New evidence of vanishing grasslands

Call on Government to save remaining wildlife-rich grasslands and help farmers halt 'catastrophic' decline A dramatic decline in our remaining wildlife-rich grasslands is highlighted by The Wildlife Trusts today. Reports collated across the country tell a story of devastating losses. Wildlife-rich grasslands provide great benefits to society and are vital resources: for bees and other pollinators which we all rely on; for the abundance of nature which depends on wild grasses and flowers, from butterflies to barn owls; for securing soils and enabling landscapes to hold and filter water, preventing flooding and pollution; for carbon storage, and as living museums which have evolved over millennia. These beautiful and valuable habitats are vanishing - and the dazzling array of species that depend on them are under threat. Stephen Trotter, The Wildlife Trusts' Director, England, says: "Wildlife-rich grasslands have been in trouble for decades, but our newly collated information shows that the remaining hay meadows and flower-rich pastures are still at risk. We're seeing an insidious yet catastrophic decline. The pressures are enormous: from development and changes in agricultural practices, to neglect. The Government is currently making decisions on how it will implement the greening measures of the Common Agricultural Policy and how it will target grants to farmers in the future. We are calling on Ministers to take full account of the value of our remaining wildlife-rich grasslands and the threats they face as they make these decisions." The Wildlife Trusts are also calling for a review of protection for environmentally important grasslands - more must be done to strengthen policy and regulations to prevent further losses. Stephen Trotter explains: "If we don't act fast we'll lose the natural heritage that has inspired writers and artists through generations - from Shakespeare to Hockney. If we don't act now we'll lose an important natural resource that benefits farming, wildlife and people. The shocking examples of our best sites in decline should be a wake-up call for Government to start working now with farmers, local authorities and nature organisations to halt the loss." In Devon the picture reflects the national story of decline. Peter Burgess, Conservation Advocacy Manager of the Devon Wildlife Trust says: "Many of our most treasured grassland sites have been lost as they become increasingly difficult to farm. If we were to look at North Devon's Culm grasslands as just one example, only 10% of those that existed in 1900 are still around today." However, Peter believes that all is not necessarily lost: "Over the past 20 years Devon Wildlife Trust has worked alongside hundreds of farmers in Devon to restore and re-create wildlife rich grasslands. DWT helps provide solutions to these problems by connecting farmers to environmental grants and through the provision of specialist equipment and hardy grazing livestock." The results of this kind of work have been impressive. Peter continues: "More than 3,500 hectares of the county's most important habitats, Culm grasslands, have been restored in this way. In the most important locations radical techniques have been employed such as felling of conifers to bring back and reconnect our treasured grassland wildlife. By working in close partnership we know that amazing results can be achieved, however, across the county the picture remains worrying with continued, dramatic losses still being recorded." Because of the continued loss of the nation's precious grasslands The Wildlife Trusts are calling for a full review of existing protection for environmentally important grasslands and asking the Government to:
1) Improve existing laws and policies and effectively enforce them - Environmental Impact Assessment (Agriculture) Regulations strengthened and grasslands given better protection through planning policy.
2) Support wildlife-rich grasslands on farmland - Farmers should be fully rewarded for managing important grasslands (e.g. through farmland conservation schemes) and attach stronger requirements for protection to the direct payments farmers receive for managing land.
3) Award statutory protection to more grassland sites that deserve it - Species-rich grassland sites that qualify should become protected SSSIs (Sites of Special Scientific Interest) as quickly as possible.
4) Set up a national grassland inventory - A new national inventory of important grasslands in England (similar to that for ancient woodland) should be established with sustained monitoring of sites in the future.
5) Restore more wildlife-rich grasslands - Grassland restoration projects delivered in partnership with landowners by local Wildlife Trusts and others should be encouraged and sustained.
The Wildlife Trusts will launch an e-petition aimed at Environment Secretary, Owen Paterson, from Thursday 3rd April for five weeks - see wildlifetrusts.org
 

Photo: Devon Wildlife Trust's Meshaw Moor nature reserve north Devon. 

Copyright David Chamberlain (All rights reserved)

HAVE YOU GOT A FAMILY CONNECTION PAST OR PRESENT WITH ST ANNE'S CHAPEL IN BARNSTAPLE?

North Devon Moving Image (NDMI) is looking for local people to get involved with an oral history film making project about St Anne's Chapel in Barnstaple. NDMI has been commissioned by St Anne's to produce a digital video archive of stories which build a picture of the people who link St Anne's today with its past. Amanda McCormack, founder and Director of NDMI says "We want to hear from anyone who is interested in or has links with the history of St Anne's.  As well as offering exciting opportunities for volunteers we will be running free and fun, accessible oral history film making workshops as part of the project." "Our short course will teach people that oral history films can be entertaining as well as informative and we aim to give participants the skills and inspiration to carry on making films themselves." The project will run from now until October 2014.  Research and interviews will cover four main topics; St Anne's today, the recent renovations, The Grammar School and The Huguenots. So if you have a story to contribute, would like to get involved with research or join a film making workshop please contact Amanda McCormack, North Devon Moving Image by email northdevonmovingimage@outlook.com or telephone 01271 860610.

