Contents Family Christmas Party page 3 Christmas Tree Festival page 5 News from the Castle page 6 The White Hart pages 7-9 Sourton Round Up pages 10-11 Dog Show page 11 Movie Watch pages 12-13 Bridestowe PC report page 14 Bridestowe Churches Partnership page 15 Adrian Brookes page 16 Bridestowe Village Hall page 17 Riverside Stores page 18 Garden Club report page 26 Hedgehog Corner page 30 Sue Townsend page 30 -31 Forthcoming events page 40 December 2016 Issue 173
Wishing you all a very happy Christmas and New Year
Jacolly Puppet Theatre presents Dogworthy’s Christmas Cracker A Show full of Chrismassy fun “The ideal Christmas treat” for ages 3-9 Thursday 22nd December, 2:30pm Tavistock Town Hall, Bedford Square Tickets: £5 Family rate £4.50 for 4 or more by phone & online from Cornish Riviera Box Office 01726 879500 crbo.co.uk/jacolly or in person from Bookstop , Tavistock
Dogworthy, the dog magician, loves to entertain with his magic tricks, accompanied by his human friend, Holly. Thank you to the residents of Bridestowe village who welcomed all the mini witches, wizards and other scary characters back on As I won’t be sending Halloween.The children had Christmas cards this a wonderful time trick and treating year, I would like to although thinks there was a lot more wish everyone a treating going on, thank goodness. Merry Christmas & Cerys, Callum and Friends Happy New Year. Dog fouling in Tanyard Court Wilf Spry Residents are reporting a recent spate of dog fouling in Tanyard Court. It appears to occur overnight which makes them wonder if someone is letting their dog out last thing and not supervising their pet. Please be a responsible dog owner when December Events at Okehampton Library exercising your pet.
Friends of Okehampton Library Christmas Draw . Chance to win the contents of our festive hamper 50p per ticket. Draw to take place 17th December Friends of Okehampton Library Christmas Quiz . Puzzle over our fun festive questions for a chance to win a £10 book token. £1 per quiz sheet, closing date 7th January 2017 Saturday 3rd December 10:00-12:00. Book & DVD Sale and Coffee Morning Pick up a bargain and enjoy free refreshments served by the Friends of Okehampton Library 1st-24th December during library opening hours Find all the Elves hidden in the library - receive a Christmas treat. For children of all ages, 10p a go, no booking necessary Wednesday 7th December 11:00-12:00. Christmas Story & Craft For children under 5 and their carers. Free, no booking necessary 19-24th December during library opening hours. Christmas Activity Table For children and their carers. Free, no booking necessary
Friends of Bridestowe School The Book Club will be Annual General Meeting & Social Evening meeting on Thursday Friday 9th December 7:30pm onwards 8th December at The White Hart, Bridestowe 7.30pm at Millaton Everyone welcome to join the Cottage for our meeting Christmas knees- up. We are bringing and stay for a drink food and drink and, as is the afterwards tradition, a book bought from a Agenda available from School charity shop for our ‘Secret Santa’.
‘Do give books – religious or otherwise – for We may even get round to discussing Christmas. They’re never fattening, seldom the book we’ve been reading, John sinful, and permanently personal.’ Burnside’s A Summer of Drowning . – Lenore Hershey, former editor of McCalls BaSE Page 2 Christmas Whist Drive on Saturday 17th December at Meldon Village Hall 7.30pm start £3 to include a drink Whist prizes to include Turkeys - Chicken Pork - Beef - Cuts from ½ lamb All proceeds to Devon Air Ambulance Trust
Sourton Parish Council The first meeting of 2017 will be on Monday January 9th at Sourton Hall and as always parishioners are welcome to attend. A full list of meeting dates, as well as agenda and minutes are on the Sourton website - www.sourtonpc.co.uk We are also happy to advertise any forthcoming Sourton events on the website, publish local news, or local pictures and listen to any other ideas for its use. For this, or if you would like to receive minutes and agenda via email, please contact the clerk- email: [email protected] or tel: 01837 861230 .
BaSE Page 3 Lewdown Victory Hall GRAND CHRISTMAS WHIST DRIVE Friday 9th December 8.00pm Fortnightly whist drives start again on Saturday 14th January 2017
********************************** A date for your diary... Lewdown Victory Hall SUNDAY LUNCH February 12th at 12.30 for1.00pm Tickets £12.00 Sarah Nash 01566 783274 Registered Charity No 230270
A big ‘thank you’ to all those deliverers of BaSE for another year of delivering. Your help is really appreciated. We drop off bundles and rarely get the chance to thank you all personally. However we can do it through BaSE and it is just as sincere! Ali and Martin Young
BaSE Page 4 Please don't forget that delicious BACON BAPS will be served again next year on Saturday 28th January from 10 -12noon at Bridestowe Village Hall
John Hockridge, one of your West Devon Borough Councillors Contact details: Week Farm, Sourton, Okehampton, Devon, EX20 4HZ Tel: 01837 861221 Email: [email protected]
Caroline Mott, your other West Devon Borough Councillor Contact details: Great Close Farm, Bridestowe, Devon, EX20 4NT Tel: 01837 861212 Email:[email protected] BaSE Page 5 News from the Castle Hello everyone I hope that you have all been able to enjoy some glorious autumn sunshine. The colours at Castle Drogo have been amazing this year. The gorge is looking particularly gorgeous, especially when the sun catches the reds and golds.
Despite the current pause in building work, the project is still moving in the right direction. We have had the scaffold team on site for the past month. They have been busy constructing the final (yes – final) stage of scaffolding over the North end of the building. Although we don’t intend to start the actual work until early spring, having the scaffolding in place will enable us to hit the ground running once we appoint the new contractors.
Other exciting activities over the past month include working with the wonderful young people from Med Theatre as they recorded a radio play inspired by the stories of wolves on Dartmoor. They did most of the recording on-site at Drogo and it is lovely to hear the acoustics, creaky floors and pianos in the background. If you fancy listening to the full play, please visit www.medtheatre.co.uk/wolf-whispers. I was lucky enough to attend the launch of the radio play and it is fantastic. The group worked very hard creating the play and we just loved being able to support them in a small way.
The next couple of months will be super busy for us as we get ready to re-present the interior of the castle ready for the new season. Once again, rooms will be shifting and new stories will be told. We know that we still have 2 years of building work ahead of us so the rooms cannot go back to ‘normal’ just yet. We are very excited about our plans though and can’t wait to share them with you. I will tell you all about it in the next edition! All that is left for me to say now is that the Castle Drogo team wish you all a very happy and healthy Christmas and New Year and we hope to see you all soon.
