Berrynarbor-News.co.uk

Well the New Year is under way and one of the immediate challenges facing the PCC is the need to obtain grants for the church roof and associated masonry repair work to be carried out. This has been a very long process from the preparation of Grant Requests which have to be presented in the most detailed format complete with a Parish Profile, project costings, building quotes and goodness knows what else - all to focus on not only Church Charities but many other major business organisations throughout the land. The response from most of these charities has been painfully slow - with some organisations unable to respond with a decision. in some cases, between 6 and 9 months. However, having had to prepare all of the above, I shall continue to persevere - with hopefully some light at the end of the tunnel.

The PCC will continue its fund-raising efforts into 2018 and these will be announced as the year progresses.

During the recent gales in this region, we have had a couple of large branches break off from trees, one of which fell into the road just short of the church steps. Thank goodness nobody was hurt and there was no damage to vehicles passing or parked! It took four people to lift this particular branch, which has now been cut up. Quite clearly, we cannot, nor anyone else, predict when a branch might shear off any tree, but we have taken immediate steps to have the trees immediately behind the churchyard wall and railings thoroughly inspected, and then trimmed accordingly to make things as safe as possible. Our Insurance Company has been advised as to the event described above, and they are happy for us to take these precautionary steps.

At our PCC meeting in January, I announced that I shall be retiring from playing the organ for Church Services at the end of July this year. Having played nearly 1,400 services since 1998, including many services at St. Peter's at Combe Martin, the time has come to retire! So, we shall need an organist to take over from August onwards. Please contact me on 01271-883893 if you are interested.

A special 3-tier candle stand for anyone who wishes to light a candle to remember a relative or someone who is perhaps ill at home or in hospital, has kindly been provided by Sue Neale. It stands adjacent to the font at the rear of the Church. There have been many requests from parishioners and visitors to have such a stand and it is hoped that this will be well received by everyone.

We should like to thank our Secretary, Jean Pell, for her hard work over the last few years and wish Jean and her husband Peter a happy move to be near their family in Westbury. We shall, therefore, be needing a new Secretary at the earliest opportunity. If you would like to take on this position, please speak to anyone on the PCC or telephone Sue or me on 883893.

Easter is upon us and Good Friday, 30th March, will be remembered with an Hour of Devotion Service commencing at 2.00 p.m. Easter Sunday will be celebrated on the 1st April with the Service commencing at 11.00 a.m. when we hope that Berrynarbor School may be involved and we look forward to seeing you all on this special day.

We remember the sad passing of Hedy Belka in February and send our sincere condolences to her family. Hedy, who was so kind and helpful and came from Austria many years ago with her husband Josef, was one of our congregation for many years before entering a care home in Barnstaple. Hedy, or Hedwig which was her Austrian name, will be remembered with great fondness and her ashes will be laid alongside her husband Josef and their son in Berrynarbor Churchyard.

All Church Services commence at 11.00 a.m. and are as follows: 1st Sunday: Village Service 2nd Sunday: Holy Communion 3rd Sunday: Songs of Praise 4th Sunday: Holy Communion

Please note that there will be a Joint Service at Berrynarbor on Sunday, 29th April. at 11.00 a.m.

Further to a visit today, 27th February 2018, from the Highways Department following up a complaint they had received with reference to the wall I am building along part of the front of my property, I should like to point out that the location of the wall and the continuation of the curb stones to the remaining frontage of my property, are following the line as agreed by them before I finalised the purchasing of the property originally known as the carpenter's workshop.

Should anyone within the area close to my property, or beyond, have a concern with the building of the wall, please do not hesitate to contact me when I should be more than happy to show you the plans I am working to and explain the reason for building the wall.

It was with sadness we learnt that Gordon Hughes had passed away peacefully at Pinehurst Care Home, Ilfracombe, on the 3rd February aged 90 years. A much-loved husband, father and brother, he will be greatly missed by Mary and their daughter, Liane, all his family and many friends, and our thoughts are with them all at this sad time.

Gordon and Mary have been an active part of our village for many years, living at Fair Rising before moving to Combe Martin just a few years ago.

Gordon came to live in Berrynarbor with his wife, Mary, and his daughter, Liane, following his retirement from the Royal Marines. During his 22 years, Gordon had seen active service both in Palestine and the Near East. The family lived in the village from 1967 and Gordon worked in Ilfracombe at Bonus Tapes and later at Pall UK.

Many people will have known Gordon as an avid fisherman as he loved to spend time fishing out at sea or from the rocks at Watermouth and Combe Martin. As a keen snooker player, he was for many years the Chairman of the Berrynarbor Men's Institute and helped to run the bar.

Following many happy years in the village, Gordon and Mary moved to Combe Martin in 2012 in order to be able to walk on the level to the shops and tend to a smaller garden. Despite failing health, he enjoyed the company of his many friends and retained his happy disposition and wicked sense of humour for which he is remembered fondly by the staff at Pinehurst Care Home, where he was looked after with much kindness, care and compassion and for which the family are very grateful.

Gordon's funeral was held at Barnstaple Crematorium on the 21st February where a fitting tribute was paid to him by the Royal Marines Association, who attended the funeral with a bugler to play the Last Post and provide a Guard of Honour.

The family would like to thank the many friends who have been so supportive at this sad time and all those who have sent kind messages of sympathy.

How sad it was to learn that after a couple of years spent at Park Lane Care Home in Barnstaple, Hedy had passed away peacefully on the 14th February.

Hedy and her husband, Josef, who sadly passed away in January 2002, were always active participants in village life, particularly with the Horticultural and Craft Show and Berry in Bloom, and Josef was an original member of the group that first produced the Newsletter in 1989. It was always a welcome sight to see Hedy walking her little dog around the village.

Hedwig, or Hedy as she is known, was born on 4th August 1930 in Vienna. Growing up during the war years clearly left a mark, although through her life she chose to keep events she witnessed private, and only during the latter years when memories began to trouble her were those memories shared.

It is thought that she moved to England during the winter of 1950 / 1951, and whilst working in a hotel in Lyme Regis she met Josef and so began a relationship that lasted over 50 years.

Josef was always very much the life and soul of the party. They were an ideal match with Hedy being happy to take a back seat most of the time, although "No Josef" was often heard when she felt his antics had exceeded her acceptable level!

They were married in London on 4th December 1951 and established homes with their family at a number of addresses, including two, now prestigious and sought-after properties in Central London, Bletchley and Northolt before moving and retiring to Blue Mist, their cottage in Berrynarbor in 1987.

Hedy and Josef had four children and as they grew, Hedy obviously decided to stretch herself. Certificates for an A grade pass in English GCE and also for typing at 35 words per minute were found with her possessions.

They loved the village life, especially Berry in Bloom and Best Kept Village and the Horticultural and Craft Show, opening their beautiful garden on Open Garden days. After Josef died in 2002, Hedy maintained the garden so it could continue to be opened. She was clearly an able gardener.

