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THE PRECIOUS RING

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A VISIT TO THE QUEEN

St. Dunstan's, a charity to help blind ex-servicemen and women, was formed in 1915 during the First World War.

George and I were members and supporters of St. Dunstan's and early in 2001 we received an invitation to the Palace to a Reception to celebrate 85 years since its foundation.

I was very disappointed when the doctor said George was too ill to go as I realised this was a 'once in a lifetime' opportunity. However, kind friends came to look after George and I went off on the train to London.

In London coaches arrived from all over the country and especially from Ovingdean in Sussex, the main residential home for blind ex-servicemen and women. The coaches took us through the main gates and then through the central archway into a square where they parked.

We entered a large door leading to a grand staircase. I was pleased to have been put in charge of an elderly, blind veteran who was in a wheelchair. The wheelchairs and carers were taken up to the next floor in a lift, which had been installed for the Queen Mother.

We all arrived in the Picture Gallery just after 5 o'clock. The walls were hung with massive paintings of previous monarchs and the floors covered with opulent carpets in rich colours. It was amusing that we were served with either white wine or gin and tonics - all being aware that the veterans were not always able to cope with liquids in glasses and red wine on those carpets did not bear thinking about!

The Queen, Prince Philip and Princess Alexandra arrived about 7 o'clock and 'worked' the three large rooms, talking to the guests. I was standing in the third room, behind the wheelchair of the gentleman I was escorting. After speaking to me, the Queen spent some time talking to the blind St. Dunstaner.

As she went to leave him and carry on with the 'meeting and greeting', my friend in the wheelchair said, "To whom am I speaking/"? She replied, not 'Your Queen or Sovereign', but "Your Hostess". I shall never forget that moment.

N.B. St. Dunstan's has recently changed its name to the Blind Veterans UK.

Yvonne

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PETER TWISS - FLIGHT OF FANCY

A short while ago I read in the Telegraph of the death, at the age of 90, of Peter Twiss, OBE, DSC. Peter was a Test Pilot with Fairey Aviation in the 1950's and set the world air-speed record at that time.

On reading this, my mind literally 'flew' back to March 10th 1956, which I could recall as though it was yesterday. I was at that time stationed on a radar base in East Anglia and was 'manning' Cabin 3 with two National Service Airmen and another WRAF colleague.

We loved the early mornings when we could study the civil aviation 'blips' on the screen, see if Prince Philip was flying in what was called the 'purple' lane [very necessary to ensure our fighter squadrons kept well out of his way!], and just enjoy the peace before the Fighter Command Squadrons took off on NATO exercises in that time of the Cold War.

We were suddenly aware that one 'blip' on our screen was leaping along the South Coast much faster than anything else. The intercom between the Chief Controller's Cabin and Cabin 3 suddenly came to life with the command "Get a speed on that aircraft Cabin 3!" We were on the job!

There were no computers in those days, but we did have a thing called an ICAN calculator. This consisted of three or four cardboard discs. The inner one gave wind speed and direction [which we got from the Met. Office daily], another Radar gave us the aircraft height, and we had the time/distance between the 'blips'. So, with this information and various dubious mathematical calculations, we estimated the speed at approximately 1,130 m.p.h. On passing this information on to the Chief Controller we got shouted at that it was 'absolutely rubbish' - on which we had to agree - but the moment had passed and we had other things to do.

The next morning the Daily Mail had the headline: Peter Twiss breaks the World Air Speed Record with speed of 1,132.2 m.p.h!

The intercom went down again and the Chief Controller said: I apologise Cabin 3." What a fluke, but it felt very good.

Peter Twiss was the last Britain to hold the Air Speed Record as others then took the supersonic crown. But his achievement that day led the way for the development of aviation, into Concorde, and civil aviation supersonic travel, and we four were lucky enough to have been a few seconds of that day.

Yvonne Davey

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MILITARY WIVES - THEN AND NOW

In our village there are a surprising number of ex-military wives whose husbands were in the Army, Navy or RAF, and most of us were involved in this life during the years between 1960 and 1990.

It was, therefore, interesting to read and see aspects of the lives of the Chivenor and Plymouth wives in Gareth Malone's Choir and compare them with our experience. The main differences are two-fold.

First, their husbands were in Afghanistan, as we are all aware, a major and dangerous war zone, with the constant worry it brings. Our experiences were when the forces were in a time of a Cold War defensive role, but included the dangers presented in Northern Ireland, Belize and the Falklands.