Paula Community Engagement Officer, Castle Drogo 01647 434130, [email protected]
This year’s Ram Roast will be Thank you held earlier than usual, I would like to thank everyone who 22nd July 2017 donated books, DVDs and CDs for my We will write more about it stall at the Christmas Fayre, raising in next month’s BaSE but funds for St. Bridget’s Church. I was please make a note of the inundated! Anything unsold went to date.... the British Heart Foundation or 10th January - 8pm - The White Hart Oxfam. We will meet for a discussion about what we would Mary Warren like to do this year over a drink. Please do join us! BaSE Page 6 Nr Okehampton, Devon Tel: 01837 861318 www.whitehartbridestowe.co.uk QUIZ NIGHT Wednesday 14th Families and dogs December in aid of the Cricket Club welcome Christmas Draw 50p a square. First prize £100 + other various prizes Last squares sold up until 9pm on Christmas Eve with the draw taking place at 9.30pm
Opening hours: Monday - Friday 12 - 3pm 5pm -close Saturday and Sunday and bank holidays open all day Home-cooked food served between 12 - 2pm and 6pm - 9pm ------We are still taking bookings for our Christmas menu. We will be open on Christmas Day, 12 - 2pm, for drinks ------Come and spend New Year’s Eve with us. With a free buffet and karaoke
The White Hart by Howard Barkell The White Hart is one of the most common names for licenced premises in this country, so perhaps we shouldn’t be surprised that there is one in Bridestowe. The whys and whens for that particular name are now apparently lost in the mists of time. The White Hart was the personal badge of the boy king, Richard II, the son of the Black Prince, who reigned from 1377 to 1399. During that time the White Hart gained some religious and mystic connotations. It is unlikely that the local name is quite that old, but some papers which Michael and Sarah kindly lent me recently do suggest at least a tenuous religious connection. At one time the place would have been little more than a cottage complete with its own brew house which served the local population and perhaps offered food and shelter to passing pedestrians or mounted travellers. The road was the main route between London and Cornwall. It may have been that the coming of the turnpike in the late 18th century with the advent of wheeled traffic and a greater number of travellers led to its development. It certainly once had stables and associated buildings adjoining it. On 2nd November 1801 the Revd. Coryndon Luxmoore, Rector of Bridestowe with Sourton chapel and also Lord of the Manor of Bridestowe Sanctuary sold “ the White Hart, at the west end of the west bridge in the village of Bridestowe, Public House, garden, a meadow called Tanner’s Meadow ” to Mr Henry Chapman of Bridestowe for £71 10s 0d. The tenant was named as Thomas Pasmore. The annual rent was 8 shillings to be paid quarterly and a best beast as a heriot (to be paid to the Lord of the Manor on the death of the tenant). BaSE Page 7 In his will Henry Chapman left the White Hart to his widow during her lifetime unless she re-married and then to his son William who was serving as a Midshipman in His Majesty’s Navy. By 1813 Margaret Chapman was a widow, had paid off her husband’s debts of nearly fifty pounds but now wished to re-marry, so George Gould of Cruft, Okehampton, was appointed trustee until William reached the age of 21 or was married. By April 1819 William was a gentleman of Bridestowe and he leased the White Hart to John White for a year at a peppercorn rent. This appears to have been some sort of legal requirement because the next day he sold him the whole premises for £350. John White was described as a publican and he then borrowed £300 from Betty and Joanna Acland, spinsters who lived at Meeth. A similar thing happened in 1830 when John White, now a victualler leased the premises to Henry Hawkes, a gentleman, for a year at a peppercorn rent. The next day The White Hart changed hands for £400. It appears that Henry Hawkes was acting as a trustee for John Gubbins Newton of Millaton whose son of the same name was still a minor. Newton senior died in 1847 and his son became of age and inherited a few months later. Millaton was once a huge estate with land and property in several adjoining parishes including most of Lydford as well as owning all of Bridestowe to the north of the main road, but all was not well. In 1881 the liquidators of J.G.Newton sold the White Hart to the licensee Mrs.Jane Guscott, a widow, for £420. It appears that Mr. Newton was closely involved in the West of England and South Wales District Bank. In 1878 the affairs of the bank were wound up and he was forced to go into liquidation although he lived at Millaton for several years after that. Mrs. Guscott sold the pubic house at a loss to Thomas Kennard of Okehampton who was already an Innkeeper. The tenant at the time was John Sercombe. Thomas wished to make some provision for his wife so he granted her the White Hart for fifty years at a rent of a shilling a year to be paid on Christmas Day. It doesn’t say if it had to be paid via the Christmas Pudding! Presumably she received the rent from the pub’s tenant. Licensees tended to come and go at regular intervals. Robert Kemble brought some stability when he took over the licence c. 1905. He had lived the peripatetic life of a policeman’s child, surviving changes of home and school every three years until he also joined the police, but in London. By the time he retired his father and some of his siblings were living in the village so he came to join them. After his brother-in-law met an unfortunate end he sold up in 1916 and moved to Coventry. It was then that my grandfather took on the licence and survived some big changes. First in 1921 the place was put on the market “including the old brew house.” J.H.Barkell was instructed to show prospective buyers around. Thomas Kennard sold the premises to the Newcombe brothers trading as E. Newcombe and Son, Wine and Spirit Merchants of Okehampton for £3,600. The Newcombes then borrowed heavily from the Kennards but managed to repay the loan in three years. In 1936 Plymouth Breweries of Regent Street, Stonehouse, Plymouth bought the White Hart for the princely sum of £10,800, although over half of that money was borrowed from the Newcombes and wasn’t actually repaid until 1947. The new owners altered the structure internally and put a new external doorway into the bar. It also became a tied house, only selling products made or approved by the parent company. Soon after the stables adjoining the road were demolished and a car park put in their place, but a proposed petrol station was never proceeded with. During the Second World War the licensee was Alan Seaman. This was a peak time because of the proximity of hundreds of soldiers in the local camps. He was also in charge of the local Home Guard detachment. Their headquarters was a Nissen hut which stood under the big ash tree in White Hart meadow. He was briefly licensee of both pubs before moving over to the Royal Oak. The meadow was originally one field. It was used once a year for the annual Sheep Fair and then let on a yearly basis if the landlord at the pub didn’t need it. Then the part where Brid Close is built was fenced off and the sheep pens were periodically put up as needed. There was also a pen at the top of the car park, a useful holding area when cattle were still auctioned on the bridge. The stream which now skirts two sides of Crandford Close once flowed straight across the meadow into BaSE Page 8 the White Hart back yard. The toilet building stood directly over it and all the waste matter flowed directly into the river! By the mid- fifties the Brewery obviously found small tied houses a liability because in November 1956 they sold the White Hart to Dennis Seaman of the Bell Hotel Barnstaple for £2,300. He probably bought it as a speculation because a few months later he sold it to Rosemary Morey for over twice that amount. She came from the Star Hotel, Helston. Her husband Peter had apparently once been part of the team working with John Logie Baird in their early pioneering television work. She also brought with her a formidable lady called Mary Richards and a very big dog. It was reputed that both had been used to dealing with unruly sailors from the nearby air base. After Peter died the premises was briefly owned by a Major Boycott of the Queen’s Head Hotel Tavistock, but a couple months later he sold it to William Forrest (Reg) and Marie (Mia) Millard for £8,000. Their vision was to run it as a top quality restaurant/public house which meant extensive interior alterations particularly inside the front door where the passage became redundant and the saloon bar to the left and two smaller rooms on the right were combined to make the restaurant. This tradition of good food was continued by Jane and Alan Owen when Reg and Mia retired to Millaton Lodge. During his ownership Reg bought the piece of field over the hedge from Tanners Meadow beside the river from Harold Barkell. The land on the other side was purchased by Devon County Council, first for the District Nurse’s bungalow and then for school use. Reg sold a small piece of the car park to SWEB for an electricity sub-station and then in 1973 E.P.Wickens & Sons Ltd. bought the field and part of the existing car park with the intention of building an estate of 30 houses. For some reason this never materialised as planned but Crandford Close and the present car park were built instead. Two building plots retained by Mr. Millard were sold on and developed more recently.
Everyone at Bridestowe Cricket Club would like to thank Sarah, Mike and the Team at The White Hart for a fantastic evening of food, drink and fun at our annual presentation dinner
Okehampton Singers Christmas Concert on Saturday 10th December at 7.30pm, Ockment Centre A gorgeous selection of songs presented to you by the Okehampton Singers. Expect beautiful harmonies, spine-tingling solos and lots of laughter! You’ll receive a warm welcome, so come and partake in some festive cheer! FREE HOMEMADE MINCE PIE WITH TICKET! Featuring special guests Gravity Stops from the OCRA Music Project and some fabulous jazz too. Refreshments available - festive mulled wine, soft drinks and snacks, make sure you bring cash. RAFFLE FOR ALZHEIMERS UK. Adult tickets £5, under 12’s £3. Please note that under 5’s may come along free of charge, but they must share seats with their parent to ensure there are enough seats for pre-booked tickets. Thank you for understanding! Tickets are now on sale! Please contact Kelly on 07932 241 623 / [email protected] OR via an OS member / from the Ockment Centre Reception. All raffle donations go to Alzheimers UK, ticket sales and bar sales go towards the cost of the concert and the continued running costs of the Okehampton Singers. BaSE Page 9 SOURTON ROUND UP December 2016
W.I. In November we had a most interesting talk by Rob Taylor who is the Dartmoor National Park Ranger responsible for the parishes of Sourton, Bridestowe, Lydford, Brentor, Mary Tavy and Peter Tavy. Dartmoor National Park Authority has a staff of 85, 9 of these are Rangers. The Authority deals with planning applications, the by-laws affecting the moor, the maintenance of the rights of way, and works with the farmers, who have moor common rights and graze livestock there, to maintain and improve the vegetation and wildlife. Rob talks to and visits the parish council meetings, schools and other organisations. He oversees the voluntary wardens who help with his work and annually inspect the public footpaths and bridleways renewing gates and stiles when necessary. He vividly described his eventful working life. The next meeting will be a Christmas afternoon on Tuesday 13th December at 2 pm in the hall. Sourton W.I. wishes everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Church Operation Christmas Child Thank you very much to everyone who helped us to send 10 shoe boxes filled with Christmas gifts to the poor and needy children in Eastern Europe. We have also given 12 hats, mittens, scarves and other items separately to help fill other boxes. Thank you for bringing happiness at Christmas into the lives of children who have so little. Remembrance Service Thank you to Alison Duckers and George Heathman for taking a poignant service to remember and honour all those who fought so bravely in the world wars and especially those from Sourton who laid down their lives to defend our country. We give thanks for the courage and bravery of our armed forces fighting in more recent battles, who have made sacrifices so that we may enjoy freedom. The collection of £84 has been sent to the Royal British Legion, an organisation which does wonderful work. Christingle Service Our Christingle Service is in church at 4 pm on Sunday 4th December followed by tea in the hall. We are looking forward to watching the Treetops Nativity Play which will show us the true meaning of Christmas and make an excellent start to our celebrations. All proceeds go towards the wonderful work of the Childrens Society who bring light into the darkened lives of poor vulnerable young people.
