2022/23

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

1^st  Katharine Paravicini                 2^nd Michael Neve               3^rd Emma Fuller          
4^th  Paula Madden              5^th   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.

A monthly Community Newsletter published by St. Michael’s Church and Gittisham Parish Council

November 2022 Edition 249

Thank you so much

I would like to thank everyone who visited me, sent cards or phoned during my 20 day stay in the
Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital, being admitted with fluid on the lungs and a bad back.  I
subsequently discovered I had broken a vertebrae due to my osteoporosis. They have told me I
could do it at anytime again, doing nothing. I’m so pleased to be home but am currently using a
wheelie walker with a seat as I can’t stand up for long yet. I’m hoping to get back to ‘normal’ again
soon and look forward to trying driving. A special thanks to Helen, James, Sue, David, Jayne,
Owen and Julia for sorting my house to make it easier to get around, with Helen and Amanda
doing meals, Judy for shopping and to Combe Estate for all they have done. Carol

Marie Curie care and support through terminal illness

Be part of our companion volunteer support team. We’re looking for volunteers, aged 18 or over,
who can give three hours each week to chat to people who have been recently bereaved on
the telephone. Phone: 0800 3047 400 or email:

Visit mariecurie.org.uk/volunteering and tap on ‘search all roles’ to find the perfect role for you.
Sarah-Jane Trevor (she/her) Volunteer Services Coordinator Marie CuriemCare and support
through terminal illness.

Tel: 0800 304 7400 Mob: 07704 018050 Email:
Please note I do not work on Thursdays                 

Pierre’s pop-up Sunday cafe 

This Sunday (13th November) I will be serving freshly made croissants and pains au chocolat, with
a homemade pastry using a special type of French butter that gives them a taste like the
croissants I ate as a child. I will also be making vegan brownies, apple cake. At lunchtime the
main course will be beef stew or vegan ragout with hasselback potatoes. This is an old fashioned
way of making Beef Bourginon stew. Please bring your own alcoholic drinks.

My favourite painter, Pierre Soulages, died last week so I will be making a cake inspired by his
paintings. I will put out – for anyone who is interested in looking at it – a book published to celebrate
his 100th birthday a couple of years ago.

My family will soon be starting a similar pop up event in Tipton St John, so come along to that one
too if you can. The first one is on 27th November. To book, please call Pierre on 07545
214950.

In 2017 I resigned from my job to create a philosophy of life in which work allows me to please
both my family and my guests. The prices in my pop ups are deliberately kept low to allow all
households, whatever their income, to enjoy a French food experience in a relaxed and friendly
setting.

I would encourage more people to get into self-employment and work to support the villages that
are becoming more and more second homes in this beautiful county of Devon. If you want to
discuss further, I invite you to get in touch to understand all aspects of my work.

Gittisham Community Kitchen

The Community Kitchen has now been running for nearly 4 months and I hope that you will agree with me that it has been something of a success so far. We have settled into a regular pattern of food donations with bread coming from the Ottery Larder and veg from The Pig. It has been an added bonus to have kind people making generous donations of cooked dishes and puddings using seasonal garden fruit. We are feeding between 30 and 40 covers every week and that wouldn’t be possible without the sterling input from those people who turn up regularly to help set out and lay the tables, clean and chop the veg, and clear away and wash up afterwards. Thank you all so much.

It seems that the community has benefitted not only by having access to a free hot meal once per week, but also by the very nature of sharing food and the myriad subtle benefits of meeting together for a meal and a chat. It is lovely to see familiar faces every week but it would also be great to see those who haven’t managed to get to the meal before now. Everyone is welcome to come and eat every Thursday at 6.30pm. As the winter draws in we hope to have some evenings where we can perhaps stay a little longer and play games or just chat.

Please let me know if you can’t make it to the meal but would welcome a takeaway instead and most
importantly, I’d be grateful to hear any (useful!) comments and new ideas by email
to

Ken Horn

Sadly Ken Horn of Lower Lodge died peacefully on the 8th November after a short illness in the
RDE and then the Koppers Care Home in Kilmington. Ken was an amazing 93 years old and up
until very recently had managed to look after himself at home with a little support. He moved into
his home 55 years ago with his late wife Laura who died in 1996 and is buried in the church yard.

Born in Honiton he served in the Army as a hairdresser and then later opened a gentleman’s
hairdressers in both Budleigh and Honiton. Ken led a quiet life, enjoyed travelling and up to the
last few years would be seen pottering around his garden – tending his front lawn with pride and
passing the time with all those who would stop for a chat.

A date for the funeral has yet to be set but any queries please contact Jayne Bramley at Parkers
West on telephone 01404 850084.

Libraries Unlimited

Libraries Unlimited is a registered charity (1170092) responsible for running 54 public libraries
across Devon and Torbay. You can support us to continue delivering life-changing library services,
find out more here: librariesunlimited.org.uk/support-us We’re passionate about libraries, as we
know our customers tell us that they are a key part of their lives, and the life of many towns and
local communities, offering a free, safe space for people to access a wide range of services, as
our Impact Report outlines.

As the cost of living crisis hits, especially over winter, we’re encouraging more people to use their
local library through our ‘Libraries for Life’ campaign – providing a warm space to meet, a warm
drink, free winter coats, and extra activities to promote wellbeing and combat isolation, and to
spread the word about the free services we’re offering. Your local library in Honiton (and
elsewhere) would also be more than happy to welcome you and outline the services they offer in
your local area. https://www.librariesunlimited.org.uk/news/libraries-lifeline-as-cost-of-livingcrisis-deepens/

Anna Jones

Gittisham Village Hall events

22nd November another film ‘discussion night’, this month’s Back to the Future with new comfy
chairs, central heating at 7.00pm everyone welcome! £1.00 for entrance and popcorn, bring own
drinks and nibbles.

Sarah Agg-Manning has organised a play on Tues. 29th November at 7.30pm in the Village Hall:-
The play is called ‘Every Brilliant Thing’ and is a ‘one man’ show performed by Philip Robinson.
The Guardian described it as ‘One of the funniest plays you’ll ever see about depression – and
possibly one of the funniest you’ll ever see – full stop.’ It does contain material about mental health
issues. Tickets are £10 and £5 for under 16’s, students, unemployed and those on a low income.
Tickets from Sarah 01404 851177

On 3rd December there is a ‘Present Swap Shop’ getting ready for a more sustainable
Christmas with a bit of present swapping and some mulled wine mince pies and cream tea
…bring along something of value you don’t want, and swap it for something you do – gifts, toys
decorations and lights – in new or very good condition. Serving drinks and teas from 3pm to 6.pm.
Hall will be open to receive gifts etc from 10.00am or bring in the afternoon.

3rd December in the evening Hamish is running a quiz night with the usual fun and games, teams
up to 6, doors open from 7.pm. For £5. You get a night in a warm hall plus a bangers and mash,
peas and gravy plus veggie option. Bring own drinks.  Please contact Hamish Hall 07880 178297

The Beaumont Charity

The Beaumont Charity was formed in 1596 and offers support to those suffering financial difficulties while living within the Parish of Gittisham. The charity is able to make a single payment to any resident who has a low income and limited savings and requires money towards a wide range of practical needs. Examples of this include energy and heating bills, a home safeguard alarm service, TV licence, assistance towards transport costs, education resources, funeral expenses and energy reduction measures to name but a few. In fact there is no restriction on the categories that the Trustees can award money to.

