A monthly Community Newsletter published by St. Michael’s Church and Gittisham Parish Council
December 2022 Edition 250
Once again, thank you so much
I would like to thank everyone who visited me, sent cards or phoned during my next 16-day stay in
the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital, I came home on 4th December. Am not driving yet, as
the back hasn’t completely healed. A special thanks to Helen, and Judy for shopping. If you feel
like visiting I shall be here except for an appointment in the RD&E on Thursday. I do hope this is
my last stay for a very long time. Wishing everyone a very Happy Christmas and New Year. Carol
Village Houses advent windows
Once again the windows in Gittisham will be being decorated (one each day up to Christmas). It
will be worth a look round, to see the Advent Calendar taking shape. Details can be had from
Carol Hall, telephone 07854 492347.
Pierre’s pop-up Sunday cafe
There can only be one winner in Saturday’s England vs France match, but Pierre’s café will always be the place to find an ‘entente cordiale’ – not to mention delicious food. On Sunday 11th December in the village hall, Pierre will be serving ballotine de dinde aux marrons, a traditional French Christmas dish of turkey stuffed with chestnuts, plus all the trimmings. For dessert Pierre will be making two types of
French yule log: pear and vanilla or chestnut and chocolate. Vegan / vegetarian lunch also available, along with the usual home-made cakes, croissants and pains au chocolat. Please book to avoid disappointment by calling or messaging Pierre on 07545 214940. Joyeux Noël.
Village New Year’s Eve Party
On 31st December there is to be a village party in the hall, with a bring and share supper and
bring own drinks. Alex Rowe is providing a disco, there will be a donations pot towards hall hire.
Everyone welcome to come and celebrate the end of 2022 and welcome 2023, we will probably
gather at the Lychgate for the midnight chimes and to sing Auld Lang Syne. Help would be
appreciated to decorate the hall and to set up and clear up the hall. Maria Whitton has kindly
agreed to co-ordinate the evening, so if you can offer the help needed, please let her know by email
On 22nd November Maria also hosted a ‘stir up Sunday’ Christmas Pudding making day, there
were lots of children making puddings to take home for Christmas and by all accounts one was
tasted and it was delicious. This will probably turn into an annual event. There are some photos
available, but I am unable to print them, I can email to those interested.
Gittisham Village Hall news
New comfy chairs at the village hall
Have you tried the new comfy chairs? It’s been on the wish list for a while to have some more
comfortable chairs for events such as plays and talks. So when our Devon County Councillor Phil
Twiss mentioned he had money in his Locality Budget for projects to benefit communities and
support local needs, the Village Hall Committee jumped into action. Second hand chairs were
sourced via Facebook Marketplace and a committee member shot off in his van to collect them.
So not only does the hall have 30 new comfy chairs, they only cost £150 and are reused rather
than bought new (saving the planet!). Sorry, they don’t have arm rests, cupholders and nor do they
recline, but definitely better for the quieter events than those squeaky plastic ones!
If you’d like further information about Locality Budgets please contact
The next Film discussion evening Dr Zhivago will be on 19th December at 7pm £1.00 entry with
popcorn. A good chance to try the new chairs!!
The present swap and afternoon tea was a great success last Saturday. An event run by the
village hall committee saw neighbours gathering up presents from a table of donations and
enjoying tea, scones or mince pies. Many happy children trotted off with armfuls of toys. Do they
know they have to wait for Christmas?!! Later that evening the hall was full again and another
crowd of people enjoyed Hamish’s quiz night. The theme of the evening was the World Cup
Football and the final points were decided with real live penalty shootouts. Well done Goalie and
thank you Village Hall Committee for the amazing bangers and mash supper with legendary onion
gravy.
Events are run by the Village Hall Committee throughout the year and aim to make a bit of a profit
to keep the hall running and of course to provide fun and socialising for us all.
The Hall is also available to hire privately and details of this are on the gittisham.org.uk or contact
Carol Hall on 07854 492347 to make a booking.
There will be another quiz night in February 2023 so watch out in the next Gazette.
Parish Council report – November / December 2022
Six councillors met for the November meeting along with Alasdair Bruce (EDDC) and
Phil Twiss (DCC). Seven met for the December meeting.
