July/August 2015 Vol. 46 No.7 40p

FOCUS MAGAZINE INFORMATION

Chairman Michael Ayre, Ratcliffe Farm, Raddon.

Secretary Geoff Bulley, 17 Broadlands, Thorverton.

Advertisements Secretary Maggie Dunlop, Kibby Yew, School Lane, Thorverton. Tel.(01392) 861185

Treasurer Bob Swaffield, Schiehallion, School Lane, Thorverton. Tel. (01392) 860309

Editor Neville Lane, Stable House, 2 The Glebe, Thorverton. Tel. (01392) 861062

Email: thorvertonfocus@gmail.com

Back issues (courtesy of Rob Purvis): thorvertonfocus.wordpress.com

Assistant editors Eileen Mason and Fiona Harrison

Printers Barrie Phillips and Peter Mason

At the present time Focus is produced each month except one (August) and is assembled by volunteers on the last

working day of the month.

The Editor welcomes interesting news items, reports etc. for publication. Items for inclusion in Focus should be

accompanied by the name of the originator, which may be withheld from print if requested. The aims of Focus are:

To produce a non-political monthly magazine serving the people of the parish of Thorverton, providing

them with information on activities in the parish;

For the magazine to be one that villagers are proud of;

To provide a window for those outside Thorverton to see what the village has to offer;

To promote local businesses through advertising; and

To run at a small annual profit, but with surplus funds put to support village organisations for the benefit of

Thorverton residents.

Items for publication, adverts, changes to adverts, Diary entries, changes to Thorverton Information lists should be

sent to the Editor, preferably as plain text in an email, or as a Word doc file or a pdf file email attachment (to

thorvertonfocus@gmail.com) by the 20th of the month prior to publication please. All items received are

acknowledged, so if you don’t receive an acknowledgment within a few days, please assume not received.

Computer file formats: We prefer plain text files: .ODT files, .DOC files, .RTF files and .WPS files because our

team have software that can read such files. BMP and JPEG files are preferred for advertisements and pictures.

Advertisements and Notices

Poster Type Advertisements: maximum size is half an A4 page. Text for advertisements should be prepared as

near as possible to how it is intended to appear. Pictures must be supplied as required on the advertisement.

COMMERCIAL ADVERTISEMENTS

The following advertising charges apply:

Maximum dimensions COST per ENTRY FULL YEAR (11 entries)

Half page 18.2 cm x 12.2 cm £5.00 £50.00

Quarter page 8.5 cm x 12.2 cm £2.50 £25.00

One-eighth page 8.5 cm x 5.8 cm £1.50 £15.00

LOCAL ORGANISATION and CHARITIES ADVERTISEMENTS

COST per ENTRY

Half page £3.00

Quarter or one-eighth page free of charge

Front Cover: Village Open Day Poster

The opinions and views expressed by contributors within the magazine are not necessarily those of Focus

producers or of the Focus Committee.

Cheques made payable to “Focus”

Focus on Thorverton 1 Vol. 46 No.7 – July/August 2015

Editorial Are you ready for summer? I am - and as I type this

it really does feel like summer has arrived. This

Focus covers July and August, providing a welcome

rest in the sun for the Focus team at the end of July

as we won't be putting the next edition together until

the end of August.

By then the new Memorial Hall will be well and truly

back and fully open, with a super Village Fun Day to

get things going on 4th July. Let us hope for a great

day then. We are very fortunate to have such a good

facility and I am sure that the Memorial Hall will be

well used again.

I have been getting fully immersed in the business of

being a parish councillor. Despite my wife having

been parish clerk for ten of the past fifteen years, I

hadn't really appreciated just how much there was to

get involved in with the council. Meetings are open

to the public and are publicised both in Focus and on

the Notice Board. You might find it more interesting

than you had imagined - certainly it has been a

revelation to me. More on all this another time I'm

sure.

I am sorry to have had to say goodbye to one of my

neighbours, Mary Thomas, who has had such a

positive impact in the village, particularly with her

work with the Church Consort, which she has taken

to new heights. She will be greatly missed, and I am

sure that we all wish her well in Cambridgeshire.

Those like me who have been getting their hair

trimmed by Melanie Beasley for the past twenty

years will also be sorry to read her letter confirming

her departure too. I am sure that over the years

Melanie must have heard plenty of village gossip; it

is a shame that we never managed to persuade her to

put some of this into Focus. She was far too

professional to do that!

I hope that you again enjoy reading Focus and that

you find something of interest in it. I always try to

strike a balance between reporting what happened

last month; what is coming up this month; regular

articles on legal matters, nature and gardening; and

more occasional but topical articles. I am, of course,

heavily dependent upon contributors, of which

thankfully we never seem to be in short supply, but

please, if you do want to write about anything that

people might find interesting do send it in.

Neville Lane

Focus Editor

In this Focus

Editorial ..................................................................... 1 Thorverton Parish Council ......................................... 2 Letters ........................................................................ 3 Thorverton Memorial Hall Committee ...................... 5 Notice Board .............................................................. 6 Thorverton Cooperative Trust ................................... 8 Moth Watch ............................................................. 10 Important Leptospirosis Update .............................. 10 Village Open/Fun Day ............................................. 12 Parish Church Services and News ........................... 15 Parish Letter ............................................................. 16 Baptist Church ......................................................... 17 Thorverton Primary School Fête ............................. 18 The Village pays tribute to its oldest inhabitant ...... 18 Short Walks in and Around Thorverton .................. 19 Women’s Institute.................................................... 20 Legal Eagle .............................................................. 21

Recipe ...................................................................... 21 TARTS ..................................................................... 22 Crediton Festival ...................................................... 22 Thorverton and District History Society .................. 23 Celebration ............................................................... 24 The “Duke Of Wellington” ...................................... 25 Pub Cricket .............................................................. 25 Thorfest .................................................................... 26 Cadbury Festival of Bells and Flowers .................... 27 Thorverton Parish Information ................................ 28 Thorverton Organisations ........................................ 29 Doctors’ Surgeries ................................................... 30 Waste Collection Dates for 2015 ............................. 32 Mobile Library ......................................................... 32 Flag Flying days in July ........................................... 32 Road works .............................................................. 32 Bus Services ............................................................ 32 Diary 2015 ............................................................... 33

Focus on Thorverton 2 Vol. 46 No.7 – July/August 2015

Thorverton Parish Council Listed below are some areas I hope will be of interest to you

following the Parish Council meeting held on 09/06/2015. You

can view a full set of the minutes on the notice board in School

Lane.

Alison Marshall - Clerk to Thorverton Parish Council.

Tel: 01392 861228. Email: thorvertonclerk@aol.com

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

New Parish Council e-mail address: Please note that with effect from 20th June 2015 the Parish Council e-mail

address will change to thorvertonpc@gmail.com

Planning matters – information received to the date of the meeting:

i) 15/00720/PNAG Notification of approved Prior Notification for the erection of an agricultural building on

land at NGR 292670 101097 (formally part of Yellowford Farm), School Lane, Thorverton, 3/6/15.

ii) 15/00878/FULL Erection of an extension at Stone Bungalow, Thorverton, 9/6/15. Grid Ref:

293410/105053.

As all planning matters can now only be viewed on-line you may find the following website of use for looking at

local planning applications, decisions, and relevant documentation - https://new.middevon.gov.uk/planning/

Appointment of Committee Representatives:

The following Parish Councillors have been appointed to liaise with local bodies in the forthcoming year -

1) TMGT – Cllr Spivey. 2) Focus – Cllr Turner. 3) School – Cllr Wills.

4) Memorial Hall – Cllr Lane. 5) Raddon Group – Cllr Spivey.

Road Safety:

Have you noticed the new ‘no parking’ signs that are now in place outside the main access gate for children at

Thorverton School? The signs have been put up with the aim of deterring parents and residents from parking

outside the School gate as this causes a danger to the youngsters when entering and exiting the building. Also by

parking in this area, which is close to the Bullen Street junction, it makes the road very narrow which causes

problems for larger vehicles. To help the matter further the Parish Council will be paying South West Highways to

move the yellow zigzag lines nearer to the junction, as advised by Nigel Flower the Road Safety Officer from

DDC, and parking will then only be allowed further into School Lane.

The Sheep Dip (Dinneford Street):

The Sheep Dip is a small open space area for public use at the top of Dinneford Street which is currently owned by

the Church Commissioners. Following a recent meeting between the Parish Council and the Church

Commissioners’ Agent it was confirmed that the broken fence along the boundary of this site will soon be replaced.

The Parish Council also learned that the Church Commissioners have offered to sell the site to the Council and this

proposition will be discussed at the next Parish Council meeting. If you have any comments in this connection

please let me, or a member of the Council, know.

Court Barton development site:

The Church Commissioners have advised the Parish Council that this development site, which will incorporate low

cost housing, will be ready for marketing shortly. Further updates will be advised here as they become known.

Electoral review of Devon:

If you are interested in having a say on how you thought the recent Elections were handled the draft

recommendation document is now available for all to view at Thorverton Post Office.

Tree work:

The Parish Council have accepted a tender, submitted by Countryman Services, to fell some trees in the School

field copse to thin out the area and to hopefully discourage rooks from nesting there next year. The Parish Council

have also arranged for a diseased tree to be felled, and a near-by stump to be ground out, in the Recreation Ground

by Countryside Tree Services.

Focus on Thorverton 3 Vol. 46 No.7 – July/August 2015

Letters

From Phyllis Langdon & Jenny Yendell

Christian Aid Week – 10th

–16th

May

Thorverton & Brampford Speke

£1,781.52p was raised - a really good

result. This includes a cheque from the Thorverton

Church collection on 17th May. Many thanks to all

who collected and those who donated.

From the family of Ethel Sellick, Fair Oak

We would like to say a big thank you for all the kind

messages and cards we received after the sad passing

of our dear mother, Ethel, on 3rd

June.

Also thanks to everyone who attended the funeral

service on 19th June at Thorverton Church. Special

thanks to Rev. Maurice Harrison, the Choir and to

Heather, the organist who all turned our sad day into

a celebration of Ethel’s long and happy life. Thanks

to all who contributed to Exe Valley Practice and

Thorverton Church in memory of Ethel.

From Crimestoppers

Crimestoppers has been alerted to a group of

scammers who have 'hijacked' the 0800 555 111

number. The scammers are calling people, saying

they are "Crimestoppers at the Home Office" and

directing them to the website to clarify the number

and asking for personal information like bank details.