Photos copyright St. Anne's (all rights reserved)

About:

NDMI  - North Devon Moving Image aims to create, collect and share short documentary films about life in north Devon today

St Anne's chapel is an arts and community centre in Paternoster Row, Barnstaple

Hailstones and High Paths

It's the same every year, just when you think it's Spring and time to relax, nature throws a few curve balls. or hailstones as it was today. It was freezing, deceptive, it looked so warm and sunny but in the space of half an hour we had endured three seasons in one. Nevertheless it was great to be out so I could see what Mother Nature has been doing in the wooded valley above Bideford Bay. Not much to speak of as yet, spotted a sprinkling of Primroses, a couple of Dog Violet and a single Red Campion. The first flowering Alexander complete with Yellow dung-fly and abundant Spring Beauty with their huge heart-shaped leaves glistening with rain drops. The ancient trees have taken a beating over the winter but are at last bursting into life. The old track has taken a beating too, looking more like a highway now that the verges either side have been flattened so much so that the wild garlic spears look like lettuce sticking out of an overfilled salad sandwhich..There is minimal traffic allowed here, thank goodness,  just the holidaymakers at the cottages and work vehicles but even so absolutely no consideration seems to be given to the delicate flora. The drivers are wandering further and further over the verges, the huge wheels churning up, then pounding the ground. Last year the wall on the ancient bridge was badly damaged and had to be rebuilt, and today I was sad to see that there is a hole and a crack on the other side. A little "driving with due care and attention" pretty please! Walked along the South West Coast Path beside Peppercombe Meadows and watched the billowing clouds over Clovelly and Gallantry Bower. I never get tired of the ever-changing view across Bideford Bay. Articles and photos copyright Pat Adams 22nd March 2014.

Explore the Coast and "Country" Side of Bideford Bay with the North Devon Focus Picture Tour

Seminal Motown artist, Martha Reeves & the Vandellas come to Barnstaple this April.

South West Promoters Hold It Down are proud to bring one of the original and best loved soul artists of all time to Barnstaple next April. Martha Reeves and the Vandellas were among the most successful groups of the Motown roster during the period 1963-1967. In contrast to other Motown groups such as The Supremes and The Marvelettes, Martha and the Vandellas were known for a harder, R&B sound, typified by "(Love Is Like a) Heat Wave", "Nowhere to Run", "Jimmy Mack" and, their signature song, "Dancing in the Street". During their nine-year run on the charts from 1963 to 1972, Martha and the Vandellas charted over twenty-six hits and recorded in the styles of doo-wop, R&B, pop, blues, rock and soul. Ten Vandellas songs reached the top ten of the Billboard R&B singles chart, including two R&B number ones. In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked Martha and the Vandellas amongst the 100 greatest artists of all time.

Sun 13^th April, The Factory Petroc, Oakwood Close, Roundswell Ind Estate, Barnstaple, Devon EX31 3NJ

For more info go to www.holditdown.org

TICKETS £17.50 plus booking fee

ON SALE NOW FROM:

www.undergroundtickets.net

www.seetickets.com – 0845 2200261

North Devon Theatres Box Office 01271 324242

Beats Workin’ 01271 321111

FESTIVAL OF FIRE! THE BIG SHEEP - BIDEFORD THIS SATURDAY 15TH MARCH FROM 6.00PM

A SPONSORED WALK WITH A DIFFERENCE Raising money for Dogs Helping Kids in conjunction with The Jaden Cornelious Foundation
RED HOT TALENT 
Jaden Cornelious, Tamsin Ball and Taya Lambden
Visitors will get to listen to the dulcet tones of Jaden Cornelious, one of North Devon's hottest talents who will be singing a rang of his popular classical crossover songs as well as some new ones and may even slot in a few pop songs. Jaden will be joined on stage by Tamsin Ball, another local classical crossover singer who has performed on the West End, The O2 Arena and the Lourve in Paris. Supporting Jaden and Tamsin will be 14 year old local girl Taya Lambden from Park Community School.

FREE ENTRY FOR SEASON TICKET MEMBERS!
Enjoy a Family Evening of Fun - Watch a Fantastic Fire show, Cheer on the brave fundraisers as they walk on fire, Enjoy Ewetopia Indoor Playground, Listen to Jaden Cornelious, Tamsin Ball and Taya Lambden perform AND you'll all be fundraising for charity as all entry costs are to be given to

Dogs Helping Kids. Doors Open 6.00pm Fire Show : 6.20pm Fire Walk : 7pm £3 entry pp or Family Ticket £10 (2+2) Children Under 3ft FREE FREE ENTRY for season ticket members All entry proceeds will be given to Dogs Helping Kids

FESTIVAL OF FIRE! THE BIG SHEEP - BIDEFORD THIS SATURDAY 15TH MARCH FROM 6.00PM

BIG Sheep Contact Information: Telephone: 01237 472366 Website: www.thebigsheep.co.uk

DEVON'S HOTTEST FIRE ENTERTAINER COOLHAND LUKE Festival of Fire We will be hosting one of the hottest nights of the year on this Saturday 15th March, combining a charity fire walk with a fire juggling and spinning show. You've all heard the idiom 'If you play with fire, you'll get burnt - Coolhand Luke, North Devon's hottest fire entertainer who has been playing with fire for years has yet to be burnt!