Then, as now, families were often left in married quarters in their last posting station. Many Army wives stayed in Germany whilst husbands were in Northern Ireland. There were sometimes 'years unaccompanied' when letters were the only means of keeping in touch.

That brings the second difference - means of communication. We saw the Chivenor wives skyping and e-mailing their husbands in Afghanistan. What a difference!

Bad news could still bring the C.O. and Padre to the door when an aircraft crashed or a soldier was killed, but at least we did not have to bear the 'news blackouts' that occur now when a fatality occurs so that the family can be informed before the news media gets the story - this must be truly horrific.

So, talking together we felt there were 'fors and against' the present situation of instant communication. Wives and families on a station now are more restricted due to the necessary security surrounding every station. This makes it more difficult for the families to interact with the local population in their area. But also, because of the ease of community, they seem less inclined to support each other and become a closer community. I'm sure 'The Choir' has changed that.

Whatever the situation, I'm sure we all wish a speedy end to the situation in Afghanistan and a return of the soldiers to Chivenor and Plymouth on a more permanent basis.

Yvonne Davey

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Wherever you are my love will keep you safe,
My heart will build a bridge of light across both time and space.
Wherever you are, our hearts still beat as one
I hold you in my dreams each night until your task is done
Light up the darkness, my wondrous star
Our hopes and dreams, my heart and yours, forever shining far
Light up the darkness, my prince of peace.
May the stars shine all around you may your courage never cease

The Chivenor Military Wives' Choir

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BERRYNARBOR'S SHORELINE

For nineteen years, from 1986 to 2005, we were privileged to live on the cliff top at Berrynarbor. It was a time of a constantly changing drama. Sometimes the people at sea provided this drama, but the weather and wildlife were the main source of action. An example of this was the winter storms, which moved the rocks on the beach, and the waves that brought an interesting selection of flotsam to Berrynarbor.

The landscape of the beach seemed to change after every storm. There were [unofficially] three beaches between our beach below the house and the area below Sandy Cove Hotel, but they were often not accessible. Rocks were moved by the sea and gaps appeared and disappeared in the structure of the beaches.

If the passageway between the rocks was open, it was possible to access the beach below the Sandy Cove Hotel, where the remnants of an impressive outdoor pool were just visible at low tide.

This photographic postcard by Garratt of Bristol, from the Tom Bartlett Postcard Collection, featured in a very early issue of the Newsletter - October 1991. The pool and hotel were originally built for Mr. Singer [of Singer Sewing Machines]. Note the diving boards complete with ladder to ascend and the slide on the left, It could be said that the water in the pool changed twice in 24 hours!

Birdlife was totally different from the activity I now see in our village. A shag was often seen drying its wings on the rocks below the cliff, and the noisy oystercatchers giving their harsh call whenever the dog was on the beach. Obviously there were always the gulls, but sometimes after a storm a racing pigeon would land, exhausted, on the lawn. Its leg tag would be recorded and the information passed on to the Racing Pigeon Association, who could then inform the owner.

Friends from London - who still come to stay every year - arrived for two weeks holiday. This was the Saturday following the London bombings in July 1995. My friend Jim had been outside Kings Cross Station that morning, and had helped the injured and confused on that awful day. His arrival in Berrynarbor, with its peace and tranquillity did a lot to erase the trauma he felt after the scenes in London.

Jim's wish that week, as well as an evening in The Globe, was to see Kestrels flying above the cliffs and dolphins in the sea. He saw the Kestrel - and this year I saw them flying in the valley between Barton Lane and the quarry cliffs. The dolphins also put on a spectacular display that week, leaping from the water in the bay beneath the house.

Our village, nestling in the valley, and providing some shelter from the winter storms, also includes the cliff edge, which starts at Newberry and continues towards Watermouth, giving a variety of scenery enjoyed by very few villages.

Yvonne Davey

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ABOUT KEEPING GOATS!

Perhaps it was because we were both capricornians that goats came into our lives. At least, they entered my husband's life, and consequently affected mine.

After 26 years wandering around the world in the RAF, a settled existence in the Devon countryside and the acquisition of a house with adequate land, gave my usually practical husband ideas of 'The Good Life', and a bit of self-sufficiency.

Livestock were studied in detail and the library raided for books. We soon had chickens, geese, ducks, a cat and a dog, and a couple of bee hives [which we'd kept in a previous location]. The decision was then made that 'goats were just the animals for us'.

