A monthly Community Newsletter
Published by St. Michael’s Church and Gittisham Parish Council
May 2021 Edition 231
The Environment Matters
Can you join in with “No Mow May” in your garden? The whole lawn, a patch or just mow some paths. It will be interesting to see what flowers come up if they are left to grow and how many insects will enjoy them. The church is considering leaving some of the little used areas in the churchyard for the month and maybe longer. The play park also has created paths in the orchard area. It would be good to hear your results with perhaps a photo send to either Carol Hall or me Carol McCann and perhaps in a later edition pictures could appear in the Gazette. Let us all try to do our bit for the environment and help the insects and birds survive and thrive. Many thanks.
Scribblings from Shermans by Jack Bartlett
May is here and the chilly evenings have meant the long trousers and coats haven’t been hung up yet. The long dry period of April is soon forgotten, and a bit of rain has soon made the countryside green up. We managed to get all of our maize into the ground before the rain came, this was risky as the ground temperatures and evenings were too cold. But we felt the dry conditions were better for preparing a good seed bed than waiting for the warm weather. The pessimistic side of us said when the weather turns that may be it for a while so we took the opportunity. We also got some of the grass silage into the clamp being caught out in the showers in the last couple fields.
May bank holiday is often a busy time for farmers but with the showery forecast we managed to pop out and about. Taking the dogs for a walk and some lunch in Simonsbath on Exmoor. What a lovely place and relatively close to home. I fear that Devon and Cornwall is going to become overwhelmed with traffic this summer with people not being able to travel abroad so easily. Great for the south west tourism industry never the less. Lauren has now got some hens here at Shermans, she’s always liked poultry from a young age but decided a handful wasn’t enough! Therefore we have plenty of eggs for sale! There is a cupboard at Shermans entrance with fresh free range eggs stacked up! Please come and try as we have had some positive feedback so far. Breakfast time now for me… poached eggs today!
Gittisham Village Hall events
Village Film Night Thursday 20th May
Join at 7pm for a chat before the film, then again afterwards to talk about the film.
Film to be decided on the night – so a surprise!
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85028985842
Spud in a Bucket
If you still haven’t got your potato to grow for the Gittisham Flower and Produce Show it should have been planted in April. You can contact David or Sue Fallows, Parkers, Gittisham (telephone 01404-850922) – £1 per entry to see if there are any left. Buckets are emptied and weighed during the show on 7th August. Entries from all ages very welcome. If you have a bucket and will not be entering the competition, please return it to David and Sue for recycling to another entrant. If you have lost your bucket, please contact David and Sue.
People in the News
A warm Gittisham welcome to the Whitton Family who will be moving into Winsor Cottage when their proposed renovations are completed. We wish them a happy time and look forward to meeting them at some of our village events. Congratulations to James Trevett and partner Frankie on the birth of their baby daughter Willow, mother and baby both doing well.
A New Home Needed
I have a pale grey desk, 158cm x 80cm x 74cm high with 2 drawers. If anyone is interested, please contact Angie on telephone 01404 45101.
Combe Garden Centre
Plenty of bedding plants now ready both annual and perennial offers on various composts. All your gardening implements, plant feeds, weed killers etc. plus seeds – both vegetable and flower. The Kitchen is now open again, still outside only and serving between 10.00 and 3.30, the new garden area is well on the way to being finished. The gift shop, Velvet and Parade, also has some lovely items and worth a visit when looking for that special present or finding things for the home. Garden Centre and Gift Shop both open 9.00 – 5.00 Monday – Saturday and 10.00 – 4.00 Sunday.
Combe Farm Shop
There are lots of new and exciting things happening at the Farm Shop this spring. With the easing of restrictions, we are happy to announce you can now enjoy your takeaway outside at one of our picnic tables, to coincide with this we have released a few new menu items, including wraps, cheeseburgers, hot dogs and smoothies, to go along with our existing offering of coffees, teas and pastries. Food served from 10.00 – 2.00, , drinks and cakes 9.00 – 3.00 Tuesday – Sunday. Takeaway Sunday 10.00 – 1.00
We have 2 new vending machines outside the shop provided by Hollis Mead Organic Dairy. One has a selection of items including double cream, kefir, butter and milk bottles. The other is an organic semi skimmed milk dispenser. The vending machines are 24hr access and payment is contactless. They are frequently monitored so fresh organic milk is always available.