A Week of Wildlife at Meeth Quarry Nature Reserve

Devon Wildlife Trust's Northern Devon Nature Improvement Area is planning a special week of wildlife inspired science and art events at its Meeth Quarry nature reserve near Great Torrington. The charity is staging a weekend of free events on Saturday 22nd and Sunday 23rd March, running from 11am-3pm on both days. People can drop in when they wish or stay all day. The theme for these events is 'Artists and Scientists'. Visitors are being encouraged to come along to discover how artists draw inspiration and scientists find fascination in the natural world. And they will also be encouraged to explore their own artistic and scientific interests in a packed two-day's of activity. On Saturday there will be an opportunity to join a painter, a poet and a soil scientist in a series of hands on activities which will draw on Meeth Quarry's unique landscape. On Sunday the focus will be the search for mammals, amphibians and reptiles in the company of experts, along with a music workshop with drumming and animal songs inspired by the nature reserve. Tamasine Addie, Community Outreach Officer for the Northern Devon Nature Improvement Area said: 'During the weekend we want to give people the chance to help us map Meeth Quarry nature reserve, building up a picture of the landscape from different points of view." Tamasine continued: "By 'mapping Meeth' in this way we get a chance to see all the benefits it has to offer for wildlife and local people alike. We hope to see lots of wildlife on site - and lots of people enjoying it too!"
The weekend is being followed by a further event aimed at local school teachers. Tuesday 25th March sees Meeth Quarry open its doors for teachers to find out ways in which they might use the nature reserve as an 'outdoor classroom' with their pupils. The evening will also include a short walk to explore areas of the site suitable for school visits. This session will run from 4-6.30pm. Booking is essential. Please contact Tamasine Addie on 07968 850803. Finally, on Friday 28th March Meeth Quarry is the venue for a 'Dark, Dark Night event' from 4-7pm. Back by popular demand, this event is a drop-in session giving people the chance to find out more about moths, owls and bats as they emerge into the night sky after a winter of hibernation. This is a great opportunity to see bats up close, learn about owl habitats and marvel at moths as they flit through the air at twilight. All events are FREE! People can find out more about the events on the Northern DevonNature Improvement Area website, www.northerndevonnia.org

 Photo Meeth Quarry copyright Devon Wildlife Trust - All Rights Reserved

Winter Exposure Westward Ho!

Arrived at Westward Ho! amazed to find that the tide was still ebbing as we had been looking forward to a long bracing walk. It was another huge surge with the tide refusing to go out and stay out. The Go Kart Track and Adventure Centre is still in disarray so if ever there was a time for the legendary Potwalloping Festival, this is it. Fortunately the Links beyond are no longer flooded. Across the Bay in the direction of Kipling Tors I can see the spray from the wild “White Horses”. A grey day with sporadic sunshine, there was even another fleeting rainbow. When it was finally clear to walk down the beach it was quite other-worldly as the sand, in parts, had been completely washed away revealing mounds of soft grey clay, the rest resembling a shingle beach. In the midst of the normal grey pebbles strewn along the strandline were some quite beautiful marble white ones, washed in from some distant shore. As we walked on down to Sandymere I took a shot of the concrete slabs, the stepping stones over the ridge, now a little askew to say the least. Along the way I took note of the newly exposed Groins, weirdly wonderful clay formations, the outline of a previously unseen wreck and a line of pier posts or were they old WW2 sea defences? The surf although on its way out continued to rush in and I watched as four little Sanderlings skipped the waves then became marooned on their own little island. In 2012 the Pebbles abutting the Dunes at the far end had been washed away and now they were back and it was a relief to see that the missing sand had shifted towards the Spit. I was pleased not to see any rubbish on the beach, although there were pockets of marine litter amongst the pebbles. Here at the Spit of the Northam Burrows Country Park, the Ridge, although covered in pebbles seemed much flatter and even the big boulders were seemingly battered out of place. On a clear day you can look out to the Bideford Bar and over to the Biosphere across the Taw Torridge Estuary from here. It was hard going against the wind on the way back, I did, however stop to take a shot for the records of a dead seabird. Another sad sight was a 4x4 vehicle perched atop the Ridge, exposed and well and truly stuck. Photos and Article copyright Pat Adams 23rd February 2014

I reported the dead bird to the RSPB via Facebook and it was identified as a Guillemot. Guillemots, Razorbills and other seabirds have suffered terribly in the storms and have been washed up in numbers around the UK coast.See also BBC  'Record number' of dead seabirds washed up from storms
If you come across any dead sea birds please send full details to SWseabirds@rspb.org.uk
RSPB If members of the public find live seabirds that can be rescued it is recommended they should contact the RSPCA on 0300 1234 999. We would advise you not to attempt rescuing the seabirds yourself or to handle them.
----------------------------
Westward Ho! Potwalloping Festival was traditionally held each year on May Bank Holiday, the last one was held in 2012. Potwalloping. An old tradition when, in return for grazing rights, the residents in the Borough of Northam would throw back the pebbles that had been washed down from the Pebble Ridge after Spring Tides.

State of Devon's Nature: TV's Nick Baker to launch report at Cullompton conference

Devon's wild beauty is one of the county's greatest assets. Its environment provides us not just with amazing landscapes and wildlife but with food, fuel, pollination, flood control and great recreational and business opportunities. It is therefore important that we know how our environment is faring. These are some of the major conclusions of a newly released 'stock-check' on the county's priority species and the habitats in which they live. The report called The State of Devon's Nature, is being launched this Friday (7 March 2014) at a special one-day conference in Cullompton. The report also showcases the positive differences being made where landowners, farmers, businesses and conservationists are working together to turn around declines in a range of species. So who are Devon's wildlife winners and losers of recent years? Populations of those iconic mammals, otter and dormouse, have remained fairly stable in Devon's rivers and woodlands. Other species, including barn owl and great crested newt, have not suffered large declines but do face threats such as habitat loss. Targeted conservation efforts have improved the prospects for some creatures, including cirl bunting and southern damselfly, though their future remains challenging. The Report concludes that the state of some of Devon's species should concern us. Curlews, although still a regular winter visitor to the county's estuaries, now no longer breed on Exmoor, and breeding pairs elsewhere in the uplands have severely declined. The high brown fritillary butterfly and the white-clawed crayfish are both in danger of extinction in Devon. Local extinction did befall the popular water vole, 'Ratty' in Wind in the Willows, in the late 90s, before a population was re-introduced in east Devon. Key to the State of Devon's Nature report is a measurement of the health of the county's natural landscapes. Here the picture is very mixed. * Only around a third of Devon's rivers are in good condition and many are struggling to support a diverse range of wildlife because of pollution, man-made barriers and invasive species. 

* With the support of agri-environment grants, Devon's upland wetlands and heathlands are being better-managed by farmers. However, large areas fail to support the range of birds and insects they once did. 