I had visions of our wilderness being grazed into a luscious meadow, so uttered agreeable sounds which indicated that divorce would not ensue if he went ahead with the plan.

We soon became familiar with the language and with the breeds of Anglo-Nubian, Saanan, British Alpines and Toggenburgs. Milk yields were studied, daily feeds and stabling were appraised and we felt the urge to go ahead!

The stabling proved easier than anticipated. A winter storm had swept the West Country that year and had caused our garden shed to take off and fly, section by section, across the land . . . bit like The Wizard of Oz, but more frightening! The Insurance Company gave us their condolences and a cheque, which nearly covered the cost of the goat shed.

The next stage was to buy a goat. The local papers were scoured and a suitable 4 month old nanny goat was found. We travelled out into the countryside to see her. We heard her before she came into sight. A pitiful continuous bleating led us to a very moth-eaten, miserable goat tethered in an unkempt garden with a piece of string. Her ears were jagged, as though bitten by some insects, her hooves overgrown, as they had not been pared back, and her coat looked more like a moth-eaten rug. Not the world's most attractive animal. We felt like criminals as we announced that we would 'think about it', and returned home.

The library books stated clearly, 'Never buy a goat because you feel sorry for it'. So we hurried back to pay the cash, and bring her home.

The new shed must have seemed like a palace to Lucy - as we now called her. Fed on the best concentrates, brushed, feet pared and given affection, she thrived.

After a few months, and more library books, we realised that Lucy needed company. She was not old enough to have a kid, so we decided to get a second goat - preferably an expectant mum.

We purchased Heidi off a sweet old gentleman, and were assured that she was in kid. She was not the gentle blonde baby that Lucy was - she was black, with horns that had been cut off and a white star on her forehead. All this gave her a slightly demonic aura. When in a playful mood, she would rise on her back legs, before charging. She taught Lucy some very bad habits, and Lucy loved her.

George devised complex feeding containers in the stable and when the last nail went in, Heidi would appraise the work, stand back and charge, reducing the work to matchwood. The air was then strong with curses about goats in general, and Heidi in particular. We then found that Heidi's pregnancy was a non-event and happily a friend decided in a weak moment to buy her off us, and she went to a good home.

In the meantime, we had answered another advert, this time for a goat that had kidded, and was therefore 'in milk'.

Another journey into the depths of the West Country found us surveying a lovely goat called Sapphire, a good milker - but getting on a bit. The owner then produced Sapphire's daughter, Silver, who had never been separated from her Mother. Being 'suckers', we then found ourselves with two goats - both in milk.

For some reason, my two year old car, my only means of transport, was used to bring the two goats home. This caused some funny looks from people, but the car got home intact - except that goats, like children, will wait to within a hundred metres from home, before they can 'wait no longer'. A lot of disinfectant was needed to restore my car to any form of luxury!

Sapphire and Silver were welcomed by Lucy, and Sapphire accepted her as a sister for Silver.

Now for the milking! Instead of having one goat to learn on, my husband found himself forced to milk two goats, twice a day, with no previous experience. The first try took two hours. I did not know whether to feel more sorry for George, or the goats. The yield was five pints, and after straining and cooling, the difficulty became using it all.

When the situation settled, and milking was easy, we found the local doctors sending us visitors and locals whose children were allergic to cow's milk [before Sainsburys].

We kept goats for about six years and loved them dearly. We bred them, and they were entered into a 'stud' book.

Our children then had left home, and we wanted to travel - and we had moved to Berrynarbor, so the 'self- sufficiency' of goats, geese, ducks, bees and chickens gradually went.

I think we missed the goats most of all - very hard work, but it was a bit of 'The Good Life'!

Yvonne Davey

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THAT'S A GOOD IDEA!

In a recent Newsletter I introduced the idea of setting up an Emergency List for those needing care of an animal in a short term emergency, for example, a hospital visit, a visit to a relative, a need for a day out, etc. Many people approached me and said what a good idea they thought it was, but only two signed up to the scheme.

Since Christmas I have been contacted twice for help and someone willing to help has been found. The kind of help has been for dog walking, or just letting the dog out, cat feeding or caring for rabbits.

I have decided that instead of having a list in the Shop, it would be simpler if people 'phoned me on [01271] 882822, and I'll co-ordinate help.

Of course, this will have to be a two-way scheme - we need volunteer helpers as well as requests from those needing help. Please give me a ring for more information if you would like to help.