Sourton Hall Lottery October 1st 24 Marcia Horn 2nd 81 Len Hill 3rd 89 Janet Scutt November1st 46 John Hockridge 2nd 92 Laura Ley 3rd 83 Geraldine Jury Thank you very much for helping Sourton Hall by supporting the lottery. Please contact Alison Horn (861223) if you are interested in joining. Future Dates 17th Dec 10 am We shall be meeting to decorate the church for Christmas and would welcome anyone who would like to help us. Gifts of greenery, foliage and flowers would be very much appreciated. BaSE Page 10 Church Services in December 2016 4th 8 am Prayer Book Holy Communion – Rev. Adrian Brook 4 pm Christingle Service followed by tea in hall 11th 11 am Morning Prayer 18th 4 pm Carol Service with mince pies and festive drink (Collection for a charity yet to be decided) 25th 9.30 am Christmas Day Communion
Best wishes for a very Happy and Blessed Christmas to all BaSE readers from Sourton. Rose Dashper
South West GSD and Dog Rescue are a non- profit organisation based in the South West of England dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation and re-homing of German Shepherds, related cross-breeds and other dogs in need.
BaSE Page 11 Movie Watch – November A couple of New Carlton visits on which to report this month, although the general quality of future offerings remains rather disappointing. The Light Between Oceans attracted an audience numbering 14 on our visit. On the positive side, all 14 remained for the protracted 135-minute duration, while the location shots – supposedly Australia but actually New Zealand – were absolutely stunning. That was about it though. The ludicrously contrived plot sees Tom (Michael Fassbender) as a World War I veteran opting for the solitude of maintaining a remote lighthouse on the Australian coast, as an antidote to the appalling rigours of wartime. With wife (and real-life partner) Isabel (Alicia Vikander) unable to produce the baby they both crave, their prayers are answered in what cynical observers might consider slightly far-fetched fashion when a passing infant miraculously washes up in a rowing boat, along with her dead father. Tom knows they should notify the authorities but ultimately gives in to Isabel’s desperation to keep the child, purportedly as their own. Fate strikes again though when the couple meet the child’s biological mother (Rachel Weisz) on the mainland at which point, as you can well imagine, it all kicks off. The actors, to be fair, do their best given the dismal script with which they have to work. Fassbender is the constant, moody presence. He only has the one facial expression, but luckily it’s spot-on for the role. Vikander and Weisz both make a good fist of demonstrating the emotional turmoil in which they find themselves. One British newspaper described the film as ‘a tour-de-force weepie’ while a Hollywood commentator suggested ‘the cathartic pleasures of a good old-fashioned weepie are promised but never delivered.’ It all feels like formulaic movie direction by numbers but that won’t worry some viewers, who will no doubt find the trappings —beautiful actors, breathtaking landscapes and heartstring-twanging music — sufficient to leave them misty- eyed. The rest of us will save those desperately sought tears for another, more deserving, cause. A few days later we were back for one of the New Carlton’s special live presentations, this one featuring Alan Bennett, as mischievous an 82-year-old as you could wish to encounter. The evening comprised a screening of Alan Bennett’s Diaries , a new film about the writer and playwright, followed by a live Q&A from his local library in Primrose Hill. From start to finish the whole thing was a delight. The cinema was filled to capacity by an audience who lapped up every word, all considered and some acerbic but mostly just very funny. Bennett, still sharp as a tack, appears genuinely bewildered by his popularity, thereby adding to his self-effacing appeal. The film meanders from a tough upbringing in Leeds through to his current, seemingly idyllic, life split between rural Yorkshire and north-west London, where he works. He doesn’t say all that much of enormous significance, but his wonderful powers of recollection and observation, coupled with that unique style of delivery, go a long way to explaining his enduring popularity. I imagine the film will appear on BBC at some point in the future, possibly buried away late- night on BBC4. If it does, make yourself a cup of tea and enjoy spending some time with a genuine national treasure. You won’t be disappointed.
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them arrived in Okehampton on 18th November and will probably stay for some time. The film marks the much-vaunted screenwriting debut of JK Rowling, with the script inspired by the Hogwarts textbook of the same name, written by her Harry Potter creation Newt Scamander.
Oscar-winning Eddie Redmayne stars in the central role of the Magizoologist Scamander, as he experiences the hazardous wizarding world of 1926 New York, decades before the arrival of Harry Potter. Given the enormous popularity of the Potter franchise, you would imagine this will prove very popular so advance booking would seem advisable.
Other titles available in Okehampton include Arriva l starring Amy Adams, A Street Cat Named Bob and the tear-jerking Mum’s List , with Rafe Spall and Emilia Fox. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story is scheduled to arrive with us around 15th December……………but beware that titular colon!
David Harrison November 2016
Kris Atherley-Hewings at Riverside Stores is your Neighbourhood Watch Coordinator. 01837 861321 ------Nothing to report locally but the Police are urging people to lock doors and secure outbuildings to prevent opportunistic crime.
BaSE Page 13 Bridestowe Parish Council Meeting Report
Bridestowe Parish Council met on 9th November at the Methodist Church and these are some of the matters discussed:
The NHS (NEW Devon CCG) has responded to the parish council’s deep concern over the proposed cuts to the beds at Okehampton hospital. The CCG explained that this was part of the necessary transformation of community services that will provide the joined up care that people want, supporting and promoting independence as locally as possible. These changes will offer a more responsive service in people’s homes, where it is safe and appropriate to do so. The CCG go on to say that the parish council’s points that they made in their letter, will be taken on board as part of the public consultation and will be responded to at a later date.
As reported in November’s BaSE, a petition has been organised in the village in an attempt to introduce a lower speed limit on the old A30 between perhaps, the Bridestowe/Sourton boundary (or probably Trescote Way) and Balmaine, close to Linden Glade. The parish council believes it should take a lead in this as there is considerable support from local people. The council therefore supports the ongoing petition, will await the outcome and consider any further evidence, before proceeding further. If you have any similar or opposing views to a speed limit or can provide any experiences or evidence, that have led you to think that speed of vehicles on this stretch of road is a concern, please let the parish council know.
The badgers at Watergate Hill have been digging again and the fence had come down at the roadside. This was reported to Devon Highways just last week and already it has been repaired, thanks to the excellent service offered by our local DCC highways engineer.
Potholes appearing in roads will always be an issue and the parish council reports these to Devon Highways on a regular basis. Unfortunately the only drawback, again due to spending cuts, is that pot holes now have to be bigger (300mm wide) and deeper (40mm) to qualify for repair! Did you know that he public are able to report pot holes on line using a simple website? Just “Google” Devon County Council potholes and follow the on-line instructions. Anyone can do this and it does work well!