If you feel that you would like further information on how to apply for a payment, please contact the
Trustees by emailing or calling Combe Estate on 01404 45576. All calls and claims will be kept completely confidential and if necessary we can support you with completing the application form. Kind Regards, Richard Marker

Gittisham St Michael’s goes contactless!

The PCC is delighted to launch our new contactless giving machine which has just been installed
in the Church. 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 the rest of November, 13th Remembrance Sunday service starting at the lych
gate at around 10.50 with laying of wreaths, 2 minute silence and prayers before a lay led morning
worship in church, 20th no service, 27th Eucharist for Advent Sunday. December services, 4th no
service, 11th Eucharist, 18th Carol Service at 5.45pm – 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 on 19th November, and on the third Saturday of each month, from 10.30-12 noon.  As the weather is getting chillier, we will be in the parish room (unless it is a hot sunny day).  All welcome. 

Forward Notice Saturday 10th December: our December 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.

Honiton Mission Community

Rev’d Sue is still on lighter duties. There is a Civic Service following the parade for Remembrance
at St Paul’s at 3.00pm on 13th November. 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

Combe Raleigh St Nicholas’ Church holding a monthly “Come and Sing Hymns” The next one
will be on Sunday 4th December– 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.

Awliscombe

The section of the grade 2 listed churchyard wall running up Church Hill has now been repaired.

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 October has been drawn, this year’s sub until March will be £5 commencing with November. 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.

November 2022 200 Club Results

1^st  Maggie Walker                 2^nd Julie Broadhurst               3^rd Tom Pether          
4^th  Steve Howe              5^th   Jonathan Aylen

Ladies bike for sale

Raleigh Metro Ladies 18” bike. Used little in very good condition. £50 Angie 07774 146209.

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 December edition is 21st November.  The Gazette will hopefully be ready by the first weekend in December, as the next parish council meeting is on 1st December.  If possible please use the Arial font using Word and not PDF, thanks.

A monthly Community Newsletter published by St. Michael’s Church and Gittisham Parish Council

October 2022 Edition 248

Flytipping

Fly-tipping is the illegal dumping of waste onto any land and is a criminal offence. Fly-tipped waste can have a significant financial implication for landowners and local authorities. It poses a safety risk to landowners and members of the public and can be harmful to domestic animals, wildlife and livestock.

What do you need to do?  Report fly-tipped waste promptly to the relevant local authority. Be aware of the potential for hazardous waste and do not touch.

Remain vigilant, notify the police using 999 if you suspect an offence of fly tipping is being committed noting vehicle details, descriptions and an accurate location.

How can you prevent this? Understand your obligations to dispose of waste legally using a designated centre or licensed waste carrier. Landowners where possible should restrict access using gates or physical barriers and block unused entrances.

Improve visibility and lighting and consider the use of signage and CCTV. Keep areas tidy and clear waste to discourage waste being added.

Remember if you see fly tipped waste report it promptly to your local district council. If you have any information concerning the identity of individuals responsible for fly tipping, call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. Join Devon & Cornwall Alert, watch schemes and local social media groups so that you can find out what is happening in your area.

The Devon and Cornwall police rural affairs team have produced a calendar which highlights rural issues throughout the year to focus problem solving activity for police, partners and public with key messages and prevention activity. If you would like a visit, advice or leaflet regarding farm security or to discuss other rural crime issues. please contact PCSO 30017 Darren ENGLAND via email:

Honiton Memory Cafe Quiz Night

Friday 11th November, doors open 7pm for 7.30pm prompt start.  Mackarness Hall, Honiton, £10 including hot supper.  Raffle.  Bring your own drinks and nibbles.  Tickets from Maggie telephone 01404 850855 or email    Teams of 4-6 people.  If anyone would like to make up a team, please ring me (Carol) on telephone 01404 851113 / 07946 409142.                   

Pierre’s pop-up Sunday cafe 

Pierre is back with his popular monthly café on Sunday 9th October in the village hall.  Come in the morning for croissants, apple turnovers (French-style) and apricot Danish.  Lunch will be chicken in white wine sauce (£8.50) or mushroom & salsify stew for vegans / vegetarians (£8.50).

For dessert, there’ll be a selection of delicious cakes including vegan and gluten-free.  The family has been out picking blackberries to make a sorbet, and there’ll also be ice cream.  Please book for lunch to avoid disappointment.  Call Pierre on 07545 214940.  We look forward to seeing you, any time between 10am and 4pm in Gittisham Village Hall.  Cash and cards accepted.

Gittisham Community Kitchen

Now that the evenings are drawing in and the temperature is beginning to drop, the Community Kitchen project will start to really come into its own.  We are all concerned and affected by the cost of living crisis and the increase in food and fuel prices and hopefully as a community we can alleviate some of the difficulties people will face this winter.  But the success of the community kitchen over the last couple of months has shown that it is so much more than just a free meal.  Members of our community have really benefitted from the weekly get togethers and the opportunity to share a simple meal with all comers.  So, long may it last!

Remember – free meal served to all comers every Thursday in the village hall at about 6.30pm.  Feel free to bring your own drinks to share with your neighbours.  It will be warm and welcoming throughout the winter.

If anyone has any produce or time or labour to donate, please contact Sara by email at or text/WhatsApp to 07939 148762. There is also a donations pot if you feel inclined to help with costs.

Gittisham Village Hall Committee

The Village Hall Committee would welcome representatives from Gittisham Vale. It would be very helpful to have a full representation from all parts of the parish of Gittisham so that everyone can have a say in what events could be organised.  If you would like to join the hall committee do please contact Sue Fallows on 01404 850922  /  07717 596876  /

The next Gittisham Film ‘Discussion’ – a Halloween Special – will consider Nicole Kidman’s The Others (12 certificate) and take place in the Village Hall on Tuesday 25th October at 7pm. All most welcome!  £1.00 for popcorn, bring own drinks and nibbles.

Hamish Hall’s mega Atlas Mountain cycle race

Hamish is currently in Morocco on a 1,100-mile cycle race through the Atlas Mountains, Carol has sent a link if you want to track his progress, his competitor number is 214B https://amr2022.maprogress.com/?bib=214B#   you can also leave a message of support.  Hamish had a partner competitor, his friend Steve, but he has hurt his back and had to drop out.  The distance so far travelled by Hamish is around 815 miles as of 6.30pm 6^th October.  I am not aware if he has any sponsors – you can ask Carol (telephone 07854 492347).  Well done Hamish you certainly are a glutton for punishment!!!

Parish Council report, October 2022

Six councillors met for the October meeting. Alasdair Bruce (EDDC) was also present.

Covid & ‘flu.