 * Devon's woodlands have not been reduced in size, but do face threats including invasive species like rhododendron, large deer and grey squirrel populations and diseases such as ash dieback. 

* As sea levels rise, sand dunes and saltmarshes are coming under greater pressure where coastal development prevents their retreat inland. 

* Devon's sea life remains threatened by damaging fishing practices such as bottom-trawling, by climate change and pollution. 

However the Report also shows the depth of feeling that many people have towards wildlife in Devon. Indeed, the State of Devon's Nature pays tribute to the efforts of an army of willing volunteers who have lent their expertise to gathering its data. The Report is also positive about the many places in Devon where groups and individuals have been working together to improve the natural environment. Advice and agri-environment grants provided to south Devon farmers have improved habitat for cirl buntings and other farmland wildlife. Commercial business, conservation land managers and farmers are working in partnership in north Devon's Culm grasslands. Here, wildlife habitat, water quality and flood alleviation are all being improved through the Upstream Thinking project funded by South West Water. The Report acknowledges the part being played by legislation in producing benefits for marine wildlife. In the No Take Zone around Lundy Island, lobsters are now five times more abundant and individuals 9% larger than in surrounding waters. The Northern Devon Nature Improvement Area is also a prime example of the new mood of partnership working. An array of organisations led by Devon Wildlife Trust is working with local communities and landowners to improve the quality of habitats and water in the River Torridge catchment. What's more, the project is linking physical health, mental well-being and cultural richness to the quality of Devon's natural environment and the enjoyment it brings to residents and visitors alike. The Devon Local Nature Partnership, 'Natural Devon', is the umbrella body behind the State of Devon's Nature report. Natural Devon's aim is to get everyone in the county to work better together to ensure the protection of Devon's wildlife, not just for its own sake but because it underpins our high quality of life. Chair of the Devon Local Nature Partnership is Suzanne Goodfellow. Formerly Director of Conservation at Dartmoor National Park Authority, she stressed the importance of partnership working: "Devon is a wonderful place for people and wildlife! And Natural Devon is in the business of bringing them together for their mutual benefit. We now have a great partnership of environmental, health, community and economic organisations working together to connect people and nature." TV wildlife-presenter Nick Baker will be speaking at Friday's conference in Collumpton, launching the State of Devon's Nature report, along with Devon Local Nature Partnership's own prospectus. The conference will bring together a broad range of interests - health professionals, farmers, economists, planners and ecologists to discuss how to achieve Natural Devon's vision for Devon. Suzanne Goodfellow continued: "Our new prospectus is based on extensive consultation with the people of Devon and sets out our priorities for the next five years. At the conference we will draw up a list of actions to help us achieve them. Natural Devon is also today publishing the State of Devon's Nature report, full of information about Devon's wildlife from a large number of expert individuals and organisations. We thank them for their contributions and hope that the report will be used by everyone to help them to make wise decisions about our natural environment and enjoy finding out more."

Photo Curlew copyright Darin Smith - All rights reserved

The State of Devon's Nature, is being launched this Friday (7 March 2014) - Report provides verdict on Devon's wildlife winners and losers 

* New report offers insight into fortunes of Devon's wildlife 

* Report warns of struggling species and suffering landscapes 

* Evidence shows that ambitious, collaborative work between landowners, farmers, conservation charities and statutory bodies offers best way forward 

* TV's Nick Baker to launch report at Cullompton conference

Legendary reggae artist, Lee Scratch Perry comes to Barnstaple this March.

South West Promoters Hold It Down are proud to bring one of the original and most influential artists of all time to Devon for three shows this March. Bob Marley’s former producer, Lee Scratch Perry is the godfather of dub, the high priest of reggae and a truly original music innovator. From 1970s Jamaica to the present day his music has been groundbreaking and his influence consistently enormous. In addition to his trailblazing music, LSP has been a guiding force in the development of reggae music. He has produced hits for many bands including the Wailers, Gregory Isaacs, Junior Byles and The Clash. Always active, always innovating, LSP’s public profile rose in 1997 with the release of the brilliant Arkology – a three-disc anthology containing nearly four hours of astounding music. Yet it merely scratches the surface of the sonic universe created by this legendarily eccentric, yet super-prolific, dub-reggae producer. For more info go to www.holditdown.org

TICKETS £17.50 plus booking fee

ON SALE NOW FROM:

www.undergroundtickets.net

www.seetickets.com – 0845 2200261

North Devon Theatres Box Office 01271 324242 - Beats Workin’ 01271 321111

Legendary reggae artist, Lee Scratch Perry, Tues 25th March, The Factory Petroc, Oakwood Close, Roundswell Ind Estate, Barnstaple, Devon EX31 3NJ -  

Photo copyright Hold It Down all rights reserved.