The precept for the next financial year (2017/18) has been set. This is the money received annually by the parish council from West Devon Borough Council and to a smaller extent from central government to provide services in Bridestowe. The parish council has included in this precept an additional allocation of £200, (making a total of £500) to enable small organisations in Bridestowe to apply for small grants. Applications will be considered from April next year.
Further details of matters discussed at Bridestowe Parish Council meetings are always available from the minutes, displayed in the bus shelter in the village centre, at Riverside Stores and outlying parish noticeboards in the parish, or on the Bridestowe web site at www.bridestowe.org.uk
Advance notice: The next parish council meeting is on Wednesday January 11th 2017 at 7.30 pm in the Methodist Hall.
Contact details for Bridestowe Parish Council: Pete Daniels (Parish Clerk), 4 Trescote Way, Bridestowe. EX204QB. Tel; 01837 861244. Email [email protected]
BaSE Page 14 Bridestowe Churches Partnership
Bridestowe Methodist Church Report
Dates for your diaries Sunday 4th December: Joint Service at the Methodist Church at 11am. This will be a Café Service with Dale Sutcliffe. Sunday 11th December: Methodist Church Service at 11am with Rev Sylvia Coke-Woods. Sunday 18th December Methodist Church Service at 11am with Dean James Sunday 18th December: Carols by candlelight at 6.30pm a joint service for all the village led by Rev Iris Bray. Do come and join us in singing some of your favourite carols. Tuesday 20th December: Carol Singing around the village Sunday 25th December CHRISTMAS DAY service at 10am all welcome. Saturday 31st December: New Year’s Eve party at the chapel at 7.30pm with a Bring and Share Supper, family games - fun for all the family. Saturday 31st December: Watchnight service at 11.30pm with Rev Iris Bray. Also: Saturday 10th December will be the final opening of the 50/50 Shop for 2016, it will be open from 10am to 12 noon. Come in and look for a bargain. At the same time there will be a coffee morning and cake stall in the chapel. Also, we have a collection box for the Okehampton Food Bank at the shop; while the 50/50shop is closed you can place your donations in the collecting box at the Co-op Shop in Okehampton. The concert on Friday 25th November by the Tregadillett Songbirds raised £200 which is to be shared equally between Devon Air Ambulance and Children’s Hospice Southwest.
Family Sports Night continues on the second and fourth Wednesday 7pm – 9.30pm Adults £2 children £1. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Badminton, pool, table tennis and board games.
St. Bridget’s Church Report The Friends had a Saturday clean up spree sorting out the back of the church and the old boiler room, a few ‘tip runs’ necessary and a job well done. The All Souls service was well attended and provided a peaceful and reflective time to remember the departed. The school gathered at the War Memorial at 11.00am on Armistice Day for an Act of Remembrance. The children read some moving poems and reflections they had written themselves before laying Poppy posies. The respectful behaviour of the pupils was a credit to them as well as to the school. Remembrance Sunday saw a large number of people pay their respects to the fallen of the Two World Wars and other conflicts. Bridestowe Scouts were well represented and paraded their colours adding to the sense of occasion. Many thanks to all those who helped to organise another successful Christmas Fair. Also thanks to the Parish Council for cutting the hedge along the church path in time for Remembrance.
December Services at St. Bridget’s 4th Joint Service at the Methodist Church 11.00am 10th-16th St Bridget’s Church Christmas Tree Festival. The Church is open 10am to 7pm. On Saturday 11th from 5.30pm to 7.30pm pop in to enjoy mince pies, mulled wine and light music. 11th Holy Communion 11.30am 20th Carol singing around the village. Meet outside the Village Shop for 6.30pm start. 24th Christmas Eve Midnight Mass 11.00pm 25th Christmas Day Service at the Methodist Church 10.00am 1st January 2017. Joint Service at St Bridget’s church 9.30am BaSE Page 15 The Vicar writes... It’s been a while since I did any proper manual work so I relished an opportunity to help the tree surgeon remove an overgrown Leylandii from the churchyard. A good days manual labour makes you feel you have achieved something worthwhile and are paying your way in the world. It keeps you fit and I’ve always enjoyed the philosophical banter that manual workers seem to share. Over confident of my abilities and underestimating my fitness, I eagerly set about the task in hand and despite getting tangled in a rope, tripping over a gravestone and knocking over the churchwarden, I went home and flopped in the armchair with a relaxed outdoor glow and slightly smug, satisfied feeling, until I realised I had completely seized up and couldn’t move. While I was bathing in Radox and rubbing Deep Heat into my shocked muscles, I kept thinking about the respect the tree surgeon had for trees, he told me he always “said goodbye to them.” It may seem a bit odd that someone who makes a living by cutting down trees with a chainsaw should feel sorry for them. This wasn’t some sort of sentimentality though but the sort of respect for nature found in the countryman in a way some find difficult to understand, it’s the respect the huntsman has for his quarry, the fisherman for the sea and the farmer for the land. Taking down the tree made me think of all the Christmas trees facing the axe in the next few weeks. This time of year seems to make all of us behave a bit strangely, when else would we want to go out and destroy a perfectly good tree and bring it into the house? I think Prince Albert gets the blame for that. Before 1846 we managed to celebrate Christmas without paying a small fortune for a tree that ends up having six inches cut off either end before being precariously stuffed into a bucket and still ends up too big for the room. We then spend another fortune buying loads of shiny stuff to drape all over it. Everywhere you go for weeks on end before Christmas every greengrocer, garden centre, car park and pop-up market is selling enormous trees to fill our cars with pine needles and relieve us of our money. What makes us do it? It’s not a Christian thing, I doubt if Jesus even saw a Christmas tree let alone advocating chopping down millions of them every year to decorate our houses. It’s probably a pagan thing but I think it goes back even further, right back to our prehistoric ancestors. Someone suggested it brings out the latent lumberjack in us, somewhere in our primitive sub- conscious we are still battling nature for our survival and we have this irresistible urge to go and fell a mighty spruce, take it home and stick in the corner of the living room. After indulging my inner lumberjack this week I am going to buy a slightly smaller one this year. Merry Christmas. Adrian Brookes
St. Bridget’s Church Bells The December meeting of the THURSDAY The bells may be rung as MORNING GROUP , will be on the 8th follows: Each Friday between of the month. This will be the Christmas 19.00 and 21.00 and for Lunch which will be held at the White Hart, services in the church. Other Bridestowe - 12.30 for 1.00pm. - numbers and occasions will be published in menus already taken. BaSE if time permits, Don’t forget a little Xmas gift all wrapped up otherwise on the notice attached to the gate. to go into the Basket. Look forward to seeing Visitors are always welcome. For more information or you there. to come along and have a go contact Bill Thirtle on Contact - Anne Haythornthwaite 01837 861256 01837 861487
There will be no ‘Walk & Talk’ in December, but we will, weather permitting, start again in January, with the short walk on January 17th. and the long one on the 24th.