Josef took delight in surprising Hedy with 50th wedding anniversary celebrations, culminating with a meal for over 50 people in the Globe.

Hedy also enjoyed going out walking on various parts of Exmoor. Something she did with Josef but continued with a local walking group and with her family when they visited. She especially enjoyed walking from Hunters Inn to Heddons Mouth, which she did for many years, with all the dogs, Scooby, Brandy, Ringo and Jacko all being introduced to this walk. After the walk, when back at Hunters Inn, she would always enjoy a drink, "But only a half, thank you".

Hedy and Josef were proud of their children and were delighted when the first of 3 grandchildren was born in 1979. More recently Hedy was delighted to meet the first of her great-grandchildren.

Always one to do things properly, Hedy became a regular attender at St Peters in Berrynarbor, and even with many years' experience of life, she felt it appropriate to complete the Alpha Course. That was just the way she was.

As life became more difficult Hedy moved to Park Lane Care home in Barnstaple. A popular resident with the staff, she continued living in her own private way to the end.

It was with sadness we learnt that Jenny had passed away at the North Devon Hospice on the 28th February - the sad loss of a kind and wonderful mum, nan, sister and wife. Our thoughts are with Martin and all the family at this sad time.

Although living in Combe Martin, Jenny involved herself here in Berrynarbor, participating in classes and kindly volunteering at our Village Shop.

Partners for 23 wonderful years, at Christmas when they were in the hospital, Jenny and Martin sealed their love for one another by exchanging vows and rings.

Martin would like to thank everyone for their kind messages of sympathy and for joining him in saying good-bye to Jenny at the service on the 14th March.

Well, there's not a lot I can say about my dad that hasn't been said before, his life story has been well documented. I think my cousin Peter's Eulogy sums it up well.

"As Ron's nephew, Peter, and on behalf of Sheila, Tony and all the family, I've been asked to welcome you all today to celebrate Ron's life. A long life, a contented life, living here in Berry with Gladys, Sheila and Raymond.

"Ron always said he had never needed to travel because he had everything he needed right here in Berrynarbor. Berry was Ron and Ron was Berry. Testament to that was the turnout to celebrate his 100th birthday. It seems it was only yesterday that the whole of Berry turned out to celebrate this milestone with Ron. The Manor Hall was packed with villagers and friends enjoying a proper Devon tea and a lot of reminiscing. His arrival in a carriage pulled by two shire horses to the sound of the church bells, was something that all of us, I am sure, will never forget.

"Ron's life here in Berrynarbor has been well documented. There was the Long Service Award for Agriculture from the Devon Show. An article in Village Life and more recently, The Book of Berrynarbor, the real life story spanning 100 years.

"For a quiet, contented, unassuming man who loved his family, his work on the same farm and most of all his village life, Ron really made an impact on us all and will be sadly missed by all."

As was dad's wish, he died only yards from where he was born over 101 years ago, in the village he so loved.

Tony, myself and our family, wish to thank all the people who sent us cards with such kind words and lovely tributes to dad, such a great comfort to us at this sad time. Thanks also to those who attended the funeral service and the cremation, and, of course, to the staff at Lee Lodge who looked after him so well for nearly ten years.

To date, the donations have exceeded £500 and we intend to purchase a bench to be situated in the village, dedicated to his memory. Any monies left over will be donated to the Newsletter.

We shall certainly miss dad, but as Judie so aptly said in the previous Newsletter, "We couldn't keep him for ever!"

Life, believe, is not a dream, So dark as sages say;
Oft a little morning rain, Foretells a pleasant day.
Sometimes there are clouds of gloom, But these are transient all;
If the shower will make the roses bloom, O why lament its fall?
Rapidly, merrily, Life's sunny hours flit by,
Gratefully, cheerily, Enjoy them as they fly!
What though Death at times steps in, And calls our Best away?
What though sorrow seems to win, O'er hope, a heavy sway?
Yet Hope again elastic springs, Unconquered, though she fell;
Still buoyant are her golden wings, Still strong to bear us well.
Manfully, fearlessly, The day of trial bear,
For gloriously, victoriously, Can courage quell despair!

Sheila, nee Bowden, and sister to the late Michael, passed away in January, as reported in the February Newsletter.

Sheila and I met when we were 17, and so we have been married a very long time, in fact since my 21st birthday.

Sheila was brought up on the family farm on the edge of the beautiful village of Berrynarbor. For family reasons, at the age of 13 she went to live with an aunt and uncle in industrial Yorkshire. She always had great

affection for the farm though, loved the animals, especially Dolly, the horse she claimed as her own almost as soon as she could walk. In recent years her mind often lived in those times.

For reasons beyond her control, she was not able to go on to higher education, in spite of her qualifications, but concentrated on caring for our young son and supported me in what I wanted to do, including going to university at the ripe old age of 27, and living with our 3-year-old son in a basement flat in Bristol. The bath was in the kitchen, Doug slept in what amounted to a walk-in cupboard and we had an outside loo kept from freezing in the winter with a hurricane lamp. Sheila got a reduced rent from your landlady in return for doing the garden.

My career in Probation took us to Manchester where we bought our first house and where we stayed for 7 years. We moved back to Devon after my father died to be nearer my mother and we lived in Brixham, where Sheila established and ran their first Citizen's Advice Bureau. She also worked for Torbay Social Services and for Social Services in Southampton, which was our next move. We finally took root in

Sheila had many interests; she loved dogs and horses and took evening classes in sociology, English literature, languages and upholstery, not forgetting gardening. She knew the regular and Latin names of pretty well every plant and could turn an empty garden into a jungle almost overnight!

But our life has not been all work and we have enjoyed many holidays both in the British Isles and Europe.

We've had a good life together and it's so sad to be saying goodbye, but in spite of the excellent care she received at Kings Lodge Nursing Home, Sheila's life had really become no life at all. She is now at rest. Her ashes will be scattered on land in North Devon which she cherished.

Where did January and February go? I am writing this on the first day of March which is the beginning of spring for the Met. Office. There is a blizzard blowing and a temperature of -2.7 deg C, a good start to spring!

I mentioned in my last report about the snowdrops and primroses being out, in this article I was going to mention having daffodils and tulips in flower but now they look very sad, what I can see of them under the snow.

Looking back to January, which is a month of considerable variation on rainfall, I recorded 125.6mm. My average is 152 mm. The wettest January I have recorded was 1995 at 318 mm and the driest was in 1997 at only 14 mm. The temperatures were nothing unusual, with a high of 13.1 deg C on the 24thand a low of -1.4 deg C on the 12th. The wind speeds were consistently higher throughout the month, my maximum in the Valley was 48mph from the south, this was during storm Georgina. The lowest wind chill was -1.9 deg C on the 11th. I see the sunshine hours were 15.59 the average since 2003 is 10.93.