We have lots of meat boxes available, including new BBQ boxes just in time for the summer. We also have a wide selection of new items on the butchery counter, including our house made marinated BBQ meats and ready to cook meals. As always our bakery is producing bread daily, and we are always happy to accept repeat orders, custom requests or just set a loaf aside for you to collect when convenient. We are still able to offer delivery or click and collect if you are unable to come out to the shop yourself, if you need more details on this please feel free to contact us directly. We hope to see you soon!
Joanna and the Team
Telephone 01404 519093
Your suggestions and ideas needed for the Gittisham play area
Gittisham Parish Council needs your ideas, please. We have money to spend on “Sports Pitches” to go alongside a new Boules Court in the village playground. What would you like? Please send your suggestions to the Clerk before the end of May.
Parish Council May report
Six councillors met for the May meeting. Susie Bond (EDDC) and three members of the public were also present.
Chair. Carol Hall was elected as chair for 2021-22.
EDDC / DCC Report. Susie Bond explained that as part of the Local Plan review, meetings of the Strategic Planning Committee have been scheduled for each month with the intention to have a draft plan put before the committee at their December meeting.
Finance. Members agreed the finances.
Crimes. March 2021, 2 x violence and sexual offences.
Councillor vacancy (Vale ward) The clerk said the vacancy remains unfilled, and encouraged anyone interested in joining the parish council should contact
Planning applications.
a) Pomeroy House Gittisham – Outdoor pool with plant in existing outbuilding and re-grading / landscaping works within the walled garden; localised repairs and reinstatement of section of collapsed garden boundary wall. Members had no objections to a).
Play area. Members agreed to replace the current toddler swing seats and chains. Carol Hall explained that if the parish council wished to include additional items funded by S106 to the boules pitch, it would be easy to carry out a further consultation. Once GPC has agreed any additions to the project, EDDC will include it with the allocation for funding.
Climate change. Carol Hall encouraged people to use the World Wildlife Fund’s carbon footprint calculator https://footprint.wwf.org.uk/# This is not so much about comparing our scores, she said, but more about “how can I change my own score” and understanding how our personal choices affect our carbon footprint. She reminded members that a parishioner volunteers at the Ottery Food larder, and if there is excess bread on Saturdays she brings it to the village bus shelter for sharing.
Fly-tipping. The Chair said she encouraged any parishioners noticing fly tipping to report it using the EDDC app.
Vale bus shelter. Peter Orchard said although a sign had been put up asking people not to deposit more than the basket on the bench can hold, there have since been two significant deposits of books and DVDs. He said these and any future large deposits would be removed.
Highways. Peter Orchard said approximately 10 reflective posts had been installed on Hayne Lane south of the railway bridge to discourage drivers mounting the soft verges.
Road closures / diversions. The road through Alfington will have temporary signals on Thursday 13 May, while Jurassic Fibre conduct works.
Public access. Members discussed disappointment among some parishioners over increasing restrictions on exercising dogs off the lead. It was agreed that access to private land was not a matter for the parish council.
Scam awareness. Janet Twist said there is a presentation on how to spot scams on YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oyc3ITOxvsY presented by the new SW Fraud Protect adviser.
Next meeting. This will be on 10th June at 7.30pm in the village hall with Covid-secure measures in place.
St Michael’s Church, Honiton Mission Community and 200 Club
St. Michael’s Gittisham
It was lovely to have our 1st monthly Eucharist in church on 11th April, the next is 9th May then 13th June, and hopefully the 2nd Sunday each month thereafter, and if possible, vicar permitting there may be more each month, all at 11.00am and with numbers restricted you need to book your place with Carol 851113, obviously social distancing and masks to be worn. Currently we are still not permitted to sing in the church, I do hope this might change after the June restrictions are lifted. Julia is working on plans for the other Sundays and her telephone services will continue when not in church, to receive the details for this please email Julia on or for those without internet ring her on 07763 111367 or 01404 850680.