Yvonne Davey

 

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INGE RICHARDSON

Many of you know Inge. She lived at Sherrards in Barton Lane and was a very active member of the Church, Wine Circle and Craft Clubs. Due to ill health, she is now at the Park Care Home, Park Lane, Newport, Barnstaple.

It is proving difficult for her to get back to Berrynarbor as often as she would wish, but she would dearly love visits from her old friends and acquaintances from the village.

If you are in Barnstaple, especially in the St. John's Garden Centre area, please try to pop in and see her at Park Lane. For any further information on directions on how to find the Home, please ring me on [01271] 882822. With thanks.

Yvonne Davey.

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MUMMERS AT THE GLOBE

On the 5th January, the North Devon Mummers put on a lively Christmas play at The Globe.

The play dates from the 18th century, and the players had costumes and masks depicting St. George and the Dragon, Father Christmas and other characters originating in Medieval times. It was great fun, with many cheers and boos from the audience on the antics of the actors.

The entertainment continued with impromptu music and the singing of folk tunes from the cast and audience - including our own 'bard' Tony Summers.

The money raised at The Globe, and five other local pubs, was donated to the North Devon Volunteering Services in Ilfracombe to help run our Direct Services project. The office, next to Mike Turton's butcher's shop, always welcomes new volunteers. It runs a transport scheme and wheelchair hire service, as well as other forms of practical help to those in need. To learn more about what is on offer or if you would like to know more about volunteering, just call in.

Yvonne Davey

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CALLING ALL PET OWNERS ... and those who wish they were!

Yvonne [Davey]

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A REMEMBRANCE DAY STORY
JANE MALCOLM

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old.
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

From 'For the Fallen' [1914]
by Laurence Binyon [1869-1943]

Standing on the cobbled path that leads up to our Church entrance, I have sheltered under an umbrella on several Remembrance Sundays. This has been an occasion to read the names of the Berrynarbor residents who died in the two World Wars.

One name, the first name on the list of Second World War dead, is a woman - the only female in this sad list. How did she, Jane Malcolm, come to be on the list, and how did she die?

Mary Tucker and Bett directed me to a file at the back of the Church containing details of all those named on the Memorial, and this proved very useful.

Jane Malcolm was a Nursing Sister with the Queen Alexandra's Imperial Nursing Service. She was the daughter of Napier and Urania Malcolm, whose graves lie at the back of the Church, near the water tank. Her brother is also buried there. I understand they lived, at one time, at The Old Court.

Jane died on the 1st October 1942, at the age of 33. She was stationed in Egypt and is buried in the Moascar War Cemetery, which is just off the Ismalia-Cairo Road.

Unfortunately, I was unable to find out exactly how Jane died. As this family lived in the village, I am hoping that someone reading this remembrance story might be a relative, or know of how this brave lady died.

Women are still serving all over the world in conflicts, and in more diverse roles. On Remembrance Sunday, 14th November, it may be opportune to remember them, through Jane Malcolm of Berrynarbor.

Yvonne Davey

 

One such person, and perhaps there are more, is Kirsti Richards, daughter of Julie and David, who having served as a Medic with the Army in Iraq is currently completing her first tour of duty in Afghanistan. We send her our good wishes.

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Holiday Accommodation in Berrynarbor

I have visited several establishments in the village for brochures on hotels, eating places, bed and breakfast, guest houses, etc., and have had considerable success from the owners.

If I have not got to you, or found you were out, please could you take brochures or business cards to the Community Shop for inclusion in this file, a cheap [£5 entry for shop funds] way of advertising your business.

We are also intending to add a page of business cards for those in the village offering services such as plumbing, gardening, taxis, printing, window cleaning, building, etc. So please hand these in to the Shop, for the same fee, and they will be displayed. Many thanks.

Yvonne Davey

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HOLIDAY ACCOMMODATION IN BERRYNARBOR

A File, to be kept in the Community Shop, is being compiled to advertise to visitors Bed and Breakfast, Guest House, Hotels and Self-Catering establishments in the village.

If you are in the accommodation business and would like to take advantage of this opportunity, please bring details - brochures, cards or A4 advertisements to the Community Shop. These will be collated and included in the file at a cost of £5.00, the money going towards Shop funds.

If you would like more information or have any queries, please contact me on [01271] 882822.

