reverence visitors to the cemetery may expect.
DEVIZES TOWN COUNCIL MEMBERS 2015/17
WARD DETAILS POLITICAL TEL NO & E MAIL ADDRESS PARTY N Sarah Jane BRIDEWELL Guardian Home: 01380 722321 Roundway Parish Council Members 32 Queens Road, Devizes, SN10 5HW [email protected] E Jane Mary BURTON Guardian Home: 01380 724575 17 Longcroft Road, Devizes, SN10 3AT [email protected] N Nigel Denys CARTER Guardian Home: 01380 723164 Name Address Telephone Email 3 Great Western Close, Devizes, SN10 1AQ Mobile: 07850 193494 [email protected] Tony Batchelor 2 Chivers Road, Devizes, 01380 738034 [email protected] S Peter CORBETT Guardian Home: 01380 725873 SN10 3FD 159 Avon Road, Devizes, SN10 1PY [email protected] S Ted EAST Guardian Home: 01380 729945 Chris Callow 46 The Fairway, Devizes, 01380 726378 [email protected] Fairfield House, Potterne Road, Devizes [email protected] (Chairman) SN10 5DX SN10 5DE E Peter EVANS Conservative Home: 01380 722499 Ian Collis 1 The Old Farmhouse, 01380 724902 [email protected] 27 Nursteed Road, Devizes, SN10 3AF [email protected] Byron Road, Devizes SN10 N Sue EVANS Conservative Home: 01380 722499 27 Nursteed Road, Devizes, SN10 3AF Mobile: 07532 110090 5NT [email protected] E Andy GEDDES Guardian Home:01380 721358 Peter Corbett 159 Avon Road, Devizes 01380 725873 [email protected] 75 Nursteed Road, Devizes, SN10 3AJ [email protected] SN10 1PY E Roger GIRAUD-SAUNDERS Guardian Home: 01380 739502 28 Parkfields Mobile:07816 128395 Andy Geddes 75 Nursteed Road, Devizes 01380 721358 [email protected] Devizes, SN10 2EB [email protected] SN10 3AJ S Ian HOPKINS Independent Home: 01380 725614 103 Southbroom Road, Devizes, SN10 1LY [email protected] Ray Parsons 88a Hillworth Road, 01380 739332 [email protected] N Andy JOHNSON Conservative Home: 01380 829665 Devizes SN10 5HD 82 White Horse Way, Devizes, SN10 2JR Mobile:07897 456790 [email protected] Rick Rowland Holly Lodge, 9 Alan 01380 724844 [email protected] E Kelvin NASH Conservative Home: 01380 726764 Cobham Road, Devizes 2 Meadow Drive, Devizes, SN10 3BJ [email protected] S Jeff ODY Guardian Home:01380 720761 SN10 3GE Pine House, Pans Lane, Devizes, SN10 5AP Mobile: 07768 140745 [email protected] Pat Rugg 2/3 The Old Farmhouse, 01380 722677 [email protected] N John Jacques PARKER Conservative Home: 07468 454001 Devizes SN10 5NT 25 Reeves Road, Devizes, SN10 3UB Mobile:07971 790387 Work: 01380 724072 Margery Steel 8 Roundway Park, Devizes 01380 727603 [email protected] [email protected] SN10 2ED S Judy Rose Guardian Home:01380 721262 91 Avon Road, Devizes, SN10 1PT Mobile:07779 057464 John Stevens 6 Speer Court, Drews Park, 01380 739599 [email protected] [email protected] Devizes SN10 5FL N Peter Barry John SMITH Guardian Home: 01380 734795 142 Waiblingen Way, Devizes, Mobile: 07958 918695 Steve Valentine 36 Osmund Road, 01380 726024 [email protected] SN10 2BP [email protected] Devizes, SN10 3GD E Albert WOOLDRIDGE Guardian Home: 01380 723217 29 Bricksteed Avenue, Devizes, SN10 3AE Mobile: 07598 070675 Jeanette 15 Century Close, Devizes, 01380 728239 [email protected] [email protected] Unitary Members Vonberg SN10 3FG Devizes East – Peter Evans Devizes North – Sue Evans Albert 29 Bricksteed Avenue, 01380 723217 [email protected] Devizes & Roundway South – Simon Jacobs Wooldridge Devizes SN10 3AE 07538 070675 Roundway – Councillor Laura Mayes, 01380 739177 or 07855 819343
FUTURE PARALYMPIAN?
