Funds for learning, exploring and celebrating

Eleven different groups and organisations have received a small grant from the North Devon Coast AONB from this year’s Sustainable Development Fund. Some of the projects focussed on young people, such as Seize the Moment’s ‘Heaven and Hell’ which received £3,880 to support young people to explore the social and cultural history of local churches. Combe Martin Museum’s grant of £3,650 was to purchase an easy to use microscope, screen and binoculars for family beach safaris focussed on geology and wildlife.

Getting different communities engaged with the AONB was superbly achieved by North Devon Moving Image with £3,240 grant for their ‘Wild Shorts’ film competition about wildlife and the environment in the AONB, and Hartland Abbey’s grant of £3,500 for new displays about farming and use of the estate for TV and film productions to inform and thrill their visitors. Two grants were for projects linked to one of our rarest species, the Greater Horseshoe Bats in and around Braunton, with £500 for Braunton Parish Council to create a bat viewing platform and £950 for Braunton Countryside Centre to create an ‘audio bat trail’.

Looking after and understanding our local environment was the focus of a £2,000 grant to Tarka Country Trust to help local communities to manage their verges for wildlife and flowers, a grant of £281 to buy beach cleaning equipment for Croyde Community beach clean group and an £890 grant to Coastwise North Devon for a digital camera and microscope to increase understanding and awareness of the micro-life around our coasts.

The grant scheme is open now to applications for projects to start from April 2017 onwards and is available to individuals, groups, organisations or businesses. “Projects should help to look after the North Devon Coast AONB’s special landscape, special features, wild plants or animals,” said SDF Panel chair Caroline Leaver. “This may be through direct activities or through learning, increasing understanding and awareness. A particular focus of the scheme for 2017 is the historic environment of the AONB and projects related to health and wellbeing using the AONB landscape.”

Full guidance and applications forms are available on the AONB website www.northdevon-aonb.org.uk/our-work/grants or contact the scheme administrator Gigha Klinkenborg on 01271 388647 or gigha.klinkenborg@devon.gov.uk

Wild Shorts Film Making Competition,Wild Shorts Secondary School Category Winners, Hartland Abbey Exhibition,Combe Martin Museum Equpment Photos Copyright North Devon AONB (All rights reserved)

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Tap link for North Devon AONB

Contact Scheme administrator Gigha Klinkenborg 

on 01271 388647 or Email: gigha.klinkenborg@devon.gov.uk

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• The Sustainable Development Fund (SDF) supports projects that bring environmental, social and economic benefits to the North Devon Coast Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). The fund aims to support projects which demonstrate new methods of achieving a more sustainable way of life in this area of great beauty and diversity. North Devon Coast AONB receives this money from Defra because the area is designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

• The work of the North Devon Coast AONB staff unit is guided by the AONB Partnership, which includes representatives from: Natural England, Devon County Council, Torridge District Council, North Devon Council, Environment Agency, National Farmers Union, Tarka Country Trust, North Devon Biosphere Foundation, Country Landowners and Business Association, National Trust, Taw Torridge Estuary Forum, Forestry Commission, South West Forest, North Devon+ and North Devon Biosphere Reserve Partnership.

North Devon Film Competition Produces a Feast for the Senses

A film competition has produced a series of wonderful short films showcasing the natural beauty of North Devon. 

Community film making organisation North Devon Moving Image CIC (NDMI) ran the Wild Shorts competition between May and November 2016 with the aim of raising awareness of the North Devon Coast Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). 

“Entries came in from new and experienced film makers of all ages and the quality and variety of subject and creative style was impressive.” Says NDMI Creative Director, Amanda McCormack, who hosted the Oscars-style Wild Shorts Awards ceremony in Barnstaple last Friday.

Twenty year old film student Rhys Harris, who travelled from Cornwall to North Devon to make his Wild Short, Places Afar, won both first prize in the Adults category and the overall Judges’ Choice Award.