Gentleman’s Dub Club play at The Factory, Barnstaple, Saturday 1st March 2014

The Factory Petroc and Boom Artists Agency are proud to present...Gentleman's Dub Club with support from Shire Roots & Blazenstein, KSH and the Going Goods, JDotBurn and Danzie. Celebrating the release of their brand new LP, FourtyFour, Reggae Dub heavyweights GDC bring the fire to The Factory. Gentleman’s Dub Club is a nine-piece band that formed in Leeds in early 2006. With a style based in dub, ska and roots reggae. GDC have burst onto the UK circuit rocking gigs and festivals up and down the country with their super high energy show. Combining tight grooves and a heavyweight, sound Gentleman’s Dub Club bring the party to crowds of all ages hungry for a dance floor workout, with their gigs often ending in a frenzied mosh pit reminiscent of a mid-80’s ska night! Live effects and mixing make for a crystal clear sound, and the band’s larger than life stage presence makes for a mesmerizing experience. Shire Roots & Blazenstein (Irie Bingo) Home-grown sound system vibes outta Devon playing everything from tuff digital dancehall to new heavyweight roots & culture. Irie Bingo hold firm to the roots of reggae music as a rebel music and so come to spread a conscious vibe and uplifting messages and unity each and every time. Their shows usually include original material from producer Blazenstein with Shire Roots chatting reggae and hip hop lyrics in a positive fashion, Irie Bingo are privileged to have worked alongside some of the UK's leading reggae artists including YT, Solo Banton, Deadly Hunta and Mungo's Hifi. JDotBurn (Defcon) comes hard with conscious bars, double time flows and an all-round wickedman styleee on some classic and some new hip-hop riddims. Expect to hear exclusive tracks from forthcoming EP ‘Spark it Up’ due for release Defcon records spring/summer this year. JDotBurn has been working alongside the likes of Deadly Hunta, Shireroots and Skitz. He is set to play a few festivals this year such as Sunrise. According to KSH and the Going Goods the world of hip hop is a desolate one… With gangsters, players, pimps and g-thangs dominating the scene, the beauty of the genre is being lost. Expect an alternative acoustic band from across the country, coming straight out of the “ghettos” of Cheltenham with some Devon roots mixed in. KSH and the Going Goods is a five man troupe consisting of string-men Jack Carroll and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou, vocalists Mikey Doherty and Kishi Allebone, rounded off with a unique drum machine, Beatboxer Kush Cushion. Danzie (Selecta Vibe) the real believer in playing strictly vinyl will be selecting some classic dancehall and roots reggae!

Gentleman’s Dub Club play at The Factory Saturday 1st March 2014
£15.00 advance £13.00 NUS Standing only | Doors 8pm 
MINIMUM AGE RECOMMENDATION: All ages. Under 16’s must be accompanied by an adult.

SNAPSHOTS IN AN ALBUM: MEMORIES OF AN EVACUEE IN FAIRY CROSS

I was recently sent this delightful childhood account by Linda Le Merle about her stay in Fairy Cross as an evacuee in 1944, during the Second World War. These are the recollections of  her time in Bideford and in particular, the countryside Parish of Alwington and the hamlet of Ford and Fairy Cross. These are a little girl's "Snapshots in an Album" and we would love to hear from anyone who might be able to fill in the gaps or who recognises the people and places mentioned. If you do then please leave a comment here and a message for Linda.

MEMORIES OF AN EVACUEE IN FAIRY CROSS By Linda Le Merle, née Wolfinden

Strange to say, as I was starting to write a few notes on my experience as an evacuee in Fairy Cross, Devon, I came across another evacuation account written by someone who had been evacuated in 1944 as I was, and who had lived close to me and gone to my Surbiton primary school. Our evacuation began in June, around the time of my eighth birthday when the buzz bombs were droning and dropping over England, and lasted three or four months until it was thought safe to return home. My family had previously been evacuated to Dorset during the “phoney war” in late 1939, and that, too was for a short time only, before we all came back to London while the Blitz was going on – curious! In June 1944 the other evacuee and I must have set off together since all the local schoolchildren were gathered together at an army depot and given their lapel labels before being taken to the railway station, but she went to Cardiff, because, she says, “Later I heard that two trains had somehow got mixed up and in fact we should have gone to Devon.” Mine was the train which did go to Devon and so I came to spend three or four months in the beautiful countryside near Bideford. My father stayed at home in the Home Guard and I set off with my brother Philip and my mother, who was going to be a billeting officer in Bideford.  When young children ask today if we were frightened to be living through the war, I have to say that unless we had actually been bombed out or lost a member of the family, fear was not always a big problem for children – wartime was all we had known.  While our parents were often made ill by fear and stress brought on by the bombing and restrictions, it was change and uncertainty which were the real threats to children’s states of mind as they are in peacetime.  So – the journey started with some excitement, and although my mother was nearby, it was only when I was separated from her and my brother when we arrived in Bideford that I really started to understand that I would be on my own. From that point on my memories of being an evacuee are like snapshots in an album, and I’m sorry not to have any real photos to go with them. The first memory is of walking in a crocodile through the streets of Bideford. Someone – maybe an older worldly-wise child – said cynically that this was so that the good citizens of Bideford could pick out a child they liked. Whatever the truth, most of us spent the night sleeping on the floor of a community hall before being allocated our billets the next day. This was a moment of anxiety – the world would end if I couldn’t be placed with my friend Shirley Bosson.  Somehow it was managed, and somehow all the children were taken to their temporary new homes. At this point the snapshot memory changes from black and white into colour. We found ourselves arriving at the Fairy Cross cottage of Mrs Hockin – or her name might have been Mrs Hocking. There are perfumes and tastes which can transport you straight back to the place where you first experienced them, and to this day the smell of geraniums awakens the memory of when I first came across rows of pots of the scarlet flowers in Mrs Hockin’s cottage living room. From the first moment she seemed to be a kind lady, but she was already 72 years old, which must have accounted for her forgetting that children don’t usually like hot milk with the skin on top – rather a difficult welcome for two homesick girls. I remember the cottage as being cosy, with no running water or bathroom, but I have no recollection of daily routines, food or the layout of the house, apart from the fact that the WC was a privy in the back garden with squares of newspaper hanging on a butcher’s hook behind the door, and that we washed in a pretty china basin in the bedroom, pouring water out of the big matching jug.

School for those few months was in the little church hall which we reached after a short walk through country lanes. We picked sloes from the hedgerows and were free to walk on our own at all times, but this idyllic time was not without one black day. We were all deeply shocked to hear that one girl much younger than ourselves, who sometimes walked with us, had been killed in the lane, crushed between the posts of a fence round the fields and some heavy farm machinery which trundled relentlessly down the lane without seeing her.  At the school there were only two classes for all the children whose ages ranged from five to fourteen. Again, I have no recollection of the routines, except for one vivid memory of how I spent a lot of time there. I was taught to knit, and given a ball of grey string-like thread with which I was to knit a dishcloth. It took most of the time I was at the school, as I remember, because it had constantly to be undone and begun again. Whatever else I learned there, I was left with a skill which proved to be useful for a long time afterwards.