Crimestoppers has never, and will never, make cold

calls to members of the public asking for any

personal details, if you hear from someone asking for

personal information and claiming to be from

Crimestoppers, please report it to Action Fraud on

0300 123 2040.

Roger Critchell, Director of Operations for

Crimestoppers, is currently talking to their ’phone

service provider to attempt to resolve the situation

and hope this can be rectified as quickly as possible.

"People can still call the 0800 555 111 to pass on

anonymous information about crime, but we wanted

to make sure people are aware that Crimestoppers

will never, ever contact members of the public asking

for personal details. Please do not hand over any

personal information from cold callers claiming to be

Crimestoppers." Thank you.

From the Police

Overnight between 9th and 10th June an enclosed

garden was entered and about 30-40 fish stolen from

a pond in Thorverton. The fish were a mixture of

small Koi Carp and Gold Fish.

Anyone able to offer information regarding the theft

of or whereabouts of these fish is asked to contact

PCSO 30587 Roberts via the 101 number.

From Roger Cashmore

Dear Councillors,

I have read the draft minutes of the last council

meeting and, as I am “mentioned in dispatches”,

thought I should take this opportunity to briefly get in

touch.

There really is no need to extend Commiserations

(sic : sympathy and sorrow) for not being re-elected.

I was planning to spend more time with my family(!),

and my doctor had already warned me that working

for Thorverton PC was not good for my blood

pressure (!) (or for that of the chair!).

Most of you know that I felt strongly that the council

needed an election and I am really pleased to see that

we have got some really capable new members.

Parish Councillors have a small number of statutory

duties (planning etc. etc.) but, in my opinion, only

one real obligation, that is, “To represent the best

future interests of the Thorverton community as a

whole”. We can all think of many reasons NOT to

do things, but I truly hope you are able to organise

your time to assume leading roles in moving

Thorverton forward and look forward to seeing the

Council taking an even more proactive role in setting

the future agenda for this wonderful village.

I sincerely wish you all well for the future.

From Julie Davie

Thank you to everyone that attended our school

summer fete. We managed to raise a magnificent

£900. Hopefully we will make this an annual event.

From Stagecoach Buses

Just a little reminder that Stagecoach runs a free

service to the Co-Op, Broadclyst, from Broadlands

and the Berry on Tuesdays at 9.20am. Numbers are

not very high so we encourage you to use it so that

the service will continue to be offered to those who

rely on it. Many thanks.

Focus on Thorverton 4 Vol. 46 No.7 – July/August 2015

From Dorothy Scott of Dark Lane

I would like to take the opportunity to thank our good

friends and neighbours for their offers of help and for

taking me to the RD&E and also to Ottery St Mary

where Peter is now in the rehab unit. I am pleased to

say that he is making steady progress.

I would like to thank you all for your kind enquiries

and for the "get well" cards we have received for

Peter. Hoping it won't be too long before he will be

able to come home and to join his friends at the

Exeter Inn.

From Melanie Beasley

To all my lovely ladies and gents, a very big heartfelt

thank you for all your support, custom, and especially

all the chatter during my 30 years of looking after

your hair here in Thorverton. You have all been a

big part of my life and family, and I will miss you all

very much. But a new exciting healthier life beckons

me, so I will be hanging up my scissors and grabbing

it with both hands. I am sure to see some of you

around the village as my ties with Thorverton are still

here with my lovely family. Again many thanks to

you all and God bless.

My last Hairdressing day will be on Saturday 1st

August.

From Mary Robinson

Our Day on Sark: May 21st 2015

We met up with Julia & John Dallen, late of

Netherexe Parishes, at Guernsey harbour, ready to

board the ferry to Sark. On arriving, we walked

through the tunnel towards the tractor & trailer,

known as the toast rack, which took us to the top of a

very steep hill, where horses and traps were waiting

to take the visitors around the island.

John and Julia (pictured below outside their house)

told us a lot about the island’s history. Then we

continued to walk on down what is called The

Avenue where we found several shops and on to the

post office. There we saw a gold post box to

commemorate someone from the island for winning a

Gold in the Olympic games.

We then visited the lovely church of St Peter’s,

which dates back to 1820, a truly well-kept church

where Julia preaches every Sunday. Next we visited

the vicarage which is adjacent to the church.

It was then time for lunch and because the weather

was so nice, we enjoyed our food in a nearby tea

garden.

After saying goodbye to Julia and John, we walked

back to where the horses and carts were, and had an

hour’s ride around the lovely country lanes.

A truly wonderful day out in Sark, and such a

delightful and peaceful place to visit, with no cars or

motor bikes. (A little bit of heaven on earth!)

Focus on Thorverton 5 Vol. 46 No.7 – July/August 2015

Thorverton Memorial Hall Committee Reg. Charity No. 203778

Newly renovated hall: new logo

The hall renovations that began in February have

now been completed by the contractor, Peter

Wainwright, with some last minute assistance from

members of the committee and other volunteers. The

improvements are being marked by the adoption of a

new logo, as seen on the right, and by a

(RE)OPENING CEREMONY

Addressed by

DAVID FURSDON,

LORD-LIEUTENANT OF

DEVON

at 1.00 pm on Saturday 4th

July

as part of the

VILLAGE OPEN DAY

The renovations have been made possible by the very

generous contributions by a number of donors. Their

representatives will also be present at the ceremony

to accept our thanks.

Thorverton Millennium Green Trust

Events and activities

The hall is now back in business and open for

bookings at jeffgrace@tiscali.co.uk or by contacting

any member of the committee (see below). There

will be a Saturday Market with Big Breakfast on

11th July and 8

th August and regularly on the second

Saturday of each month. Do take the opportunity to

browse the stalls and inspect the improvements at the

hall including an exhibition of John Morrish

cartoons.

Members of the Committee

Sarah Addicott, Roseanne Benn, Lisa Browning,

Roger Fieldhouse, Jeff Grace, John Hodge, Bob

Hyde, Colin Marshall, Clare Roberts, Mike Shelton,

Caroline Taverner, David Waldron.

There are two vacancies on the Committee. If anyone

is interested in joining this dynamic organisation

please contact the chair, Roger Fieldhouse (860768)

or any committee member.

Focus on Thorverton 6 Vol. 46 No.7 – July/August 2015

Notice Board

The Welcome Café

from 2.30 to 4.00pm

every Monday (except Bank Holidays)

at the WI Hut

Meet old friends …… Make new friends

Tea, coffee, biscuits, cakes and a warm

welcome!

Thorverton Post Office & TCT

newsagents/stationers Quarry Car Park, Lynch Road

Thorverton 01392 860455

offering a very wide range of post office

services, newspapers, magazines, stationery,

posting and packing materials, laundry service,

photocopying – service with a smile!

Mon–Fri 9.00–5.30 (closed 1.00-2.00) Sat 9.00-12.00

Sun: 9.00–10.30 TCT paper shop only

Ratcliffe Farm EGGS

Free range, from rare breeds

£1.25p / half dozen

You'll find them outside the farm gate at all times.

Rooms to Rent Four fully-furnished rooms are available to rent in a private house in Thorverton. They comprise a small bedroom, a lounge, kitchen diner and bathroom and would suit a single employed person. The rent is £450 per month, including all bills. For more information please phone 01392-860801.

Mum and Toddlers/Baby Group

Held every Wednesday morning

in the Memorial Hall.

If you would like any further information please

call Wendy Coles on 01392 861283 (Toddler Rep.)

Focus on Thorverton 7 Vol. 46 No.7 – July/August 2015

Thorverton Church Choir Practices ADULTS

Thursdays 7.45 – 9.00pm at Thorverton Church

July 2nd

July 9th Annual Party at Ockero 6.30

July 16th

September dates TBC

Thorverton Church Choir Practices JUNIORS

Mondays 3.30 - 4.30pm at Thorverton School

July 6th

July 9th Annual Party at Ockero 6.30

September dates TBC

Thorverton Church Services with both CHOIRS

July 5th (Sunday) 9.30 start

July 19th (Sunday) 9.30 refreshments and activities

10.00 start

New members always very welcome at any time :

We sing a very wide range of music at a mix of

traditional services and more contemporary worship.

All ages and abilities are welcome.

Please come and sing with us in our Christmas carol

service choir – more information to follow in the

Autumn.

Choir Director and Accompanist Heather Kershaw

860419 heather@kershaw25.eclipse.co.uk

Siverton Street Market A warm welcome is guaranteed to all those living

across the river at Thorverton from your sister village

of Silverton on Saturday, 1st. August. That is the

date of the Silverton Street Market, which is now

celebrating its Silver Jubilee. The Street Market

attracts thousands ever year and is a non profit

organisation; all money made goes to local groups in

the village, who earn their money as they run it!

There is a theme ever year; this year it is The Circus.

It is open all day, 10am - 4 pm, and then all the pubs

in the village are organising entertainment that goes

on into the night. They will be serving a specially

brewed beer called Big Top by the village's brewery,

Exe Valley Brewery. Parking is free and the main

part of the village is traffic free. The Market is very

children friendly and there is lots to do, ranging from

face painting, bouncy castles and masses of side

shows. A whole range of places to eat are available

to suit all tastes and pockets and to help sustain the

celebrations.

The centre part of the village will see numerous stalls

- commercial, charities and interest groups. (There

are still a few places left - contact Izzy Glassborow,

07724 664852 - if interested.)

The music goes on all day, ranging from Irish folk,

rock and various solo artists, and the entertainment

culminates in a Tug of War competition. Is there

any team in Thorverton interested in taking on the

might of Silverton?!

'Thorvertonians are very welcome': commented

Maxine Edwards, Chairperson and long term resident

in the village. 'We urge you all to come and make a

day of it'.

John Kirkaldy

SILVERTON LINK UP

Voluntary Drivers Scheme for Wyndham House and Exe

Valley Surgeries Patients

The VOLUNTEER DRIVERS are

Jean Hawkins 860849 John Kiely 861545

Doreen Beer 860731 Stephen Roach 861042

Mary Smith 861916 Dave Sleep 860678

LINK UP service takes patients with medical

appointments from home to surgery or hospitals in the

area. If you require transport contact one of the drivers

mentioned above, giving them as much notice as possible.

If you use the service a realistic donation towards the

drivers’ expenses would be appreciated. Payment is paid

direct to the driver who issues a receipt. It may not always

be possible to arrange a lift, as all our drivers are

volunteers and cannot be expected to turn out on every

occasion, although they will do their best.

