| Gittisham Gazette | October 2025 | |
| What’s On at the Village Hall | A parish newsletter brought to you by Gittisham Parish Council | |
| Harvest Supper Saturday 4th Oct 7pm Pierre’s Café Sunday 14th September Coffee&Cake Sat 27th Sept 2.30-4.30 Harvest Supper October 4th 7pm Open Mic night October 18th 7pm bar and Pizza Wagon Race Night Sat 8th November prize for best dressed 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 Pierre’s Café  12th October, Gittisham Village Hall. This month, focus on this wonderful Autumn and all its flaming colours. The main this month is a roasted chicken or vegan burger, both served with vegetables, roasted potatoes and apple compote to recreate the Autumn rainbow. Seasonal cakes, tarts and patisseries homemade, as well for croissants, muffins and apricot danishes in the morning. Booking ahead is highly recommended. Pierre: 07545214940. Church 200 Club July Draw Results 1st Prize L Abbott 2nd Prize J Twist 3rd Prize B Garrood |  Autumn at the Parish Hall There are so many exciting things to tell you about, we aren’t too sure where to start! Hopefully those who have visited in the last month will have had a chance to admire the newly refurbished loos? What a difference this has made! Huge thanks to Stella and Maggie for their efforts, pulling off the impossible, in just one weekend! We really enjoyed your company at the recent cake sale and on the Taskmaster Quiz evening! Thank you for coming along to support these events. Much fun was had by all! Your continued support, along with some help from a National Lottery Grant will now enable us to move forward with plans to complete the much-needed kitchen refurbishment. If you are a builder or painter/decorator we would love to hear from you as we are keen to employ local craftsmen within the parish if possible. Looking ahead we have an Open Mic night on October 18th at 7pm. As well as lots of local talent, we will have a licensed bar and pizza wagon! Come and join us with your poems, instruments or tricks? This promises to be lots of fun!  November 29th is definitely a date for your diary, with a Xmas Craft Fair from 10, with all tables now booked! Please do come along and start your Christmas shopping supporting the Artisans of Gittisham . We will then run into the ever popular Coffee and Cake afternoon from 2.30-4.30 followed by another epic Christmas Bingo, back by popular demand! Eyes down at 7.30! We are always looking for feedback and ideas, so do get in touch and let us know the events you would like to see happening.  St Michael’s Church Services Sunday Oct 5th Harvest Thanksgiving at 3pm Sunday Oct 12th Holy Communion at 11am Sunday Oct 26th Choral Evensong at 4pm (Sung by HMC Choir) Remembrance Sunday Nov 9th Act of Remembrance 10.45 am at the Lychgate followed by Holy Communion in Church IMPORTANT. Please note the Harvest Thanksgiving Service is at 3pm on Sunday Oct 5th (changed from the time originally given in the in the Gittisham Gazette).Thank You. St Michael’s Church Helen Hayman  November 8th is Gittisham race night! Gittisham village hall 7pm 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 Natter and Nibbles this month is at Gittisham Farmhouse from 10am-12. All welcome with donations towards the fabric fund of our church. Enjoy the garden and surrounding views. While you’re there you could take a trip to the pumpkin patch. Plenty of parking and the bus can stop outside on the junction. Bring a friend! After a major fund raising campaign Gittisham Parish Hall are now in a position to refurbish the kitchen and would welcome any expressions of interest from builders/electricians and painters and decorators that live within the Gittisham parish and would be interested in quoting for works to be completed as soon as possible. Please contact Stella 07813802292 | |
Gittisham Parish Council SEPTEMBER 2025 REPORT
The Parish Council met on 4th September.
Five councillors met for the September meeting along with three members of the public.
Broadband. Adam Powell reported that discussions are taking place between the parish council and a local start-up company interested in bringing full fibre broadband to the village. Councillors noted that the company had heard of the situation in Gittisham following the public meeting the parish council arranged with Connecting Devon & Somerset. A trial scheme of certain properties has been discussed, involving residents with poor broadband signing up to a voucher scheme and a connection box would be installed behind those properties. The discussions are at a very early stage, and all agreed on previous experience it would be wise to be cautious at this stage.
