Gittisham Gazette September 2025

A parish newsletter brought to you by Gittisham Parish Council

What’s On at the Hall

Dance Club  Open Evening
 Wednesday 10th September 7.30pm

Pierre’s Café        Sunday 14th September 

Coffee&Cake     Sat 27th Sept 2.30-4.30

Quiz Night       Saturday 27th September 7pm

Harvest Supper October 4th 7pm

Open Mic night October 18th 7pm bar and Pizza Wagon

November 29th Christmas     Craft Fair 10am

Coffee&Cake 2.30 Bingo 7pm  


Weekly
Fitness class Tuesday mornings
Folk Dancing Weds evenings
Community Kitchen Thurs eve
Yoga Friday afternoons                                                                               Church Services
Sunday Sept 14th at 11am Holy Communion  
Sunday Sept 28th at 3 pm At St Paul’s Honiton Choral Evensong & Farewell Service for Rev Sue    

Harvest Supper  Sat Oct 4th 7pm in the Village Hall  

Sunday Oct  5th  Harvest Thanksgiving Service at 11am  

Sunday Oct 12th at 11am  Holy Communion  

Sunday Oct 26th at 11am Morning Worship      


Pierre’s Café 14th September

Pierre’s monthly pop-up café will be at the village hall on Sunday 14th September.  
As well as lunch there’ll be the usual selection of freshly made croissants, pains au chocolat and other French pastries in the morning to savour with a coffee or tea.   For dessert / afternoon drop in for a range of homemade cakes.   Vegan and gluten free customers catered for.  
We’ve been sold out for lunch in recent months, so please book if you can – it really helps us know how many to cater for and means we avoid having to turn people away.  Open 10-4, Gittisham Village Hall.   Text or call Pierre on 07545 214940.  
Hope to see you there.         


Church 200 Club July Draw Results  
1st Prize M Tawse
2nd Prize M Tawse
3rd Prize F Wolsey    



St Michael’s Church Helen Hayman Harvest supper Saturday 4 th October at 7 pm , tickets £10.00 adults, £5.00 children! Bring your own drinks! At Gittisham village hall, tickets are selling fast so order from Helen Hayman!

Looking ahead to November 8th Gittisham race night! Gittisham village hall! Prize for best dressed Lady & Gent! (optional!) No booking required, bar & snacks available!
7 pm.
So come cheer on your favourite horse, win your fortune!
Everyone welcome!

Information from Helen! 07806480246  

Gittisham Fete a ‘Quacking’ Success Despite the Rain

Gittisham’s annual fete, held on Saturday, August 30th, was a resounding success, drawing over 500 visitors despite the damp weather (great for ducks). The event kicked off with a grand opening by Honiton’s Town Crier, Caroline, setting a lively tone that continued throughout the day.

The air was filled with music and merriment, featuring a medley of pieces by the Honiton Town Band, vibrant performances from the Otter Morris Dancers, and the energetic sounds of the Exeter Street Band. The stalls were a fantastic sight, stretching from the Village Hall, where fantastic traditional cream teas were served (which raised nearly half the funds!), all the way up to the Church, which hosted a display titled “Gittisham Memories,” showcasing the village’s history.

Attendees also enjoyed a variety of other attractions, including classic cars and live blacksmithing demonstrations  from Gittisham’s very own forge.

A brief pause in the rain allowed for the highly anticipated Dog Show, judged by Maryanne from Vale Vets. The competition was fierce, with many great entries making for some very tough decisionns. A particularly amusing moment came during the “Best 6 Legs” category, which was won by Len, who in a display of true British grit, was sporting shorts despite the downpour.

The Dog Show took place in Will’s field, which was also home to more stands. These included the Poetry stand, where Anne created a fantastic poem about the event, which was read out the following day.

There was also the popular Goat-O-Booth, where both children and adults got selfies with the gorgeous goats.

The day’s highlight was the Great Duck Race, which commenced at 4:48 PM after the sluice was opened. Spectators cheered as the ducks raced down the River Gitt, navigating obstacles and vying for the lead.

The champion duck was plucked from the water by Finley, a 10-year-old volunteer who was an integral part of the day’s operations.

Finley was recognized as a true star, assisting with everything from setup and parking to radio commentary and the final rescue of the winning duck.

Thanks to the community’s support, the fete raised just over £2,000, a fantastic achievement given the weather. The funds will go towards the maintenance of the Church and the Village Hall, two key community buildings.

The fete will return next year on Saturday, September 5th, 2026. More details about the event will be announced in the new year.

There are also lots of great events coming up in the Gittisham Village Hall soon. Be sure to check the Gittisham website and Facebook page for more details,

The success of the fete was made possible by the hard work of the many volunteers, parishioners & bakers, also the generous support of the sponsors, including the Parish Council, Carter Dawes, Combe Estate & Shermans Farm, Vale Vets, The Pig, Combe Garden Centre, Otter Nurseries, Joshuas, Devon Vale, Hare and Hounds,  Norman Lockyer Observatory, Heron Farm, and OneStop Shop.

– Alex Rowe & The Gittisham Fete Committee

Images by Alex, Robert, Toni, Carla, Gary, Stella & Damian

Devon Open Studios – Octavia Madden

I will be taking part in Devon Open Studios this September and warmly invite you to visit my studio in Ottery St Mary. I’ll be showing a selection of my recent paintings, drawings and prints, and it’s a chance to see where and how I work. 

Devon Open Studios is a county-wide event where artists open their doors to the public, offering a unique opportunity to explore a variety of creative practices and discover new work. Entry is free, and everyone is welcome.

I look forward to welcoming you!


Gittisham Village Hall

Dear friends of Gittisham Hall,


We hope you have all enjoyed a great summer and have been able to spend time enjoying the lovely weather.

Your hall committee have been busy putting plans together for an exciting program of events this autumn.


September 10th. We have all been kindly invited to join the Gittisham Folk Dancing Club at 7.30 for a free taster of their fun dance class with live musicians.


September 27th.

Our ever-popular cake sale 2.30-4.30pm

Harvest themed Quiz 7pm


October 18th Open Mic night with bar, and Pizza Wagon, from 7pm


November 29th

Christmas craft fair from 10am… do get in touch if you or someone you know would like to reserve a table to sell from.

Cake sale 2.30-4.30

Christmas bingo 7pm, eyes down 7.30pm


We hope you will come and join us! Your support enables us to make repairs and upgrades to our much loved and very old hall!
Over the past two months, two new hand dryers have been installed along with upgraded handwashing facilities in the kitchen, with plans to start redecorating the toilets in September.


We are always keen to hear from anyone wishing to support us, either with feedback, ideas, time or donations!


Gittisham Parish Council

The Parish Council met on 4th September. A report will be available shortly on the village website and also in the next edition of the Gazette.