Rolling on into February, the total rainfall of 45.8 mm was the driest I have on record apart from 1998 at 32 mm. The wettest day was the 13th with 7.8 mm of rain. My recorded average highest temperature for February is 12.42 deg C. This year the average was 7.3 deg C. for the month. The minimum average of 1.15 deg C is higher than over the past years' at

-1.5 deg C. Wind speeds were generally much lower than January with a maximum gust of 38mph on the 10th. I have not said a lot about snow fall over the last few years apart from mentioning I had seen snow falling, but not a recordable amount. I can now say that I observed snow falling on 4 days during February, not sufficient to record the amounts earlier in the month but on the 27th I measured 18mm and on the 28th, 37mm. Looking at the February sunshine hours total of 56.48, this is the second highest recorded, only surpassed by 2015 at 57.70 hours.

Another great evening of delicious soups and scrumptious puddings. A massive Thank You to those who helped to make this evening so special. Wonderful food and raffle prizes donated, a smashing quiz by Phil and lots of help with setting up and putting away. I wouldn't have happened without you generous people.

The following donations have been made: £200 to Berrynarbor School, £250 to the Manor Hall Trust, £100 to Berrynarbor Pre-school, £250 to the Devon Air Ambulance and £125 to Amigos Charity [for 2 bicycles].

February the 9th was another successful and fun quiz and supper evening which raised a wonderful £745 for Berry in Bloom. Thanks to Phil for the Quiz, the cooks for the delicious food, the raffle prize donators and everyone who came to enjoy the evening.

A big thank you to everyone who joined the Craft Group in an afternoon of knitting and nattering in aid of the North Devon Hospice. 3 large bags of colourful knitted strips and a cheque for £230 were delivered to grateful staff at the Hospice.

While it will take a coordinated worldwide effort to clean up and protect our oceans for future generations, our Village Shop is trying to make a local difference by working with its suppliers to try to reduce the amount of plastic used for packaging. The shop has also now replaced its clear plastic bags in which customers put their fruit and vegetables for paper ones.

The shop has also now registered with the national 'Refill' campaign and will be offering a free topping up of tap water for drinking water bottles for walkers, visitors etc. "We're going to do everything we can to reduce our plastic

footprint," says Debbie Thomas. "It won't happen overnight and it's going to take a lot of co-operation from and leader-ship by our suppliers."

Today, according to Greenpeace, an estimated 12.7 million See the source image

tonnes of man-made plastic - everything from plastic bottles, bags and microbeads - end up in our oceans each year.

Travelling on ocean currents, this plastic is now turning up in every corner of our planet - from our beautiful North Devon beaches to uninhabited Pacific islands. And recently, it has even been found trapped in Arctic ice. Plastic is now entering every level of the ocean food chain and eventually ending up in the seafood on our plates.

So, while our Village Shop may just be a tiny part of the jigsaw, it is determined to do its bit wherever and whenever it can.

The shop is now stocking an exciting new range of Devon-made chocolate bars - they're sugar free and proving very popular indeed! The range, called Discover, is made by the Discover Confectionery company based near Simonsbath on Exmoor.

The bars come in a range of tempting flavours, including Raspberry and Cranberry, Cinnamon, Coffee and Cardamom, Fig and Cashew, Cherry and Walnut and Milk Chocolate. And if you have a particular favourite flavour that is not on their current list - email your suggestion to them, at www.discoverchocolatebars.com and they might just add it to their list. Pop in and try some soon. You'll love them!

6th May in the Manor Hall. Please remember to sow a few extra seeds and take cuttings for your donated plants. These can be delivered to the hall on the Sunday morning - the plant sale opens at 2.00 p.m.

KABANTU

Thursday 17th May 7.30 p.m.

The Stable Barn, Bodstone Barton, Berrynarbor.

Doors open 6.45 p.m., Bar and BBQ.

Tickets £7.50 adults, £5 under 16, £22.50 family

from Village Shop or 01271-267850

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Come and join us for a fantastic night of music in the barn up at Bodstone Barton, just on the edge of Berrynarbor, with a Beaford Arts Production on Thursday,17th May.

Kabantu is a quintet from Manchester who combine vocal harmonies from South Africa with the rhythms of Celtic reels, Brazilian samba and Balkan folk song.

Kabantu use their music to bridge countries and cultures creating a glorious exuberant sound.

In aid of the Village Shop's 10th Anniversary celebrations tickets are on sale now. There will be a BBQ - burgers and hot dogs - and bar and great music.

So, come and enjoy some real village fun and world music right on your own door step

After all the bad weather finally 'Spring has Sprung' with cheery daffodils and primroses around the village and this means the Berry in Bloom year has begun.

We had our annual meeting at the beginning of March and talked about our plans for the coming year, set some dates for litter picks, debated whether to run the open gardens again this year - to be decided in May.

The bedding plants are ordered from Jigsaw. Our finances are healthy, thanks to the generous support for our fund-raising events, and although we are always looking for new volunteers, hopefully we shall be able to get GOLD again for Berrynarbor.

The Berry in Bloom team love the village, and if you do too and would be interested in joining our friendly band of helpers for a little planting, weeding and tea drinking etc., please contact Wendy Applegate on 07436811657

This is an indulgent chocolate cake with an Easter twist that will serve 8-12 people for tea. It's easy to make so go on and spoil yourself.

Heat the oven to 180C/gas mark 4. Grease and line 2 x 20 cm sandwich tins. Put the 100g dark chocolate in a bowl over a saucepan of barely bubbling water to melt [do not let the bowl touch the water].

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder and baking powder. Stir in the sugar, add the butter and rub together until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.

Whisk together the eggs, melted chocolate, milk and vanilla. Pour into the flour mixture and mix well. Divide the mixture equally between the sandwich tins and bake for 25-30 minutes until springy to the touch.

Leave the cakes to cool in the tins for 10 minutes then finish cooling on a wire rack. At this point the cakes could be wrapped in cling film and frozen for finishing later on.

For the ganache put the chopped creme eggs and cream into a bowl over a saucepan of barely bubbling water to melt again do not let the bowl touch the water. Remove from the heat, stir briefly and leave to cool for at least 1 hour, or until thick enough to spread.

Meanwhile, for the filling whip the double cream with the icing sugar to medium peaks then stir through the chopped creme eggs.

Assemble the cake by placing one of the sponges on a plate or cake stand. Spread the cream filling over the cake and place the second cake on top and spread with the ganache. Now decorate with the remaining 3 eggs cut in half and slightly oozing their filling and the mini eggs.

At Berrynarbor Pre-school we provide care and education for young children between the ages of 2 and 5. Presently we have spaces available and are now taking bookings for the next academic year.

If you would like to book a place for your child/children, then please visit us or call us on 07932 851052, or e-mail preschoolberrynarbor@gmail.com for more information. Our opening times are 8.30 a.m. to 4.00 p.m., Monday to Friday. We are flexible and have a range of session times to meet your needs and these are given in the Manor Hall Diary later in this Newsletter.