Evan Molloy is a 16 year old resident of Devizes who has been practising Judo at Devizes Budo Club over the past three years. He is currently 2nd Kyu (Blue belt) having taken part in competitive Judo since 2012.
Evan competes in mainstream Judo however he has a visual impairment which means he is categorised as B3 in Paralympic Judo.
During the past year Evan has trained with and been a member of the Great Britain Paralympic Judo Team at the National Centre of Excellence in Walsall in the Midlands.
He has recently received a request from the Great Britain Paralympic coach to attend a training camp at Belo Horizonte in Brazil from the 10th to the 16th of September 2015.
Ian Johns, coach, stated that “The British Paralympic Association are very keen for the whole squad to attend as they see this as an important part of the preparation for the Paralympic Games.”
Should you be part of a sporting organisation in Devizes or Roundway and would like a member of your organisation to be featured here please contact Richard Hopkins at Devizes Town Hall on 01380 738902.
MayOr’S appeal MONey PHAB Planting Altogether I raised £7500 in my Mayoral year, £4000 for the Members of our local PHAB group met Devizes branch of the with the Devizes Mayor, Councillor British Heart Roger Giraud-Saunders at the end of Foundation, £2500 for June to plant their much loved border Bag4sport and £1000 for Devizes foodbank. for the summer. With the British Heart Foundation I have The border, which is situated by the War Memorial enough to buy two in Long Street, is replanted each year by the group defibrilators and a few with a little help from the Devizes Town Council resuscitation kits for Parks and Open Spaces Team. This year the schools. The children of primary school age colourful PHAB logo has been will be learning life re-produced and was much admired by those who saving techniques attended the planting. when the new academic year Mayor Councillor Roger Giraud-Saunders said he begins. Once the was delighted to help out with the planting and was applications have been agreed I'll let you know the locations. Andy from Bag4sport plans to use the monies to help sponsor local athletes like Tom Reed and the monies for the looking forward to seeing how vibrant and colourful foodbank will help them purchase items that aren't donated and fulfill more foodbank it would become over the next few months. parcels. Many thanks must go to those who donated or participated in events during my term. Without their assistance none of this would be possible.
Councillor Sarah Bridewell
British Heart Foundation, Devizes Branch
Alison Adams (BHF Fundraising Manager for Wiltshire) and Tony Batchelor (Chairman of the BHF Fundraising Branch, Devizes) were absolutely delighted to receive a cheque for £4,000 from Sarah Bridewell, former Mayor of Devizes, at the Town Hall on Friday 17 July. Sarah had wanted to raise enough funds during her year as Mayor to be able to fund two defibrillators to be located in Devizes. In receiving the cheque Tony Batchelor said “I am absolutely delighted with the sum Sarah has been able to direct to us. My colleagues and I will now be working with Sarah to ensure that this money stays locally and is used to benefit the people of Devizes. There are already a number of defibrillators in the Town (some funded by the BHF under previous initiatives) but the coverage is patchy and we want to make sure that all parts of Devizes are covered. The funds that Sarah has raised enable us to begin to fill those gaps. There is often very little warning of a heart attack and when it happens it can have a devastating effect on peoples’ lives. Time is of the essence which is why help has to be available and available fast”.
Tony Batchelor GARDEN TIME
Our Open Gardens weekend has been and gone and if you missed it, where were you?! This year we had 16 gardens open – not quite as many as last year but still a goodly number and a good turnout by visitors. The weather couldn’t make up its mind and the Friday evening before, it chucked it down which was a good thing for the plants but meant a lot of going around tap-tapping the flowerheads and the overhanging branches of things so as not to drip on our visitors. Strangely, the same thing happened on the Saturday night so the tap-tapping was repeated on Sunday morning! Otherwise, we remained thankfully dry.
Not only did we have visitors from around Wiltshire but also from overseas as the dates coincided with the Twinning weekend. It was lovely to show people what was behind the fences and walls and also the many and varied facets of English gardens! In addition, we made about £800 for the Mayor’s charities, which was no mean feat and a good start to the new Mayor’s appeals.