BaSE Page 16 “Ask not what your Village Hall can do for you, but what you can do for your village Hall ”
Dear all,
I write this letter on behalf of Bridestowe Village Hall and the committee, both past and present. We understand that there has been a deal of rumbling and disquiet in the village for some time now over the running and management of the hall, and questions are rightly being asked of where the money made from recent events is being spent. To give you some idea of the costs involved in running the hall, in the last 12 months, the outgoings have been over £20,000, which includes but is not limited to a mortgage, insurance, utility bills, ongoing maintenance, cleaning, legal fees and many others. Our income in the last 12 months was just over £21,000, however, at our last committee meeting, we pledged to spend nearly £4,000 on essential remedial works and legal fees to secure the future of the hall as it currently stands. These works are not improvements, they are essential to prevent the main entrance from collapsing in the near future. I personally wasn’t around during the original building of the village hall and subsequent grief that went with trying to retrieve the funds to prevent the hall from sinking into the ground. I am aware however, that the committee worked incredibly hard and invested a great deal of time and effort into this task, even going so far as to stand up in court to fight the corner of the village hall. We are now at a stage where the literal foundations of the village hall are nearly secure, but the work that goes into ensuring that the hall continues to run has not particularly diminished. Some committee members have been there for more than a decade, and have been through a great deal trying to keep the hall going. There was obvious consternation concerning the recent cancelled harvest supper, which led to concerns and questions about who the village hall is for, and questions were asked of the committee as to whether they were doing their jobs properly. This issue came to a head when people began berating members of the management committee and their families in the street and outside their homes. There are ways and means of making your feelings known, and I would suggest that this is probably the least effective of all of them. We wish to draw a line under this matter and have offered a reasonable resolution. The village hall is a part of the village, that we will probably all book for one reason or another in the course of our lives, and it would be a terrible shame if it were not there for our children, grand- children and future generations. Whilst the village hall should and does serve the village, it must also be recognised that it must generate income from outside sources in order to sustain it and secure its long term future. Having a village hall of a high quality and well run is a good advert for the village and will only serve to increase opportunity and investment in the Village as a whole. We are incredibly lucky to have had work undertaken by the Bakers and Dee Jackson, and other local trades persons, which has kept the works costings down.To that end, if anyone with a skill/trade/expertise can offer anything at all, it would be much appreciated. Several members of the committee volunteer their professional skills to keep costs down, and Rachel has taken on a particularly fraught position as a bookings clerk, again reducing costs as much as possible. On a personal note, and without wishing to wax lyrical too much, we are incredibly lucky to have Kris Atherly Hewings as Chair of the village hall. His contribution to the running of the hall is without equal, and his dedication in trying to come up with new ways to fund it that also serve the village are to be greatly admired. When taking into account his other commitments, this is even more impressive.
In summary, the Village Hall is for the people of Bridestowe and to serve the village. It does need however to generate more income than it spends in order to improve and sustain its standards. Any help would be gladly welcomed, and positive suggestions will always be considered.
Gideon Pritchard BaSE Page 17 BaSE Page 18 Groom hand required Ruby Country Market Help needed Monday through to Saturday 3rd December Thursday for a groom hand. at Hatherleigh Market Mucking out two stables, turning 9am - 2pm out two horses occasionally and The Ruby Country Market is not an ‘Antique & Collectors bringing in plus general tack room Fair’, not an ‘Art & Craft Fair’ or a ‘Food Festival’ but a organisation! traditional market combining all of these events rolled Probably an hour or so a day in the into one with local music and attractions to entertain you morning but flexible! whilst you browse and shop from a vast range of local businesses, talent and charities. Please call Mandy www.rubycountrymarket.co.uk tel 01837 811808 07739/208966 BaSE Page 19 Rob McBain Tree Services Trained, Certified & Insured All tree work undertaken Hedge laying & pruning Fencing 07824 980 198 [email protected]
At The Wharf, Tavistock Friday 9th December 8:30pm LINDISFARNE The group was born in 1970 when Newcastle singer-songwriter Alan Hull joined Rod Clements, Si Cowe, Ray Jackson and Ray Laidlaw, collectively known as Brethren (formerly the Downtown Faction blues band). The new combination’s music, an immediately distinctive blend of Alan’s poetic lyricism and Brethren’s rootsy instrumental style, soon came to the attention of independent label Charisma, and their first album, Nicely Out Of Tune , was released before the year was out. Following Jacka’s subsequent retirement, Rod Clements accepted an invitation from the others to join them in re-establishing their collective identity as Lindisfarne. As Ray Laidlaw once said, ‘Lindisfarne is more than any one individual’; and though members have come and gone, Rod’s return maintains continuity with Lindisfarne’s beginnings and reinforces their shared commitment to keeping alive the unique legacy of one of British rock’s great bands.
Tickets Prices from 6pm on the night £21.00 In advance £19.00 BaSE Page 20 The Museum of Dartmoor Life & Tourist Information
Museum Admission: Adult £4 Children/Students £2 SAM ALLUM Family £10 Boiler (2 adults & 2 children) Maintenance 4 years & under.. no charge OFTEC REGISTERED Opening Times: C8240 10.15am — 4.15pm Monday to Friday 10.15am. — 1pm Saturday Call: 01822 610 668 Mobile: 07832 024 948 Winter must be here because the 50/50 shop is going into hibernation! Saturday 10th December will be the final Email:[email protected] opening for 2016, 10am to 12 noon. This will be your last chance to come in and look for a FOR SERVICING AND bargain. At the same time BREAKDOWN OF OIL BOILERS there will be a coffee • Competitive rates morning and cake stall in • Friendly, tidy and efficient the chapel. • Call now for a quote What a great combination for a Saturday morning!
Edwardian Evening 2016 Thursday 1st December, 6pm - 9pm
In the run-up to Christmas in December, Okehampton comes alive with festive cheer as the ever popular annual late-night shopping event takes place in the town centre. Edwardian Evening is organised by the Okehampton & District Chamber of Trade, and as well as local businesses opening late to greet both their loyal and new customers, it also features the Mayor’s Carol Service accompanied by the Okehampton Excelsior Silver Band, a hog roast, roasted chestnuts and a huge Barrel Organ playing festive tunes. You’ll also be able to watch a street magician performing in the Victorian Arcade, and a Barber Shop Quartet sing festive songs and carols as they tour the town’s shops, cafes and pubs. Father Christmas will be making an appearance at the Museum, wanting to hear what good little boys and girls would like for Christmas. Fairtrade will be serving FREE Fairtrade Hot Chocolate from the Baptist Church, s o do call in and share a cup with them or come in and rest awhile and enjoy some live music. Also there are some new additions to this years Edwardian Evening, so come down and enjoy a festive evening of food, music, shopping and drinks. Both the Mill Road and Market Street (Waitrose) car parks are FREE from this time.
BaSE Page 21 R&B REMOVALS friendly & efficient service 24/7
• regular trips to London • local/long distance • secure storage
CALL ROB ON 01837 880336 or 07583 220243
Reiki treatments - relax and unwind with a 1 hour treatment in a beautiful setting on the slopes of Dartmoor. Call Danielle 01822 820 379, Burn Cottage, Lydford.
