Well-known local author, Liz Shakespeare, is looking forward to a busy summer of book-signings. Liz specialises in researching true stories from Devon’s past and reviving them in engaging narratives. She will be attending a number of events this summer to sign copies of her books and to talk to members of the public.
‘The agricultural shows, festivals and markets I attend are wonderful showcases for Devon’s culture and community,’ Liz said. ‘I really enjoy the days out and the opportunities to meet readers.’
Liz, who lives in Littleham, has a long Devon ancestry which she feels has given her a good understanding of the county and its people. She has been writing for thirty-five years, and has written seven books set in Devon, bringing to life the stories she finds in old newspapers, on gravestones and in parish records.
‘I am working on my eighth book,’ Liz said, ‘but each book takes me three or four years to write because of the amount of research involved, so it will be a while before this one is ready for publication!’
Liz will be signing copies of her books at
Woolsery Food and Craft Market on 13th July
Appledore Craft Fair on 19th July
Clovelly Maritime Festival on 20th July
Mid Devon Show on 26th July
Launceston Show on 31st July
Hartland Farmers’ Market on 3rd August
North Devon Show on 6th August
Appledore Craft Fair on 9th August
Woolsery Food and Craft Market on 10th August
Okehampton Show on 14thAugust
Ashwater Show on 16th August
Chagford Show on 21st August
Lustleigh Show on 25th August
Holsworthy Show on 28th August
Clovelly Crab and Lobster Festival on 31st August
Hatherleigh Summer Market on 6th September
Hartland Farmers’ Market on 7th September
Tedburn St Mary Fair on 13th September
Woolsery Food and Craft Market on 14th September
In addition, Liz will be signing books at the Westward Ho! Artisan Market on 22nd and 29th July, 5th, 12th, 19th, 26th and 30th August, and will be giving a talk at the Appledore Book Festival on 17th September.
Exclusive footage shows first pine marten kits born to animals reintroduced in Devon by pioneering project
Conservationists
are celebrating the first births of pine martens to a pioneering
reintroduction project which has returned the species to the South West
of England after a 100-year absence.
15
pine martens, including 8 females and 7 males, were released at
undisclosed Dartmoor locations in autumn 2024. Now camera trap footage
has revealed the
first glimpses of kits, recorded at a secret site in June this year.
Two
films show the youngsters as they explore their new home. In one clip
we see three kits in a Dartmoor woodland chasing each other through
foliage and
up a bank before disappearing from sight. A second film shows the same
mother with two kits as they scamper along a fallen tree close to a
fast-running Dartmoor stream.
The
kits are among the first to be born wild in Devon for more than a
century. The small cat-sized animals were once common in the South West
but fell victim
to the loss of their favoured woodland habitat and to human
persecution.
The
animals have been brought back to the region thanks to the work of the
Two Moors Pine Marten Project which is a partnership of seven
organisations including
Dartmoor
National Park Authority, Devon Wildlife Trust, Exmoor National Park
Authority, Forestry England, National Trust,
Somerset Wildlife Trust and Woodland Trust. The project has been made
possible with the support of The National Lottery Heritage Fund
thanks to National Lottery players,
and with the expert help of the Vincent Wildlife Trust.
Devon Wildlife Trust's Tracey Hamston leads the Two Moors Pine Marten Project. She said:
"When
our volunteers discovered the footage of pine marten kits on one of our
trail cameras we were ecstatic. This is a historic moment for
the return of a native animal and for the future of the South West's
woodlands. To have breeding pine martens back after a century's absence
signals a positive step in nature's recovery. It's also testament to the
many hours work undertaken by the project
partnership and dozens of local volunteers."
Kerry White, Dartmoor National Park Authority Ecologist, said:
"Dartmoor National Park Authority is thrilled to have been involved in such a pioneering project, which
has brought together multiple organisations
to help return pine martens to the South West. We're delighted to see
footage of the kits exploring their new environment and look forward to
the positive impact their presence will have
on helping to re-address ecological balance in our woodlands."