Kathryn Jeffs, a Senior Producer at the BBC’s Natural History Unit was on the Wild Shorts judging panel.  She praised Places Afar, saying “Loved this film. Intriguing opening, beautifully filmed, captured my attention immediately. This had visual flare married beautifully with spoken word.  Contemplative, well paced, expansive and thoughtful. I could watch on loop. Wonderful!”

Rhys was delighted with the outcome “Winning the competition was a huge boost of confidence for me. The fact that something I made was able to win something means that I must be doing something right! I had a great time attending the awards show and I can't stress enough how thankful I am to everyone involved. Now I have the spike in motivation to go and make something new!"

The Wild Shorts project which included film making workshops for families, school children and adults was funded by the North Devon Coast AONB, Fullabrook CIC and the Tarka Country Trust. “The films produced for the Wild Shorts competition show how the Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty provide a feast of the senses for all those who visit and enjoy them.” said AONB Manager Jenny Carey-Wood. “From the tastes of wild fruit and fungi, the feel of sand and shells, the sounds of seabirds and streams, the sight of the sea and sky and the views out to Lundy and inland to the heaths and woodlands. This project has comprehensively achieved the objectives of our Sustainable Development Fund by reaching new people and increasing understanding and awareness of the AONB.”

Thanking the project’s funders and partners at the Wild Shorts Awards ceremony, Amanda McCormack gave a special mention to the local business and organisations whose generous prize donations (see below) were a great enticement to participation in the competition. 

Full list of winners by category:

1. Primary School: Rockpooling Club by Torchlight! by Paige, Daisy, Noah, Lily and Mr Hockley from Combe Martin Primary School. Prize 4 X child season tickets to Combe Martin Wildlife and Dinosaur Park
2. Secondary School: Colours in Nature by Willow Chater, Lauryn Reed and Ella Jenkins. Prize 3 X child annual passes to Ilfracombe Aquarium
3. Age 12-17:  Our Guide to Sustainable Living by Seraphina Allard-Bridge and Martha Macdonald Prize 4 X Day passes to GoldCoast Oceanfest 2017
4. Family: Mouth Mill by Alice Bollen, Remo Rossi and Lorenzo Rossi.  Prize annual family membership to Devon Wildlife Trust.
5. Adult: a.  Winner: Places Afar by Rhys Harris. Prize Annual Membership to National Trust.   b.   Runner Up: My Favourite Walk: The Speke’s Mill Valley by Rhodri Davies.  Prize annual car park pass for Down End Croyde.

Judges’ Choice Award: Places Afar by Rhys Harris.

The 15 Wild Shorts shortlist nominees’ and winners’ films are now available to watch on the North Devon Moving Image website and Youtube playlist

 

Primary School - Tom Williams (local vet, wildlife vlogger & judge) Mr Hockley and young film makers from Combe Martin Primary School for their film Rockpooling Club by Torchlight! and Amanda McCormack (NDMI)

 Secondary School - Lawrence Raybone (Ilfracombe Aquarium) and winners and nominees from Ilfracombe Academy Winners - Willow Chater, Lauryn Reed, Ella Jenkins for Colours in Nature

12-17 category - TV producer/director Martin Kemp (judge) nominee Jonathan Lethaby, winners Martha Macdonald and Seraphina Allard-Bridge, nominees Amazon Bray, Charlotte Phillipson and Amanda McCormack (NDMI)

 Family - Local film maker Jo Stewart-Smith (judge) Alice Bollen & Remo Rossi (winners of family category with film Mouth Mill), Amanda McCormack (NDMI)

Adult category nominees & winners: Rhys Harris (winner), Rhodri Davies (runner up), Chris Sharp (nominee), Thomas Martin (nominee), Catherine Oliver (nominee), Andrew Woollacott from Christie Devon Estates (judge) and Amanda McCormack (NDMI)

Judges' Choice - Judges' Choice category winner Rhys Harris for his film Places Afar, Jenny Carey-Wood (AONB & judge), Amanda McCormack (NDMI)

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The 15 Wild Shorts shortlist nominees’ and winners’ films are now available to watch on the
 North Devon Moving Image website and Youtube playlist

Exclusive 'Meet the Wildlife Film Crew' Event in Croyde

Dr Ted Oakes, Series Producer from the world famous BBC Natural History Unit in Bristol, will be hosting a screening of his film Tribes, Predators & Me - Crocodile People of New Guinea at Croyde's Deckchair Cinema on Saturday 24 September 2016. The film will be followed by an opportunity for the audience to meet some of the 'Tribes, Predators & Me' team, including Ted who produced the series, and find out more about their work and experiences with the crocodiles!