Public transport. One member of the public expressed their concern over the level of service provided by Stagecoach to those who catch the bus. They said the bus had failed to show up on multiple occasions recently, leading to missed medical appointments and delays getting to work. This was particularly noted when South West Water [SWW] closed the road to carry out some emergency repairs. Subsequently the road was reopened but Stagecoach did not appear to have this information and therefore directed its buses to avoid Gittisham village, leaving passengers stranded. Members agreed to take up the matter once again with Stagecoach to press for better communication between the company, Highways (DCC) and SWW. If you have similar experiences of the bus service in the parish, please let the parish council know.
Regarding trains, Peter Orchard said the Government’s takeover to improve South Western Railway’s performance has not gone well. From 11th August, and for the foreseeable future, trains to London are reduced to every two hours with journey times extended 45–60 minutes. The track is reportedly too dry.
Finance. Councillors agreed the finances.
Crimes. May 2025: Hedge Field Close: 1 x violence & sexual offences, 1 x criminal damage & arson. Hodges Close: 1 x anti-social behaviour. Hayne Lane: 1 x criminal damage & arson
June 2025: Hedge Field Close: 1 x violence & sexual offences, 1 x public order
Planning applications.
a) 25/0012/TPO – Land opp Garlands, Gittisham EX14 3AJ
b) 25/1552/LBC & 25/1551/FUL – The Lodge Gittisham EX14 3AD – Remove existing asbestos roof slates and felt, and replace with new natural slate roof with new bat safe roof membrane, including partially dismantling and rebuilding existing chimney stack to match existing.
c) 25/1365/PVJ – Gittisham Farm Gittisham EX14 3AX – Prior approval for the installation of 152 solar PV panels on a pitched roof
Councillors noted a) and c) and had no objections to b).
Road closures. 14 October 2000–2359hrs Road under Ironbridge closed to repair a safety defect.
Next meeting. Thursday 2nd October at 7.30pm in the parish room.
Less than two weeks to go! We can’t wait to welcome you all to the patch for the third year running!
PYO pumpkins
When? 11-12th, 18th-19th, 25th-31st of October. From 10am-4pm
Where? Gittisham Farm, Honiton, EX14 3AX.
Once again @ will be providing some delicious refreshments (we can’t wait!!!)
Opportunities to meet our cows and calves on our working farm.
Lots of photo opportunities (as always we’re happy take photos of you and your families).
Entry is free, with no booking required, just turn up and pay for what you pick!
OH GITTISHAM, MY GITTISHAM
The Honiton town crier does her thing
calling us all in to the summer fete.
“Rain is to be expected,” I hear someone say
as I’m leaving on a jet plane wafts across Will’s Field
from bin-liner shrouded speakers.
Rain drips beneath the gazebos,
trickles down the poles onto our wares below.
3 small goats trip by, take their place
next to the astronomer’s tent
and wait patiently to be admired.
On up the lane, the Honiton Town Band
blasts out tunes to the beat of the rain,
the queue for the cream tea grows restless,
it’s a veritable cake-frenzy.
There’s been tombola shenanigans,
wrong tickets on bottles…
the lads (young and not-so) have been damming the stream,
trousers rolled up, or tucked into wellies
in readiness for the Duck Race at half past 4.
The hi-vis team are marshalling cars and people,
the Blacksmith is terrifying the passing children,
as he winds his bellows to fan the flames
dangerously close to the basket weavers’ wares.
Here in Will’s Field, we gather for the dog show.
Hopeful canines sniff around, pull hopeful owners
to enter ‘prettiest bitch’ or ‘best 6 legs’.
The air is heady with the aroma of wet fur
and clammy cagoules
as the entrants for ‘most obedient’ parade around the paddock
to prove their worth before the gathered crowd.
And we applaud, not just for ‘best in show’
but for the band, for the Morris dancers,
the Tea Crew and The Bar, for the carriers and the shifters,
the bunting hangers and the lifters,
for the 500 yellow ducks tumbling to the finish line
for our Hi-Vis leader, Alex,
and for us, we Gittisham Folk,
for turning up and turning out
doing our thing, just joining in.
The Exeter Street Band play one last tune
and we sway, until finally
the rain pauses.
And at the church,
the bellringers ring out the day.