Honiton Mission Community
The website www.honitoncofe.org is updated regularly and has news about the latest guidelines on the Covid regulations. There is also a link to the Gittisham website. The monthly newsletter Around the Parishes is included plus details of Rev’d Sue’s weekly Zoom Sunday Morning Worship at 10.00am. If you would like to join in this service do please email Rev’d Sue and she will forward the link . There is also a ‘virtual’ Eucharist at 6.00pm. St. Paul’s is now offering a Said Eucharist on Sunday at 11.00am each week, places are needing to be booked with prior notice through the Parish office on 01404 44035 or and messages will be replied to when someone is available. Mollie the Church administrator is there on Tuesdays.
200 Club
If you haven’t renewed your 200 Club subscriptions (£12 per number per year) please do so as soon as possible. If I haven’t heard from you by the end of May, I will assume you no longer wish to be a member. Payment can be made by cheque – payable to Gittisham PCC, BACS or by standing order – I can email or post this form too. (Carol McCann 01404 851113, 07946 409142, . Draws are made monthly with prizes of £40., £20., £15., £10., and £5., with 2 six monthly (September and March) of £48.
May 2021 200 Club results
1st Michael Neve 2nd Nicky Wakley 3rd Valerie Clifford
4th Sandra Moss 5th Bob Williams
Gazette printing is still not possible with the ongoing restrictions, as the Parish Office in Honiton remains closed. The Gazette is also available on the Gittisham website. If you would like a copy by email please let me have your email details or if you have no internet it can be posted to you until things get back to order. Some help with 2nd class postage would be appreciated, Carol McCann 3 School Cottages, Gittisham, Honiton, EX14 3H. 01404 851113 I will leave a few copies in the Vale bus shelter and Hayne Farm Estate Sales Office again until such time the whole print run can be delivered by Peter and Ann again.
Editor/Distributor:
Carol McCann 01404 851113/07946409142 . If you have events or news items for inclusion in the Gazette do please email it to Carol as early as possible (using Arial font please) Copy date for June edition is the 24th May please. I hope to have the edition ready to send out on Friday 4th June.
Gittisham Community Land Trust
Recent activity by the Project Team has focused on footprint design. A number of options have been assessed and debated within the team. The Zoom channel has been pretty busy! There was an initial brief provided for the architect which, in short, required the architect to come forward with a proposal which respected the sensitivity of the location and the setting of the site in relation to the village and the form of development within the village.
Alongside the work of the Project Team discussions have continued with EDDC and it has been encouraging to have received support for the GCLT proposals from the Housing department and recent communication with the Planning department has also been positive. Work has now been extended to looking at design, construction and surface materials.
The village has a wide range of traditional materials and elements taken from this palette of materials are being considered for the onsite designs. Please don’t expect ‘Grand Designs’ and remember that building costs have to be controlled in order that rentals are truly at an affordable level. The full application submission will include the designs for the 3 estate plots (Combe are employing the same architects) so we will have a comprehensive picture of how the development will look.
We have now reached a stage where the details of a preferred site layout can be released. Please take a little time to have a look at the proposed site layout which is attached to this Newsletter.
This is the first stage of a public consultation process which will culminate in a public exhibition of the proposals including building design and site treatments, which will be placed on display in the Village Hall on Friday 11th June from 3.00pm to 8.00pm.
We would like to have your comments on the details of this proposed development and would encourage everyone to come and take at look at what is being proposed. It is hoped that representatives from the architects, the Housing Association, EDDC Housing and our own CLT will be on hand to answer questions and explain how the design has evolved.
Opportunity to make comments will be available at the public exhibition or can be sent to
David Valentine
Chairman Gittisham CLT