Stuart McLeod, Director – London & South, The National Lottery Heritage Fund,
said:
"The
birth of the first pine marten kits in Devon in over a century marks a
truly historic moment for wildlife recovery. Thanks
to National Lottery players, we've been proud to support this
pioneering project to bring this elusive and charismatic species back to
our woodlands. It has brought together many organisations with one goal
in mind, to help nature's recovery. This milestone
is a testament to the power of long-term conservation, and the
resilience of nature when given the chance to thrive."
Jack Hunt, Woodland Trust Assistant Site Manager – Devon, said:
"Staff
and volunteers have been checking camera traps for several
months and over the past few weeks have been eagerly anticipating
seeing kits. This sighting is wonderful news. The work over many years
to restore and improve the condition of our woodlands, to support other
landowners to do the same and work in partnership
on this project has culminated in the return of the pine marten born in
its natural environment in Dartmoor, the first of many and the
beginning of the return of this missing species."
Loubna Tacey, National Trust, spokesperson, said:
"The
news of the birth of the first Devon wild pine marten
kits marks a significant milestone in the return of a long-lost native
species and signals a step forward in restoring the South West's special
woodlands. It shows that these elusive animals are settling in,
thriving, and beginning to weave themselves into
the fabric of our native woodlands. This is a hopeful sign for the
long-term resilience of our natural landscapes. As a partner to this
exciting project, we are delighted to welcome pine martens back and
hopefully, we will see kits emerging in the woodlands
next spring here on Exmoor."
Forest Planner at Forestry England, Abigail Parravani, said:
"Forestry
England has previously collaborated on successful pine marten releases,
so we know that the birth of the first kits following reintroduction
is always an exciting milestone for species recovery. I'm looking
forward to watching the Two Moors Pine Marten Project go from strength
to strength with the next planned releases on Exmoor this year."
"After
the years of research, planning and hard work from the project team to
deliver a successful
translocation, to now see the next generation of pine martens in the
South West is simply fantastic. What a beautiful sight to see healthy
kits moving through the woodlands of Dartmoor that they once again call
home. These kits will grow up to do wonderful
things as a part of our woodland ecosystem and mark a special moment in
history for nature recovery."
Evidence
that the Dartmoor released pine martens are now breeding follows months
of work by the Two Moors Pine Marten Project partnership
and its dedicated local volunteers. Since their release in September
2024 the team has spent hundreds of hours tracking the movements of the
15 pine martens, installing den boxes for them, and checking camera
traps to learn more about their whereabouts and
behaviour.
Female
pine martens usually give birth to 2 or 3 kits in spring. Youngsters
spend their first 7-8 weeks hidden in their dens before emerging
in early summer. They then stay with their mothers through autumn and
into winter, before becoming fully independent the following spring.
The
project's experts anticipate that the South West's population should
now grow gradually over coming years. Pine martens live at low
density and avoid human contact. Their nocturnal habits and elusive
nature mean sightings are likely to be rare.
However,
the Two Moors Pine Marten Project is keen to hear from anyone who does
come across one of the beautiful animals in Devon. People
can get in touch with their sightings via its website www.twomoorspinemartens.org
The
project is now preparing for a further release of animals in autumn
2025. The pine martens are to be sourced under licence from NatureScot
from healthy wild populations in Scotland. After rigorous health checks
by vets, the animals (likely to number around 20 in total) will be
released with landowner permissions at secret locations on Exmoor.
In
recent months the project team has been holding a series of
face-to-face and public meetings with dozens of local stakeholders,
explaining
about the releases and the part the native species will play in healthy
woodlands.