In his absence, Phil Twiss (DCC) reported that as we move towards late autumn and winter, everyone who is eligible for a free ‘flu vaccine and COVID-19 booster is being urged to take up the offer as soon as they are invited to do so. At the moment, the ‘flu vaccine is being given free on the NHS to adults who:

• are 65 years old and over (including those who will be 65 by 31 March 2023)
• have certain health conditions, such as asthma and diabetes
• are pregnant
• are in long-stay residential care
• receive a carer’s allowance, or are the main carer for an older or disabled person who may be at risk if you get sick
• live with someone who is more likely to get a severe infection due to a weakened immune system, such as someone living with HIV, someone who has had a transplant, or is having certain treatments for cancer, lupus or rheumatoid arthritis
• are frontline health or social care workers

Church Mead bridge.

Alasdair Bruce said that EDDC’s property and asset team would be meeting on site on  7 th October to discuss repairs to the bridge.

Finance.

Councillors noted the finances.

Crimes.

July 2022: 2 x violence & sexual offences, Laburnum Close & Landscores Lane

Road closures / changes to public transport.

3 – 28 October Hayne Lane closed for construction of new retaining wall; a diversion will be in place via Devonshire Road, Sidmouth Road and Beech Walk. Peter Orchard said that track speed restrictions on a stretch of the journey from Waterloo have resulted in a service every 2 hours to Exeter. Problems discovered during the closure last month mean that another extended weekday closure is likely this autumn.

Old Elm Road balancing pond.

Peter Orchard reported that work to clear the pond has been completed. 

Planning applications.
a) Olive Tree Cottage, Gittisham – T1, Lime: to crown lift over adjacent buildings to give a 3 metre clearance from property; to reduce weight and increase light levels via a crown thin removing 20% of the foliar area, target pruning cuts of up to 75mm; T2, Elm : Dismantle to ground level; the tree is in decline with poor vitality, possibly suffering from DED; it is also suppressed by the adjacent Lime.     Councillors had no objections.

Scam awareness.

Janet Twist said police in Devon have issued a warning after an elderly man fell victim to a phone scam and lost more than £10k. Also, there are fake texts circulating claiming to be from the Government inviting people to apply for the £400 energy bill support. This support will be given automatically with no need to apply. People are being urged to use Multi Factor Authentication as much as they can, but especially on important websites like banks, and anywhere else they are offered.

Old Elm Road rewilding.

Alex Rowe said several people from Gittisham Vale had attended the public consultation in September. One resident had expressed concern about the proposals, and it was agreed to await the outcome of the consultation before taking further steps.

Next meeting.

This will be on 15th November at 7.30pm in the parish room.

St Michael’s Church, Honiton Mission Community and 200 Club

St. Michael’s Gittisham

 A huge thank you to all who made our church so wonderfully decorated for our Harvest service on 2nd October with lovely flowers and lots of produce, both perishable and non-perishable, which is going to be shared with the food banks in both Honiton and Ottery (Ottery supplies our bread for the Community Supper so we thought it right to repay their generosity).  I took the vegetables and fruit to the vegetable food bank in Queen Street on Friday.  They do not now have their stand outside their unless they have goods to offer.  If you do ever have a surplus of vegetables and would like to donate to the Vegetable Bank ring David Holland on 07876 595431 or email .

David was most grateful for our donated goods, and said if he has any left at the end of the day he takes the surplus down to the Foodsave outlet at the Baptist’s Family Church on the High Street. Harvest supper on this Saturday 8th October in the village hall, at 7.00pm. £5.00 for 2 courses with reduction for primary age children.  There is a raffle and do bring your own drinks please.  Sue Fallows is masterminding the evening so please contact her by telephone 01404 850922  /  07717 596876  / if you require vegetarian or have allergy problems. 

Our services for October: 9th no service, 16th no service, 23rd Eucharist, 30th no service. November 6th no service 13th Remembrance Sunday lay-led starting at the lych-gate at 10.50, 20th no service, 27th 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 on 15th October, and on the third Saturday of each month, from 10.30-12 noon.  As the weather is getting chillier, we will be in the parish room (unless it is a hot sunny day).  All welcome.  

Honiton Mission Community

Rev’d Sue has returned to lighter duties and will be leading the weekly Sunday Services at 11am to start with.  It is lovely to have her back in the team again, and we look forward to when she takes a service in the village.   St Paul’s has had some falling masonry in church, and they have now had permission to start the repairs.

Honiton St Paul’s weekly services continue 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

On Sunday 2^nd October at 3.00pm in St Nicholas’ Church, they held their first “Come and Sing Hymns” (postponed due to the death of Her Majesty). The next one will be on Sunday 6^th November– 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 had a good number and would be delighted to welcome you if you are able to go along.

Awliscombe

A section of the churchyard wall running up Church Hill has been so long leaning out at an improbable angle, it’s now being rebuilt. Gathering the courage – and the money – to undertake this monumental task hasn’t been easy but, at the time of writing, the work is nearing completion and Simon and Ben, from A.S. Builders, have worked hard to create something that is every bit as beautiful – and rather more vertical – than its Grade II-listed former self.

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 October has been drawn, this year’s sub until March will be £5 commencing with October. 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.

October 2022 200 Club Results

1^st  Peter Orchard                 2^nd Peter Stansell               3^rd David Valentine           
4^th  Karissa Marker              5^th   Terry Kitchen

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 November edition is 25th October.  The Gazette will hopefully be ready by the first weekend in November.  If possible please use the Arial font using Word and not PDF, thanks.

A monthly Community Newsletter published by St. Michael’s Church and Gittisham Parish Council

September 2022 Edition 247

Rewilding in Gittisham Vale

Gittisham Parish Council and East Devon District Council are working together on a rewilding
project in Gittisham Vale, to allow nature to flourish and thrive in a green space at Old Elm Road.
There is an information event at the end of Ferndale Road on Tuesday 13th September from 2pm
until 4pm.

East Devon District Council has already left a number of small green spaces across the area
uncut, allowing them to be more biodiverse, attractive, wildlife friendly, climate friendly and
ecological.

The plan is to introduce more wildflowers to areas that have had high frequency cuts for a long
time, with the result being that existing impoverished green landscapes in populated areas
become unpolluted, beautiful and productive.

These uncut wildlife havens:
Provide habitats for insects and wildlife
Reduce CO2 emissions, by not using mowers
Promotes sustainable landscapes
Encourages native wild flowers

If you’d like to know more, please contact your Parish Councillor Alex Rowe

Back to School

So our lovely long hot summer holidays are coming to an end. Edward and Tom are off to read
Geography at Reading and Daphne is also reading geography at Cardiff. Chloe will be going to
‘big’ school for the first time, Jonny Valentine, having had great results in his GCSEs, will be
starting A-levels at Kings.  He will also be in the Kings School Musical ‘The Adams Family’. Two of
Sarah Agg-Manning’s Scottish grand children, Florence and Rosie Arbuthnott are coming south
and will be going to Sherborne. William Fuller transfers from Feniton to Kings. We wish all our
children and young students a very happy academic year and hope there will be no more
interruptions in their schooling.