Roger Higman (Co-ordinator) 860571.

roger.higman@homecall.co.uk

Focus on Thorverton 8 Vol. 46 No.7 – July/August 2015

Mobile Library Service It is important to support this service which comes to

Thorverton on a Thursday between 3.35 and 4.20pm

every 4 weeks in the Quarry Car Park. There is a

good range of books; fiction, non-fiction, books for

adults and younger folk and talking books. Also

they’ll order things for you.

Future dates:

2nd

& 30th July

27th August

24th September

22nd

October

19th November

17th December

Thorverton Cooperative Trust Our community-run and owned paper-shop continues

to do reasonable business and we just about manage

to cover the overheads to maintain the building and

support and house Thorverton Post Office. Your

subscriptions, donations and regular orders of papers

and purchases of other stationery items, not to

mention your continuing use of the Post Office itself,

are absolutely vital. We would not survive without

them.

So please continue using us for as much as you

possibly can. The Post Office is pretty much a bank

for many of your as well as essential for posting

things, mobile ‘phone top-ups, payment of bills,

buying health lottery tickets and much more. We

have a photocopier, laundry service and lots to buy

for your everyday needs.

For the foreseeable future, the only feasible and

realistic plan for us is to maintain what we have as

best we can, hopefully taking advantage of some

potentially available Post Office funds/grants to

improve and update our present facilities. Until a

good alternative local retail business in which to

house the Post Office is successfully operating, we

will have to stay as we are.

Thank you to all our customers and members for

their support and, of course, much gratitude to all our

members of staff, TCT and PO, who keep everything

running and serve you so well.

Support our local services PLEASE. Let’s try to

make the supermarkets and retail parks our back-up,

not the first port of call!

We hope to receive your subs and donations very

soon – see the form below – and please encourage

your friends and neighbours to become members and

support us too.

Heather Kershaw Chair, Company and Membership Secretary of TCT Ltd

01392 860419

To the Council of Thorverton Co-operative Trust Ltd I/we

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

(address +

postcode)……………………………………………………………………………………..........................

..........................................................................................................................................................................

(email)………………………………………………………………………………………………………

wish to become (a) member(s) of Thorverton Co-operative Trust Ltd and hereby apply to be admitted subject to the

provisions of its Memorandum and Articles of Association (see PO notice-board or contact the Secretary to view

the full document)

OR

wish to renew membership of TCT Ltd

I/we enclose membership fees (£10.00 per person) for the year 7/2015 – 6/2016 (cheques payable to

Thorverton Co-operative Trust Ltd)

(signature(s))…………………………………………………………………………………………………

Please return this form with your payment to Heather Kershaw, TCT Membership Secretary, c/o

Thorverton Post Office or post/deliver to TCT Ltd 25 The Glebe, Thorverton, Exeter EX5 5LS

Focus on Thorverton 9 Vol. 46 No.7 – July/August 2015

“Death of a Hooker” Cycling and Rugby, a curious mix, and one that was

destined to end in tragedy. Have you ever heard of

such a thing as a seven-seater bicycle? And that in

the shape of a circle? Only two such bicycles existed

in the UK. One was being cycled around the South

West to raise money for Children’s Hospice. The

other belonged to Jonathon Flood, an architect from

Tiverton. He was not averse to a wager and, after a

less than abstemious night at the Tiverton Hotel

during which the Rugby World Cup was the main

object of conversation, he agreed that, for a bet, he

would put together a team of those that rode the

peculiar bicycle and play a game of seven a side

rugby against any seven members of the Tiverton

Rugby club.

The game was set up but ended in tragedy. The

Hooker from the cyclist’s team died in mysterious

circumstances halfway through the second half. The

police were called in, evidence was gathered, and the

main suspects were asked to attend the Tiverton

Hotel for questioning.

Detective Chief Inspector Appleby of the Devon and

Cornwall Constabulary led the investigation and

tonight, during a meal at the Hotel, he is determined

to get to the truth.

As the investigation unfolds all is not as it seems and

further tensions and revelations come to light before

another death occurs.

All the clues will be there to lead to the right

conclusion but will they be correctly deduced? Chief

Inspector Appleby, with the help of the other guests,

must get to the truth before the night is over!

The Tiverton Hotel

Sunday 20th

Sept. - Mid Devon Wedding Fayre

FREE ENTRY

A day of lavish wedding bliss with everything you

will need to make your wedding day a day to

remember and a great chance to enjoy seeing all

that’s great and wonderful in the wedding world.

Monday 21st Sept. - Murder Mystery

3 Course Dinner Evening. Tickets £25.00

Murder at The Tiverton Hotel with a “who done it”

over a murderously good three course dinner! Actors

play out the mystery before you. Your job is to find

the murderer. Try to solve the case and enjoy your

evening because it’s going to be Murder. In aid of

The Children’s Hospice South West.

1st October – Free Business Open Day and

Networking Event – Tea / Coffee / nibbles

Invited local businesses will see the wide range of

services offered by The Tiverton Hotel whilst taking

the opportunity to network over nibbles, tea and

coffee. This event is not to be missed and includes a

thought provoking business presentation.

Focus on Thorverton 10 Vol. 46 No.7 – July/August 2015

Moth Watch

ON THORVERTON MILLENNIUM GREEN SATURDAY 25th July

FROM 9.00pm By kind permission of Thorverton Millennium Green Trust

Please come along and see what moths are attracted to

the moth trap. Here are some examples of moths on the wing at this time of year:

Early Thorn Yellow-tailed Moth Large Yellow Underwing (favourite bat snack!) Scalloped Oak Brimstone Moth Nut Tree Tussock Straw Dot Drinker Moth Willow Beauty

A record of the moths trapped during the evening will be

sent to the County Moth Recorder.

You may not be able to see the light of the trap from the gate. Please walk down towards the picnic table area. Please bring a torch so you can find your way back in the dark. Bring something warm to wear as it can get cold. Stay as long as you wish.

Important Leptospirosis Update

Leptospirosis is a bacterial disease spread in urine of infected

animals such as rats and dogs. Over the past few months there

has been a significant increase in reported cases of canine

leptospirosis in the South West.

Worryingly several of these cases have occurred in

vaccinated dogs. The disease is often contracted from

infected water courses causing kidney and liver failure

which can be difficult to treat and can result in death.

The disease is zoonotic, so may be contracted by

humans. We don't want to be alarmist, but we do want

to make sure our pet owners are informed of the risks

and the methods of prevention.

St Boniface Vets are responding to these worrying

developments by updating our vaccination regime.

Our new vaccine covers 4 strains of Leptospirosis

instead of the 2 strains covered by the previous

vaccine that is commonly used. This increases your

dogs immunological protection against leptospirosis.

Willow Beauty

Dusky Thorn

Focus on Thorverton 11 Vol. 46 No.7 – July/August 2015

Your vet will talk you through the changes when your dog comes in for their annual vaccination and health check.

However if you have any questions or would like to discuss updating your dogs protection sooner then please give

our team a call. We will be happy to talk you through the changes and rest assured there will be no additional cost.

VACCINATION AMNESTY

We strongly believe in the overall benefits of vaccination

against Leptospirosis and other potentially fatal diseases.

If your dog or cat has lapsed with their vaccination or never

had them initially, we would like to offer you the chance to

get them fully protected for the cost of just a booster.

This offer is running throughout July and August. Just as

important as the vaccination itself the appointment will

include a full health check.

Please call us on 01363 772860 to book your appointment.

FIVE

months to go FOUR

teams needed Players * Juniors * Backstage * Front of House

THREE

weeks before Christmas, there will be TWO

acts of traditional fun in ONE

**** PANTOMIME ****

To get involved or find out more, contact T A D S - ring Sheena on 01392 860843

Focus on Thorverton 12 Vol. 46 No.7 – July/August 2015

Village Open/Fun Day

SATURDAY 4th

JULY

Programme Saturday 4

th July 2015

11.00 am Open/Fun Day starts. Judging for

homecraft entries begins.

11.45 am Wizzbang (children’s entertainer)

12.30 pm Dog Show entry registration begins.

1.00 pm Hall reopening ceremony conducted

by Mr David Fursdon the Lord

Lieutenant of Devon.

1.30 pm Dog Show starts.

3.30 pm T.A.D.S. “Dog” & Handler

4.00 pm Duck Race.

5.00 pm Family Disco in the main hall.

7.30pm Dancing to ‘Stay Lucky’ in the main

hall.

11.00 pm Evening ends.

Companion Dog Show Classes

Saturday 4th

July 2015

Judging starts at 1.30pm – Entries taken from

12.30pm

Classes - £1 per class

Class 1 Best puppy up to 12 months

Class 2 Most handsome dog

Class 3 Prettiest bitch

Class 4 Best rescue dog

Class 5 Best veteran over 7 years

Class 6 Most appealing eyes

Class 7 Best crossbreed

Class 8 Best junior handler (up to 14 years)

Class 9 Waggiest tail

Class 10 Best condition

Class 11 Best trick

Class 12 Fastest Bonio eater

Rosettes 1 – 4 and specials for children

BEST IN SHOW (Winners from classes 1 – 12)

Home craft classes 2015 Under 7 years

1. Glove puppet.

2. Vase from recycled material.

3. Cheese straws.

8 to 12 years

4. 4 cup cakes.

5. Money box made from recycled material.

6. Drawing of a bird.

12 to 16 years

7. Photo collage of Thorverton.

8. Celebration cake in a loaf tin.

9. Something new from something old.

Adults

10. Jar of homemade marmalade.

11. Jar of homemade chutney.

12. 100gms of fudge.

13. A Swiss roll.

14. 4 sausage rolls.

15. 4 stems of flowers.

16. Flower arrangement in an egg cup.

17. A homemade greetings card.

Family entry

18. A mosaic garden planter.

Garden/Produce

19. 3 Homelaid brown eggs.

20. A bowl of home-grown strawberries.

Entry fees -

Classes 1-9 Free

Classes 10-20 : 50p

Please contact on

thorvertonopenday@gmail.com

for application form asap

Lewin Heaven-Ince will have an ice cream stall

at the Village Open Day. He is fundraising for

an educational trip to Namibia in Africa this

summer. He will be doing things like painting

schools, creating playgrounds, football pitches,

etc. and making chicken coops so that the local

children can have fresh lunches. He would also

be grateful for donations of second hand sporting

shirts for the local people.