Yvonne Davey
Cherry Hinton, Barton Lane

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NORTH DEVON VOLUNTARY CAR SERVICE

This car scheme was set up many years ago to help people who needed hospital, doctors, dental appointments, etc., or just wanted a 'trip out' to visit friends and relatives.

Some people find it difficult to access public transport and may need individual help with shopping or just 'getting around'. The scheme is run from the North Devon Volunteer Centre in Ilfracombe High Street [next door to Mike Turton's Butchers].

In the last couple of years, our records show that 140 journeys have been made by residents in Berrynarbor, so the service is well used. A leaflet on this scheme can be picked up from the Community Shop.

At present, the funding for administering the scheme is running dangerously low and so we are hoping to run an event in the early spring to raise money. Please support this event if you can, or be kind enough when passing Turton's, to drop in to the Centre where you will find all the information and, of course, receive a warm welcome! Thank you.

Yvonne Davey -Vice Chairman

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FESTIVE FEASTING

Penn Bar Nutters

By popular request, these biscuits are very suitable for serving with drinks before a festive meal.

Mix all the ingredients together, except for the nuts. Pipe or place the mixture in small 'rounds' on a greased tin. Press a nut into the centre of each biscuit. I have found the nuts adhere to the biscuit better if you dip them in milk first.

Cook for 15-20 minutes at 180 Deg C/350 Deg F.

Yvonne Davey

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THE BIGGEST COFFEE MORNING IN THE WORLD

This event seems a long time ago now, but it happened too late to be included in the last Newsletter.

The Manor Hall hosted the event, Macmillan supplied the advertising posters, banners, balloons and two gigantic blow-up mugs, which nearly blew away! However, we were 'blown away' by the support given. Visitors came, not only from the village, but families and friends from Combe Martin, Ilfracombe and many surrounding villages.

Cakes were baked to provide a truly luscious coffee morning. Tables were beautifully decorated by Judie and the band of 'good fairies', who seem to live in the Manor Hall kitchen, were at work once more. Stuart's musical support was thoroughly enjoyed by all.

The raffles contained prizes generously donated from the whole area and we thank the kind donators for their support. The White Elephant stall groaned under the weight of articles donated for sale, and the Fabulous Wine Company from Barnstaple gave us the chance to sample and purchase their wines.

A really good time was had by all and, with all this help, we raised the fantastic total of £718. All money raised in Devon for Macmillan is spent on care in Devon. We thank you all for your support.

Yvonne, Vi, Ann and Pam

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MEMORIES ARE MADE OF THIS

The very successful Antiques Roadshow in the Manor Hall reminded me of an article in a glossy 'Homes' type magazine I read recently.

The writer had inherited articles and memorabilia from her parents, but as they did not fit in with her 'minimalistic' decor of stainless steel and glass, she had got rid of them.

My daughter and I once caught my granddaughter staring into an old glass paperweight in which a flower was encapsulated. As she turned the paperweight around, my daughter said she could remember doing the same thing to this paperweight in my parents' home, many years ago.

The articles brought in by residents last Friday were fascinating, in the stories and memories they held. What a loss to our society it would be if we stopped handing down the memories of our, and our parents' past.

Yvonne Davey

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VOLUNTEERING

The North Devon Volunteering Development Agency [NDVDA]

Many congratulations are due to the Community Shop, which has attracted more than 40 villagers who take turns to work at the counter, voluntarily, each week or month or more.

I'm sure those volunteers have found many hidden advantages from their work, such as making new friends, learning the intricacies of working the till and many other skills to do with the art of shop-keeping.

I'm also sure those volunteers are well aware of the organisational work going on in the background - responsibility for stock and finance, staffing, health and safety implications and the paperwork involved in these activities - they must all be considered. Not all these activities can be voluntary - and it is right that this is so.

It reminds me of the work of the North Devon Volunteering Development Agency, which is based in Ilfracombe but covers the whole area. The Agency has paid members of staff who deal with the management, accountancy and organisation of the Centre, plus the placing of volunteers with organisations needing volunteers, and supporting them in their work. However, the Agency could not exist without volunteers.

Examples of this are:

Desk Volunteers: These volunteers greet people entering the Centre, take phone messages, inform the staff of volunteers and volunteering opportunities and many other secretarial tasks. They also get the chance, if they wish, to improve their computer skills. Our major problem is that many of them gain in confidence and skills and we lose them to paid work elsewhere - so new volunteers are always welcome!