Pierre’s pop-up Sunday cafe 

At Pierre’s popular monthly café on 11th September, he will be cooking a selection of tapas and pintxos for lunch. Pintxos is the Basque version of tapas, the Basque region being somewhere Pierre has worked as a chef in the past. Customers can choose from a selection of dishes, including patatas bravas (spicy potatoes), pan con tomate (bread spread with garlic and tomatoes), Spanish cheeses, cured meats and grilled aubergines. Vegetarians and vegans will also find many dishes to enjoy. As usual, Pierre will be baking home-made croissants, pains au chocolat and cakes. Please book for lunch to avoid disappointment. Call Pierre on 07545 214940. We look forward to seeing you, any time between 10am and 4pm in Gittisham Village Hall on Sunday 11th September.

Hayne Farm News, Janet Twist

Defibrillator installed at Hayne Lane Estate
A public access defibrillator has been installed at the new Hayne Farm development in Gittisham
and is the third defibrillator to be installed in the parish by the parish council. It’s the result of a
collaboration between developer Baker Estates, Gittisham Parish Council and Sovereign Housing.
The parish council has also produced a leaflet which has been delivered to all the residents of
Hayne Farm, explaining where the defibrillator is located and how to use it in the event of an
emergency. Gittisham parish has a total of three defibrillators, funded by the parish council. One is
located on Old Elm Road in Gittisham Vale, and the other is housed in the former telephone box in
the centre of Gittisham village.

Playground Opens
The playground at Hayne Farm estate was opened in time for the summer holidays. Although the
playground is not quite finished yet, with the hard landscaping needing to be completed, the play
equipment has been installed, and children have been able to enjoy the area over the holidays.

Community Kitchen

As Sara Trumper is currently away, her Thursday evening community suppers in the village hall are being prepared by different teams.  Betty Madden masterminded last week’s and next week’s will be Maggie Walker. With the ongoing increases in living costs Sara’s idea of a ‘simple meal’ will be much needed, we will not only be fed but we will be warm too! The Hall is open from 6pm to 9pm with food being served at about 6.30pm. No need to book, everybody welcome. The simple meal caters for all tastes including vegetarian and vegan.  All donations of excess produce etc. gratefully received – please email Sara on or text/WhatsApp to 07939 148762. There is also a donations pot if you feel inclined to help with costs.

Mary Ward

It is with sadness I announce the death of Mary Ward on 16th August. Mary and late husband
Stanley were regular members of Gittisham Church and lived in a bungalow at Gittisham Hill until
Mary moved to Hillside Care Home just outside Newton Poppleford. There will be a family only
Cremation at East Devon Crematorium on 2nd September and a Memorial Service here in
Gittisham on Saturday 24th September at 2.00pm, followed by interment of ashes with Stanley. We
wish the family many happy memories and the peace to grieve.

Christmas Card competition

Please remember you have only 30 days left before you must hand in your Christmas Card
for judging.  May the best one win !! Fold a piece of A4 paper, into 4, then draw and colour a
Christmas picture on one side and write your name, church, and your age on the back page.
Rev’ds Sue and Christine have agreed to judge the best in all of the age groups. The groups will
be up to 6, then 7 to 11 followed by 12 to 20 then by special permission if any adult who wishes to
join in (you can). There will be a voucher for the winner in each group and we will turn your picture
into Christmas Cards to be on sale at the Christmas sale at St. Paul’s and hopefully in the village
churches too. Closing Date for Entries 30th September, if you bring your entry to Carol a few days
before 30th, I will take them to St. Paul’s for you. Judging will take place during October and
the winners will be announced in the November issue of Around the Parishes. (Come on
Gittisham’s youngsters, do have a go and see if you can win a prize.) Carol

Parish Council report, September 2022

Seven councillors met for the September meeting. Phil Twiss (DCC) and Alasdair Bruce (EDDC) were also present.

Avian ‘flu.

Devon, Cornwall and parts of Somerset have now been declared an Avian Influenza Prevention Zone by the UK’s Deputy Chief Veterinary Officer, where it is hoped that this will mitigate further outbreaks of the disease. Bird keepers will have to follow strict biosecurity measures to protect their flocks,
regardless of size, in Devon and other southwest counties. This includes ‘backyard owners’ with small
numbers of poultry such as chickens, ducks and geese who must follow steps to prevent bird ‘flu from spreading further.

Dogs.

Alasdair Bruce said that EDDC is proposing changes to bylaws covering dogs off leads and a
rewording of dog exclusion zones on our beaches. He said he had raised grave concerns regarding the
removal of dogs on leads in our lanes, roads and certain open spaces. The district council feels that any
issues can be covered by enforcement action under other laws and the police. Alasdair said he had
highlighted the increase in dog attacks on livestock and increased evidence of dog fouling on some
sections of our popular beaches. He would encourage people in the parish to feed in any comments
concerning the proposed changes if they feel they need to.

Finance.

Councillors noted the finances.

Crimes.

May 2022: 1 x anti-social behaviour, Laburnum Close
2 x violence & sexual offences, Cypress Close
1 x anti-social behaviour, Parsonage Lane
1 x violence & sexual offences, Parsonage Lane
June 2022: no crimes

Road closures / changes to public transport.

26 September − 21 October Hayne Lane closed for construction of new retaining wall; a diversion will be in place via Devonshire Road, Sidmouth Road and Beech Walk.
19−23 September railway line closure between Axminster and Pinhoe; a bus replacement service will be in operation between Axminster and Exeter St David’s.

Old Elm Road balancing pond.

Phil Twiss reassured the parish council that work to clear the pond has been booked with DCC contractors, but he could not confirm the start date.

Planning applications.
a) Westgate, Gittisham – Erection of solar panels on existing pool house/garage roof and erection of
summer house
b) Kings Arms Farm Nags Head Road – Construction of a two storey 18-unit residential home for
vulnerable people
c) Land Adjacent To Hamlet House Nags Head Road – Extension of an existing commercial building
on the land north of Hamlet House
d) Curlditch House Gittisham EX14 3AE Proposed siting of 5 no. Shepherd’s Huts in the field
southeast of Curlditch House (change to heritage statement)

Councillors had no objection to a, b or c. The parish council’s objection to revised application d)
remains unchanged.

Scam awareness.

Janet Twist said scammers are currently using the hike in energy prices as a way to defraud people, sending out letters asking people to call a Freephone number for help.

Next meeting.

This will be on 6th October at 7.30pm in the parish room.

Can you help us spread the word?

The search begins for 2022’s Best Young Landscape Artist and we need your help to spread the word.
We are inviting budding young artists to showcase their creativity by capturing Devon’s unique and precious landscapes in the medium of their choice. There are two entry categories – one for teenagers (aged 12-18) and one for younger children (age 7-11) – with cash prizes for the winners.
We held the competition for the first time last year and were really impressed with the quality
and quantity of entries from across the county, and would like to get the word out again that
we are looking for more budding artists.

More details can be viewed on our website: www.cpredevon.org.uk/my-outdoors-painting
To enter, post your artwork A3 or A4 in size clearly putting your name age and contact details
on the back page to Devon CPRE, PO Box 26, Beaworthy, EX21 5XN Closing date 30th
September.

There is a copy of the poster on the bus shelter in Gittisham and notice boards at Hayne
Farm and Gittisham Vale.