Support at Christmas
Phil Twiss said school holidays can be particularly difficult for some families because of increased costs, such as food, especially now, when costs of living are so high, and rising. DCC has arranged a programme of funded holiday-time activities, with hot meals, to run for up to four days over the Christmas 2022 school holiday. To see the full programme of available activities, and to book a place through DCC’s providers at https://www.devon.gov.uk/educationandfamilies/document/haf providers- Christmas2022/#introduction
Broadband.
Phil Twiss said he had met Jurassic Fibre and the Combe Estate, and he reported that the network build was making progress. Councillors checked that outlying properties were included on the network map.
Finance.
Councillors noted the finances.
Crimes.
September 2022: 1 x violence & sexual offences, Parsonage Lane
August 2022: 1 x violence & sexual offences, Nags Head Road
Road closures / changes to public transport.
16 January: overnight road closure under Iron Bridge for bridge inspection.
EDDC Local Plan.
David Valentine said that he and Carol Hall had attended a webinar on EDDC’s emerging Local Plan on 20th October, and this had raised a number of important concerns. These are the appearance of “second choice sites” which includes land in Gittisham parish, as well as a lack of analysis of what the pressure on infrastructure would be of any new development (eg schools, healthcare). One location put forward is for a development of up to 100 homes west of Hayne Lane towards Gittisham village. Further information is included in this gazette, including how to respond to the public consultation.
Play area.
Carol Hall said the crab apple tree had been planted in the play area, along with a
spindle.
Old Elm Road rewilding.
Alex Rowe said initial feedback from the public consultation on the Old Elm Road rewilding proposal indicated most reservations were with the ponds and the cost of creating them. Another concern was ongoing management and maintenance, so a clear management plan will need to be given to EDDC workers and / or contractors.
Planning applications.
a) Gittisham Farm – Roof over existing open livestock yard.
Councillors had no objections.
Scam awareness.
Janet Twist reported that millions of ‘phone users will be better protected from
spoof calls which imitate legitimate organisations such as banks, as the telecoms watchdog
announces a change in rules next year. These will hopefully be brought into force by May 2023.
There has been an upsurge in fake emails purporting to be from TV licensing and the DVLA to lure
people into giving away their bank details. There has also been a sharp increase in scams on
Facebook marketplace, as Christmas looms and people look for bargains online.
Next meeting. 5th January in the parish room at 7.30pm.
The Chair wished councillors, their families and all those who support the parish council a very
merry Christmas, and a happy and healthy New Year
Gittisham St Michael’s contactless has proved a success!
The PCC was delighted to launch our new contactless giving machine which was installed
in the Church last month. With cash donations declining as people move towards other forms of giving, we are hoping that this will allow us to generate some much needed income to support the running of
our Church which costs over £100 a day to maintain.
The machine works in exactly the same way as any other contactless payment device – there are four preset quick payment options or you can select any amount from £1. The system relies on 3G/4G SIM data so please bear with it if the transaction takes a few moments to process. A QR code allows visitors to quickly link to our Facebook page and keep up to date with Church news.
St Michael’s Church, Honiton Mission Community and 200 Club
St. Michael’s Gittisham
Our services for December, service, 11th Eucharist, 18th Carol Service at 4.45pm – no morning
service, 25th Christmas Day 11.00am Eucharist.
To receive details for ongoing worship, Eucharistic and lay-led please contact me, Carol, on 01404 851113 or email or Julia by email on or for those without internet ring her on 07763 111367 or 01404 850680.
Gittisham’s next monthly coffee get-together is a week earlier and will be in the village hall from 10.30 – 12.30 with stalls. Tables available £5.00. we are looking to run a cake/produce stall and possibly a craft, and a present bring and buy for the church, offers of items gratefully received – and with serving coffees, sales and setting up / taking down please. Carol Hall is running the bric a brac stall, if you
have any items please either take them to her house or bring to the hall on the day.
Carols on the Green
Carols with the Honiton Town Band, mulled wine and bangers 5pm on Wednesday 21st December. In January 2023 our Christingle service will be on the 2nd Sunday 8th, it is hoped we will be making the Christingles on Saturday 7th in the Parish room at 2.30, it would be good to have some children to help with the assembly.