When we were not in school we were free to play in and around the village, but paths to the beach were out of bounds because the beaches themselves were defended against enemy attack. I seem to remember that from somewhere near Portledge House we must have been able to climb on high ground from where we could see the beaches and the sweep of the coast round to Hartland Point, with Lundy Island out to sea. There was a wood behind the cottage where we enjoyed playing, but one day when three of us were running through the trees we managed to kick up a bees’ nest. The first of us escaped lightly, the second – I think it was me – received a few stings, but the third was stung so badly that she had to spend a whole day in bed afterwards.  A happier way of spending our free days was scrumping from trees down the road near the main part of the village. Are there still Stripey Jacks in Fairy Cross – those little apples with red and gold stripes which we ate there in great quantities seventy years ago? Shirley Bosson’s mother came for a visit a few times and I saw my own mother occasionally, but she was kept busy going round the billets checking that the evacuees and their hosts were getting along together as well as could be expected. She herself was comfortably billeted with Mr and Mrs Cock who lived at “Glaisdale”, Abbotsham Road in Bideford, and one day she came to take me by bus to spend a night with her. I remember a genteel elderly couple, and most of all I remember the delicious creamy oatmeal we had for breakfast – very unlike the porridge I was familiar with. Mrs Edith Cock and my mother kept up a correspondence for many years, and on my bookshelves is a little book she sent me “with much love and many kind thoughts” for my 21^st birthday. It is called “Character and Conduct”, and the theme for today, February 9th, is knowing how to be ready, a lesson in avoiding procrastination. Perhaps I should have looked at it more often from time to time as Mrs Cock suggested.  At this point my memories, black and white or technicolour, run out. Although we had spent happy times in Devon, I think my mother was quite relieved to take us home when the worst of the buzz-bombs period was over. My own brother, who was billeted in Barnstaple, had got into trouble one day with his friend Derek when they took their catapults out to play. We needed to get home before being accused of being London hooligans! I only once saw Mrs Hockin’s house again when we were driving by after a family holiday in the West Country. I hope it’s still there, and even if it isn’t, it’s still here among my happy memories.  

MEMORIES OF AN EVACUEE IN FAIRY CROSS - By Linda Le Merle, née Wolfinden (All rights reserved)
Explore Alwington and Fairy Cross with the North Devon Focus Picture Tour
Explore Bideford with the North Devon Focus Picture Tour
North Devon History Bytes
Alwington a Millennium Experience published by Alwington Parish Council - Visit Alwington Parish Web Site

A romantic gesture for Devon nature lovers

Nature lovers in Devon are giving an alternative gift this year, not content with a bunch of roses, they are opting for a whole acre of wildflowers in north Devon. Devon Wildlife Trust's Meeth Quarry; nature reserve, near Hatherleigh, is a 370-acre wildlife haven and is DWT's newest site. The Trust has given supporters the chance to Adopt an Acre  of the reserve as part of an appeal for funds to improve the recovering industrial landscape for wildlife. Of more than ninety-five acres adopted so far many were as gifts for someone special. Now on the eve of Valentine's Day the Trust is waiting to see if there's a romantic story behind the hundredth adoption of an acre. For many, adopting an acre gives them a personal connection to a wild space as well as playing a part in conserving nature in Devon. Joyce and Ernie Dignam of Barnstaple said they were "concerned that so much of our county is being covered with concrete and we believe the only way to protect diversity is to own land". Joyce added, "we would like to be able to buy a whole nature reserve for Devon Wildlife Trust but that is out of the question. The next best thing is to adopt a share of one." The Adopt an Acre package includes a map showing the location of the chosen acre as well as a certificate of adoption illustrated with the image below of Meeth Quarry at its most colourful. James Wilson in Plymouth wanted to give an acre as a gift to the people closest to him after enjoying a guided tour of the reserve at a DWT event. He says "it occurred to me that the scheme would be a great and original way of channelling the charity donations I usually make in lieu of gifts that we don't actually need. I managed to persuade the lovely team at DWT to supply me with multiple copies of the certificate and map to send to my family." The former mining and quarrying at the site created a very diverse landscape, making it ideal for conversion to a nature reserve. Dominated by two large lakes and mounds of clay spoil, Meeth Quarry also features ponds, woodland, bogs and grassland. Together these make the reserve a home for a diverse array of plants and animals including Brown Hare; Willow Tit and many species of butterflies, dragonflies and orchids. The diversity of Meeth Quarry extends to the Adopt an Acre offer, with an option to adopt an area of woodland, grassland or open water. James Wilson says "I chose a grassland acre, as I understand this is a very valuable habitat for flowers, birds and insects alike. I look forward to visiting again in the summer months to see for myself the abundance described so eloquently on our guided walk!" So, a few roses that will last a week, or a plot of flower-rich grassland that can be visited year after year? Adopt an Acre at Meeth Quarry is the romantic gesture for anyone who sees the natural world in Devon as something to love.

 

Photo Meeth Quarry copyright Devon Contemporary Photography 

CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT HOW TO ADOPT AN ACRE AT MEETH QUARRY

Pebble Dash and Rainbow over the Ridge, Westward Ho!