St Michael’s Church, Honiton Mission Community and 200 Club

St. Michael’s Gittisham

On 14th August baby Phoebe Bartlett was Christened by Rev. Robert.  We had a full church
plus lots of children, Phoebe behaved impeccably and seemed to be taking everything in,
including taking a fancy to Rev. Robert’s roving microphone, which was itself behaving rather
badly! I really need to get the system checked out again, I’m not sure what’s going on and why it
screeches a lot of the time. Is there anyone who is good with sound systems that could come and
have a look as we are getting a lot of feedback?

Rufus Lyle has nearly finished the re-plastering of the damp areas in the church, porch and vestry,
with just the lime wash to do when the plaster is fully dry, then he will start on the brushing down of
the loose plaster in the Marker Chapel.

Our services for September: 4th no service, 11th Eucharist, 18th no service, 25th lay-led Morning
Worship. As our next PCC meeting is being rearranged it is possible that our Harvest Festival
service will be lay-led – hopefully outdoors and probably on 2nd October at 11am with coffee
afterwards.

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. 

Has anyone some ideas of how to sow some wild flower seeds in the churchyard to make the wild areas in the churchyard look lovely for next year’s growing season and if so perhaps we can have a ‘planting’ party please let me know if you would be prepared to help thanks.

Honiton Mission Community

Rev’d Sue is planning to return to her duties slowly this month and will be leading the weekly
Sunday Services at 11am to start with. It will be lovely to see her back in the ‘fold’ again, she
hopes to visit the villages in due course.

Honiton St Paul’s weekly services continue 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.

On Saturday 10th September the next ‘Celebrate Together’ afternoon with tea for both adults
and youngsters with learning difficulties and their carers. We sing songs, have stories and there is
usually a theme. Everyone is most welcome and if you know of anyone who might like to join in
do please ask them to ring Lyn Thatcher (Honiton churchwarden) 01404 41429 or the Parish
Office 44035 for details. The event starts from 2.45pm and finishes about 4.30.

Mission Community Harvest Services, some are being held on 2nd October this year.  Honiton’s
hopes to be outside on the forecourt 11.00am, Buckerell in church 10am. Monkton is Sunday 16th
October their Service will be held at 11.15 am followed by a 3-course lunch in the Village Hall.
Combe Raleigh. On Sunday 18th September at 3.00pm in St Nicholas’ Church we will be holding
our first “Hymn Sing”. We are hoping this will become a monthly event – 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! We would be delighted if you are
able to come and join us. Rosemary Mapleston

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 September has been drawn, this year’s sub until March will be £6 commencing with October. 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.

September 2022 200 Club Results

1^st  Rosemary Wensley                 2^nd Angie Hutchings               3^rd Richard Marker            
4^th  Sandra Moss              5^th   Helen Hayman!       6-month Bill Griffiths

2022 Ploughing Match

This year’s Sidmouth Junction & District Ploughing Match is on 11th September, at Higher
Gosford Farm, Fenny Bridges, EX14 3AZ. From 10.00am. Last year it was just up the road at
Gittisham Farm and very interesting.

Reorganisation of buses

If you, like me are slightly flummoxed about the bus timetable, I hope this will be of help, I have
gleaned these times from the bus shelter timetable so hope it is up to date!!

Stagecoach has changed the number from 4/4A to 44/44A
Gittisham to Honiton, 9.55, 13.55, 15.55, 18.59
Honiton to Gittisham 8.07, 9.26, 11.26, 13.26, 17.26
Dartline Monday and Thursday Gittisham to Honiton 9.50 and Honiton to Gittisham 14.20

Food Bank Blue Box

The blue box for the Honiton Food Bank has moved from the bus shelter to the church porch. If you are
able to give some support with non-perishable items you will be helping this worthy cause, tinned soup,
vegetables, fruit, puddings, longlife milk, oil, ketchup/mayonnaise, packet soups, pastas, cereals,
jam/marmalade, squash, biscuits, tea, coffee, chocolate. If you have a surplus of fresh fruit or vegetables, there is a fresh produce food bank in Queen Street near the turn-off to Orchard Way with a box outside.

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 October edition is 26th September.  The Gazette will hopefully be ready by the first weekend in October.

A monthly Community Newsletter published by St. Michael’s Church and Gittisham Parish Council

August 2022 Edition 246

Gittisham Flower and Produce Show

What a wonderful hot and sunny afternoon when we enjoyed another very successful Flower and Produce Show. The hard work of the gardeners, the handicraft and cooking skills of the Gittisham area residents and the imagination of the children were very much on display at the Show on 6th August.

During the course of the afternoon many visited to view the entries, enjoy a cup of tea and cake, chat with friends and maybe think to themselves – “my flowers / vegetables are as good as that!” So, make a note of the date for next year – Saturday August 5th.

The cup winners were:
Marker Vegetable Cup –   Len Abbott,
Best In Show Vegetable –   Len Abbott,
Flower Shield –   Angie Hutchings,
Best In Show Floral Exhibit –   Ann Stansell,
Homecraft Cup –   Anne Holley,
Men Only Cup (cake baking) –   Will Wolsey,
Carol McCann Cup –   Kadence Hulbert,
Infant Cup 3-6 years –  Emily Grayson,
Junior Cup 6 –12 years –   William Fuller.

The committee were also delighted to receive 24 entries for the Potatoes in a Bucket competition. The content of the winning bucket was grown by Scarlett Wolsey, weighing in at 1.197 kg. Second place was won by Angie Hutchings (1.194 kg) and third by Len Abbott (1.099 kg). The competition is fun for all the family so please do join in next year.

A big thank you to all for making the event such a success namely, the organisers, the exhibitors, the helpers on the day and perhaps most importantly, all who came along to support this, the best of village events.

The Committee of the Gittisham Flower and Produce Show have raised money over the past few years and would very much welcome your suggestions on how we spend it in the village.  Please reply to

Community Kitchen

Grateful thanks to Sara Trumper for her Thursday evening community supper in the village hall which started on 21^st July.  Sara’s idea of a ‘simple meal’ is free.  The Hall is open from 6pm to 9pm with food being served at about 6.30pm.   No need to book, everybody welcome and feel free to bring board games, cards etc.  A simple meal which will hopefully cater for all tastes.  All donations of excess produce etc. gratefully received – please email Sara on  or text/WhatsApp to 07939 148762.

An East Budleigh – Gittisham connection – Derek Wensley

Here in East Budleigh, a group are pursuing the history of Roger Conant, who sailed to America in 1623 and founded the community of Salem, Massachusetts. Roger Conant is remembered for his attitude of tolerance and conciliation among the early settlers of New England. Roger was born in East Budleigh, the son of a miller, Richard Conant. There is, however, a Gittisham connection. Roger’s grandfather, Dr John Conant of Devon was born in Gittisham (8/1/1520). He married Marie Budeley, also born in Gittisham (ABT 1525). Dr John Conant’s father was John Conant, born in Gittisham in 1480 and died in Gittisham, buried 4/9/1559. His mother was Alice Brown, born in Gittisham in 1496 and died in Gittisham in 1559. Both may have been buried in OSM churchyard. John Conant (1480) father was also John Conant from Gittisham (1466) and his mother Isabella Anna Fiske (1471).