River Walks House/Pet Sitting Over 16 years veterinary experience Dogs, cats, small animals to small holdings and special needs pets cared for. Also dog walking and cleaning available Please call Louise on 07968698641 CROSSGREEN WOODWORKS Established Cabinetmakers and Specialist Joinery. Proprietors Ginette and Brian Nobbs. Crossgreen Woodworks, Lower Cross Farm, Lifton,Devon, PL15 9SL, • HAND PAINTED SHAKER STYLE kitchens made in our workshop • SECOND NATURE bespoke quality kitchens • FREESTANDING solid wood kitchens • Compare our prices with other kitchen suppliers, you will find our kitchens are very competitively priced. We are happy to cross price any quote you have had. Telephone 01566 784216 www.crossgreen-woodworks.co.uk email: [email protected] BaSE Page 22 Forever Living aloe vera and bee products
The rejuvenating properties of aloe vera and bee products have been used for thousands of years to promote healing and for general Weekly Cake Raffle wellbeing of people and animals. Forever With Winter here and the nights drawing in Living products are now available locally with a 60-day money-back guarantee on all what better way to end the week than with products. a tasty cake. The business opportunities with Forever Living Every Friday from you can be in with the may be of interest to those wanting to be chance to win a cake their own boss and work hours to suit themselves. Full training and support is (term time only) provided. Tickets just 50p each For more details contact: Available to all from the school office Monday Penny McInnes, West Cleave, Sourton, - Thursday Okehampton, EX20 4JB 01837 861364 Raffle will be drawn Friday lunchtime [email protected] Cake available to collect before 4pm Friday All proceeds toward outdoor play equipment RHS Garden Rosemoor for the kids Magical Winter Garden Illuminations Gardens transformed with a stunning trail QUALITY SEASONED LOGS FOR SALE of lights Shed stored and ready to burn to keep you The Winter Garden at RHS Rosemoor is toasty this winter! always a delight in winter, but this year it will Competitively priced with friendly and look even more magical thanks to the Winter reliable delivery available locally. Garden Illuminations. Call Roger for further information on 07886 185281 The garden will be illuminated by innovative hi- tech, dynamic, constantly colour-changing lighting to provide a magical trail around the trees and shrubs. Running until 7 January 2017, on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays (excluding Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve) the gardens will be open until 8.30pm to maximise the effects of the lighting into the evening hours. Garden entry on these days will be half price after 4pm.The Garden Kitchen Restaurant will be serving simple family suppers, and the Rosemoor Shop AVON If you would will remain open until 7.30pm, too. like to receive an Avon brochure please call me or The Winter Sculpture exhibition is also taking email me. place and features an eclectic mix of exhibits from a diverse collection of sculptors, using a My details are as follows:- wide variety of media from steel and glass to Julie Nicholls cement and pottery. Tel: 01837 861228 Address: RHS Garden Rosemoor, Torrington Email: [email protected] EX38 8PH If you leave a message, please don't forget Opening hours: 10am–5pm your contact details. Phone: 01805 624067 BaSE Page 23 Preschool & Paw Prints Pet Care Out of school clubs Dog Walking, Small pet sitting and vet Bridestowe visits Fully insured and DBS checked
Providing excellent Hatherleigh , Okehampton and Preschool care for 2-5yrs surrounding areas & Breakfast, Afterschool & Email : [email protected] Holiday activity clubs for 3 - 12yrs Facebook : Paw prints pet care Staff run toddler group - Call : Kirstie Rockett Tuesday mornings 9.30am - 11.30am 07392072463 OPEN 5 DAYS A WEEK 7.45am - 6pm For adult readers only For more details contact Treetops on “I stopped believing in Santa Claus when I was six. Mother took me to see him in a department 01837 861761 store and he asked for my autograph.” Or email: Shirley Temple [email protected]
HEDGE LAYING Mini Digger Hire -1½ ton TREE Very Competitive Rates FELLING PRUNING
FIREWOOD / LOGS MINI DIGGER HIRE LANDSCAPING Telephone: 01837 861 509 SAM WHITE CALL : 07515420883 Mobile: 07748344978 Woodhead, Bridestowe, Okehampton
BaSE Page 24 WINTER CRAFT FAYRE at Bratton Clovelly Sunday, 4 December 12 until 4pm Bratton Clovelly Parish Hall, A winter Craft Fayre with over 30 stalls selling Xmas Gifts and Goods, Decorations, Wreaths, Cakes, Jewellery, Children’s Goods, Craft-Ware, Toys, Cards and Wrap… to name but a few... Free Entry
Bowden Autumn Reduction Discount 40% off ferns, excluding collections , & 50% off selected bamboo. Quote: BaSEfern40 or BaSEbamboo50 when visiting, phoning or ordering online. Visits by prior appointment in Dec. Free shipping on orders of 25+ ferns. Orders for delivery are not shipped until 2nd/3rd week Jan 2017. Promotion runs to 31st Dec or while stocks last. Bamboo prices inclusive of shipping. Price in brackets if collected. * phone first Phllostachys bissetii* 5l was £31 now £15.50 (£11.50 ), 10 litre was £47 now £23.50 (£16) Phyllostacys nigra* ‘black bamboo’ 10l was £57 now £28.50 (£20) Murielae ‘umbrella bamboo’ Fargesia murielae ‘Bimbo’ 10l was £40 now £20 (£15). Fargesia murielae ‘Simba’ 10l was £67 now £33.60 (£26) Fargesia murielae ‘Superjumbo’ 5l was £28 now £14 (£9), 10l was £42 now £21 (£13.50), 20l was £79 now £39.50 (£32) Borinda Paprifera CS1046 rare blue/grey bamboo 20% discount 10l was £75 now £60 (£48) Quote: BaSEborinda20
BaSE Page 25 Bridestowe Garden Club
Garden Club Report November 2016 Once again Sue Fisher produced a stimulating and entertaining meeting with tips, ideas and advice that left everyone there confident they could produce a Christmas decoration for free that would be original and superior to the wreaths and garlands sold for a fortune in many outlets. You may be able to tell who attended the talk by the beautiful wreath on their front door or the outdoor display of festive greenery. Next meeting Friday December 9th at the Village Hall - from 7.30pm - the Garden club Christmas get together. Quizzes, festive food and drink and garden chat amongst friends! Bring a plate of food to share. Future meetings January Thursday 12th 7.30pm (MH) Wow planting wildlife will thank you for Kim Parrish February Thursday 9th 7.30pm (MH) Uses of South American crops that can be grown in Devon Dr Andrew Ormerod March Thursday 9th March - TBA April Thursday 13th April (MH) Roses Galore Elizabeth Holman and AGM Membership £10 per year (due now) Guests £3 per meeting and all welcome. Tip of the month Look out for the interesting greenery and berries for your Christmas decorations and once finished with put in the compost. Make a Christmas decoration of berries and cones and hang up outside for the birds.
Dartmoor Decorative & Fine Arts Society Wednesday, December 14th 12 Days of Christmas Peter Medhurst Twelve festive days of celebrations and music making.This lecture explores the wealth of Christmas, music, traditions and curious legends that are connected with them. Dartmoor DFAS hold most meetings on the second Wednesday of each month at the Charter Hall, Okehampton. Coffee will be served from 9.45am and lectures start promptly at 10.30am. Please register on arrival in order to comply with the fire regulations. As a courtesy to the lecturer please ensure that you are seated by 10.25am. Strictly no admittance once the lecture has started!
Would you like to book Sourton Parish Hall? Sourton Parish Hall has good facilities and would be suitable for a variety of functions and meetings. It offers a large hall, kitchen, disabled toilet, committee room and large stage. It has disabled /wheelchair access with ramped entrances. To book or for more information contact Geraldine Jury 01837 861414 or Chris Heron 01837 861523 email: [email protected] Website - www.sourtonvillagehall.org.uk Facebook - Sourton Village Hall
BaSE Page 26 Dartmoor Tiling Professional Tiling Service Contact: Steve Essery 01837 52013 07729 460746 Website: www.dartmoortiling.co.uk Email: [email protected]
Limited Editions Tropic Skin A selection of limited edition cards, including Care new images from the Spring All of the skincare Cottage Collection by local products are handmade in artist the Surrey Beauty Kitchen using pure plant extracts. These lovely products are free from Fay Johns are available from parabens, SLS, alcohol, mineral oil, toxic Riverside Stores and Country chemicals and harsh preservatives. I love Lanes Garden Centre, animals and so does Tropic; all our products Okehampton. are certified by the BUAV and Vegan Society. These cards fit into a 6 inch I have a catalogue full of brand new mount aperture Tropic products for you to try! There are three and can easily be made into a ways in which you can try them: book a framed piece of art, making a Pamper Experience for you and your friends which includes a Free Spa Facial and Free lovely gift. Original Paintings Tropic products for the hostess, or book a available at The Blind Spot Free 1 to 1 Spa Facial, or if you would just like Gallery, in the Okehampton a catalogue then just give me a call. Arcade. Well worth a visit. My number is 07876028381 Kerry
The Over 60’s Luncheon Club - will meet on Tuesday 13th December. More details from Brian Maddaford on 861402 .
BaSE Page 27 Bridestowe 49 Club in aid of the Village Hall Dear all, The 49 club is coming up for renewal at the end of November, and we have plenty of numbers left over if people want to join up! Many many thanks must go to Tim for running the scheme for so long, and doing it so well. I shall be contacting all persons currently enlisted as soon as I can, by various means. The cost is £52 per year, payable in instalments if needed, or all at once. For those unaware of the 49 club, you pay £1 per week and are allocated a number. When the lottery is drawn weekly, if your allocated number is the bonus ball, you win £20, with bonus larger wins at Christmas and around the Ram Roast. All proceeds assist with running costs at the Village Hall. Call me - 861114, or message me via Facebook, or by letter. Kind regards, Gideon Pritchard
Bridestowe 49 Club I would like to thank Gideon for taking over the running of the Club, and all the members who have remained loyal to the Club during my “watch”: I hope you will all continue to support his efforts in this way of raising money for The Hall. Thanks again, Tim Thorne Christmas Hamper Raffle! More live music at The Wharf, Friday 16th December Tavistock Tickets just £1 each Thursday 8th December 8pm Available to all at School Office Martin Harley until Thursday 15th Harley is a supremely talented Roots and Blues guitarist, singer and All proceeds songwriter with a burgeoning global toward outdoor reputation. He’s a devotee to the music that came out of the Mississippi Delta, the slide guitar, and many play equipment for other forms of roots music. Though Harley’s sound is rooted in the children. the blues it seeks to tell his own story and draws on the ruminations of a musician who has spent much of his life on the road. Tickets: From 6pm on the night £15.50 In Advance £14.50
Bridestowe WI On Thursday, 17th November, members met as usual in the Methodist Chapel. After much discussion over a period of time, members finally and unanimously decided to leave the WI. Consequently plans have been put in motion to begin a new group with a new constitution, read and approved by all the members. The new group will continue to have interesting speakers and will continue to raise money for charity during normal fund raising events, whilst the annual subscription will be affordable. Many names for the new group were put forward and after a vote the name chosen was “Bridestowe Queen Bees”. The BQB’s will meet every third Thursday of the month at 7:30pm in the Methodist Chapel. Watch this space for further information and as usual new members will be very welcome!