We are Ofsted registered and in receipt of the 2-year-old funding and Early Years Entitlement. We are offering 30 hours free childcare to eligible families. Further information can be found at

For our topic of learning for this term, we have focused on Maths; counting, recognising numbers and learning about shapes. Our activities have been based around stories such as Thomas the Tank Engine, Goldilocks and the Three Bears and Julia Donaldson's A Squash and a Squeeze.

We have included many counting and rhyming songs. The children have also enjoyed other Maths concepts such as measuring each other, weighing out porridge oats, using positional language, and identifying and recognising numbers.

Our children have enjoyed visiting Berrynarbor Primary school; playing with the Reception Class children, exploring new resources such as the classroom's white board and meeting some of the teachers. We have also joined the Reception Class for sessions of Relax Kids where "the children leave a class feeling calm, confident and positive, with a new set of skills they can use to keep them happy and calm at school and at home".

A big thank you to all who supported our Quiz Night. It was lots of fun and a great way to raise funds for our setting. The grand total raised was £397. Thank you!

Bag2School will be collecting from Pre-school on Thursday, 3rd May. Please collect a bag or bags from preschool then bring your filled bag or bags to the Preschool before the above date and help us have a really good collection! More bags are avaliable at preschool, so please tell your family and friends and have a good sort out of your wardrobs and draws and raise money at the same time for our preschool. In our last clothes collection we raised £100.00 which went towards children resources and activities.

Our Organist at St. Peter's Church, Stuart Neale, has announced that he will be retiring at the end of July. Stuart has played for nearly 1,400 services since 1998, including many services at Combe Martin, and has been Choirmaster at Berrynarbor since 2000. Fast approaching his 78th year, he feels that the time has come to stop, although he will be playing for weddings and funerals for this year, but not for church services.

It is an enjoyable but time-consuming task, not so much the playing but in the organising of the music and the running of the Choir week in, week out!

Stuart studied Piano at college, many years ago, before taking on the organ, so it is possible for a pianist to come forward. Although a church organ is obviously different from a piano, converting to the organ need not be a huge challenge. Stuart would be more than happy to help familiarise anyone who wishes to take over this role and to help and advise on the structure of some of the church services.

So, if there is anyone out there who would be happy and willing to take over this post after July or would like more information, please contact Stuart at the earliest opportunity on [01271] 883893.

This winter has seen its fair share of extreme weather. First, we had the flooding followed by the 'Beast from the East' and with it heavy snowfall. We hope you all managed to stay safe and warm during these periods. Thank you to all the volunteers who helped during the inclement weather with a special thank you to our Flood Wardens, Councillors Julia Fairchild and Jenny Beer, our Snow Warden, Councillor Adrian Coppin, and the Chairman of the Parish Council, Councillor Adam Stanbury, who have all been out during these periods helping to manage the effects. Our Wardens try to help those in need or areas severely affected by the extreme weather first, if you consider yourself vulnerable please do get in touch with the Parish Council so our Wardens can identify and prioritise those in need of assistance during these periods.

The Parish Council has recently supported an application from the Manor Hall Trust to the Town and Parish Fund for money towards the purchase of a sound system and we are pleased to say that the application has been successful.

As reported in the last Newsletter, we can now confirm that the Parish Council's Project to replace the old bus shelter on the A399 came third place under the Tesco Bags of Help Scheme and we have been awarded £1,000 towards to the project. We are in the process of applying for further funding and hope to be able to start the project in the near future. Thank you to everyone that voted in the Ilfracombe Tesco Store.

The Parish Paths' Annual Surveys have once again been completed by our Footpath Officers. We are pleased to say that most of our Footpaths have passed and any issues observed have been reported to Public Rights of Way at Devon County Council.

It was noted at the recent Parish Council meeting that the benches in the Manor Hall Play Area are looking a little tired. If anyone is considering the purchase of a Memorial Bench and would like to site it within the village, perhaps you might consider the replacement of a bench in the Manor Hall Play Area with the Memorial Bench.

Unusually, February's meeting for the Wine Circle was cancelled. The white weather intervened somewhat and as our speaker was from the Wine Beer Supermarket, Roscoff in Brittany, it was agreed by all parties that North Devon on a snowy Wednesday evening may not be the best place to be! Chris Bullimore travels between the UK and France frequently and offered to present to us all on April 18th; the weather should be dry and sunny by then!

As the planned timetable had to change, Berry Bros and Rudd wines will be presented, by Geoff and myself, a month earlier, on March 21st. This company began in 1698, in London and occupies, still, its St James Street premises. They are Britain's original wine and spirit merchant and have supplied our Royal Family since the reign of King George III. A great deal has been achieved, and, therefore, we should be fortunate enough to taste some great wines!

May's meeting, May 16th, will begin with our AGM, which will be complete but brief. This will be followed by Radio Devon's Wine Wizard, Nigel Pound. This meeting will be the last one of the 2018-19 season.

Well, what an interesting Spring Term it has been with many different activities on the go, including swimming lessons at Ilfracombe pool for all except the Reception children, gymnastics in Barnstaple for Year 4 children, trips out to both Exeter and Combe Martin Wild Life Park, developments in the playground and, of course, three days closure due to snow! In amongst all that, the children and staff have been getting on with all the everyday things that make up school life.

When we visited Exeter, we went to St Peter's cathedral. It looked old and crumbly. We were split into two groups and had a tour guide. He took us on an amazing tour. We saw a massive organ and some amazing chambers. Outside there were statues. One was of incredible St. Peter. The other statues were of angels and people from the Bible. Lots of the chambers had people buried in them so people could honour them. They had a cathedral cat that guarded the clock. On the way out we saw a massive Lego model of the cathedral. They have been building it for three years. We then drew pictures of famous St Peter's Cathedral. We then walked to the museum to find out about Egypt and the rare Egyptian tomb of Shepenmut. There were lots of rare Egyptian items and hieroglyphic writing on the walls. The Egyptian things were very special. After we had seen all the Egyptian things we went to the shop and bought a few things. When we had finished we were all tired but amazed. Emma and Fiona

is a team of children from year 2 to year 6. We have meetings every Thursday to discuss what is best for our school. The reason we have school council is to make our school a better place. In our meetings we discuss loads of different things to improve our school. Some of the things we talk about are: fund raisers, how to save money, playground development and much more. In our meetings Mrs. Gill helps us discuss everything. We also have a suggestions box that anyone in the whole school can pop a note in about things they want to happen or things they are concerned about. We all feel proud that we are on the school council and that we are making a difference to our wonderful school.

Women's' World Day of Prayer We were going to use excerpts from this service (prepared by ladies in Suriname) in our assembly on 2nd March. Its theme of looking after our world is applicable to our school as we try to reduce, recycle and reuse our refuse. Unfortunately, we were closed on the day due to snow. However, we are hoping to use the material in future assemblies.

his event on 1st March was another that was snowed off. We held it the following week and had a great day celebrating and enjoying books. There were many different characters in school as pupils and staff dressed up as their favourite book character. The children had the opportunity for an extended time of story writing, a rare luxury in the everyday, crowded curriculum. There was also a Book Swap where children brought in a book they had enjoyed but no longer needed and swapped it for one they had not yet read.