February roared in like a lion as the UK, the South West and the North Devon Coast in particular was pounded once again by gale-force winds and thundering seas which coincided with high Spring Tides on Saturday the 1st February. The waves were so huge that sea walls cracked on the promenade at Westward Ho! and the Pebble Ridge was breached for the second time. The area behind the Pebble Ridge, known as the Northam Burrows Country Park was therefore flooded and this included the links course of the Royal North Devon Golf Club. The Slipway withstood the pounding, not so lucky was the Adventure Play Ground and Go-Kart Track which was decimated, splattered once again with marine debris and pebbles. Such was the power of the waves that the pebbles and boulders were tossed high and wide also filling in the passageway to the Southwest Coast Path section of the Burrows itself. Sunday the wind had dropped and the sun came out briefly enabling people to venture on the beach at last. Rain squalls were followed by a rainbow. It was a race against time and tide as the diggers dashed up and down the beach, scooping pebbles up from one of the Pebble Ridge and dumping them back down to repack the area which was breached just beyond the slipway. The car park and toilets were closed again but the Slipway Takeaway thankfully remained unscathed and was open for business as usual. Here is a slide show of pictures taken on the Sunday 2nd February, you can also view them on FLICKR .Article and photos 2nd February copyright Pat Adams

Crash, Bang, Wallop. Surging into the New Year

I'm hunkered down writing this while the wind is howling outside, the birds have nipped off to the safety of the hedges and the trees so it’s a good job I did the Big Garden Birdwatch Survey this morning. Crash bang wallop, what a start to the New Year. The interminable rain caused rivers to break their banks, rainbows followed the rain, there were giant hailstones and lightning strikes, landslips and land-slides and that was before the storm Hercules arrived. According to news reports there were "twenty-one severe flood warnings, the highest level, issued in the South and West with 500 alerts in total across the UK" The great Atlantic surge began at the end of December when these photos were taken down at Westward Ho! a few days later the coast was bombarded with monster waves up to 10 metres high. The huge swell wreaked havoc along the coast, thundering waves "towering" over the Renish Tower at Lynmouth, breaching sea walls at Ilfracombe and Instow and even the mighty Pebble Ridge succumbed as the pebbles were flung up off the ridge and over the car park and Go-Cart Track by the slipway at Westward Ho! Diggers were brought in to repair the damage, the car park was still closed last week. As the swirling Atlantic waves surged and unrelenting high tides crashed onto our North Devon Coast, residents, local authorities, highways agencies and emergency services have been left counting the cost. In the aftermath tons of marine debris and litter were deposited on beaches in the area and the SAS (Surfers Against Sewage) community worked together as over 400 volunteers helped at BEACH CLEAN events including Croyde and Woolacombe. It’s amazing that we never tire of watching a raging sea, people stand in wonder, children delight in racing away from the surf, photographers will risk all for that one definitive shot, even surfers are not deterred by the possibility of being caught in a rip tide. However, it’s definitely a dangerous game as you’re never quite ready for that extra big wave so quite rightly the Police and the Environment Agency have urged people to stay away from the sea and rivers at such times. Great care must still be taken while walking on coastal paths, the ground is sodden making it more possible for cliff falls. The Southwest Coast Path Association urge people to “Stay safe and away from the shoreline and cliff edges if you're out on the Coast Path!” Click here for the latest news on cliff falls and Path diversions. Article 25th January 2014 and Pictures Westward Ho! 29th December 2013 PM Adams North Devon Focus

UK STORM NEWS REPORTS FROM

• Western Morning News
• Daily Mail
• North Devon Journal
• North Devon Gazette

USEFUL LINKS

• Southwest Coast Path Association
• North Devon National Trust
• Devon County Council - REPORT A POTHOLE

Appledore and Lundy Granite

Post by North Devon Coast & Country Chronicle.

THE DONKEYS OF CLOVELLY LAUNCH NEW NORTH DEVON FILM PROJECT

The Donkeys of Clovelly are the stars of a new short film which launches the North Devon Moving Image (NDMI) film making project. NDMI is a long term project which has been established to create and share a collection of short films examining everyday life in north Devon today and preserve them for future generations. Amanda McCormack, founder of NDMI says “I was inspired to set up the North Devon Moving Image project after watching some fascinating archive films in the North Devon Movie bus a few years ago. It occurred to me that despite the fact that most people are regularly recording video on their mobile phones, tablets and digital cameras, no one is actually preserving this valuable resource.” Amanda added “Coming up with a bright idea is just the start, the tricky bit is actually doing something about it. It takes a lot of hard work and focus to get something like this off the ground but I was delighted to find that once I said it out loud I wasn’t the only one who thought the project was a good idea. With plenty of moral support and some practical help from Jerry Bix at North Devon Plus (who guided us through the business registration) and a grant from the North Devon Coast AONB Sustainable Development Fund, we are now up and running.” Amanda wanted NDMI’s first film to be a good example of how five minutes of video can capture a moment in time while being informative, entertaining and inspirational. “Working with Sue and Bart Kelly at Clovelly Donkeys was just wonderful. We felt really privileged to be given an insight into their lives with the donkeys. They are lovely people and it goes without saying that having big cuddles with the donkeys was quite a treat!” Richard Butler, Sustainable Development Fund Chairman commented “This project is an insightful record which reflects on an iconic part of Clovelly’s rich Heritage. We were very happy to support this inaugural film project by North Devon Moving Image and hope it will be the first of many which will provide an informative record of life in North Devon.” North Devon Moving Image will be building their short film collection in a variety of ways, working with individuals, community groups and film makers in north Devon. 2014 will be a pilot year where NDMI demonstrates different creative film making styles, launches community projects and hopefully inspires other local film makers to get involved. 

To find out more you can visit the NDMI website at www.northdevonmovingimage.org.uk or catch up on twitter @NDMovingImage and Facebook North Devon Moving Image CIC.