Focus on Thorverton 13 Vol. 46 No.7 – July/August 2015

If you go down to Brampford Speke church today..... Saturday 11th July

Brave teddies of all shapes, sizes and ages are being invited to put their derring do to the test

and parachute off the tower of St Peter's Church in Brampford Speke. It is a teddy bear-themed

afternoon of fun from 2pm to 5pm.

Each bear will pay £1 a go or the very bravest can jump three times for £2. Every jumper will be given a certificate recording their amazing

feat. Teddies can also take part in a teddy bear show with classes including the best dressed, prettiest or most handsome boy, best veteran

aged over eight and most unlikely pair of teddies.

Meanwhile, their owners can enjoy tea and

cakes, get their faces painted, listen to a story, win prizes in the tombola and guess the name of

the teddy.

All proceeds will go to church funds.

Focus on Thorverton 14 Vol. 46 No.7 – July/August 2015

Focus on Thorverton 15 Vol. 46 No.7 – July/August 2015

Parish Church Services and News JULY 2015 SERVICES & INFORMATION

The Netherexe Parishes - A Mission Community in the Diocese of Exeter

Sunday 5 July 2015 Trinity 5

09:30 am Family Service Newton St Cyres Lay Led

09:30 am Holy Communion [C] Thorverton MSS

10:00 am Service with a Smile Brampford Speke LF

10:00 am Service of the Word Cadbury Lay Led

10:00 am Service of the Word Stoke Canon Lay Led

11:15 am Service of the Word Rewe Lay Led

05:30 pm Holy Communion [C] Poltimore Ann Smith or HW [tbc]

Sunday 12 July 2015 Trinity 6

09:30 am Sunday Service Brampford Speke Baptist Chapel BOF

09:30 am Holy Communion [C] Huxham HW

09:30 am Open Church Thorverton

10:00 am Informal Gathering Stoke Canon

11:15 am Coffee, Cake & Company Rewe

11:15 am Holy Communion [C] Upton Pyne SS

06:30 pm Holy Communion [C] Newton St Cyres MSS

Sunday 19 July 2015 Trinity 7 08:30 am Holy Communion [C] Brampford Speke Michael Hall

09:30 am Open Church followed by Family Service Thorverton

10:00 am Family Service Thorverton Lay Led

Joint with Baptist Church

10:00 am Holy Communion [C] Cadbury MSS

10:00 am Service of the Word Poltimore Lay Led

11:15 am Coffee, Cake & Company Rewe

05:00 pm Holy Communion [C] Stoke Canon MSS & HW

Sunday 26 July 2015 Trinity 8

09:30 am Sunday Service Brampford Speke Baptist Chapel BOF

09:30 am Holy Communion [C] Newton St Cyres Charles Edwards

09:30 am Holy Communion [BCP] Thorverton David Francis

10:00 am Informal Gathering Stoke Canon

10:00 am Service of the Word Upton Pyne Lay Led

11:15 am Holy Communion [C] Rewe HW

06:30 pm Evening Prayer [BCP] Cadbury Catriona Fursdon

06:30 pm Evening Prayer [BCP] Huxham LF

Sunday 2 August 2015 Trinity 9

09:30 am Family Service Newton St Cyres Lay Led

09:30 am Holy Communion [C] Thorverton David Francis

10:00 am Service with a Smile Brampford Speke LF

10:00 am Service of the Word Cadbury Lay Led

10:00 am Service of the Word Stoke Canon Lay Led

11:15 am Coffee, Cake & Company Rewe

05:30 pm Holy Communion [C] Poltimore MSS

Services in the Netherexe Parishes Your parish churches aim to provide a variety of service types to meet the needs of the whole community. Most Sunday

services except those early in the morning include hymns and music. Everyone is welcome at all services

Focus on Thorverton 16 Vol. 46 No.7 – July/August 2015

Service With A Smile ☺ These services are designed for all ages and with the needs of young

children especially in mind. They are informal and contemporary in

style often including a children’s activity at the beginning; without

communion and are led by lay teams. Services usually last about 35

minutes and are followed by refreshments

Family Service Family services are suitable for all ages, may be with or without Holy

Communion, are contemporary in style and are often followed by

refreshments

Holy Communion [C] Traditional service in contemporary language [one hour]

Holy Communion [BCP] Traditional service in traditional language [one hour]

Morning Prayer [BCP] Traditional Morning Service [Mattins] from the Book of

Common Prayer [about an hour]

Evening Prayer [BCP] Traditional Evening Service from the Book of Common

Prayer [about an hour]

Common Worship [CW] Common Worship Service

Daily Morning & Evening Prayer in the Netherexe Parishes

For daily services the format is generally Book of Common Prayer at Thorverton and Common Worship elsewhere, and the

timing is about 20-30 minutes. All are welcome.

Morning Prayer is said on Mondays at 9.10pm in Stoke Canon church (during the school term, this takes the form of

Collective Worship for Stoke Canon C. of E. School); on Tuesdays at 9.15am in Stoke Canon Chapel

Evening Prayer is said on Thursdays at 5.00pm in Newton St Cyres church.

Variations: None

Who’s Who …..? Abbreviations Key

Vacancy Rector

SS Revd Preb Sue Sheppard Associate Minister 01392 841284 sue.sheppard@netherexe.org

LF Mrs Laura Ford Reader 01392 841753 laura.ford@netherexe.org

Associate Ministers

MSS Revd’s Michael & Sharon Simpson HW Revd Harold Whitty BOF Baptist Officiant

For more information about the Netherexe Parishes please see www.netherexe.org or contact:

Mrs Margaret Lowe [Administrator], Tel: 07594 714590 Tues & Thurs [08:30–16:30], email: margaret.admin@netherexe.org

Correspondence: The Netherexe Parishes, PO Box 734, Stoke Canon, Exeter, EX5 4WP.

Would you like a lift to church? May we offer you a lift to the parish church or to a joint service elsewhere?

For transport to Sunday services from places in Thorverton parish, please ring Steve Rendell on 01392 860780.

For transport from locations in Newton St Cyres parish please contact Mrs Charlotte Dyer on 01392 851618

For transport from Rewe parish please contact Guy Sheppard on 01392 861022

Parish Letter

Why not be more Dog??

You have probably seen the TV advertisement by a

large mobile phone company using clever computer

graphics to make a cat speak and behave in ways

normally associated with a dog. It is very amusing

but it got me thinking about my own dog, the latest in

a long line of canine companions stretching back to

my teenage years.

To begin with I thought about all the ways that dogs

reflect human qualities with our different and

sometimes quirky personality traits , some are quiet

and placid while others are extrovert and lively.

Some have boundless energy while others are real

couch potatoes [greyhounds come to mind – yes

honestly, they love to lounge around]. Some love to

be outdoors all the time whilst others love their

creature comforts - a Jack Russell terrier I used to

have comes to mind that refused to step out of the

door when it was raining yet loved to swim in the

river at every opportunity!

Then I began to think how they come in all shapes

and sizes, just like humans, but are equally versatile

as well. Like us they adapt to new situations, learn

quickly to undertake vital tasks and are capable of

Focus on Thorverton 17 Vol. 46 No.7 – July/August 2015

forming lifelong partnerships. These partnerships

can be seen in all walks of life, farmers with

sheepdogs, partially sighted people with guide dogs,

customs officers with sniffer dogs, police and

soldiers with security dogs and now dogs are even

being trained to detect certain illnesses in people by

harnessing their truly amazing sense of smell. Just

like humans their talents are astounding and seem to

know no bounds.

Then I began to think how God-like dogs really are.

They are always there to listen to us, they don’t judge

us, they show unquestioning loyalty, are incredibly

faithful and they always offer us their unconditional

love no matter how badly we have behaved. Perhaps

we should all strive to be “a little more dog” after all

dog is God spelt backwards.

Margaret Lowe

Mission Community Administrator

& Dog-lover

Baptist Church

Poor old God – He always gets it in the neck

A couple of weeks or so ago a hate-filled, 21-year-

old, white supremacist brutally murdered nine

African-American Christians in their home church.

He had sat with them for an hour while they prayed,

before producing his weapon and shooting them.

Now, such a horrendous incident raises all sorts of

issues for the thoughtful believer. Why did God

allow such a dreadful thing to happen? Why didn’t

he step in to prevent it? Why do innocent people die

in such horrific ways? Why do bad things happen to

good people? Why? Why? Why?

Three thousand years ago the psalmists were

agonising over these very same questions. They

poured out their bewilderment, their revolt, their

sense of injustice, in words that still resonate today.

“Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord.

Lord, hear my voice.” (Psalm 130)

and

“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?

Why are you so far from helping me,

From the words of my groaning?

O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer;

And by night, but find no rest.” (Psalm 22)

The book of Job, too, struggles with these issues.

Chapter 24, after recording an appalling list of

brutality, oppression and cruelty that human beings

are guilty of, concludes:

“But God charges no-one with wrongdoing.”

In the New Testament we find the same lack of

concrete answers. Jesus does not satisfy our curiosity

as to the explanation of evil in the world. The

disciples come across a blind man and straight away

they want an explanation, “Lord, who sinned, this

man or his parents that he was born blind? But no

explanation is given. Jesus does at least make it clear

that generally speaking there is no direct link that

indicates a person is suffering because of their sin.

On another occasion he makes the same point with

two illustrations. One refers to some Galileans who

had been executed by Herod, the other to eighteen

people who perished when a tower fell on them.

Now – did these victims bring it upon themselves

somehow? Did they deserve their sad fate? “I tell

you, no!” says Jesus. They were no worse than

anyone else. They weren’t singled out for an early

death because of their wickedness or their dreadful

lifestyle. Tyrants behave outrageously, towers fall

down, buildings collapse, people are killed in

accidents or die of disease.

The fact is we simply do not know why bad things

happen to good people. You may read the Bible

from cover to cover but you will not find the

explanation. God has not seen fit to reveal it to us.

We just have to say, “We don’t know”. This is

humbling and embarrassing when we think we

should have an answer for everything. But this time

we have no answer. There is none.

However, there are answers to the accusations often

levelled against God. Sometimes the accusing voices

belong to cynics who don’t really believe in God but

they like to take to task the God they don’t believe in

for his failure to do things they think he ought to do if

he did exist.

How might God choose to respond to these

accusations? Perhaps a voice from heaven might

challenge us as to whether it really is his fault so

many bad things happen. Could we human beings

have something to do with it? He might protest:

[here I acknowledge my indebtedness to Chris

Wright’s ‘The God I Don’t Understand’] “What

about the millions in your world slowly dying of

starvation whilst other millions are eating themselves

to death through gluttony. Is that my fault?