Honiton Mission Community
Rev’d Sue is still on lighter duties. Weekly services still continue to be at 11.00am The
website (honitoncofe.org) is updated regularly and has news about services and the latest
guidelines on the Covid regulations there is also a link to the Gittisham website.
The monthly Mission Community newsletter Around the Parishes is available by email or post from the Parish Office; see below for details. As our MC churches are now having their own services, Sunday Morning Eucharistic Worship at 11.00am, in St. Paul’s is being live streamed. If you would like to join this service do please contact Rev’d Sue or the Parish Office by emailing or and the link will be forwarded. Alternatively, ring the Parish office to book your place in person, on 01404 44035. Messages will be replied to when someone is available. Mollie the Church administrator is there on Tuesdays. Coffee and biscuits are served in St Paul’s church on Tuesdays and Saturdays and after Sunday services, donations are welcomed. Details of the other M.C. church services can be found in the Around the Parishes under each church and the service details including Readings and Collects for the month and will certainly be helpful if you join the live streamed Sunday service.
Combe Raleigh
St Nicholas’ Church is holding monthly “Come and Sing Hymns”. The next one will be in January – half an hour or so of singing favourite hymns – no readings, sermon, or prayers, and certainly no charge – just an opportunity to sing together, to be followed by tea and cake! They would be delighted to welcome you if you are able to go along. Ring Rosemary 01404 47156
200 Club
I am currently able to offer numbers for the 200 club, (there are several available). If you want
your number and forgot to pay the sub please let me know and I will re-instate you upon receipt of
the full subscription amount. If you would like to join the 200 Club, please ring Carol, I can send or email an application form. This is one way of funding the upkeep so necessary with this old church which takes a lot to keep it heated (especially with the spiralling costs for energy) and watertight, keeping the churchyard in good order and kind to nature, The cost is £12 per number per year; however as December has been drawn, this year’s sub until March will be £3 commencing with January. The draw takes place at the beginning of each month with 5 prizes: £40.00, £20.00, £15.00, £10.00 and £5.00. Twice a year there is a 6 monthly prize of £48 (March and September).
Payment can be made by cheque or cash or Standing Order, there is a form for your bank. I can
email both the application and Standing order forms if required, please let me know by telephone 01404 851113 or or write to 3 School House Cottages, Gittisham, Honiton, EX14 3AH.
December 2022 200 Club Results
1st Katharine Paravicini 2nd Michael Neve 3rd Emma Fuller
4th Paula Madden 5th Jack Rew
Ottery Choral Society
The Ottery Choral Society are holding their Christmas Concert on Saturday 10th December
in the Parish Church Ottery at 7.30. The main piece will be Faure’s Requiem, there will be
lots of carols for the audience to join in, plus some just for the choir. Tickets are on sale
from about 4 weeks before from The Curious Otter, Mill Street , Ottery 01404 814469 or
Ticket Source on the society website www.otterystmarychoral.org or email
Gittisham Gazette distribution
This is to advise if any Hayne Farm and Gittisham Vale estates residents wish to receive the
Gazette by email or if they have no internet access, they can receive it by post, (many are emailed and several households have 2 copies). I put 30+ copies in the Vale bus shelter and as the Hayne Farm sales
office is by appointment only, I have stopped putting any in the office. I apologise to those who do not get the Gazette and do my best to print as many as I can on my own printer, and understand there is a Hayne Farm WhatsApp group which links with the Gazette. If you have a neighbour who doesn’t have access to the internet and you could print off a copy, then many more could receive this publication. It would also be good to receive news from both the Vale and Hayne to let us know what’s going on etc.
Editor/Distributor:
Carol McCann 01404 851113 / 0794 6409142 .
If you have events or news items including pictures, for inclusion in the gazette from the village, the Vale or Hayne Farm Estate, do please email it to Carol as early as possible. Copy date for the January edition is 21st December. The Gazette will hopefully be ready by the first weekend in January, as the next parish council meeting is on 5th January. If possible please use the Arial font using Word and not PDF, thanks.
Wishing you all a very merry and peaceful Christmas and a very happy and prosperous New Year. Thanks to all who have helped me this year.