We are currently redeveloping part of our playground area to provide a variety of areas for play. We are very grateful to the Round Table who have given a generous donation to pay for the materials for a climbing wall. The P.T.F.A. have committed all monies raised this year to go towards the playground improvements, so please support their events as much as you can.

There are still many other items that we are looking for: clean guttering / pipes, wood, tyres, paint [suitable for outdoors], kitchen equipment to use in mud kitchens - measuring jugs, sieves, bowls, pots and pans, utensils etc., cable reels, palettes, toys such as vehicles, happyland, animals, people, bricks, plastic crates, etc.

If you are able to donate anything on the list it would be much appreciated. We are also looking for people to donate some time to help build, paint and improve the playgrounds. If you are able to lend a hand, or want to find out more, please talk to the staff in the school office.

The West Berry Federation is convening an Ethos and Vision Committee to set and implement the vision for both schools and to celebrate and underpin Berrynarbor School's Christian distinctiveness.
We should like to welcome a member of the community to join this committee as the ethos and vision of the school reaches not just the pupils, staff and parents but also out into the wider community.
If you are interested or wish to hear more about this please contact stanburyn@westberryfederation.org.uk

It is with regret that Fremington Homes has had to close Lee Lodge after 13 years.

It was opened to provide a care facility to local people who wanted to have a "Home from Home" experience in the latter years of their lives.

Unfortunately, it has proven to be a major problem to safely staff this home. We have had an amazing team of care staff for a long time but as some get older and have reduced their hours, we have had difficulties in recruitment in this area and it has become impossible to find more staff.

We struggled through in the hope of keeping Ron Toms in his beloved Berrynarbor and I am so grateful to all the staff who cared for him so well over the 10 years he was with us. We had some very special times at Lee Lodge, with Ron's parties and all of you supporting him and the Lodge.

We have eleven other Lodges in North Devon, our nearest Lodge to Berrynarbor is The Warren at Knowle, this can be viewed on our website. We are also very excited to announce our new Lodge being built in Landkey. www.fremingtonhomes.co.uk

If there is anyone reading this who fancies a career in care, we provide excellent training. We also love volunteers to do crafts and games with our tenants.

Lee Lodge is now sadly on the market.

Thank you for your support over the years.

Shane Stevens [07769 653 477

Although we don't have a dog now due to our ages, being unable to exercise them, we have had the enjoyment of their company for many years in the past.

Our first little dog was Mandy and we bought her for two pounds in Romford Market. She was said to be a cross between a cairn and a spaniel but was more like Heinz 57 Varieties! I trained her to walk to heel, sit at the kerb and trust me. That is to say, I would leave her just over the brow of a hill and walk away, when she could not see me until I called her. One day when we had the radio on, there was a brass band playing and Mandy decided to join in with a howl! After that we managed to train her to sing to order and friends would be amused as they could say, "Come on, Mandy, sing us a little song" - and she would. On one occasion she got too close to our pet rabbit and it bit her on the nose, leaving a scar.

Sadly, Mandy died having an operation. Two weeks later the vet rang us to say she had a Labrador bitch and four pups to put down and might we like to come and see them. When we arrived, the vet came out with a bundle of pups, some with fluffy bottoms up. Guess what? We now had a Labrador pup.

She is the one in the picture. Like most Labradors, she liked swimming and I would take her on long walks down to Goldhanger, near Maldon [in Essex] to the river Blackwater, where we both enjoyed a swim.

At a certain time of the tide, mud flats form in islands. Throwing a stick on to one of these, Puzzle would plunge in, swim across, search for the stick and bring it back - what lovely fun! Puzzle lived a long, active and good life.

Our eldest son worked off-shore and we looked after his Labrador, Bonny, every time he worked away. Eventually he gave her to us, but sadly we lost her to cancer.

Our next dog, another Labrador, was very difficult to train - we almost gave up! However, after a while we got through to her and she became a lovely dog. Her name was Bessie. She was very intelligent and I only had to say, "My feet are killing me," and she would go off and get a slipper. I would then say, "I have got two feet you know!" At that she would fetch the other one. At the sight of her comb in my hand, she would jump up on a bench outside to be groomed.

Looking through some old family photos recently, I came across this one of my grandmother and two of her sisters and thought you might be interested in their stories.

This photograph was taken just before the outbreak of the First World War and shows the three eldest daughters of William and Ellen Draper of Berrynarbor.

Florence May. I understand she'd been in service to the Bassett family at Watermouth and Barnstaple. but a few weeks after this photo was taken she married her cousin Frederick John Draper of Combe Martin, aka Uncle Jack Draper, later of Berrynarbor.

In September 1914, at the time of her marriage, she was a live-in house servant at Beech Leigh, Berrynarbor.

A month later, Uncle Jack enlisted in G Company of the 6th Devonshire Regiment, mainly made up with men from North Devon. In early 1915, Jack was on a troopship heading for Karachi, India, then north by train to Lahore and Amritsar, and finally stationed at Dalhousie near the Kashmir border. But in less than six months, and amalgamated into the Anglo-India regiments now collectively known as the Poona Division, he was heading to Mesopotamia. There they engaged the Ottoman armies at the battle of Es-sinn; apparently the battle lasted only a few days but with many casualties, mainly in the Ottoman armies. One of Uncle Jack's comrades, Pte. Jimmy Easterbrook from Ashford near Barnstaple, was shot through the neck and survived after being carried to a field hospital by Pte. Fred Shaddick of Barnstaple. Both later returned home safely.

Uncle Jack and his regiment went back to India in January 1916, remaining there for the rest of the war years. He was de-mobbed in the summer of 1919 from the Garrison Battalion, Ox and Bucks Light Infantry, returning to North Devon to set up home with Florence in Combe Martin, later moving into Ferndale Cottage in Berrynarbor Village, where they lived for the rest of their lives. Florence lived into her sixties and Uncle Jack to the grand old age of ninety-eight.

My Great Aunt Hilda, sat on the right side of the photo, was a little different from her two sisters. She was far less adventurous and more likely to be found in a kitchen scullery or small farmhouse dairy than a grand country house or estate.

The 1911 Census shows, at the age of fifteen Hilda was a live-in house servant at Widemouth Farm, for farmer William and Lucy Ley. In 1915 she did go away to work near London but didn't stay there very long apparently, as it was too busy and rather strict! The next ten years are a bit of a blank but by 1927 she was living and working as housekeeper for an elderly gentleman at Corfe Green near Knowle, which was part of the Buckland Farm Estate, Braunton. She worked there until 1932 when the old gentleman died. She then moved into Knowle village and became housekeeper to a widower, Mr. Lisbon Cordley, who worked at the coal yard at Knowle railway station. In 1933 they married but unfortunately the marriage didn't last very long and within a couple of years Hilda had returned to one of her father's cottages in Berrynarbor, now known as Olives, eventually to live with her younger sister. Hilda's husband, Lisbon, went back to Lincolnshire and his home town of Louth.