“And what of those millions in your world living as

refugees, on the brink of starvation, because of the

evils of war? And the vast fortunes some of you are

making through the profits of arms manufacture to

fuel so many conflicts? Is that my fault?

Focus on Thorverton 18 Vol. 46 No.7 – July/August 2015

“Then there are the millions among you who have

less to live on in a day than some of you spend on a

cup of coffee. Am I really to be blamed for that?

When we study things closely, the conclusion is

inevitable that the vast bulk of suffering in the world

today is caused by the human race and by human sin.

And that is where the gospel comes in – to change

lives so that we behave differently.

A more positive perspective is given by Scriptures

such as Psalm 73 (the whole psalm is worth reading),

in which the writer bemoans the prosperity of the

wicked but then goes on to consider all these issues

in the light of eternity. In other words, he takes the

long view.

So… when all is said and done, there remains a

mystery as to the explanation of suffering in the

world. Even if 90% of it can be attributed to our own

crass actions, there still remains the portion that is

beyond our understanding. But we are not alone in

our perplexity. One of the wisest men of antiquity

confessed his failure to work it all out: “No-one can

comprehend what goes on under the sun. People toil

to search it out, but no-one can discover its meaning.

Even if the wise claim they know, they cannot really

comprehend it.” (Ecclesiastes 8 vs.16-17)

Maurice Harrison

Thorverton Primary School Fête

We held our first Summer Fête on Saturday 6th June,

which was a resounding success. The sun shone and

we had a huge variety of stalls to have a go at and

buy from. Many of the children from Class 3 ran

stalls very capably and seemed to thoroughly enjoy

the responsibility. The jewellery and plant pots on

sale were made by the craft club which also sold

really well.

Everyone worked really hard and it was very well-

attended all afternoon, with the cream teas being very

popular. Thank you to everyone for your support

with this event. I am sure that we will run another

next year. A massive thank you goes to the PTA,

especially Julie Davie and Pippa Eyles, who with the

help of a good team organised the Fête and sourced

some amazing raffle prizes, generously donated by

local businesses. The total raised was £900.

Sarah Parkes,

Head of Teaching and Learning

The Village pays tribute to its oldest inhabitant Mrs Ethel Sellick, our oldest Thorvertonian, died on

3rd June. She was 99 years old, the only child of

William and Alice Way. A service of remembrance

for her long life was held at the Parish Church on

19th June, led by the Reverend Maurice Harrison.

The organist was Heather Kershaw. The choir sang

the anthem, “God so loved the world”.

From the family eulogy we learned that Ethel was

born and died in the village. In her childhood,

horsepower was still important and she recalled the

horses struggling to pull heavy loads up the steep

hills around Cadbury.

Ethel attended Thorverton Primary School and

remembered the stern headmaster Mr Martin. As a

child she accompanied her mother by pony and trap

to the market in Queen Street, Exeter, where they had

a stall selling butter, cream, eggs and poultry. She

later worked on a farm at Ipplepen, a time which she

always looked back on with fond remembrance.

In her early twenties Ethel learned to drive and was

one of the first to pass the driving test. She married

Jim at the Parish Church in 1944, when a special

licence was required due to war conditions. In due

time Ray was born, followed two years later by Judy.

In 1968 the family left Wiveliscombe, where they

had established a retail dairy business, to return to

Fair Oak, Thorverton, the family home built by

Ethel’s father. Ethel always took a keen interest in

village life and liked to be remembered as a founder

member of Thorverton Arts Festival. Hers was a

long and happy life immersed in her family and the

village she loved so much.

The minister added that the village loved her in

return. She was known for her sweet nature, her

gracious attitude to one and all and her lovely smile.

She was not only matriarch to her close-knit family

but also, as its oldest resident, the matriarch of the

whole village, truly a village treasure. He expressed

the sympathy of us all to the whole family on the loss

of a lovely lady. Finally he reminded the

congregation of Ethel’s devotion to the Church, her

deeply held Christian faith, and applied to her

departure the words of Jesus to his disciples, “I go to

prepare a place for you”.

After the service everyone was invited to Fair Oak

for afternoon tea – a lovely occasion where they

could share the fond memories they had of Ethel.

MH

Focus on Thorverton 19 Vol. 46 No.7 – July/August 2015

Short Walks in and Around Thorverton Walk 6 (Upton Pyne and Brampford Speke)

This walk is entirely outside the parish, exploring Upton Pyne and Brampford Speke and the land between the two

villages. In the summer the under-foot conditions should be easy enough for soft shoes, but as with all of these

walks, boots are advisable in wet conditions and throughout the winter months. I started the walk in Upton Pyne,

but of course you could start equally well in Brampford Speke. I would recommend a diversion and perhaps even a

picnic in Brampford Speke by the river or a stop at the Lazy Toad in the village. Park in the car park behind Upton

Pyne village hall.

Turn right along the road and walk for about 30 yards to a

footpath on the left at Glebelands Farm. Pass through the farm,

turning left over a stile at the far end of the farm and

immediately right to run down the field edge. Follow the path

along the side of what were a couple of fields of wheat, flecked

with poppies when I did this walk, to the bottom right hand

corner of the second field. Turn sharp right on a footpath

which doubles back the other side of the hedge and then turns

left to run along the field edge, reaching a gate into the next

field. Go through the gate and turn left to the road.

Turn left along the road for 20 yards, then take the signed

footpath on the right. Keep to the left edge of the field and

follow the path through a wood. Continue straight across the

next field towards a bungalow with a flag (which some of us

will recognise as Paws-A-While). Turn left at the road for about 20 yards and then right along a footpath which at

first goes along the field edge and then diagonally across the field to meet the road at the end of a row of houses.

Exit onto the road and go along the road into Brampford Speke.

Turn left at the junction and pass the beautiful, thatched, Taylor’s Farm and Home Living before turning right

down a lane and then right again to pass the Baptist Chapel and

school. I can

strongly recommend

a detour here,

proceeding along

the path that goes

steeply down to the

River Exe. The

riverside presents a

great location for a

picnic.

However, returning

to our route which

has just taken us past the school, take the footpath on the right

immediately after the school, through and arch and then along a

partly wooded path eventually emerging through the churchyard

onto a road. Turn right here and go to the road junction. You may

care to turn right for a few yards and have some refreshments in the

Lazy Toad, but otherwise turn left along the road to pass Stooks

Close and take the path on the right about 30 yards further on. This

path is easy to follow back to Upton Pyne, where you will meet the

road just by Robin’s Cottage. Turn left and go about 400 yards back to the village hall. A short detour into the

church is recommended.

Neville Lane

Focus on Thorverton 20 Vol. 46 No.7 – July/August 2015

The Garden in July 2015

On looking out of the window at home, the main

planted areas of shrubs and herbaceous plants are

coping quite well with the lack of rain. However, in

the vegetable garden, things are not so rosy.

Vegetable plants are sown, on the whole, annually

and rely on a regular water supply to support their

rapid growth rate from seed to fully productive plant.

If this is interrupted and their growth rate checked,

they often fail to reach the expected size and

productivity. Vegetable plants are ‘prima donnas’

and if given difficult conditions, i.e. soil or weather,

they will become sulky and uncooperative!! April

was remarkably dry and warm, May was also on the

dry side and June, if not ‘blooming, ‘is definitely

lacking regular rain showers. Your garden

vegetables are under ‘stress!’

So, when do you water effectively, the general rule of

thumb is to water all new planting until plants are

bedded into the soil or it rains. Seeds need to be

watered soon after sowing. If the weather remains

dry, continue until nature takes over or the young

plants have enough of a root system to draw water

from the soil. They will be quite sizeable by this

time. If the dry spell continues, all recent planting

needs to be checked and if something looks as if it

has stopped growing, it probably needs a helping

hand with a good watering around the roots. One

good watering might be all that’s needed, but keep an

eye on them and water again if the plants do not

improve. If a plant is in need of water, the leaves are

often a shade lighter in colour than you would expect.

This is a good indicator of stress in the plant and

should not be ignored.

If you are growing your tomatoes in pots, either

outside or in the greenhouse, try and water every day

at about the same time if possible. Tomatoes like

routine and if watering becomes irregular to the

extent that sometimes they dry out and then are given

lots of water they can get a condition called blossom

end rot. This condition caused by irregular watering

affects the fruit which rots from the end and

gradually, if unchecked, will consume the whole

fruit.

All new main garden planting or moved plants this

season will also be very vulnerable during a dry spell.

So make sure that you water regularly and don’t let

them dry out. New lawns, turf or seed will also need

very careful watering during the dry spell. Every

lawn can be helped to cope with drought by cutting

on a higher level with your lawn mower. Do not

shave your lawn as the roots are exposed to the sun

and dry out. You will find that the lawn has slowed

down its growth rate and will not need to be cut so

often – nature’s way of preserving energy.

Roses take the stage during June and July. By the

second half of July, the first flush of flowers will be

coming to an end. If you wish for decorative autumn

hips, do not prune the rose now. However, if you are

hoping for another crop of flowers, prune your

finished flowering stem back by one third. In Devon,

black spot can be very disfiguring to rose plants.

Roses like a Mediterranean climate of hot and dry.

Even when we are hot in Devon, we are seldom

without a certain amount of humidity in the

atmosphere. Keep your roses as clear as possible

and pick up all dropped leaves and petals. Black spot

is caused by the fungus Diplocarpon rosae. This

overwinters on stem lesions and fallen leaves. Cut

out stems showing signs of lesions next spring but

pick up leaves now and continue to do so.

Annual flower plants and half hardy plants will also

benefit from cutting off finished flowers. The trick

for long flowering with these plants is to keep them

producing more flowers to make seed. So remove

flowers as soon as they die and don’t let them form

into seeds. Of course, conversely if you want seeds

from any of these plants you must let the seed set on

the plant and mature and dry out. They are usually

ready to harvest from late August onwards.

The important thing to do, Neville, this time of year

is to enjoy your garden. So mix up that Pimms, take

out the deck chairs and after checking that everything

is watered if necessary, find a shady corner and put

your feet up and enjoy!! [Lorraine tells me that this

is all I need to do in August too – Ed]

Happy gardening!

P.S. The best way to stop a period of drought is to

write a gardening article on the difficulties of coping

with drought. I have just heard the forecast for the

next few days !!!!!

Lorraine Colebrook

Women’s Institute It is with great sadness that we heard of the passing

of Ethel Sellick. Ethel was a member of Thorverton

WI for many years. She will be greatly missed. Our

thoughts and prayers are with all of her family.