Some ancestors of Roger Conant are interested in this Gittisham connection, so if there is any further information in Gittisham about this family it would be interesting.

 I also note Thomas Hardy of Hardys wine fame was also from Gittisham, before seemingly moving to Australia. I noticed a Hardy gravestone in Gittisham churchyard. 

Also in our churchyard is Henry Ince, b1736, Penzance, Cornwall   d1808 (aged 71–72), Gittisham, Devon.   Henry Ince was a sergeant-major in the British Army who achieved fame as the author of a plan to tunnel through the North Face of the Rock of Gibraltar in 1782, during the Great Siege of Gibraltar.

Gittisham Parish Council

There is no meeting in August.  For the next meeting, see the Gittisham website or contact the parish clerk, Fiona Clampin, on 07899 932620.

Grain to Cream – Russell Hayman

Been a while since I wrote, we are still here! So what have we been up to? More of the same really the cows have been calving all going quite well and had a TB test at the end of June which went really well all clear not had that for years. The recent hot weather has tried the cows. We have fans going for them to try to help cool them but they really do prefer 5 to 10 degrees not 30 to 35. So with them under stress they eat less, lie down less and stand around in big groups, not a recipe for good health. So far we have not had too much trouble we have lost quite a bit of yield though and with our ever-increasing costs it is worrying times ahead; our milk price has gone up but the UK is still down on milk production and it looks unlikely to increase in the near future.  The margin is just not there to take the risk to get those extra litres. Having said that, they still keep on calving and we seem to have plenty of them around which means we have to move them about a bit to make room.

The hot weather also took its toll on our old dog Daisy. I thought it would and we had to have her put to sleep, but it wasn’t fair to keep her going. Pluto our young Lab has benefited due to the Covid regulations in that he has managed to keep his testicles for a couple years; well Helen put a stop to that and took him in to have them whipped out.  I do believe it has reduced the amount of leg lifting now and it’s past him being sore!

We have had a vet student here and another one coming soon; always an interesting experience as they usually have had no experience with cattle which is why they are here.  Some take to it better than others. Edmund has finished his work in Yorkshire so will be with us for a bit before he goes back to Uni. We have also been getting part of the yard concreted to help keep the place cleaner, it was a bit messy in the winter which will be great when done, not quite so keen on the bill to come with a load of concrete over a thousand pounds and there will be quite a few of them by the time we finish. It also makes moving around the yard interesting, but no time was going to be convenient.

Harvest will soon be upon us let’s hope the dry weather continues, well just a little rain, otherwise we could be short of food for the winter, as long as it knows when to stop. The crops look ok but I am not expecting massive yields a bit too dry in the end.

We have seen our resident barn owls more of late.  There are three here now and we quite regularly see them hunting around the farmyard. The other night we had a meeting here with a load of farmers and we had a few fly bys in the shed (just as special as the Spitfire Matt, though quieter). The swallows the lovely little things are raising their chicks and making one heck of a mess beneath themselves as they do; but it’s worth it though!

Gittisham Village Hall

Our beautiful village hall is available to hire from £10.90 per hour.  An ideal venue for a summer party, making use of the beautiful garden, or perhaps, a winter social gathering in front of the open fire. It has been recently redecorated has a well-equipped kitchen, dishwasher and great sound system plus wifi.  Contact Carol Hall    Lots more info on the gittisham.org.uk website.

Village Hall committee July 2022 – July 2023

Chair   Hamish Hall                  Vice Chair   Nick Chapman       Treasurer   Janet Twist
Bookings Clerk  Maggie Walker.    Committee Members,  Sue Fallows, Pierre Graeber, Bill Griffiths, Stephen Howe, Terry Kitchen, Cordelia Wolfe and Will Wolsey

St Michael’s Church, Honiton Mission Community and 200 Club

St. Michael’s Gittisham

You may have noticed that Rufus Lyle has started the re-plastering of the damp areas in the church, porch and vestry, with other sections where loose plaster is prominent will be brushed and limewashed so hopefully when the work is done we will have a lovely pristine church.

Our services for August: 7th no service, 14th Eucharist with Baptism, 21st no service, 28th lay-led Morning Worship.   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. 

Unfortunately the churchyard’s lovely and varied wild flowers that grew last year haven’t made much of a re-appearance this time.  We hope to be able to sow a wild flower mix later in the autumn and endeavour to have a good show in 2023.  If you would like to help or have any ideas please let me (Carol McCann) know.  It is also nearly time to have a churchyard tidy-up (clearing ivy from the walls, clearing the weeds from the gravel round the church and under the yew trees etc).  A date has not yet been set but if you would be prepared to help do let me know, thanks.

Gittisham’s monthly coffee get-together: 20th August, and on the third Saturday of every month, from 10.30am until midday.  Hopefully it will be on the village green, but in case the weather is unkind, it will be in the parish room.  All welcome.

Honiton Mission Community

The Mission Community ‘Rest and Refresh’ marquee was again manned by members of our six churches, offering hot and cold drinks with biscuits, a children’s play area, nappy changing and breast feeding stations for mums with babies and toddlers.  Always very much appreciated and well patronised.

Honiton St Paul’s weekly services continue 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.

On Saturday 10th September the next ‘Celebrate Together’ afternoon with tea for both adults
and youngsters with learning difficulties and their carers. We sing songs, have stories and there is
usually a theme. Everyone is most welcome and if you know of anyone who might like to join in
do please ask them to ring Lyn Thatcher (Honiton churchwarden) 01404 41429 or the Parish
Office 44035 for details. The event starts from 2.45pm and finishes about 4.30.

Congratulations to Honiton Ringers

Honiton Ringers won the local Striking Competition.  After ringing for a wedding at St. Paul’s on Saturday July 9th, six members of their bellringing team took part in a striking competition held at Combe Raleigh.  Eight bands entered and Honiton were placed first in the individual tower section. Needless to say, they were delighted.

200 Club

The members who have not renewed their subscriptions for the season 2022/23 April-March have now been taken out of the 200 Club.  Therefore I am currently able to offer numbers for the 200 club, (there are several available). If you do still 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 August has been drawn, this year’s sub until March will be £7 commencing with September. 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.

August 2022 200 Club Results

1^st  Jackson King                 2^nd Florence Wolsey               3^rd Michael Neve          
4^th  Margaret Tawse              5^th   Chris Ward

2022 Ploughing Match

This year’s Sidmouth Junction & District Ploughing Match is on 11th September, at Higher
Gosford Farm, Fenny Bridges, EX14 3AZ. From 10.00am. 

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 September edition is 23rd August.  The Gazette will hopefully be ready by the first weekend in September, but depends on the parish council meeting.

A monthly Community Newsletter published by St. Michael’s Church and Gittisham Parish Council

July 2022 Edition 245

Gittisham Flower and Produce Show

This year’s flower & produce show will be held at Gittisham Village Hall on Saturday, 6th August 2022.   