Elsewhere around the town, the judging for our own Devizes and Roundway In Bloom competitions has been taking place during July, and we also had our visit from the South West In Bloom judges, and boy – did we wear them out with so much to see and so many people to meet. It’s a great testament to the residents and the businesses in Devizes that we are able to put on such a good show – and doesn’t the town look great? Huge thanks go to the guys based at Hillworth Park who have planted up the big blue containers around the place and the roundabout by the Green along with many other beds dotted here and there. Huge thanks also to Tony Archer of Superior Plants for the hanging baskets you will see on lampposts and council buildings – not only are they made by Tony and his stalwart team but they are also watered and maintained by them, which takes some doing, I can tell you!
We will not know the results from the SWIB judging for a while – whether we got our 5th gold or not – so fingers crossed. But the Presentation Evening for the DRIB competitions (including painting and photography as well as gardens and containers) will be held on September 29th at 7.00 p.m. in the Town Hall. Even if you didn’t take part in any of the categories, you are welcome to come along to see what’s been happening in our schools and neighbourhoods, as well as across the town.
Back to our own gardens – it’s too late to feed the lawn with a summer feed which is high in nitrogen so just hang on until the autumn when you can do it then with a feed that is high in phosphorus instead. Nitrogen promotes leaf growth which you don’t want going into autumn and winter.
If you grow Penstemons, and why wouldn’t you, then deadhead them by cutting back to a leaf joint in order to prolong flowering. Trim Lavenders that have finished by going over them lightly with a pair of sharp shears to tidy them up. Don’t cut into old wood as it will not regenerate. If you have Camellias, Rhododendrons or Azaleas in pots, make sure they are well-watered as they will be making next year’s flowerbuds now. If they don’t have enough water to sustain them they will simply drop off. Tomato plants can become a mass of leaves, especially if you are growing the cordon types and have not been pinching out the side shoots. Don’t be afraid to take off most of the lower leaves and any that are shading ripening fruit. This will also allow the air to circulate so there will be less chance of fungal disease striking.
Lastly, and I hate to say it but ...... spring flowering bulbs and stuff like onion sets and garlic will be in the garden centres by now. Don’t leave it too late to get the best of the selections – you can keep them in a cool, dark place until you need to plant them. Zena Robson
Sunshine and Showers in the Park!
The temperamental British weather has thrown sunshine, freezing fog and showers at the events held in Hillworth Park over the past few months! As ever, visitors, volunteers and staff have been undeterred and all events have been great fun and extremely well supported.
Plant in the Park is an annual event held in association with Devizes and Roundway in Bloom. This year, children were encouraged to plant seeds and pot-on young tomato and courgette plants, make bird feeders and decorate seed heads. Gardening experts from the In-Bloom committee were also on hand to answer horticultural headaches and a range of thorny problems were tackled. Look out for this event again next year.
Our first Antiques and Collectables Roadshow was held in the Park Café in May. Experts John Parker and Giles Power valued more than seventy items including pocket watches, dolls, paintings and a pair of Victorian dolls shoes! After a packed morning, more than £70 was raised for the Mayor’s Appeal.
Local singers and performers entertained the picnickers during the Eden Project Big Lunch event at the beginning of June. Choirs from France, Germany and Devizes joined forces to entertain park goers at our European Serenade event, which was held a week later. Jazz bands also performed and the sun shone!
Our Jazz and Folk events in July were very rainy affairs, however, the bands carried on playing and picnickers sheltered under umbrellas and trees to enjoy the great music! Our classical event was a chance for park goers to enjoy something a little bit different and visitors enjoyed music from a classical vocal trio, pianists, a cellist and a flautist! Another great, free event!
There are lots more exciting events happening at the Park in the coming months. To sign up for our email newsletter visit our website www.hillworthpark.org.uk or see our Facebook page for regular updates.
CONTACT DETAILS Sarah Todhunter, Town Clerk, Devizes Town Council, Town Hall, St John’s Street, Devizes. SN10 1BN. Telephone 01380 722160, Fax 01380 722415, www.devizes-tc.gov.uk
Roundway Clerk Contact Details - Stan Johnston, 306 Marsh Road, Hilperton, BA14 7PL. Home Telephone 01225 401259, Mobile 07806 497399, Email [email protected]