A long time ago an umbrella was left in the WI Hut.

If you think it may be yours please phone Barbara on

860878. If not claimed it will be sold at our July

coffee morning.

Owles 'R Us

The owles are flying back to the WI Hut on

Wednesday 16th September at 7pm for a 7.30pm

start. There will be a light supper. Adults £5,

children £2.50. More information to follow.

Barbara O'Higgins

Focus on Thorverton 21 Vol. 46 No.7 – July/August 2015

Legal Eagle It would appear that over recent months Plymouth

City Council have lost a number of young trees from

Central Park. The finger of suspicion has been

pointed at ‘Middle-class wood burner owners’ who, it

is believed, have been chopping down the trees in

order to fuel their stoves. The popularity of wood

burning stoves has, it seems, led to a steep increase in

the price of logs which, according to Plymouth City

Council, has prompted some owners to turn their

attention to the readily available source of wood in

the City’s Central Park. In addition to chopping

down trees, branches from a number of other trees

have been lopped off. Gareth Harrison-Poole, the

Council’s Grounds Manager, said, “We suspect

opportunists looking for cheap wood burner fuel are

to blame”.

Brian Vincent, the Council Cabinet Member for the

Environment said that the Council will be seeking

legal advice with a view to prosecution. Leaving

aside Council bye-laws and any special rules relating

to the trees in question, where in the general law

might the Council look to mount a prosecution?

Theft and Criminal Damage would seem to be the

obvious answers. Theft, it will be recalled, is the

dishonest appropriation of property belonging to

another with the intention permanently to deprive. So

are the elements of the offence satisfied by those who

have taken to chopping down trees? An appropriation

is the assumption of any of the rights of an owner. As

the trees belong to the City Council only the City

Council has the right to chop them down so certainly

an appropriation has occurred. Belonging to another

is easily satisfied, the trees belong to the City

Council. Do the trees constitute property? This may

be slightly more problematic but we can turn to s4 of

the Theft Act 1968 and in particular sub-section (b)

which provides that a person might be guilty of theft

when, not in possession of land, he appropriates

anything forming part of the land (the trees) by

severing it or causing it to be severed, or after it has

been severed.

So, chopping down the trees would satisfy the actus

reus elements of the offence. Can we establish the

necessary dishonesty and intention permanently to

deprive? For an answer to the dishonesty question we

must turn to the test in Ghosh [1982]. Was what was

done dishonest according to the ordinary standards of

reasonable and honest people? One would hazard a

guess that the answer to this question would be ‘yes’;

if so, we go on to ask a second question, did the

defendant realise that reasonable and honest people

would regard what he did as dishonest? I feel it

highly unlikely that anyone charged with theft of a

tree or trees would be able to convince a court that he

believed that reasonable and honest people would

regard his conduct as OK.

The intention permanently to deprive must exist at

the time of the appropriation. There seems little

doubt that if one chops down a growing tree (the act

of appropriation), and removes the tree from the site

where it had been growing that such an intention

could be established.

Turning our attention to Criminal Damage, s1 of the

Criminal Damage Act 1971 provides, ‘A person who

without lawful excuse destroys or damages any

property belonging to another intending to destroy or

damage any such property or being reckless as to

whether any such property would be destroyed or

damaged shall be guilty of an offence.’

Property and belonging to another have meanings

very similar to those in the Theft Act. What has been

done has been done intentionally, the trees which

have been chopped down have been destroyed, those

which have had branches lopped have been damaged.

Neither of the ‘lawful excuse’ defences found in s5

apply so the offence would appear to be made out.

Our advice therefore to Plymouth City Council is to

prosecute for theft and criminal damage and be fairly

confident of securing a conviction.

Clive Hamblin

Recipe Summer Chicken Fricassé with Young Vegetables

Locally sourced chicken and vegetables make a

delicious summer lunch or supper dish. For four

portions you will need:

4 chicken breasts or a mix of thighs and drumsticks

1 crushed garlic clove

50g butter

25g flour

½ litre chicken stock

2 tablespoonfuls double cream or crème fraiche,

lemon juice

Cut the chicken into large chunks. Season with salt

and pepper. Melt the butter in a casserole, add the

chicken pieces, and cook gently for a couple of

minutes. Add the flour, stirring well, and then the

chicken stock. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer

gently until the chicken is tender, about 30 - 40

minutes. Finish the fricassé with the cream or crème

fraiche and a squeeze of lemon.

Serve with carrots, mange tout, thinly sliced steamed

fennel and new potatoes, or couscous – Bon appétit!

Paul Cleave, Sustainable, Crediton

Focus on Thorverton 22 Vol. 46 No.7 – July/August 2015

TARTS

Thorverton Amblers Ramblers and Trampers Princetown 25

th April 2015

We started from the car park at

Princetown. The weather was dry, but still a little

overcast, making Princetown look fairly bleak and

inhospitable. Joining us on our walk were Robert

and Jenny, who were staying in Thorverton on

holiday from Australia. It was lovely to be able to

share our part of the country with them, and

fortunately it stayed dry for the walk.

We set out on the relatively straight and easy path to

South Hessary Tor, and carrying on the other side to

turn left on a footpath that took us through the old

disused Whiteworth tin workings.

After lunch we climbed steadily through some rather

boggy ground, but with fabulous views over the

moors. Our return to Princetown followed a track

known as 'Conchies Road', so called because it was

repaired or upgraded by conscientious objectors in

world war one.

We ended the walk at the Old Police Station café in

Princetown where Robert and Jenny very kindly

treated us all to tea and cake.

Future walks and events

Saturday 11th July led by Graeme

Saturday 25th July led by Jean

Wednesday 22nd

July – next TARTS planning

meeting at 8.15pm in the Exeter Inn

All walks meet opposite the church at 09.30am, and

are suitable for dogs unless otherwise stated.

Shorter walks are usually 4 – 6 miles in length and

longer walks 6 – 9 miles. However, precise details of

each walk (length, gradient, lunch information etc.)

will be displayed approximately a week before the

walk in the Old Post Office Window and on the

Village Notice Board.

If you would like to be included on the email list

contact Caroline (01626 865465) or Graeme

(860203).

Crediton Festival Get Active and Involved In Crediton!

11 July 2015 10:00 to 13:00 Town Square, Crediton

Involve, the Leisure Centre and Sustainable Crediton

will all be in the Town Square for a special 'Leisure

Market' on the last morning of Crediton Festival.

Community, voluntary or arts organisations looking

for volunteers are invited to book space in a Farmers

Market gazebo. Make the most of this opportunity to

raise your profile and attract more helpers. There is

no charge.

The Leisure Centre will run activities for children

and adults, encouraging people to be more active.

Given the buzz created by the Festival, we hope for a

good turn-out. There will be opportunities for some

stall-holders to be interviewed on the stage.

If your group or organisation would like to take part,

please call: 07814 387090 for more details.

Poetry

A Great Idea? - or a Waste of Space

We've had a new delivery,

A large green plastic box,

The brilliant brain which thought of this

Must be a wily fox.

For we're all now accustomed

To using our wheelie bin,

Where garden waste and cardboard

Are mixed for composting within;

We have duly paid our council tax

For to take this waste away;

But alas we're told, in future

There will be an extra charge to pay.

And do we need more boxes?

In cluttered sheds to stack,

Or lacking such a space inside,

(Pile them somewhere at the back.)

While the fact that they are lidless,

This idea says it all!

There will be cardboard blowing everywhere

In autumn's first wild squall.

At such a stupid change of plan,

Many are angered and amazed,

We also feel we have been duped

By such a needless change of ways.

To squeeze more cash from everyone

Seems to be the latest quirks,

Another lidless box, is just a spanner in the works!

Doreen Beer

Focus on Thorverton 23 Vol. 46 No.7 – July/August 2015

Thorverton and District History Society Friday 22

nd May – Keith Badman.

South Australia – the first European maps

Keith started by

showing a map of

1742 which included

contour lines showing

the deviation from true

magnetic north. The

area was described as

New Holland and bore

no resemblance to the

map of Australia as

we know it today. The

exploration, surv-

eying and recording in

this area was done by

two men, one British

and the other French.

Although Britain and France were at war during the

period of their surveys, both men were issued with

passports which should have ensured their safe

passage as both countries wanted to protect their own

interests in the area.

Matthew Flinders joined the Royal Navy at the age of

15. He rose to the rank of captain and was highly

regarded as a distinguished navigator, surveyor and

cartographer. He was the first to circumnavigate

Australia and identify it as a continent. He made 3

voyages to the southern ocean and on the second trip

confirmed that Van Diemens Land (now Tasmania)

was an island.

He started his third voyage in 1800 with three ships.

He charted Spencer Gulf where he found a safe

harbour and fresh water. He took on 60 tons of water

and carried out repairs to his ship.

He explored and mapped the area. The waters were

shallow so a rowing boat had to be used. The

surrounding plains were flat and level and although

there is now some heavy industry in the area, it is

largely unchanged. It is also now an important wine

producing area.

He visited Kangaroo Island and explored the east

coast of Australia before starting his return journey to

Britain in 1803. He stopped off in Mauritius (then

Isle de France) and despite his passport, the French

Governor had him arrested and held him for 6 years.

During this period he recorded details of his voyage

ready for future publication. He arrived back in the

UK in 1810 but died before his highly regarded

findings were published. He is credited with giving

the continent the name Australia.

During his third voyage he met the French explorer,

Nicholas Baudin. Baudin was an acknowledged

explorer, cartographer, naturalist and hydrographer.

He was selected in 1800 to lead his expedition of 2

ships accompanied by zoologists and botanists. He

became the first to explore and map Western

Australia. The French team were very well equipped

but towards the end of their voyage the crew were

very poorly due to a lack of basic hygiene,

cleanliness and vitamin c.

Flinders and Baudin met in 1802 to discuss and

exchange details of their surveys. Baudin started his

journey back to France in 1803 and also stopped off

in Mauritius but he died there from TB. Their

surveys produced a map of Australia that we easily

recognise today.

Robert Turner

Nature Notes This month I have written about some insects

including another bee story and Red Kites. Have you,

like me, seen a Red Kite in the past month or so? I

am running a moth trap again this year at the

Millennium Green on Saturday 25th July. Please see

‘Notice Board’ for details of the event.