The show will open for viewing at 2:30pm    Teas and raffle    Potato bucket weigh in at 3:15pm

Admission: Adults 50p; Children 5-16 years 10p

Entries must be delivered to 4, Church Mead, Gittisham EX14 3AH (Len & Sarah Abbot’s house) on or before Saturday 30th July 2022 with correct entry fees please.

Exhibits to be received at the parish hall between 0900 and 1030 on show day.  They must remain staged until after the presentation of the prizes.  If you need an entry form, recipes, show schedule, please contact either Sue Fallows on tel. 01404 850922 or Carol McCann on tel. 01404 851113.  The full schedule of classes was printed in the April 2022 gazette, and the entry form in the June 2022 edition.

Pierre’s pop-up cafe

Pierre’s monthly pop-up café is happening on Sunday 10th July.  Drop in to the village hall in Gittisham any time from 10am.  In the morning you can choose from a selection of home-made croissants and pastries, fresh from the oven, along with vegan brownies and cakes.  

From midday Pierre will be serving a hearty ploughman’s lunch, with a French twist, including raw veg, salad, pickles, cold meats and cheeses, fruit and sourdough bread.  As part of the ploughman’s, there will also be a pâté en croute – a French meat pie with pork and chicken.

If the weather forecast bodes well, you might want to bring a picnic blanket and enjoy the sunshine and your lunch in the garden with family and friends.     Vegans and coeliacs catered for.

There will be a tempting selection of cakes and ice creams for pudding.

The café will be open until 4pm.  We strongly recommend booking, especially for lunch.  Cash and cards accepted.  BYOB.

Daphne Hall

Congratulations to Daphne who has passed the International Baccalaureate, where she specialised in Global Politics, Biology and Geography. Now to finalise her university plans. A remarkable achievement during the Covid pandemic, with having to study at home so much.

The Anne Robson Trust

Too many people die alone, with no friends or family at their side.
I would like to introduce you to the charity that I work for in the hope that you can help us to raise awareness about our vital work for the benefit of your local community.  The need to support and empower people who are dying has never been greater:  Almost 700,000 people die every year in the UK, a figure set to rise to 750,000 by 2030.  In a recent survey, over 70% of people questioned said they fear being helpless and dependent more than they fear death itself.

Our vision is to ensure every person receives the compassion, comfort, and companionship they wish for at the end of their life.   While many services exist to support those who are bereaved, there is very little available for the period before someone dies, helping people to cope when a death is anticipated. We are the only national charity in the UK providing emotional support to anyone with a terminal diagnosis, and those caring for them. Our work is attracting attention and our founder, Liz Pryor, was awarded an MBE this year for services to end of life care.

We work with NHS Trusts to train volunteers, who sit with hospital patients in the last days and hours of their life to provide company and companionship, so they know they are not alone. We also run a free national Helpline service providing support for anyone approaching the end of their life, and their loved ones. We understand the pressures of caring for people who are nearing the end of life.
“I called the helpline when my husband of 43 years was nearing the end of his life. We had a wonderful life together and I was scared to let go and overwhelmed. To have someone to talk to, who understands is worth so much.” Helpline caller

Your Help
We would be grateful for any help you could offer to let your local community know about our Helpline, we would be very happy to talk to them too, or if you have any suggestions about other useful contacts in your area. We can also provide posters and leaflets to display.  I hope that this information about the Anne Robson Trust is of interest, and I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Suzanne Brown  Office Administrator
01438 873257                   www.annerobsontrust.org.uk
Reg Charity 1178352

Christmas Card competition

Rev. Robert Wilson has some work for you to do!  Fold a piece of A4 paper into 4 and it should look like a card.  He would like you to draw and colour a Christmas picture on one side and write your name, church, and your age on the back page. Rev’ds Sue and Christine have agreed to judge the best in all of the age groups. The groups will be up to 6 years old, then 7 to 11 followed by 12 to 20 then by special permission if any adult who wishes to join in (you can). There will be a voucher for the winner in each group and we will turn your picture into Christmas Cards to be on sale at the Christmas sale at St. Paul’s. Closing Date for Entries 30th September.  If you bring your entry to Carol a few days before, the 30^th, I will take them to St. Paul’s for you. Judging will take place during October and the winners will be announced in the November issue of Around the Parishes.   (Come on Gittisham’s youngsters, do have a go and see if you can win a prize.) – if a Gittisham card/s manages to win a prize, I will try to have the cards on sale in St. Michael’s too.   Carol

Parish Council report July 2022

Seven councillors met for the July meeting along with Phil Twiss (DCC) and Graham Hutton (Baker Estates). 
EDDC / DCC Report.    

Phil Twiss said Covid is still very much present, with sub-variants of Omicron making up more than half of new infections.  While the new sub-variants are more transmissible, they are thankfully not having the same health impact in terms of the number of patients in High Dependency Units.  If you have symptoms of a respiratory infection, such as COVID-19, and you have a high temperature or do not feel well, try to stay at home and avoid contact with others.

Finance. 

Members agreed the finances.

Crimes. 

April 2022, 1 x shoplifting, Devonshire Road.

Planning applications.

1. a) 22/1197/FUL Curlditch House Gittisham Proposed siting of x5 Shepherd’s Huts in the field southeast of Curlditch House
2. b) 22/1322/MOUT Land At Hayne Farm Hayne Lane Gittisham Demolition of existing farm buildings and redevelopment for up to 37 dwellings, formation of access, associated infrastructure and open space (outline application seeking approval of details of access only)

Members expressed concern over a), and felt that the addition of mobile holiday accommodation would affect the character of this area and the setting. The Parish Council is always aware of the impact of any development on climate change. These units will be available year-round and yet there appears to be little to minimise the impact on the climate of heating them.  Sewage capacity has been a problem since the hotel expanded, with an ongoing sewage leak problem by the village bridge. It is under control now but there is a sensor at the manhole there.

Regarding b), councillors did not object to the outline application, but had concerns about highways, the impact on the junction with Furze Close and increased traffic passing underneath the railway bridge.  They were puzzled by EDDC’s proposal to develop Devonshire Road further as employment / industrial land, so close to residential. 

Church Mead bridge. 

Maggie Walker said she had alerted Cllr Alasdair Bruce (EDDC) to the condition of the Church Mead bridge, and he sent a district surveyor to assess the issue.  A temporary metal plate is to be installed to maintain access until a more permanent repair can be carried out.

Defibrillator, Hayne Farm.  

Janet Twist said the defibrillator was now live, and she would be asking if any of the residents wish to attend an awareness session provided by Community Heartbeat.

Scams.

Janet Twist said “authorised push payments” scams had increased by 46 per cent in a year.  You can check if your details have been part of a data breach on https://haveibeenpwned.com/

Road closures. 

Peter Orchard said the road past Pomeroy Lodge would be closed for resurfacing, 26^th–28^th July inclusive.  He added that the landslip along Hayne Lane has been temporarily supported with ballast.

Old Elm Road ‘nature reserve’

Alex Rowe distributed details of a preliminary plan by EDDC to rewild part of the land along Old Elm Road.  The district council will apply for funding, which if approved could lead to the creation of a small wetland area and pond, among other things, where residents can help nature recover and enjoy the subsequent benefits.