The Wheelchair Project: In Ilfracombe we have 12 manual wheelchairs, a Scootacar and 2 electric wheelchairs to loan, just for a donation. [We also have other aids.] In the summer, these wheelchairs are out all the time. In winter, more of them are available to 'locals' who may need one for a short term injury or for relatives visiting - say for Christmas - who find mobility difficult.

Car Service: We run a successful service for people needing a car journey to hospital, the doctor, dentist and many other occasions. For parents with young children we run the scheme for SureStart. We always need volunteer drivers. As well as organising the scheme, we pay our drivers 35p a mile. Again, only a donation is required from 'users'.

Volunteering Database: We have a V [Volunteering] Computer base and from it can advise anyone on volunteering opportunities locally, nationally or worldwide. A very useful service for those at a 'loose end' or for those who have finished education and are looking for other opportunities before starting paid employment.

Direct Services Volunteering: Other activities include shopping, dog walking, befriending, wheelchair escorting and gardening. The list is endless . . . wherever others need help.

We are all aware that much of this is done in Berrynarbor, on a natural basis of friendship, but sometimes something is too difficult for neighbours and friends - and then the Agency can help.

If you are in Ilfracombe, do pop in to the Centre [next to Mike Turton's]. You will always receive a warm welcome, a cup of tea or coffee and maybe you will increase even more the strong volunteering base which exists in Berrynarbor.

Yvonne Davey - Chairman, N.D.V.D.A.

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A DAY TRIP TO VENICE

The chance of a day in Venice during the Carnival Festival was too great an opportunity for Pam, Alex, Judith and me to miss! A 4.30 a.m. start to catch the flight from Exeter was deemed worth it. The flight across the snowcapped Alps to land at Marco Polo Airport on a crisp February morning proved the point.

The forty minute journey by water-bus from the airport to the Grand Canal was very interesting, and certainly different from the ride on the Heathrow express! We passed many of the 18 islands that make up the unique area of Venice, including Murano, famous for Venetian Glass. We could have returned there to see a glass factory as part of the trip, but there is only so much you can do in one day! There is now a bridge linking the mainland to one of the islands to enable the industry to thrive, but thankfully the rest of the area is car free!

As we stepped ashore at the Grand Canal, we were met by a Guide who took us to a quiet area where he explained the origin of the customs of the Carnival we were about to see. Fortunately his English was excellent, and so was his sense of humour, so we could both understand and enjoy his narrative. One of the first things we saw was a shop filled with nothing but carnival masks. They were of papier mache - white, red, silver, gold, male or female but all remarkably expressionless. Designed to be carried like lorgnettes, they completely concealed the face. It would appear that in the close community of Venice of the 16th Century, masked balls allowed clandestine couples to be 'seen' together without fear of recognition. Nowadays this is regarded as a very good tourist attraction - which it is. We saw a beautifully clad scarlet-cloaked lady accosted by a robed gentleman who tried to present her with a long stemmed red rose. She shrugged him off and walked away with her head in the air! To watch this brilliant tableaux of couples superbly dressed, posing or parading in the most outlandish masks and costumes, certainly brightened up February!

Our guide then took us into a 'glass factory'. In fact it was a very elaborate and expensive shop of the most remarkable glass objects, bowls, vases, flowers, animals and set pieces, priced in hundreds of Euros.

However, in one room there were benches and a small furnace. There a man gave an impressive demonstration of glass blowing, making a small jug with a handle in next to no time. [If you are interested, you can see it on a much bigger scale in Torrington!] We were then ushered out through the shop, but kept our credit cards carefully in our pockets.

After a typical Italian lunch in a recommended back street cafe, we spent the rest of the day wandering the streets around the 177 canals that occupy the 13 square miles of Venice - the Rialto Bridge, with it's shops actually on the bridge, a great attraction.

We spent a great deal of time in St. Mark's Square, marvelling at the mosaics and marble that make up that incredible Cathedral. There were also many small pieces of street theatre, including face painting, and at one end was a stage where those who had been parading the streets got together for a final bow. The spectacle was great.

We saw the Doge's palace from where Venice was ruled in the 14th to 16th century and before, although there was not time to visit it. We saw the Bridge of Sighs, where prisoners sentenced, usually for debt, would pass from the Law Courts, over the Canal, to the prison beyond, and sigh at their last sight of freedom. There they would have to stay until, one way or another, the debt was discharged. We watched the gondolas negotiating the narrow canals, with the water lapping the buildings on either side.