Ted, who has a long standing connection to North Devon was invited to host the event by local community film makers North Devon Moving Image (NDMI).  Amanda McCormack, Creative Director of NDMI, says "We initially approached Ted to be a judge for our North Devon Coast AONB Wild Shorts wildlife and environment film making competition. As a keen conservationist and fan of North Devon's natural beauty Ted jumped on board and kindly offered to host this exciting event to help us raise funds for our project."

In 'Crocodile People of New Guinea' the Tribes, Predators & Me team travel to Papua New Guinea to film the crocodile worshippers of the Sepik River. Crocodile hunters invited cameraman and presenter Gordon Buchanan  to join them catching adult crocodiles with their bare hands and he meets a tribe who believe a giant crocodile protects them from their human enemies.

Amanda adds "This is going to be a fascinating and fun evening, the bar will be open and Calaca Loca will be on hand to dish up some delicious Mexican street food.  Tickets are only £6 and £4 for under 18s and can be bought online from the North Devon Moving Image website."

All profits will be shared between NDMI's Wild Shorts project and Lynx Trust UK.

Booking is essential.  To find out more and to book a place visit: http://www.northdevonmovingimage.org.uk/events.html contact Amanda McCormack at northdevonmovingimage@outlook.com or telephone 01271 860610.

 BBC Presenter, Gordon Buchanan with the Crocodile People of New Guinea

 

Tribes, Predators & Me - Crocodile People of New Guinea - Photos copyright BBC Natural History Unit (All Rights Reserved)

North Devon Wildlife & Environment Film Making Competition Open to All

North Devon Moving Image CIC (NDMI) wants your Wild Shorts! The local community film making organisation is calling for submissions of short films - between 2 and 4 minutes - about the wildlife and environment within the North Devon Coast Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).

The North Devon Coast AONB is designated to protect and conserve our beautiful and diverse coastal landscapes between the Hartland Peninsula and the edge of Exmoor. Amanda McCormack, Creative Director of NDMI, says "We want local people and visitors to capture the special nature of the area on video."

"We are hoping to see films about plants and animals, habitats, landscapes, conservation and just getting out and enjoying the beautiful coast and countryside. The competition is open to all ages - families, schools, young film makers and adults - with exciting prizes for the winning film makers in each category."

The Wild Shorts film making competition is open for entries until Wednesday 30 November 2016 and the competition terms and conditions and details on how to enter are on the NDMI website at www.northdevonmovingimage.org.uk.

To add a helping hand NDMI will be running a limited number of film making workshops for schools, families and community groups. The first event will be for families and will take place at the Braunton Countryside Centre on Sunday 31 July 2016. Additionally there will be some informal 'cafe style' events where people can drop in and get advice on film making techniques and equipment and details of these will be released soon.

Amanda adds "NDMI is really lucky to have some great local sponsors for Wild Shorts and so far we have some fabulous prize donations from GoldCoast Oceanfest, Down End Croyde car park, National Trust, Devon Wildlife Trust membership and Combe Martin Dinosaur & Wildlife Park. The competition has also attracted funding from the North Devon Coast AONB Sustainable Development fund with an additional contribution from Fullabrook CIC."

Caroline Leaver, Member of the Partnership that oversee the AONB commented "The coast of Northern Devon really is Outstandingly beautiful. It is contains some amazing scenery, wildlife and a range of world class beaches and coastal environments. The North Devon AONB Board is thrilled to be able to support the Wild Shorts competition, which will showcase some of what makes this area so special. We'd love to see entries from film makers of all ages, showing wildlife, habitats and what people enjoy about our coastline. North Devon Moving Image will be running training courses locally too, so its a great chance to learn new skills."