New exhibition opening soon: North Devon’s Home Front Writers, 1937-45

An exhibition reflecting on the lives of people visiting and living in North Devon during a significant period in history, as captured in the nation's Mass Observation diaries.

 

Between 1937 and 1946, just over 100 men and women were recruited as untrained volunteers to keep diaries and respond to questionnaires that would document their lives in Devon in what formed part of a national social research project known as Mass Observation.

The writers were encouraged to be honest and truthful as they wrote about a wide range of topics. The result was a milestone not only in detailing everyday life but in understanding British values, opinion and perspectives. Writers not only documented otherwise unrecorded events but also revealed views and attitudes about a variety of subjects including ones relating to the war, such as evacuees, bombing, rations, blackout, foreign servicemen, and politicians. Perhaps more unexpectedly, the writers commented upon race, the empire, the place of women in society, religion, the press, and sex.

 

Thirteen of the writers recorded life in North Devon. They were based in Barnstaple (2), Bideford (3), Clovelly (1), Ilfracombe (2), Lynmouth (1), North Molton (1), South Molton (1), Westward Ho! (1) and Woolacombe (1). Some were on holiday but most were longstanding residents who wrote of local life as it descended into war.

 

The diaries and questionnaires were sent each month to a central archive that is today housed at The Keep in Brighton.  Few of the descendants of the Devon writers were aware that their family members had written for Mass Observation.

 

The exhibition will be accompanied by a series of talks, including one by Dr Todd Gray MBE, historian, Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Exeter, and author of Devon's Home Front Diaries, 1937 to 1945, published in 2025. More information and booking details will be made available soon on our website.

 

6 year old Maureen Foley and her 9 year old brother Maurice look through a life-ring at Bideford harbour, North Devon in 1941 ©️ Imperial War Museum (All rights reserved)

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NEW EXHIBITION AT THE MUSEUM OF BARNSTAPLE & NORTH DEVON

 North Devon's Home Front Writers, 1937-45

25th July – 17th October 2026

 

Website

FIND OUT MORE >- North Devon's Home Front Writers, 1937-45 – Museum of Barnstaple and North Devon

Pam’s World: Entering Altered Reality. An Insight from Edenmore Nursing Home

Understanding how to support someone living with a Dementia is not always straightforward. As memories disappear, the way a person experiences the world can shift, and what feels real to them may not match the present moment. This means we are sometimes navigating a reality that is different from our own.

This piece shares an insight into how care teams respond in those moments, focusing on something known as therapeutic lying, and why it can sometimes be the kindest approach. Through Pam’s story, we explore what it means to step into someone else’s reality to help them feel safe, understood and at ease, and why insisting on the ‘truth’ can sometimes cause unnecessary distress, rather than comfort.

Therapeutic Lies in Practice

A therapeutic lie is a thoughtful, compassionate response used to reduce anxiety and meet someone in their current reality. If a person asks for their mother, father or loved one, forgetting that they are no longer with us, correcting them may re-open grief or make the loss feel as though it is happening for the first time.

Softly reassuring them that their loved one has popped out to the shops can provide comfort and emotional safety. Alternatively, gentle redirection of the conversation, or asking if they would like to go for a walk, can help them focus on something else and reduce anxiety.

Rather than focusing on factual accuracy, therapeutic lying is about protecting someone’s emotional world. By not correcting or challenging their reality, we can reduce feelings of confusion or distress. Instead, we meet them where they are, offering reassurance and support so they can feel safe and understood.

Pam, 80 years young and living at Edenmore for just over four years, has a learning disability and lives with a Dementia. For her, comfort comes from a place that might surprise others but makes perfect sense within her world.

Reassurance, connection and touch are deeply important to Pam. She is soothed by holding hands and becomes anxious if she does not feel close to someone. When she feels overwhelmed, lying down with her favourite soft toys, especially Tony the squirrel, helps her settle.

When Pam was very young, she won Tony in a lucky dip, a story that she shares often with those around her. He has stayed with her ever since, becoming something she is deeply attached to. To Pam, Tony is not simply a soft toy, but an incredibly real and important relationship in her life.

For someone living with a Dementia, objects, people or routines may take on a strong emotional meaning, and these attachments can bring a sense of reassurance and familiarity.

Tony also plays an important role in supporting Pam’s health. If she does not feel like eating, the team will offer a little food to Tony first, which can often encourage her. If she doesn’t want to drink water, they will try pouring it into her small doll’s tea set and offer it to Tony, which can also gently prompt her to drink. These routines have been created by the team and come from their understanding of Pam’s history and what is most important to her.

When Tony’s stuffing began to come out, and his ears and arms became worn, there was a concern that losing him could cause Pam real upset. Clinical Lead Teresa, who enjoys sewing, took him home and carefully stitched new ears and arms onto him. Tony was returned safely to Pam, restored and whole, preserving not just a soft toy, but a source of comfort and continuity in her day-to-day life.

For people who may not understand how important this relationship is to Pam, it may seem like the right thing to do to tell her Tony is ‘not real’ and try to correct her perspective. But by recognising how important Tony is to Pam, and respecting that her connection to him is a very real relationship in her world, the team help her to feel safe and secure, rather than causing confusion and upsetting the way she understands and experiences things around her.

Is it Right to Lie?

There is not always a simple answer when it comes to whether telling the truth or offering a therapeutic lie is the ‘right’ thing to do. There are moments that ask us to consider what will best support someone’s wellbeing and the focus shifts from being right, to being kind.

Therapeutic lies, when used thoughtfully and responsibly, are acts of care. They allow people like Pam to feel safe, valued and emotionally held in a world that no longer behaves as it once did - recognising that, in moments of confusion, Pam’s version of the truth is the one that matters most.

Edenmore Nursing Home provides 24-hour nursing and residential care, supporting each person to continue living a life that feels meaningful and true to who they are.

 

Ralph the Therapy Dog Makes a Paw-sitive First Visit to Heanton Nursing Home

At Heanton Nursing Home, a new four-legged visitor has already made a strong impression to everyone at the home.

Ralph, a therapy dog from Pets for Therapy, recently made his first visit to the home alongside his owner, Gemma Darke, spending time with residents (who the home fondly refers to as family members) and team members across the home. From the moment he arrived, Ralph quickly became a popular guest, bringing plenty of smiles as he made his way around

The visit marks the start of regular visits, with Ralph now set to return each month. During his first visit, he spent time enjoying plenty of fuss and helping to create natural moments of conversation. One family member, Roger, particularly enjoyed spending time with him, making the most of the visit and the chance to have Ralph by his side.

Abigail Denford, Home Manager, spoke about the value of introducing visits like these. She said: “Animals can often bring something different into the day. They can help people feel settled and can encourage conversations about pets from earlier in life. It was lovely to see how naturally people responded to Ralph and how much they enjoyed having him here.”

Therapy animal visits can play an important role in care settings, offering companionship, encouraging interaction and helping to create moments of familiarity. For some, it can also be a simple source of enjoyment and a welcome change to the day. At Heanton Nursing Home, introducing regular visits from Ralph is another way the home continues to create meaningful and enjoyable experiences for family members as part of everyday life.

 

For more information about life and activities at Heanton Nursing Home, please visit Activities in Care - Heanton Nursing Home