Finally, exhausted after a long day, we collapsed onto seats in a waterside cafe to fortify ourselves with cups of thick, dark, hot chocolate, generously laced with brandy!

Full of the memory of these sights and sounds, we returned by water-bus to the airport and the journey home. A day which will remain in our memories for a long time.

Yvonne Davey

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THE NORTH DEVON VOLUNTEERING DEVELOPMENT AGENCY

Charity No. 289872

Following its survival last year due to one-year funding received from Devon County Council, Lloyds TSB and a Home Office Rescue Package, llfracombe District Volunteer Bureau has been able to secure three year core funding from the Community Fund. Hopefully, this will encourage other funders and a link has been forged with Sure Start.

The National Association of Volunteer Bureaux has been renamed Volunteer Development England and as a consequence, the Bureau too - a new name and will in future be known as The North Devon Volunteering Development Agency. It will continue to operate in the same way from the Volunteer Centre in llfracombe High Street.

The Agency exists to promote, support and develop volunteering for the benefit of those in need within the local communities of Ilfracombe and the surrounding coastal areas as well as the inland areas of North Devon. It supports other organisations and community projects and is an open service available to everyone.

Support for the work of the Agency is of vital importance and the Management Committee invites you to help by becoming a Member. Membership is open to individuals over the age of 18, as well as organisations. The subscription for the year 1st April 2003 to 31st March 2004 is only £1.00 and new members are welcome to join at any time of the year.

If you would like to support the Agency in this way, please ask at the Volunteer Centre for a Membership Form or speak to the Administrator, Erica Castle, who would be happy to give you further details of the Agency's activities. We look forward to hearing from you and invite you to attend the Annual General Meeting which will take place in the Volunteer Centre on Thursday, 22nd May 2003, at 8.00 p.m.

Yvonne Davey - Chairman of the Management Committee

The Volunteer Centre, 1 48/149 High Street, Ilfracombe, EX34 9EZ.
Tel: [01271] 866300

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THE MARCH WE WUZ THERE!

'We are off to Canada - here are our tickets for the Countryside Alliance March in London on 22nd September', said AP and PP of DC to Judith M. and me. And as we usually do what we are told [!], we joined a coach at 7.00 a.m. on the 22nd at Muddiford for the journey to London.

A good-natured crowd, with a lot of amusing banter, made the four hours to the outskirts of London fly by.

Then the trouble started! We crawled, in a long line of traffic [mainly coaches like ours], through the unappetising outskirts of our capital city for over two hours. By this time, Judith and I were cursing AP and PP, as we watched people get off the various coaches, down a pint in the nearest pub, and rejoin their coach a mere 25 metres down the road!

Eventually we reached the 'drop off' point and left the coach with refugee-type labels tied around our necks. These gave the coach number, driver's mobile number, pick-up point - in fact everything but the colour of his eyes! At this point I really wondered if we would ever see our Filers coach again as it crawled off into the distance, and we were lost in a mass of people!

We walked for an hour to the start of the March, four hours on the March and then a further hour back to the coach. But it was wonderful!

The atmosphere, the noise of whistles, people cheering, the banners, the crowds, were an experience I shall never forget. My main memories: The people lining the pavements and bridges, clapping and cheering as we passed along. The car drivers hooting, with thumbs up.

The boos and police presence as we passed the DEFRA offices in Whitehall - how starkly their stern, straight grey edifices contrasted with the colour and exuberance of the crowds! The silence, and doffed hats as we passed the Cenotaph - a reminder of all the countryside folk commemorated on that memorial who would have been with us, and I felt sure were in spirit.

We passed under the 'counter' at 402,000 [and we were all sure there were more than 8,000 behind us]. We finished under Big Ben, which gleamed in the early evening sunlight. Nick Harvey greeted us on Westminster Bridge and we then made the long trek by the riverside back to the coaches.

The journey back was a reversal of our entrance - a long, slow crawl through the suburbs and then freedom from traffic to return to Devon. We left the coach at 2.00 a.m. on the Monday morning exhausted for a good few days - but thankful to AP and PP for insisting we took their tickets!

This March never felt a pro or anti-hunting event. It never felt a town v countryside event, it just felt an opportunity to show everyone that all that we do, in villages like Berrynarbor, are so important to the lifeblood of the country.