BaSE Page 28 Seasonal Words and Music! On Friday 2nd December and Friday 9th December starting at 7.30 p.m. at Fairplace Church in Okehampton, the Okehampton Choral Society will present its usual seasonal programme of Christmas music and themed seasonal readings. There will be carols old Bridestowe and Sourton’s and new, including familiar ones in which the audience will be invited to join. Freecycle scheme All are welcome. Tickets, at £5 for adults and OFFERED: A pair of ‘towing’ mirrors £2 for school age children, will be available on Contact 861157 the door or in advance from Bill Sutton- If you want to offer or request something then Coulson on 01837 531095. send details to me through the usual channels - phone, mail or email. Come along and bring your family and friends! Alison Young 861157
Saturday 10th & Sunday 11th Prewley Moor Arms December Christmas Market Sourton Down Dingles Fairground Heritage Centre, 01837 861300 Lifton From 10am each day
• Open for hot and cold food, lunch This popular Christmas market is times and evenings, Tuesday - Saturday . becoming a 2 day event this year. Food • Sunday lunches served 12 - 5pm and and craft stalls, including 30 stallholders normal menu 6 - 8pm with a good mix of seasonal gifts, • Wednesday night is steak night glassware, candles, confectionary, soft • Come and warm your toes by our toys, hand crafted cards, lace, pet foods, open fire jewellery, leather crafts, cushions, soaps, • Enjoy a pint of M&B mild or draught patchwork kits and more. Face painting Guinness for the children, Father Christmas, mince • Selection of Otter ales pies and festive refreshments.
£3 entry on the door for adults; Opening times accompanied children free. Monday CLOSED 01566 783425 Tuesday 12-2.30 6-11pm Wednesday 12-3pm 6-11pm Thursday 12-3pm 6-11pm Friday 12-3pm 6-11pm FREE FREE FREE FREE Saturday 12-3pm 6-11pm Horse manure, collect in bags. Sunday 12noon - 10pm Please ring 07733322716 or 01837 861696 to arrange collection.
BaSE Page 29 Hedgehog corner November’s hedgehogs Now that the temperatures have started to decrease for prolonged periods of time, our hedgehogs will be hibernating. Hibernation usually starts October/November and ends March/April - dependent on weather conditions. During hibernations they are not really asleep, instead they drop their body temperatures until their metabolism is at a stand still. This is done to conserve energy through the winter. It’s thought that individuals are likely to move nest sites at least once during this period so they can sometimes be seen out at night. Seeing a hedgehog out during the day indicates something is wrong! Firstly assess the hog for injuries, weigh it and take note of its body condition. Cold, dehydrated hedgehogs may stagger, have poor coordination and may struggle to curl up. These hogs need help and you can provide the following as immediate first aid. Keep the hedgehog warm by placing it in a high sided box lined with newspaper, place a covered hot water bottle within the box - ensure the hog can’t burn itself. Allow enough room so the hog can move if it gets too hot. Place a blanket over the hog to keep it calm and reduce stress. Ensure the bottle stays warm, if allowed to go cold it will do more harm. Offer fresh water and meat based cat food. If injured, take the hog to your vets, if you need further advice call the BHPS on 01584 890801. Lisa Butt
Sue Townsend, 1946 -2014 an English writer and humorist whose work encompasses novels, plays and works of journalism. Best known for creating the character Adrian Mole. Here are her memories of a childhood Christmas......
We can be film stars, just for one day by Sue Townsend
I grew up in a prefab with an asbestos roof and breeze-block walls. On winter mornings I would wake up, crawl from beneath my army greatcoat blankets and marvel at the frost patterns on the inside of my bedroom windows. It was so cold that, apart from the living-room where there was a coal fire, in every other room in the tiny house, our breath was visible. The cold was an icy curse that fell on us from November until April. Is it any wonder that I immediately felt at home when I read my first Russian novel?
However, Christmas Day was quite magical. When my sisters and I were allowed into the living-room on Christmas morning it was like entering Aladdin’s cave. Streamers and home-made paper chains were hung from the ceiling, bunches of balloons were drawing-pinned in each corner, and a Christmas tree twinkled with glass balls and novelty ornaments. The sideboard was piled with plates of mince pies, sausage rolls, Cox’s Pippins, tangerines and dates. The centrepiece was a home-made Christmas cake covered in white icing that my mother had fashioned to look like snow. On the left was an artificial slope that Santa and the reindeers appeared to be galloping down. On the right was a tiny church and towering over it a Jolly Snowman wearing a black top hat.
The coal fire would be banked high and would be throwing out a terrific heat, but best of all were the presents. Each of us three girls had our own filled pillowcase and for a glorious half-hour we would unwrap them in a frenzy of excitement. Then, as the turkey cooked in the oven and the Christmas pudding was steaming on top of the stove, I would collect up my presents and take them to my icy bedroom, put them on my bed and gloat over them. I would always be given lots of books from the Woolworths Classic book collection. It was in these editions that I first read Little BaSE Page 30 Women, Kidnapped, What Katie Did, Tom Sawyer, Jane Eyre, Robinson Crusoe, Uncle Tom’s Cabin etc. I would start to read immediately, breaking off reluctantly to eat my Christmas dinner, which we ate wearing paper hats from the crackers that had been placed beside our plates.
As soon as dinner was eaten and the washing-up had been done and put away, I would resume reading. Sometimes I would be called to play one of the board games that had been given to one of my sisters. I was not a good games player. I was not competitive, I did not pay attention and I didn’t care who won or lost, I just wanted to get back to my reading. A few hours after dinner my mother would start to prepare the Christmas tea. The table would be re-set with cold turkey, pickles, salad, cakes, trifles and fancy biscuits and we would start to eat again. Sometimes relations joined us for tea. Alcohol would be drunk and everyone would be expected to do a turn: sing a song, tell a joke, dance or recite a poem. It was the only time during my whole childhood that I refused to do as I was told. I found out then that I was not good at parties. I was the type of person who was happier sitting in a distant corner watching, rather than taking part. In other words, I was starting my apprenticeship to be a writer. I would remember the exact shade of red that my auntie’s neck would turn after a few gins and how my mother’s body would be transformed into the sinuous curves of a Middle Eastern maiden when she took to the floor and sang Salome.
In my position from the corner of the room, I marvelled at the transformation of my relations. These ordinary-looking people, who worked long hours in Leicester factories, now looked as handsome and beautiful as film stars. The men were in their best suits with brilliantine’d hair and shiny shoes. The women had lost the wrap around aprons and turbans they usually wore and reinvented themselves with Max Factor make-up and Twink home perms. Where had they been hiding their lovely figures and creamy skin? Why were their shapely breasts and legs hidden away for most of the year?
For my family, Christmas Day and Boxing Day was a time of enchantment when they, the working poor, enjoyed the illusion that they were rich, carefree, good-looking and could put as much coal on the fire as they bloody well wanted. Because on the 27th (unless it fell on a Sunday) they had to rise in the dark, put on their work clothes and go back to their factories making the nation’s socks, underwear, boots and shoes. ‘The Lost Diaries of Adrian Mole, 1999-2001 ’, by Sue Townsend, published by Michael Joseph.