My Grandmother, Rosina, sat with the book on her lap, was born in January 1898 in Berrynarbor village like her older sisters. She once told me that she was born at their neighbours, in the blacksmith's shop, which was at the top end of Lower Town, sometimes referred to as Silver Street! June Greenaway mentions Silver Street in her Memoriam to her late mother, Vera Greenaway, in the August 2016 Newsletter. If June's great grandparents, Harry and Mary Camp, did live there in 1898, I can only guess that Mrs. Camp was in attendance at my grandmother's birth and there would be a close bond between the families.

Over the next few years Rosina learnt the skills of a dressmaker and seamstress, which stood her in good stead later in life. In 1915, at the age of seventeen, she and her older sister Hilda went to work at Luton Hoo, Bedfordshire. Luton Hoo was a grand country house and estate at that time, having 228 rooms and with large parks and gardens designed by Capability Brown. At the time it was owned by Sir Julius Wernher, who had diamond mines in South Africa and close connections with Edwardian royalty.

Rosina was in service there as a seamstress/domestic servant. Hilda was a domestic servant but returned home after a few months. My grandmother continued working there for five years. There, in 1919, she met her husband to be, Francis William Brookman, who had recently been de-mobbed from the Army Equine Veterinary Corps which he had joined at the start of the War near his home in Bristol. He had trained at Porlock before going to North West France. They married in October 1920 and returned to his home village of Burton, North Wiltshire, quite close to Great Badminton, the Duke of Beaufort's residence. She occasionally worked as a seamstress at Great Badminton and I remember her often saying that the jumble sales there were wonderful!

In 1925 they came back to live in Berrynarbor, by now having two little boys, Raymond and Frank. Raymond's name is on the War Memorial in the churchyard in Berrynarbor.
My Grandfather found work at Sandy Cove as caretaker come groundsman for the Singer family who apparently had large department stores in the Midlands. About 1928 the house was sold and bought by Mr. and Mrs. Rapkin who were from the Bournemouth area. They turned it into a hotel. He was joined by my grandmother who also worked in the hotel during the summer months. In the winter, while Mr. and

Mrs. Rapkin were away on their cruises, my grandparents would live in at the hotel keeping on their home in the village.

This I can remember well! My first Christmas in 1947 was spent at Sandy Cove! Over the following few years, many wonderful weekends and winter holidays were spent there. I can remember lots of funny tales and stories of happenings there. Maybe they could make a page or two in a future newsletter!

My Grandfather stayed working there until he retired in 1958, sadly passing away soon afterwards.

My Grandmother continued to live at Croft Lee until the early '70's when she moved back down to the village and into Jacob's Well, the centre cottage of the three that her father William Draper had purchased from the sales of Watermouth Castle in the 1920's for his daughters.

As I stood watching dogs and their humans gambolling over Ilfracombe Beach, Alex went missing. He had been checking out the cairn and mosaic just behind me, commemorating Jonathan Edwards' great achievement at the World Championships in Gothenburg in 1995.

Many folk have been engrossed in watching the recent Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, so it seems appropriate to remind ourselves of the prowess of this athlete, who lived with his family in Ilfracombe from 1976 to 1987. Little did I know when I hit upon the idea of writing about Jonathan, that he would be commentating at those same Olympics in his new role with Eurosport.

But let's start at the beginning. Jonathan was born in Westminster, London. on 10rh May 1966, the son of a Church of England vicar, Andy, and his wife, Jill.

The family moved to Ilfracombe in1976 and made their home in The Old Rectory - then known as St James Vicarage - and Jonathan was educated at West Buckland School. Here, even at an early age, he was spotted as an exceptional triple jumper [hop, skip and jump to non- participants!], but was a strong all-rounder and on leaving West Buckland, received the top accolade for sporting and academic excellence. If you are familiar with the school, you probably know Jonathan's name, as the Sports Hall is named after him.

He had strong Christian beliefs, which initially made him refuse to compete in athletic events on Sundays. This lost him the chance of taking part in the 1991 World Championships, although he had already won the World Cup in 1989 and a Commonwealth Games silver medal in 1990.

After much discussion with his father, by 1993 he changed his mind, feeling that God had given him talent to enable him to compete in athletics. This was a timely decision as in that year the qualifying round for the World Championships took place on a Sunday. He entered and won a Bronze Medal.

1995 was an exceptional year. At the European Cup in France, he produced the longest leap in history [18.43m/60' 5.5"], but because it was wind-assisted, it couldn't count as a record, but it was a sign of things to come.

The Triple Jump had an 18-metre barrier - until Jonathan broke it twice in the 1995 World Championships on August 7! In his first jump, he became the first man to legally pass the barrier with a jump of 18.16m [59' 7"]. That record lasted for 20 minutes because his second jump of 18.29m made him the first to jump 60 feet! He said later, when commentating for the BBC for the 2008 Olympics, that he had "felt he could jump as far as he needed to" on that date.

If you've not spotted Ilfracombe's tribute to this magnificent achievement, do go and see just how far 60 feet is and imagine having a go! This record still stands.

As World Champion, Jonathan was the hot favourite for the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. It was not to be. He was beaten by an American, Kenny Harrison, who managed 18.09m. Jonathan got silver, with a jump of 17.88m - the longest jump ever not to win gold. Undeterred, he went on to win a silver and bronze at two World Championships and was European Champion in 1998.

By the Sydney Olympics in 2000 he was already 34 years old, but although not achieving the record jumps, he was still a clear winner of the event, and won gold.

The next year he won gold at the Commonwealth Championships, but in 2002 he only came third in the 2002 European Championships. It was expected that he would enter the 2004 Olympics, but after a disappointing performance in the 2003 World Championships he decided to retire. With 14 medals for Great Britain to his credit, he was its most successful medal-winning athlete.

After his retirement, Jonathan took up a career in the media, working as a sports commentator and presenter for the BBC, and fronting some of its religious programmers, including Songs of Praise. He gave up the latter programme after losing his faith in 2007.

Jonathan also became a keen cyclist, and from 2012 covered the BBC cycle racing, and also the 2014 Winter Olympics. He went on to cover the Winter Paralympics for Channel 4 and in February 2016, after 13 years with the BBC, he let it be known that as from 2017 he would be the lead presenter with Eurosport.

Jonathan Edwards now lives with his wife, Alison, in Newcastle upon Tyne. They have two sons, Nathan and Sam.

As part of his mosaic memorial are Jonathan's words 'If you don't take off you never know where you will land'. He certainly landed in a spot that pleased everyone.

Ilfracombe - and West Buckland School - can be justly proud of this great athlete and media presenter.