I was checking the underside of leaves of our damson

bushes for Brown Hairstreak butterfly larvae when I

spotted an unusual bug. I knew I had seen pictures of

the bug before but never the live creature and it was a

Horned Tree-hopper Centrotus cornutus and it looks

a bit like a large rose thorn. I quickly returned to the

house to grab my camera but by the time I returned

the bug had gone, last seen walking along the slender

damson branch towards the centre of the bush and

well camouflaged in tones of brown. There are only

two members of this family native to Britain, the

other one is Gargara genistae, an inhabitant of

brooms in Southern England. The Horned Tree-

hopper is more widespread and will eat a variety of

plants.

By the way I found two

Brown Hairstreak larvae.

Here is a picture of the

larger of the two larvae

found on 30th May and

measured at 8mm long. I

measured it again on 20th

June and now is15mm

long. During the day it

rests on the underside of a damson leaf. In early July

it will travel down the plant and pupate amongst

leaves.

On Sunday 24th May around 10.15 am I headed

towards Newton St Cyres along Rixaford Lane and

before reaching the lane leading off to Yendacott

Focus on Thorverton 24 Vol. 46 No.7 – July/August 2015

Manor I saw a raptor with a distinctive forked tail.

This was something special and I had to stop the car

at the nearest pull-in and get out and watch the bird

gliding around above the open fields. There was no

doubt it was a Red Kite, our only native raptor to

have a forked tail. During the evening I routinely

check the DevonBirds.org website and there had been

a report of a Red Kite seen earlier in the morning at

Sandford at 8.30. Trawling back through the bird

sighting records, Red Kites have been reported

almost daily from all over Devon starting around 12th

May and the last reported sightings from Mid and

North Devon on 12th June. Apparently this unusual

movement of Red Kites was reported in the Western

Morning News and it is said Red Kites are extending

their range into the South West.

On 1st June I received an e-mail from Clive Hamlin

in the village who on return from holiday found up to

ten dead small bumblebees on the bathroom floor.

There was no obvious route into the cottage as all the

windows had been shut so he assumed they came into

the roof space and found their way into the bathroom

through an ill fitting door to the cupboard that houses

the central heating boiler. Clive let me have some of

the dead bees and in the hope someone knew the

name of the bumblebee, I took two specimens with

me to a moth and butterfly event! A very

knowledgeable chap told me they are female workers

of the Red-tailed bumblebee species. It is quite

common for a queen Red-tailed bumblebee to enter a

house through a window or door while searching for

a nest site. A queen prefers to nest underground and

likes to use an old mouse nest. The knowledgeable

chap said a queen will nest in a roof space although I

have been unable to find any reference to this in my

books. The mystery was solved when Clive spotted

an open door just below the roof line to the rear of

the property. Clive asked Ivor Banks (who happened

to be doing exterior painting to the cottage) to shut

the door but Ivor found the catch was broken. When

Ivor was fixing the new catch, bees came to

investigate, alerted to the noise of the drill. Their nest

is probably close to this door inside the roof space. I

assume the bees that were found dead in the

bathroom could not find their way back to the nest.

Enjoy the summer and please do let me know of any

nature sightings from around the village and beyond.

Jenny Garne, 01392 860875

jenny.garne2@tiscali.co.uk

Celebration To celebrate my return to walking, I decide to visit

the various footpaths in the area. I climb over the

stile into the Memorial field and immediately see the

wind racing in waves of light and shadow across the

ripening corn.

I follow a narrow path through the swaying green

stalks that caress my hand as I walk. In a clearing

young rabbits are chasing and jumping over one

another to the sound of birdsong, at first oblivious

and then, when they see me, running helter-skelter

for cover.

My green track leads me to a wood that is fenced and

wired off. I take a parallel course and eventually find

that someone has folded a strip of linen over the wire,

securely fastened and about a foot in length. I climb

over it and enter no-man's-land.

The green branches sway in the wind as I drop on to

a narrow overhung area and follow a path strewn

with dead leaves.

The path gradually peters out, and I realise that

nature is no longer on my side. As the descent

steepens I stoop under branches and brambles tear at

my clothes. Birdsong is no more and I am aware only

of the muted sound of my footsteps and my aimless

curses directed at the thorny intrusive undergrowth.

The branches and nettles thicken with the descent.

This is becoming Dante's “darkling wood” with the

“direct way” lost to view. I tell myself that it must

have an ending but the downturn is getting steeper

and if it goes on like this I am likely to fall. I realise

that I have to turn back, the steepness of the ascent

notwithstanding, and do so, although I am reluctant

to give up.

The winding ascent though the wildness is hard-

going but the uplands by the fence are bathed in

sunshine.

In the field the rabbits have resumed their carefree

gambols. Andrew Hoellering

Focus on Thorverton 25 Vol. 46 No.7 – July/August 2015

The “Duke Of Wellington” [A possibly topical article from Alex Fice given the

recent 200-year anniversary of Waterloo- Ed]

The Iron Duke as he was known was born in Dublin

Ireland on the 1st May 1769 and was christened

Arthur Wellesley, he went to school in England and

in 1787 joined the British army, it was during the

Napoleonic wars in 1814 that he was given the title

of the “First Duke of Wellington” and in 1815 he

celebrated his most famous Victory at Waterloo in

Belgium defeating Napoleon Bonaparte Emperor of

France.

After leaving the Army he went in to politics and in

1828 was elected Prime minister and again in 1834.

He died on the 14th September 1852. On the day of

his funeral he was taken from Horse Guards to St

Paul’s Cathedral where he is buried and an estimated

one and a half million people lined the route.

Thorverton’s own link to Wellington was during the

height of his popularity at around 1830 the Exeter Inn

in Bullen Street was renamed the “Wellington Inn”

with a life like painting of the Duke as an Inn sign,

this lasted until 1855 when the Inn was burn down, a

report of the fire says: At half past eleven on

Tuesday night on the 23rd

of October 1855, an alarm

was raised in Thorverton and it was discovered that

the Wellington Inn was in flames. A messenger was

at once dispatched for the engines at Exeter. The

West of England and Sun engines started at one

o’clock. The fire had however, gained such

ascendancy that it was found impossible to

extinguish it before the whole of the Inn, together

with the stock of beer, spirits etc. and five adjoining

dwelling houses were burnt to the ground. Some of

the firemen had a narrow escape when a chimney and

some portion of the premises had fallen close to

them. The fire occurred through a foul chimney in

one of the houses. After it was rebuilt in 1867 it was

renamed back to its original name of the “Exeter

Inn”.

Pub Cricket

Late news from the annual pub cricket day held at

Thorverton Cricket Club’s ground – as unreliably

reported to your roving correspondent. After a tough

day’s cricket and drinking, a thrilling high scoring

final saw the Exeter Inn team narrowly defeat the

Lazy Toad (or was it the other way round – who

knows after a day of pub cricket?).

Focus on Thorverton 26 Vol. 46 No.7 – July/August 2015

Thorfest Planned for September 5

th. Details in September’s Focus

Focus on Thorverton 27 Vol. 46 No.7 – July/August 2015

Cadbury Festival of Bells and Flowers

Photos by Jane Lane

Focus on Thorverton 28 Vol. 46 No.7 – July/August 2015

Thorverton Parish Information

AIR AMBULANCE EMERGENCY - QUOTE NATIONAL GRID REFERENCE

RECREATION GROUND - Sheet 192 SS 923019 MEMORIAL HALL FIELD - Sheet 192 SS 926019 Carers' Support Group Anne Higman, Wyndham House Surgery, Silverton. 860034. Meetings - 3rd Wednesday of month, Wyndham House, 2.30-4.30 p.m. Church (C of E) Revd Sue Sheppard, Associate Minister, 861022. sue.sheppard@netherexe.org Mrs Laura Ford, Reader. 841753. laura.ford@netherexe.org

Mrs Margaret Lowe, Administration Manager, 07594 714590. margaret.admin@netherexe.org Church Wardens Edwin Greed, Fortescue, Netherexe. 841231. Royston Kershaw 25 The Glebe 860419 Church Choir Heather Kershaw 25 The Glebe, Thorverton 860419 P.C.C. Treasurer Jean Brown, Rydal Cottage, Bullen Street. 861176. Friends of Thorverton Parish Church Trust Royston Kershaw 25 The Glebe 860419 Church (Baptist) The Revd Maurice Harrison, 966861. Secretary Phyllis Langdon, 860932. County Councillor Margaret Squires, 01363 84337, Margaret.squires@devon.gov.uk District Councillor Cllr. Bob Deed. 01392 861258, bdeed@middevon.gov.uk Doctors: Thorverton/Silverton : Dr Jon Wride & Lynne Anderson / Drs O'Brien, Ziegler & Keysell Electricity (Western Power) Report a loss of power: 0800 6783 105 (replaces 0800 365 900). edf Bill Enquiries: 0800 365 000. Street lights: 0870 556 1851. Friends of Thorverton & Silverton Surgeries : Christine Walker, 881501 Gas Emergency 0800 111999 Leonard Trust Chairman: R Hughes. Secretary: Mrs. E Hughes, 3 Dinham Mews, Exeter EX4 4EH Library (Exeter Mobile) Every 4 weeks 3.35 – 4.20 Thursdays Quarry Car Park Member of Parliament Mel Stride. By writing: Mel Stride MP House of Commons London SW1A 0AA

By phone: 02072197037. By email: mel.stride.mp@parliament.uk Parish Council Chairman Cllr. Stuart Crang, Parish Clerk Mrs Alison Mashall, Dinneford House, Dinneford Street, Thorverton, EX5

5NU. 861228. Parish Council Meetings 2nd Tuesday of month, at The Memorial Hall, 7.30 pm. Parish Allotments Contact the Parish Clerk - 861228 Parish Council Notice Board Situated in School Lane, opposite the Thorverton Arms. Planning notification applications at http://data.gov.uk/apps/planningalerts alert via email when a planning application is published in one’s street, neighbourhood or wider area.

Pension Service PO Box 93, Plymouth PL6 5WJ. 0845 60 60 265

Police Non-emergency number: 101. Post Office Portacabin (TCT Ltd) Quarry Car Park, Thorverton EX5 5NG Tel: 860455 Mon. to Fri: 9 am-1.00 pm, 2 - 5.30 pm. Sat: 9 am -12 noon, Sun: 9 - 10.30 am for newspapers only Business Manager: Jan Hamilton 07764461575 Chair and Company Secretary: Heather Kershaw, 25 The Glebe, 860419 Public Telephone Kiosk Opposite the Church, outside the former Bell Inn, Dinneford St. Thorverton C of E Primary School (Part of the Exe Valley Federation)

Executive Headteacher (Exe Valley Federation): Mrs Heather Perry 01392 250821 Head of Teaching and Learning (Thorverton): Mrs Sarah Parkes 01392 860374 School Office (Thorverton): 01392 860374 Chair of Governors (Exe Valley Federation): Marian Beresford 01363 866112 Clerk to the Governors: Ms Jessica Benger: 07795 515048

School P.T.F.A. Chair: Julie Davie 1363 772309, Vice-Chair: Pippa Eyles 861767, Secretary: Annette Emanuel, Treasurer: Carol Pearn 860653.