Next meeting. 

1^st September at 7.30pm in Gittisham Parish Room.

Gittisham Community Kitchen

Every Thursday starting on 21^st July there will be a simple shared community meal in the Village Hall free to all comers.   The Hall will be open from 6pm to 9pm and we aim to serve food at about 6.30pm.  No need to book, everybody welcome and feel free to bring board games, cards etc.  A simple meal which will hopefully cater for all tastes.  

All donations of excess produce etc. gratefully received – please email Sara on  or text/ WhatsApp to 07939 148762

St Michael’s Church, Honiton Mission Community and 200 Club

St. Michael’s Gittisham

On 27^th June Exeter’s Archdeacon, the Ven Andrew Beane conducted his final in person Visitation for 2022 held at St. Paul’s Honiton when Churchwardens are sworn in for a further year of office his service was assisted by The Ven. Douglas Dettmer, Archdeacon of Totnes and the Rev’d Canon Cate Edmonds Rural Dean.  We will soon be starting work on the plasterwork in the church, porch and vestry which should make St. Michael’s more presentable to one and all.

Our services for July: 3^rd no service, 10^th Eucharist with hymns 17^th no service  24^th lay-led Morning Worship.   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. 

We have decided to keep parts of the churchyard wild again and paths have been cut, hopefully the lovely and varied wild flowers that grew last year will make a re-appearance.  For the Queen’s Green Canopy, it is our intention to plant two Tom Putt apple trees ( it was cultivated by one Thomas Putt of Combe House) in the 1700’s.

Gittisham’s monthly coffee get-together: 16th July, and on the third Saturday of every month, from 10.30am until midday.  Hopefully it will be on the village green, but in case the weather is unkind, it will be in the parish room.  All welcome.

Honiton Mission Community

Honiton St Paul’s weekly services continue 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.

1. St Giles, Buckerell’s fete will be held at Splathayes, Doug’s Shed and garden on 23^rd July in the afternoon.
2. St Michael’s, Awliscombe held their fete on 18^th June at the Otter Inn and raised a total of £3,066.00 for church funds (a record).
3. St Michael’s, Cotleigh fete will be held on Saturday 16^th July from 2.00pm in the village hall grounds.

200 Club

The members who have not renewed their subscriptions for the season 2022/23 April-March have now been taken out of the 200 Club.  Therefore I am currently able to offer numbers for the 200 club, (there are several available). If you do still 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 July has been drawn, this year’s sub until March will be £8 commencing with August. 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.

July 2022 200 Club Results

1^st  Amanda Acland                 2^nd Joyce Lovell               3^rd Jan Sutcliffe          
4^th  Alan Broom              5^th   Olive Collis

Gittisham Village Hall

The Village Hall Committee are holding their AGM on Tuesday 12th July at 7pm in the Village Hall. All very welcome to attend and we would be particularly keen to meet any (potential) new members.

The hall is there for the whole community and would not exist without the volunteers who help to keep it going. If you think you might be able to spare a couple of hours every month for a meeting and help with organising fun events, then you can join the committee as a member. Or you might feel that you can contribute more. We have been extremely lucky to have had Angie Hutchings in role as Treasurer for 16 years. She is stepping down (and will be very sadly missed!) and we are looking for new members to take on this incredibly important role. 

Do speak to any of the committee members in advance (Hamish Hall 07880 178297, Sue Fallows  07717 596876, Rosie Fox 07936 447043 or Angie Hutchings 07774 146209) if you would like to ask any questions prior to, or on Tuesday night at the AGM. Please come along, we’d love to see you there. 

Gateway at Old Elm Road – Cllr Phil Twiss

The emergency access gate at the end of Old Elm Road is a subject that frequently crops up in my EDDC and DCC E-mailboxes, where the subject is a bit ‘Marmite’; generally people favour the gate remaining closed or want it opened and there is little middle ground!

When the ‘new’ estates to the east and west of Tesco were built from the late 1970’s, in to the 1980’s and early 1990’s it was determined by the Local Planning Authority East Devon District Council that there should be a closed access point at the far end of Old Elm Road on to Hayne Lane for emergency use only. This was to avoid creating a ‘rat run’ from Copper Castle on the A35 at Kings Road, westwards and eventually on to Hayne Lane.

This has, and continues to work well, with overwhelming support from residents living east of the Tesco roundabout towards Copper Castle, where cars traveling at excess speed can be a problem and why VAS (Vehicle activated signs) are located on Battishorne Way and are very effective towards the junction with Honiton Bottom Road. The gate has been opened occasionally e.g. most recently when an alternate route was needed due to major overnight resurfacing of Sidmouth Road. I have recently had one side of the emergency access gate widened to permit easier access for cyclists, mobility scooter, prams etc to encourage more trips on foot to and from Hayne Farm, inbound towards Tesco and beyond, or westbound to places like Heron Farm The Otter Inn and Gittisham Garden Centre and this appears to be working well.

I can understand why some residents of Hayne Farm would find opening of the gate useful to travel eastwards towards Tesco and beyond, but the additional traffic created would actually add to issues at the railway bridge as Hayne Fame development is completed, and more generally on Hayne Lane, particularly in the narrow section on the boundary between Honiton Parish and Gittisham Parish on Old Elm Road.

It is highly unlike that any proposals to vary the existing planning consents, or increased traffic flow on the route from Copper Castle to Hayne Lane/Farm would gain support from either EDDC as planning authority, or DCC as the Highways authority as a result of the emergency access gate being opened permanently. There are no plans either short or long term for this to change.

Modelling of traffic flows has been undertaken by DCC Highways from the mini roundabout at Turks Head Lane (in large part funded by Aldi to improve traffic flow) though Heathpark toward Hayne Lane/Farm, as the most suitable route for access to Heathpark and Hayne Farm, given the width of the Highway along the majority of the route.

Council Tax (energy) rebate

Most households in East Devon will have already received a £150 payment into their bank account, the so-called energy rebate to help with the rising cost of energy, which the majority of people are entitled to if:

     Their property is banded A-D or band E with a disablement reduction
     They are liable to pay council tax at the address
     The property is their sole or main residence

However, if you don’t pay your council tax by direct debit, you will need to go through a claims process to receive the £150. This is administered through East Devon District Council, so if you have internet access you can visit their website www.eastdevon.gov.uk/council-tax/council-tax-energy-rebate or telephone East Devon’s Customer Service Centre on 01404 515616.  If you are struggling to make sense of the application process, our county councillor Phil Twiss is happy to help.  He can be contacted on 01404 891327 or by email 

Ottery Choral Society

We are looking for new singers, all genres.  We meet on Wednesday evenings in the URC Yonder Street and start again on September 7^th, our Musical Director has chosen a popular programme Faure Requiem at Christmas with a selection of Carols, and Elijah in the Spring for Easter.  On 12^th November we will be joining the St. David’s Singers for Classics Galore at the Great Hall Exeter University for the Force Cancer Charity (in 2019 we raised over £22,000 for them).  If you would like info give Carol a ring on tel. 01404 851113.

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 August edition is 26th July.  The Gazette will be ready by the first weekend in August, as there is no parish council meeting.