Two Moors Pine Marten Project Lead, Tracey Hamston said:
"We're
looking to build on the success of last year's releases of pine martens
on Dartmoor. Exmoor's woodlands are well-suited
to the animals. Their arrival in early autumn will coincide with the
local natural harvest of wild berries – food which pine martens love. In
a year's time we would hope to see the first kits appearing on Exmoor."
Anyone interested in finding out more about pine martens and the Two Moors Pine Marten Project should go to:
www.twomoorspinemartens.org
Pine Marten Kits. The above photos copyright Mark Hamblin2020VISION (All Rights Reserved)
Two Moors Pine Marten Project:
Devon Pine Marten kits video on YouTube- CLICK HERE
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About the National Lottery Heritage Fund
Our vision is for heritage to be valued, cared for and sustained for everyone, now and in the future. That's why as the largest funder for the UK's heritage we are dedicated to supporting projects that connect people and communities to heritage, as set out in our strategic plan, Heritage 2033. Heritage can be anything from the past that people value and want to pass on to future generations. We believe in the power of heritage to ignite the imagination, offer joy and inspiration, and to build pride in place and connection to the past. Over the next 10 years, we aim to invest £3.6billion raised for good causes by National Lottery players to make a decisive difference for people, places and communities.
About Pine Martens Bounce Back: The Two Moors Pine Marten Project
Pine Martens Bounce Back: The Two Moors Pine Marten Project is reintroducing critically endangered pine martens to the South West of England, helping to restore natural balance to our much-loved woodlands and bringing back these fascinating wild creatures to the landscapes where they once thrived. The project also aims to help thousands of people to participate in activities which bring not only help to bring pine martens back, but which restore woodlands, and which grow conservation skills and confidence.
The project is led by Devon Wildlife Trust and is a partnership between seven conservation organisations: Dartmoor National Park Authority, Devon Wildlife Trust, Exmoor National Park Authority, Forestry England, National Trust, Somerset Wildlife Trust and Woodland Trust. Young Devon and Space, Devon based youth charities, are supporting the project to involve young people from a range of backgrounds in project objectives. The project is made possible with support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund and with thanks to the National Lottery players. We are also grateful for the support of a number of generous donors and for the expert advice and guidance of Vincent Wildlife Trust.
Sundial Care Home near Sidmouth, Devon, welcomed local green thumbs, garden enthusiasts and members of the community into their beautiful three acre grounds, for the Tipton St John Open Gardens event. The event invites members of the community to explore the village gardens and greenery, whilst enjoying plant stalls, coffee and cake, and browsing small local businesses.
Sundial’s landscaped garden features sweeping countryside views across the River Otter and East Hill, a putting green, and a wide variety of plants and flowers that attract local wildlife. One particular plant the home takes pride in, is their impressive 8-foot, pink rhododendron shrub, now over 20 years old. Planted by the home's late gardener, it has continued to attract attention ever since.
Visitors admired the displays of roses, foxgloves, geraniums, lobelia, fuchsia, hydrangeas, and mature trees, as well as the work of the gardening club, where family members (residents) have been growing tomatoes, sweet peas and beans in the greenhouse.
A Sundial event wouldn’t be complete without a visit from therapy llamas, Harry and George from Llamas4Good CIC. As family members, visitors and other members of the community gathered, the llamas relaxed in the sunshine, grazing on the grass and enjoyed plenty of fuss. The home was also included in the children’s scavenger hunt across the village, seeing visitors of all ages coming and going.
This year’s Open Gardens event also coincided with Care Home Open Week, giving visitors the opportunity to learn more about Sundial and explore the home further if they wish.
“The Open Gardens was such a huge success! Thank you to all who came to visit us to look around our gardens, we are very lucky to have such wonderful views on our doorstep.” – Liz Thompson, Home Manager
Sundial Care Home’s participation in Tipton St John’s Open Gardens event reflected their focus on maintaining caring connections within the local community. Well-led events and opportunities for family members to engage with visitors, neighbours and local organisations help encourage social interaction, promote independence and a sense of belonging.