South West Water 24 Hour Emergency: 0800 169 1144. Helpline: 0800 169 1133. Thorverton Millennium Green Trust Chair: tbc Secretary: Lin Balkwill, 860663, web address: www.thorverton.org.uk

Focus on Thorverton 29 Vol. 46 No.7 – July/August 2015

Thorverton Organisations Amateur Dramatic Society (TADS) Chair: Sheena Hunter-Hedges 01392 860843, Vice Chair: Bob

Hyde, Treasurer: Simon Hedges, Minutes Secretary: Mary Ette. For meeting, news and forthcoming events please see Focus. Art Group Barrie Phillips, Crossmead, School Lane, Thorverton. 860529 Meet Fridays during term-time at the Memorial Hall, 9.30 am-12.00. Arts Exchange Becky Stannard, 7 The Glebe, 860737.

Monthly meetings in members' homes at 8.00 pm. Association Football Club Chairman: Andy Harris, 01392 851664, Secretary: David Gregory, 2 The Orchard, Brampford Speke, 841803. Bridge Circle Graeme Culshaw, 3 The Glebe, Thorverton 860203. Meets 1st/3rd/5th Thursdays at the W.I. Hut from 7.00 p.m.. Brownies Contact Hannah 07925 981786 or Lisa 860609,

Meet Fridays during term-time, 5-6.30pm Thorverton School Hall. Clarinet/Saxophone Group Contact Peter Mason 860727. Meets every Thursday morning. Cricket Club Chair: Charles Kislingbury, Secretary: M C Denford, 14 Moorlands, Tiverton EX16 6UF 01884 255076 Fixture Sec: J Meredith, Grayley, Dinneford Street. Focus Magazine Chair: Michael Ayre, Ratcliffe Farm, Thorverton. Editor: Neville Lane, 2 The Glebe, Thorverton. 861062. Secretary: Geoff Bulley, Broadlands, Thorverton. Treasurer: Bob Swaffield, Schiehallion, School Lane, Thorverton 01392 860309 Friends of Silverton & Thorverton Surgeries Coffee Mornings in the Lamb Inn, Silverton. Held at 10-12 noon on the last Thursday of every month except December Golf Society Players of Thorverton Care of Exeter Inn, 01392 860206 Guides Contact Lisa 860609, Meet Wednesdays during term-time, 7-9pm Memorial Hall History Society Chair: Barrie Phillips, Crossmead, School Lane, Thorverton. 860529 Programme Secretaries: Graham Wills 860895 & Barrie Phillips 860529. Ladies Group Meet 2nd Thursday of month, (Venue and time - see Focus Notices). Memorial Hall Committee Chair: Roger Fieldhouse, tel. 860768. r.fieldhouse@exeter.ac.uk Secretary: Roseanne Benn, tel. 860768. r.c.benn@exeter.ac.uk Events Secretary/bookings: Jeff Grace, tel 860489. jeff.grace@tiscali.co.uk Website: thorvertonmemorialhall.co.uk Memorial Hall Market 2nd Saturday of the month, at the Memorial Hall, 9.30 - 11.00 am. Thorverton & Exe Valley Community Choir Anne Vardy 01392 861184 amvardy@hotmail.com Thorverton Pre-School Rachel Mildon (Chair) - 861707 / thorvertonpreschool@gmail.com Mon 9.00-11.45am, & 12.45-3.15pm & Lunch Club 11.45am-12.45pm, Tues/Weds 9.am-11.45am & Lunch Club 11.45am-12.45pm, Thurs 9.00-11.45am; 12.45- 3.15pm & Lunch Club 11.45am-12.45pm during term-time, at Thorverton Primary School site Thorverton Ambling, Rambling and Tramping Society (TARTS)

Caroline Prince 07749 775304 or Graeme Culshaw 860203 See notices of walks in Old Post Office Window Bullen Street.

Toddler Group Contact : Wendy Coles, 861283 Wednesdays at the Memorial Hall, 9.30 - 11.30am Rainbows Contact Jean 860105 or Penny 861136, Meet Tuesdays 3.45-4.45pm Thorverton School Hall Royal British Legion Chairman/Hon.Sec. P Furneaux, Hillcrest, Thorverton 860227,

paf@furno.co.uk Hon. Treasurer: Alex Fice Women's Institute Secretary and Bookings: Sue Maguire 01392 860631 W.I. Meeting: 1st Tuesday of the month at the W.I. Hut, 7.30 pm. Whist, 4th Tuesday of the month, at the W.I. Hut, 7.30 pm. W.I. Market & Coffee 4th Saturday of the month at the W.I. Hut. 10.00 to 11.00 am.

Focus on Thorverton 30 Vol. 46 No.7 – July/August 2015

Doctors’ Surgeries

Focus on Thorverton 31 Vol. 46 No.7 – July/August 2015

Focus on Thorverton 32 Vol. 46 No.7 – July/August 2015

Waste Collection Dates for 2015 Generally on Mondays unless stated

a) General refuse and recycling b) Brown bins

(i.e. black sacks and black boxes)

July 13th and 27

th July 6

th and 20

th

August 10th and 24

th August 3

rd and 17

th

September 1st (Tuesday), 14

th and 28

th September 7

th and 21st

Mobile Library The service provided in Thorverton is every four weeks, in the Quarry Car Park on Thursdays between 3.35 and

4.20pm.

Dates: 2nd

& 30th July 27

th August 24

th September 22

nd October 19

th November 17

th December

Flag Flying days in July and August 15

th August Birthday of HRH The Princess Royal

Road works If you want to see up to date information on road works, visit: http://roadworks.org/.

Bus Services Turner's Tours / Carmel Coaches (bus 678) Mon-Fri. 10.09 from The Berry and the Baptist Chapel.

Return 13.35 from Exeter bus station, Stand 5.

Stagecoach (service 55B) Mon-Sat (except Bank Holidays)

To Tiverton: 07.55, 10.10, 12.10, 14.10, 16.10, 17.29 (this is the 155 service; on Saturdays it is the 55B and runs at

17.10), 18.10 from The Berry and Broadlands.

Return from Tiverton Bus Station: 07.40, 08.35, 10.45, 12.45, 14.45, 15.55 (Mondays to Fridays term-time only),

16.45, 17.45.

To Exeter: 08.05, 09.00, 11.10, 13.10, 15.10, 16.20 (Mondays to Fridays term-time only), 17.10, 18.10 from The

Berry and Broadlands.

Return from Exeter Bus Station: 07.30, 09.45, 11.45, 13.45, 15.45, 17.05 (this is the 155 service ; on Saturdays it is

the 55B and runs at 16.45), 17.45.

Stagecoach 55 service runs pretty much every half-hour in each direction along the Exeter-Tiverton road, stopping

at the Thorverton turn (the Ruffwell). Please consult Stagecoach 55 Group timetable for details of this service.

Stagecoach free service to the Co-Op, Broadclyst, from Broadlands on Tuesdays 9.20am.

Stagecoach offers a variety of concessions for regular commuters, shoppers, children, students and jobseekers as

well as one-day unlimited-use Explorer tickets. Further details from Stagecoach: 01392 427711 or 01803 664500 or

www.stagecoachbus.com or www.devon.gov.uk/devonbus.

Devonbus Timetable Information: call Traveline 0871 200 2233 Timetables available at the Post Office

Focus on Thorverton 33 Vol. 46 No.7 – July/August 2015

Diary 2015

Please notify FOCUS Editor of additions or changes.

(Email: thorvertonfocus@gmail.com or phone Neville Lane on 861062)

JULY

Sat 4th Village Open Day, Memorial Hall, 11.00am to 11.00pm

TADS Amateur Dog Show at the Village Open Day, Memorial Hall,

Mon 6th Youth Group, Take me to the River, WI Hut, 7.30-9pm

Tues 7th WI Meeting Waterways of Europe, WI Hut 7.30pm

Thurs 9th Chruch Choir Annual Party, Ockero, 6.30pm

Sat 11th TARTS walk led by Graeme, 9.30am at the Church

Saturday Market with Big Breakfast, Memorial Hall, 9.30 – 11.00 am

Working Party to begin to tidy up the Millennium Green, 11.00 am for an hour

Crediton Festival, 10.00am – 1.00pm

Sun 12th Open Church at Thorverton Parish Church, 9.30am

Pop-up Jane Austen Tea Room, Upton Pyne, 2.00 – 4.30pm

Tues 14th Parish Council meeting, WI Hut, 7.30pm

Sat 18th Millennium Green Tidy-up, 11am

Sat 25th TARTS walk led by Jean, 9.30am at the Church

Coffee Morning, WI Hut, 10.00-11.00am

Moth Watch on the Millennium Green, from 9.00pm

AUGUST

Sat 1st Silverton Street Market, 10.00am – 4.00pm

Tues 4th WI meeting – Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue talk on Safety in the Home, WI Hut 7.30pm

Sat 8th Saturday Market with Big Breakfast, Memorial Hall, 9.30 – 11.00 am

Tues 11th Parish Council meeting, WI Hut, 7.30pm

Sat 22nd

Coffee Morning, WI Hut, 10.00-11.00am

Grand Summer Ball, Memorial Hall

SEPTEMBER

Fri 4th Art Group (start of new term), Memorial Hall, from 9.30 am

Sat 5th Thorfest, Memorial Hall

Tues 8th Parish Council meeting, venue tbc, 7.30pm

Sat 12th Saturday Market with Big Breakfast, Memorial Hall, 9.30 – 11.00 am

Wed 16th Owles Are Us, including light supper, WI Hut, 7 for7.30pm start

Sat 19th Community Churchyard Clear-up, Parish Church, 10.00am – 4.00pm

Fri 25th History Society, The S.W. Heritage Trust & the Future of Archives & Local Studies Collections in

Devon, WI Hut, 7.30pm

Sun 27th Sunday Brunch at the Memorial Hall, 11am-3pm