Jonathan Edwards bearing the Olympic Torch through Ilfracombe, from his old home on

So it's a sad farewell to Horsey Island, its wildlife and the walks it provided: the level circular stroll around Horsey itself or as a route towards the delights of Crow Point, the sand dunes and the beach.

There was a breach in the outer bank of Horsey Island before Christmas. Attempts to plug the breach using local marine clay failed when this was swept away by the rising tides.

Severe flooding during the January storms caused Horsey Island to disappear under water. The historic Great Sluice was damaged and there were concerns about the inner bank holding and a threat of flooding extending to further parts of Braunton Marsh.

Because of high tides anticipated for February, the toll road was closed, in the interest of public safety, as there was the possibility of water coming over the top of Horsey's inner bank and flooding the road.

Funding has been promised by the Environment Agency and the Marsh Inspectors' Board but this will be confined to repairs to the sluice and the bank around it. The outer bank, however, is the responsibility of the landowner. So the future of Horsey Island - if it has a future - is far from certain.

Braunton Marsh and Horsey Island were once one large continuous salt marsh regularly inundated by tidal waters. The first stage of reclamation was completed in 1815 and in 1854 when the land, which became Horsey Island, was considered sufficiently fertile, the Great Sea Bank was constructed from the White House to Braunton Pill.

Over many years it has been one of our favourite walks. It was from the embankment path that we first saw little owls lining up on the exposed rafters of a barn roof and watched kingfishers diving from boats.

There were two grey seals we used to see so often we gave them names, Solomon Seal and Grace Seal. This was a completely fanciful bit of whimsey as we had no idea whether they were male or female, but we could distinguish them by their patterns of blotched and spotted markings. They would hang around men fishing from the shoreline or sun themselves on sandbanks. Happy days!

Watermouth Harbour, one of the most tranquil and unspoiled areas in Devon, is soon to have a boat cafe down at the slipway, in a truly magnificent position, enjoying breathtaking views.

Rob and Laura Lake have had a boat at the harbour for the past five years and enjoyed staying at their caravan at Watermouth Cove, even though they only live 20 minutes up the road! Seems crazy, but they are totally in love with the location and have made lots of friends there.

The harbour enjoys lots of holiday visitors, walkers on the footpath and most of all the boat owners. Everyone says how nice it would be to get a cup of tea or an ice cream. With Laura meeting the owner of the harbour one day in the summer the idea was cemented.0

The idea was originally thought to be from a boat so not to spoil the area, but other ideas were discussed too, such as a small caravan or something similar. The boat idea seemed very much out of reach as the costs and work involved were tremendous but Rob, who has been in the building trade for many years, thought he would enjoy the challenge. So, the necessary planning consents were sought and Watermouth Harbour Ltd. have been absolutely marvellous coming down to give advice.

The search for a boat was proving difficult from all angles. Too big, too small, too expensive! In the end a chance advert was spotted and the boat was in, yes, Watermouth! Even though it didn't seem a good idea from the outside, 'Toja' was very intriguing from the inside. Toja was built up country in the seventies. She was built in a shed on someone's land, then the shed had to be taken down to get her out! Her life became a rescue boat on the River Severn and spent her time towing broken down boats which is probably why she was named Toja! Her next job in life was to be a house boat on a canal but couldn't be finished, hence the sale.

She has, over the last few months, enjoyed a complete make over. Being 12 tonne, Nick Sampson was the man for the job moving her into position, which was exciting in itself. She had been lovingly made with 7mm steel, proving very difficult to cut with the angle grinder! She has hewed up many discs, and Rob realised he was on fire at one point! She has a fabulous old Gardner engine which had to be removed as it was so big, it then gave space for a kitchen. We are not talking the QE2 here but the boat is a lovely size, giving seating for about 12 inside with a cosy wood burner, very welcoming. It will certainly be a very popular winter walking stop as well as in the summer. There is plenty of seating outside to enjoy the goings-on of the harbour.

The business is very aptly named 'Storm in a Teacup' which is the weather that Rob and Laura have endured weekend after weekend doing her up.

Storm in a Teacup will open at Easter, or just before, serving breakfasts, lunches, damn good coffees and home-made cakes, and, of course, ice cream! The menu will evolve as there is only so much space on a boat, but you won't be disappointed!

Laura has had plenty of experience in the catering trade with her and Rob owning the deli in Butchers Row years ago and recently managing Marwood Hill Gardens Tea Room.

Her good friend of many years and fellow worker is Alison Osmond who had Passmores fish shop in Butchers Row for 20 years. Alison is a chef and certainly knows her fish! They have both had businesses all their lives.

Due to be launched on the 16th April, a new village website has been created as a central point of information for both residents and our many visitors. It is intended that in the months to come, the website will be developed to include more inter-active features.

So, should you wish to book the Manor Hall or see what special offers the Shop has each week, you can just check the website. If you want to know what the various groups in the village are up to, or need to find a local tradesman, the phone number of local B & B's, or see what's going on at the local pubs, we aim to provide ongoing and up-to-date information. There are also forums for various groups to keep in touch with each other.

Any urgent information - such as the Shop being open in the snow - will be on the home page. Groups who have their own pages have the ability to edit their own page details as they wish. Any group or organisation that would like to be included on the site, should go to the home page and follow the link provided.

To have a look at the site before it goes live type the following link www.berrynarborvillage.org into your browser top line as it will be hidden from search engines until the 16th April - so don't try to find it on Google before then! But do let us know if there is anything else you would like to see on the site.

This new site is a joint initiative between the Village Shop and the Manor Hall. Both Committees are extremely grateful to Terry Brett, who has provided all the technical know-how and is playing the key role in developing the site.

Louise Baddick, Jim Constantine, Karen Coppin [Treasurer], Phil Crompton, Alan Hamilton, Martin Johns,

Despite enduring a rather long and harsh winter, our dear old hall is still standing with so far, no new leaks or burst pipes. We have tried hard to keep it as warm as we can with our inadequate heating system, so unfortunately, we do expect some high bills to come in.

A big thank you to Be and Richard Gingell for their generous donation from the excellent Soup and Pud night, the money will go towards our new PA and sound system. The TAP funding application through the Parish Council was successful, so a big thank you to them for their continued support. These two windfalls will enable us to replace the sound system without using our own precious funds.

We have two professional dance teachers to take us through the steps of the style of your choice.

We still have two vacancies for Trustees. If you feel you could help the village and the Manor Hall in this way, or would like more information, please contact one of the Trustees above.

Finally, we wish Don, Edith and Karen all the very best and thank them sincerely for all the support they have given the Hall over the years.

Sunflower plants and seed potatoes will be on sale from Berrynarbor Village Shop in April, so come and buy them to enter the Show. We shall be aiming to get the full Show Programme out by the beginning of May and hope to get it online on the Village website.

"I knew something wonderful was going to happen, but I didn't think it was going to be this. Oh, my Daddy, my Daddy!"

So ends The Railway Children, probably the best-known children's novel by Edith Nesbit, a political activist, who published more than 40 books for children, including novels, collections of stories and picture books.