Seasonal travel advice
For any long journey, always carry a spare
BaSE Page 31 Scrap cars collected Reliable service guaranteed Top prices paid Secondhand tyres for sale. Call Michael on 07831698676
EDZ All aspects of property maintenance including interior and exterior decor, plastering, specializing in stonework, carried out by City & Guilds' qualified builder with actual proof of same. For free quote 01837 861604 ------Chimney sweeping service sensible prices - vac and brush Complete Podiatry & Chiropody Care Also window cleaning Mr Heath Weymouth BSc(Hons) PgDip MChS service 01837 861604 HCPC Registered Podiatrist & Member of the Society of ------Chiropodists and Podiatrists Mobile valeting service 07946-473972 Car, van or whatever you Home visits available have for valeting - collection CANNON BARN PODIATRY and delivery service. Helping you walk towards pain free Prices from £25 - £45 Treatments include: Corns, callus, ingrowing toenails, thickened nails, 01837 861604 biomechanics, sports injuries and much more. Mobile 07902913627 1 Cannon Barn Cottages, Lewdown. Nr Okehampton. Devon. EX204BT
BaSE Page 32 I would like to wish all my friends in Bridestowe and Sourton a very Happy Christmas and a Peaceful and Prosperous New Year. Virtual PA and Business Support Business Owner: Chris Heron Do you need help with your Admin? Give me a ring to see what I can do for you. Phone: 01837 214667 Email: [email protected] www.time-well-spent.co.uk Work Smarter not Harder - Hire a Virtual Assistant!
Beauty & Hair Relax, enjoy and be At Venus, it’s all about you Our professional team offers you top to toe beauty solutions including spa treatments, nails,massage, waxing, make up and elite hairdressing - gents walk-ins welcome! All under one roof! 4C Duke Street, Corner of Pepper Street
Tavistock, PL19 0BA 01822 618282 BaSE Page 33 Alistair Kinsey SWIFT CHIMNEY Hearing Mobility SWEEP Independent Hearing Aid Audiologist contact Ear wax removal service Steve Swift 1A Pym Strret 01566 783435 Tavistock 07890467406 01822 617883 www.hearingmobility.co.uk [email protected] Lunar cycle for December
New moon 29th First quarter 7th Full moon 14th Last quarter 21st
Okehampton Recycling Centre Winter opening times (October - March)
Monday - Friday 9am - 4.30pm Saturday & Sunday 10am - 4.30pm
BaSE Page 34 Conveyancing South West Bridestowe and Sourton Specialist Property Lawyers Extra is sponsored by www.conveyancingsouthwest.co.uk Glebe Park The Best Service At the Best price (Bridestowe Caravan Park) 01837 851 702 Calor Gas /CampingGas Sales [email protected]
Laundrette facilities available daily, 8am until 8pm
Tel: 01837 658907 Mob: 07870 305880 Luxury 6 berth, centrally heated, Plumbing Heating Renewables double glazed, static caravans for hire, either for the week or for short breaks. Details available on request 01837 861261
John & Diane Ware Hunters Moon Bridestowe, Okehampton, Devon, EX20 4EN
Tel 01837 861193 email: [email protected] website: www.huntersmoondevon.co.uk
BaSE Page 35 Richard’s Time Machine Mobile Disco Wedding and Family Party Specialist Personal, Memorable - and Fun!! www.richardstimemachine.co.uk 01837 811172
Tony Day Plumbing and Gas services Main and LPG gas appliances serviced and repaired Phone 01837 83702 Mobile 07773966201
Robert & Nicholas McNamara 01566 783471 Specialists in round the clock A helping hand... care, repair and maintenance of all of your Do you need just a little bit of help with Plumbing and Central Heating Services baby sitting, pet Domestic, Agricultural and Light Industrial minding, walking your Domestic Oil Fired Boilers & associated dog, horse minding or services just plain and simple Proper craftsmen taking a pride in what we do! mucking out - 07596 9972071 / 07599078805 no job too small! No call out charges Contact a very keen Amy Timms 01837 861663 BaSE Page 36 The Leawood Herd of North Devon Bramhill Cattle Cob, Lime and Stone Laying Home produced, naturally reared, marbled North Eco Buildings Devon Beef traditionally hung for 3 weeks for a Barn Conversions fuller flavour. Extensions Repointing 15kg Freezer boxes, bagged and Lime plastering, labelled for just £105 including Tadelakt & Venetian roasting joints, steaks, mince and Repair, Restore & stewing cuts. Renovate Call Brian or Angela Listed Buildings on 01837 861203 CSCS Reg Alister Polhill Mob. 07518908876 Golden Leaf Landscapes Tel. 01822 820347 Garden Construction, Design and Maintenance [email protected] Louise and Robert Mogridge Fully qualified with over 15 years experience 01837 89285 07811781137 www.goldenleaflandscapes.co.uk
Guitar lessons DOG GROOMING for beginners and & BOARDING intermediate - all styles Telehone 01837 861415 Contact Sharon or visit on www.jeffguitar.co.uk for more details 07837 405583
BaSE Page 37 BODYMAINTENANCE.CO.UK Sports massage injury & pain clinic
Highly experienced in providing effective treatments for acute, chronic, radiating and referred pain, strains & sprains. Free consultation and advice available. Please contact: Clive Lacey - 07747112019 /01566783609 Or email - [email protected] Further info - www.bodymaintenance.co.uk
LOCAL PLUMBER Window cleaning Est. 30 Years service Bridestowe & District C Da View Call Mick on: Call Paul 01566 783562 01822 84026 07984 812807 02070000011
BaSE Page 38 Ink Cartridges & Toners/Printer/Copier/Photo Paper Envelopes/Laminating Pouches/Blank Cds/DVDs/Jiffy Bags Fax & Copier Supplies *******Competitively priced & personal local service****** *Plus Much More* Please contact me for prices.
Tel: 01837 861228 Email: [email protected] BaSE Page 39 Forthcoming Events for December
Thursday 1st 6-9pm, Edwardian Evening, Okehampton Friday 2nd 7:30, Fairplace Church, Seasonal Music (and again on Friday 9th) Saturday 3rd 9-2, Hatherleigh Market, Ruby Country Market 11-5, Leawood House, Dog Show Thursday 8th 12-1,White Hart, Thursday Morning Christmas lunch 7.30pm, Millaton Cottage, Book Club Friday 9th 7:30pm. The White Hart Inn, FOBS AGM 7:30pm, Village Hall, Garden Club Christmas social 8pm, Lewdown Victory Hall, Grand Christmas Whist Drive 8:30,The Wharf, Lindisfarne Saturday 10th 10am- onwards, Dingles Fairground, Christmas Market(and Sunday) 7pm, Bridestowe Village Hall, Christmas Bingo 7.30pm, Saint Eustachius’ Parish Church, Concert 7:30,Ockment Centre, Okehampton Singers Tuesday 13th Over 60’s Christmas Luncheon 2pm, Sourton Hall, WI Christmas afternoon Wednesday 14th 10.30, Charter Hall, DDFAS talk, Twelve days of Christmas 8.00pm, White Hart, Quiz in aid of the Bridestowe Cricket Club Saturday 17th 5 - 8pm, Bridestowe Village Hall, Family Christmas Party 7:30, Meldon Village Hall,Christmas Whist drive(in aid of DAAT) Tuesday 20th 6:30 onwards, Carol singing around Bridestowe
Weekly exercise activities held in Bridestowe Village Hall Monday 6.30 - 7.45, Bridestowe Village Hall, Aerobics Tuesday 2 - 4pm, Bridestowe Village Hall, Short Mat Bowls 9.30-10.30 Pilates class ------2nd & 4th Wednesdays, 7pm to 9.30pm Family Games Evenings in the Meth. Church
BASE submissions - the deadline We plan to print BaSE 5 days before the end of the month so please get your submissions in before this date as compiling the newsletter takes some time. If you do have an unavoidable late submission please phone as we will try to squeeze it in. Many thanks. Martin & Alison Young
Contact details for BaSE:- Alison Young, Glebe Park, Pig's Leg Lane, Bridestowe, Okehampton, Devon EX20 4ER Tel: (01837)861157 or [email protected] (please put BaSE in the subjectline) BaSE is printed by Martin Young at the above address.
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