Artwork by: Peter Rothwell

Yvonne Davey

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HELEN - A PERSONAL MEMORY

Helen came to Berrynarbor in her twenties. She had been widowed at Dunkirk and came to Berrynarbor from Sussex with her infant son, Richard, settling into Court Cottage, her home for sixty years. A home and village she loved.

The first time I met Helen was at Watermouth with her black Labrador, Ziggy. We ended up walking the headland, together with our dogs, nearly every day. In our many conversations, I got to know the Helen who was very well read, delightfully opinionated and gutsy. Her religious beliefs were strong and you respected her for them.

She told me many tales of her early days in Berrynarbor, sailing a dinghy around Watermouth Harbour with Richard and his friends from the village, and picnicking on the headland. I always recalled 'Swallows and Amazons' when she spoke of that time . As she became frail, these days ended and George and I missed them.

She told me of her early days at Court Cottage and the time she decided the living room was too small, so she would knock down the wall dividing it from a small dining room. Half way through she contemplated the possible result of her work, i.e. the ceiling might fall in! So she called in a local builder who rushed down immediately, but all was well and the resulting large room was always charming, with a very intact ceiling!

I know from people in Berrynarbor that she played a mean game of Badminton well into her seventies. Her artistic talents are well known, and I am very proud to own one of her watercolours.

She drove her car well beyond her 'sell-by date', and all were relieved when her new driving licence suddenly became 'unavailable'!

Like all of us, she was not perfect, and led many villagers a merry dance. Nora and Alan were saints, and did so much for her, with little or no thanks. The Toms family and her neighbours gave her so much support and please forgive me for the many I have left out. I know I was a very small cog in the wheel of care the village gave her.

I had a great respect and love for Helen, possibly because we were both born at Christmas. We were Capricorn 'mountain goats' in common. Her mountains were high, but it seemed to me she had climbed them with courage and fortitude.

Artwork: Helen's Cover for the Newsletter - June 1990

Yvonne Davey

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ILFRACOMBE & DISTRICT VOLUNTEER BUREAU
Reg. Charity No. 289872

As you are aware, the Bureau has been struggling of late to survive. But, thanks to the support of so many people, particularly everyone who signed the Petition, and funding which has now been received from Devon County Council, Lloyds TSB and a particularly welcome Home Office Rescue Package, it will be able to run for the next year to 31st March 2003. However, long-term funding will need to be secured if it is to continue to run in the future.

llfracombe & District Volunteer Bureau exists to promote, support and develop volunteering for the benefit of those in need within the local communities of llfracombe and the surrounding coastal and rural areas of North Devon. It supports other organisations and community projects and is an open service available to everyone. Sadly, the funding received has not been sufficient to reintroduce direct services - those opportunities for people to use their free time to make new friends and meet people and to share and learn new skills to the benefit of others: by driving, befriending, shopping, gardening, dog walking and many more activities. However, to raise money to re-establish this aspect of volunteering is the Management Committee's No. 1 priority. In the meantime, the Wheelchair Loan Scheme will continue to operate.

Support for the work of the Bureau is most important and the Management Committee invites YOU to help by becoming a member. Membership is open to individuals over the age of 18 years, as well as organisations. The annual subscription for the year to March 2003 is only £1 and new members are welcome to join at any time of the year.

If you would like to support the Bureau in this way, please ask at the Post Office for a Membership Form or speak to Judie Weedon, who would be happy to give you further details of the Bureau's activities. We look forward to hearing from you.

Yvonne Davey - Chairman of the Management Committee
The Volunteer Centre,
148-149 High Street,
llfracombe.
Tel: [01271] 866300

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T.l.C. COMBE MARTIN

In our Information Centre, by the Seaside Car Park in Combe Martin, we are always aware of our attractive neighbour, Berrynarbor!

Many visitors ask directions to the village and enquire of the delights to be found there - all of which we are happy to promote.

We carry information on many Berrynarbor hotels and guest houses in the Combe Martin Guide, and are keen to advertise for you any events, i.e. fetes, jumble sales, concerts, etc. So, please bring them in.

We are running a local Guided Walk Programme this summer and the Tuesday, 2.00 p.m. Walk begins in Berrynarbor Car Park. Please feel free to join Tom and Mary Tucker on these village strolls, or any of our Combe Martin strolls.

Our aim is to help visitors enjoy their holidays and our villages, return again, and help our local economy.

Please call in and visit us.

Yvonne Davey, Evelyn Boyd and Donald Taylor