Photos: Amanda McCormack with Sarah the Clovelly Donkey, Bart and Sue Kelly of Clovelly Donkeys

What viewers have said about the film

Colin Shaddick “A beautiful and quirky film from North Devon.”
Jos Goulding “An absolute delight … well done Sue & Bart” 

Dion Sears “I loved it! Perfect music at the start and I loved how the donkey was part of the interview and kept trying to nibble things, it must have been hard not to laugh. Hope they find someone to pass the job onto … Great stuff, what's next?”

WATCH THE FILM/LEAVE ACOMMENT ON YOUTUBE HERE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MtHE0hF4szA

New Year rainbows, soggy walks. and counting birds.

I am feeling a little “under the weather” so I’m not getting much gardening done. According to the RSPB this is the best time to cut back trees or trim hedges before the mating season, which tends to start in February, so I really am eager to start. After such a turbulent start to the New Year, you’d think the birds would be quite wet enough  but this week both the male and female Blackbirds were splish-splashing in the tinfoil bath in the back garden and today a Starling was going at it like a jet skier in a water filled planter in the front garden. So by the look of it the birds  are already beginning to rouse themselves. There is a little more action also on our bird feeder and on the hedgerows and field nearby. Spotted two Buzzards today, the Starlings were enjoying the stubble on the field earlier in December and this week they have been gathering in quantity on the telephone wires  beside the A39. Last week, after the storm, we took a soggy walk on a debris strewn beach at Instow on the Torridge Estuary then moved on to a seemingly tranquil Fremington Quay where a small cluster of seabirds, an Egret and one lone Curlew were quietly drilling down in the mud. We returned via Bideford and spotted a Murmuration swooping and swirling above Bideford Long Bridge. As light was fading we parked awhile on Brunswick Wharf to enjoy the spectacle. Meanwhile back in my garden the Chaffinch, Great Tits, Coal Tits and Sparrows are constant visitors, Mr. Robin is already stating his claim with an occasional song, and the Blue Tits continue to sneak nuts out from under the beaks of our resident Doves which plonk themselves on the feeder. Rainy days have been lit up by rainbows after some short bursts of sunshine. The only down side to this perfect little scenario is a local ginger cat that languishes below the feeder and waits.... What’s the betting that all this action disappears when it’s time for the Big Garden Birdwatch which this year is over the weekend of 25^th and 26th January

A little under the weather and ragged round the edges, just like me

The first rainbow of 2014

Lone Curlew off Fremington Quay

Count the wildlife that's counting on you. Bird populations are a great indicator of the health of the countryside. That's why it's so important to take part in surveys like the Big Garden Birdwatch to keep an eye on the ups and downs of the wildlife where we live.  All you need to do is spend an hour over the weekend of 25-26 January counting the birds in your garden. It's that simple! The more people involved, the more we can learn. So, grab a cuppa and together we can all help to give nature a home. For more info and to register, please visit www.rspb.org.uk/birdwatch

Click here for Big Garden Birdwatch 2014 Results

• Explore Instow with the North Devon Focus Picture Tour
• Explore Fremington Quay with the North Devon Picture Tour
• Explore Bideford with the North Devon Focus Picture Tour

Artist finds his muse in former clay quarry

A Westcountry artist has been appointed to the position of 'Artist in Residence' at one of the region's largest nature reserves. Peter Baker moved to the north Devon village of Meeth just two years ago. As a life-long artist, Peter soon found himself searching for a new local muse - to act as a focus for his painting and artistic expression. So when Devon Wildlife Trust bought the 150 hectares of Meeth Quarry in 2012, opening the site as a nature reserve in May 2013, he was delighted to find that this inspiration actually existed right at the bottom of his garden. Devon Wildlife Trust's work over the past year improving the former clay quarry (production ended in 2004) as a place for people and wildlife has provided Peter with a focus for his art. The tracks, paths, woodlands and lakes of the new nature reserve have given Peter a huge new outdoor studio. The nature reserve is now providing the stimulus for a series of works in pen and ink and some watercolour studies. Peter's approach means he often spends hours each day exploring and sketching the reserve. He spoke of his fascination for Meeth Quarry: "'When I moved to the lovely village of Meeth I had no idea that my wife and I were going to be living next to the Tarka Trail and the new Meeth Quarry nature reserve. Peter continued: "The 'mood' of the reserve changes with the weather and the season giving endless inspiration to any painter. Being a marine artist I have had to change my style and method of working, you don't find many trees growing on beaches, but I find this unique challenge exciting and I am looking at nature with young eyes. I hope that my recent artwork will illustrate my curiosity and pure pleasure in depicting my new surroundings." Meeth Quarry is one of 48 nature reserves owned by the charity Devon Wildlife Trust. Tamasine Addie, Community Outreach Officer for the Trust's Northern Devon Nature Improvement Area project, said: "Peter's work is wonderful. It beautifully captures the spirit and wild atmosphere of Meeth Quarry nature reserve. It's just the kind of connection we hoped people in the local community would make with this place. Peter's art may be one man's vision of the reserve, however it's a vision that he very much wants to share. We think his work will really help people see the landscape at Meeth Quarry and appreciate it in a different way. It may even encourage people's own artistic responses to this wonderful place." Tamasine continued: "Peter is working on the first of what we hope will be a series of paintings and studies that showcase elements of the nature reserve in a new light. When complete, we plan to make these accessible with, perhaps, a local show of work or may be even on the nature reserve itself." At the moment you can see a selection of Peter Baker's pen and wash depictions of Meeth nature reserve at the Society of Graphic Fine Art's website www.sgfa.org.uk or see them at the Northern Devon Nature Improvement Area website, www.northerndevonnia.org where you can also find out more about the NIA project and its links with local communities. 

'Meeth Quarry Works' - (Image copyright Peter Baker , all rights reserved)

'Autumn' -  (Image copyright Peter Baker , all rights reserved)