Edith Nesbit was born in London in 1858. Her father, an agricultural chemist, died in 1862 and due to her sister Mary's ill health, with tuberculosis, the family were unsettled, not only living in various places in this country but also in France, Spain and Germany.

When Edith was 17 the family moved back to London, where at 18, she met and married Hubert Bland. Although their marriage was a

troubled one, it survived until Hubert died in 1914. Bland engaged in several extra-marital affairs including one with Edith's friend, Alice Hoatson.

Edith had three children: Paul [1880-1940], Iris [1881-1950's] and Fabian [1885-1900], as well as adopting Rosamund and John, Bland's children by Alice Hoatson, who remained with them as a housekeeper and secretary.

Due to her success as a writer, the Blands were able to enjoy financial stability, and in 1899 the family moved to Well Hall, Eltham, a 3-storey house surrounded by orchards and farmland which was their home for 22 years.

Edith was a very gregarious and generous person, hosting parties at Well Hall for their many literary friends such as George Bernard Shaw, H.G. Wells and other members of the Fabian Society of which they were founder members.

Their son, Fabian, named after the Society, died in 1900 at the age of 15, following an operation at their home to remove his tonsils. The doctor, believing the operation to be successful, left, but Fabian never woke up from the anaesthetic. It later transpired that he had choked on his own vomit as a result of his parents forgetting that he was forbidden to eat for 24 hours before the operation. Edith was inconsolable and tried to overcome her grief, and possibly guilt, by writing, and in Five Children and It, it is Fabian's fictional alter ego Robert, mischievous, ingenious, adored who steals the limelight.

The First World War and Hubert's death in 1914 changed the family's fortunes but prior to moving to her beloved Kent, Edith found solace and happiness with the Captain of the Woolwich Ferry, Thomas Tucker, whom she married in 1917 at Woolwich. Together they built a home at St. Mary's Bay, Dymchurch, where in May 1924 Edith died. Her final resting place is in St. Mary in the Marsh's churchyard, marked by a wooden grave marker made by Thomas. There is also a memorial plaque in the church. Thomas died eleven years later, with Edith's adopted daughter, Rosamund, at his side.

Victoria Cranfield of The Proper Marmalade Company believes that every properly made marmalade begins with whole fresh fruit and sugar.

She adds complementary ingredients: fresh root ginger, fresh horseradish, fresh chillies, finest chocolate, Scotch whisky and essential oils.

Sticking with tradition, the marmalades are made in open pans, like granny did, in small batches and then poured into jars, ready to be enjoyed.

The colour of the marmalade may vary between batches, depending on the colour of the skin of the fruit, but not the richness of flavour. Like wine, Seville marmalade matures and darkens with bitter notes developing.

Some of the most experienced food judges have loved Victoria and her company's marmalade, presenting them Gold awards at World, National and Regional levels. But to them, the most important judge is YOU, they want you to love and enjoy them too!

Marmalade, Victoria says, is not just for toast, it goes well with sausages, cheese, and is great in puddings and sauces. For the more adventurous, you should try her 'improver marmalades', such as lemon and horseradish which goes well with smoked fish or cheese scones.

The success of the marmalade loving Paddington films has seen a new generation wanting to try marmalade and Paddington has given his paw of approval to the 7 Gold World Marmalade Awards the company has been given.

I have to admit that I'd not heard of the Proper Marmalade Company until asked by a marmalade making friend in Birmingham, who had seen an article about it in the Daily Telegraph. I contacted Victoria and arranged for two jars to be sent to my friend, who was delighted and sent the following comments:

I waited for my daughter to come so that we could do a proper marmalade tasting. She considers herself an expert on these matters! So, independently we tasted the two different flavours and the results were:

Blood Orange and Espresso Very deep, fruity flavour, slightly firmer than the C & G and a darker colour [but not as dark as Cooper's Oxford]. Could not taste the espresso.

Result We both picked the BO & E as tasting the orangiest, juiciest marmalade we had tasted ever, yet had we had the choice, would probably have avoided it!

So, go on, try one or more of Victoria's marvellous marmalades and you can even have one of the four varieties of marmalade ice cream, produced in collaboration with a local ice cream maker. Victoria's shop will be open for April and the Easter Holidays, 1.00 to 5.00 p.m. daily, except Sundays.

We should like to thank all those who have supported us at the Globe over the last 16 years. It is time for a change/retirement, so we bid you all farewell and wish Will and Zena, and the new team, all the best for their future at Ye Olde Globe.

We, in turn, thank Karen, Don and Edith and all their staff over the years for their hospitality and bon homie, and wish them every happiness in their new ventures.

We extend a warm welcome to Will and Zena and hope they, too, will enjoy their new business here in the village.

By the time you read this the snow that covers the whole of the countryside will have disappeared and spring will be well and truly under way, and we shall breathe a sigh of relief.

But even the snow brought its own joys; horses jumping around the fields, dogs running around in circles, children finding different ways to slide, and for us 'recycled' teenagers, a chance to be still and enjoy the magnificent snow-covered views.

For the Church, Lent is often a time of giving things up and can seem a little austere. But actually, the word Lent can mean springtime, and springtime is a time of new growth bringing with it new joys, fresh light, new ways of being a Christian - a follower of Jesus. Lent leads Christians to Good Friday, to Jesus's death on the Cross, when death was defeated and beyond to the joy of Easter Sunday, the joy of Resurrection.

Jesus said some amazing things about life and joy and hope. "Jesus said, I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." [John 10:10]

Realising and accepting Jesus and receiving the full life that he offers, is like seeing the spring flowers opening and the blossoming trees revealing their splendour for the first time. Jesus gives life, and we become New Creations!

Easter comes upon us once again, and I have chosen four early Easter postcards from my collection.

The first, a fantasy postcard from c1904, was printed in Germany. It shows no fewer than twenty-two babes in a giant Easter egg, which has been opened by a large Easter Hare. Other hares can be seen looking at a nest of coloured Easter eggs and holding up a sign. The postcard is numbered 336 and was sold throughout Europe.

The second postcard shows a lucky Hare peeping out from a large Easter egg as well as pussy willow and a further two eggs. It has the caption:

This card, published by Wildt & Kray of London, E.C., is numbered 2654 and was posted in Bodmin on March 22nd 1913.

The third postcard, printed in Germany exclusively for Postcard and Variety Stores Ltd. of London, N. 7., shows a young lad with a baby lamb and a young girl holding a baby rabbit. They are sitting on a tuft of grass with a further baby rabbit sitting between a red and a blue Easter egg.

The final postcard shows a young bonnet-clad girl holding a bunch of pussy willow with a larger than life chick holding an umbrella. As well as the greeting A Joyous Easter, it says:

This card was published by E.A. Schwerdtfeger & Co. of London, E.C. and was again posted from Bodmin, this time on the 10th April 1914.

Once again my thanks to our Editor, Judie, and Printer, David, for the great reproduction of last year's Easter cards.