Gazette

What’s On at the Village Hall

Happy New Year Gittisham!

24th Jan Burns Night. 7pm. £10 BYOB. Do book tickets as this event always sells out! 31st Jan Coffee and Cake 2.30 – 4.30pm.   We look forward to welcoming you to this much-loved event! Cakes and bakes always gratefully received, and we are happy to reimburse costs. 6th Feb. 7pm Evening Talk by Nic Wakely on the Wonderful world of Orchids. £3 to include refreshments. 20th Feb. 7pm Kitchen warming evening.. details to follow 28th March. 7pm. Easter Bingo 21st June Fathers Day BBQ 1st August Flower & Produce Show 5th Sept Gittisham Village Fete Weekly Folk Dancing Weds evenings Community Kitchen Thurs eve Yoga Friday afternoons                                                                       Church 200 Club December Draw Results   1st A Valentine 2nd J Barrett 3rd M Tawse   The christmas draw winner   B Garrood   Natter and Nibbles at Gittisham Farm February 14th 10-12 Raffle, memorabilia of Gittisham and refreshments. All funds towards our church.   Holy Dusters Needed Can you spare a little time at your convenience? Cleaning products are in the church by the vestry door. Thank you.

As we look ahead to the new year, we’re excited to say that the village hall calendar is already bursting with plans! We have a fantastic mix of events lined up, including quizzes, interesting talks, bingo nights, live music, and plenty more besides — there’s something for everyone, and probably a few surprises along the way too. The hall upgrades are steaming ahead with the final flourishes being added to the brand new shiny kitchen. Work has been steadily progressing over the Christmas period and we are grateful to the local tradespeople for so kindly rolling with the hiccups, and keeping the project on time and reducing the impact to our regular hall bookings. To celebrate, we’re planning a kitchen warming event and would love for you to come along, see the transformation, and enjoy the results of the support that has made it all possible. Towards the end of the month the actual hall will enjoy a refresh thanks to the generous support of an amazing team of brush wielding painting volunteers. We are all excited to see the hall glowing again! Behind the scenes, we’re a fun, kind and very friendly committee who genuinely enjoy working together to keep the hall buzzing. We’re always happy to welcome new committee members, whether you have lots of ideas, a little time, or just a willingness to get involved. There’s absolutely no pressure to do more than you’re able — every contribution helps — and it’s a great way to engage with the community, meet new people, and build lasting friendships (tea and biscuits are usually involved). gittishamvillagehall@gmail.com

PARISH COUNCIL – DEC 25 / JAN 26 REPORT

Four councillors met for the December meeting along with Alasdair Bruce (EDDC) and Richard Jefferies (DCC). Seven met for the January meeting, along with one member of the public, PCSO Darren England & Sgt Jenny Palmer.

Police visit. The police explained how crimes are recorded, in response to concern from councillors that there appeared to be a rise in the amount of crimes categorised as violence and sexual offences. Sgt Palmer said that Devon & Cornwall Police have changed how they report crimes, and often sexual offences are reported a long time after they happen – sometimes years later – because victims are reluctant to come forward. PCSO England added that the large increase in properties in the parish would unfortunately bring with it a rise in incidents, so the growth in the crime figures was to be expected. The officers provided advice on how to secure sheds and recommended getting the serial numbers of items such as power tools and bikes recorded. They suggested visiting the website www.securedbydesign.com for further information. They also cautioned against leaving keyless entry for a car near the front door, as criminals have methods of picking up the signal and stealing the vehicle.

Crimes.

September 2025: Meadow Acre: 1 x violence & sexual offences, Hedge Field Close: 1 x violence & sexual offences, Hamett Close: 1 x violence & sexual offences, Laburnum Close: 1 x other theft

October 2025: Meadow Acre: 1 x violence & sexual offences, Parsonage Lane: 1 x anti-social behaviour, Nether Close: 1 x public order, Aspen Close: 1 x anti-social behavior

November 2025: Beech Walk, 1 x criminal damage and arson, Hodges Close, 1 x drugs, 1 x violence & sexual offences, Nags Head Road, 1 x violence & sexual offences

Donations. Members agreed to donate money to Force, Diabetes UK, TRIP, Citizens Advice and Hospiscare.

Finance. Members agreed the budget for 2026/27 and the parish precept was increased by 2 per cent to £11,145.79.

Planning applications.

a) 25/2524/FUL – Shermans Farm Gittisham EX14 3AU- Covered FYM store

b) 25/2570/PDQ – Stockers Gittisham EX14 3AN – Prior approval (class Q) for change of use from agricultural building to 2no. dwelling houses (use class C3)

Councillors resolved to have no objections to either application.

Road closures. 16-21 March Exeter Road west of Sidmouth Road: overnight closure for patching, lining and cleaning.

Flooding. Alex Rowe said he had met EDDC’s Engineering Projects Manager for a productive walk of the village watercourse to identify problem areas and discuss possible solutions.

Chair’s resignation. Carol Hall said she would not be standing for re-election as Chair in May 2026, and would be resigning from the parish council from that date.

EDDC Local Plan. Councillors discussed likely scenarios, should East Devon’s Local Plan be found to be unsound at the enquiry in public. Having taken advice from a planning consultant on behalf of the parish council, David Valentine said it would be ok to continue with GPC’s objections to the land allocations. (There had been concern that any challenge to the plan, if the enquiry inspector was supportive and the Local Plan fails at the enquiry stage, will essentially give an open door to developers.)

Hayne Farm. Andrea Rye said EDDC would be visiting the development to understand whether or not

the wildlife planning obligations are being met.

Next meeting. 5^th February 2026 at 7.30pm in the parish room.

You can see the full parish council minutes on the Gittisham website, along with other information about the parish. www.gittisham.org.uk

	Gittisham Gazette	December 2025
What’s On                         at the Village Hall
Pierre’s Café      Sunday 14th Dec New Year’s Eve Community Kitchen Party Weekly Fitness class Tuesday mornings Folk Dancing Weds evenings Community Kitchen Thurs eve Yoga Friday afternoons Church 200 Club November Draw Results   1st J Broadhurst 2nd S Wensley 3rd L Reilly     Christmas Gathering at Gittisham Farm 13th December 10-12 Prize for the best Christmas jumper     Pierre’s Café 14th December Menu £25 French Onion Soup with croutons. Chicken Blanquette, chestnuts and parship gratin or Vegan Wellington. French Yule Log cake. Book in advance 07545 214940	Dear friends and supporters of our parish hall, thank you to all of you who came and supported our Christmas Bonaza day! We have had lots of fun decorating the hall!  Thank you to Isla for decorating the Christmas tree so beautifully. It has been wonderful to hear so many of you marvel at the glorious Gittisham halo and we will be very sad when it has to come down!    Thanks to your support we had a very busy craft fair in the morning with many of the crafters asking if they can book a table for next year! Let us know what you think of the idea.    The coffee and cake afternoon really was a lovely genteel affair with the very finest offerings from the talented Gittisham bakers. If you haven’t ever been to one of these events, you really should try one! They attract quite a following of friendly regulars!    At the opposite end of the scale was the hotly anticipated Xmas Bingo and mega raffle! …..What can I say! We were absolutely full to the rafters! Sarah Abbotts beautiful hand packed and picked chicken dinner hampers were an absolute thing of beauty and hotly contested. We were delighted to see Wolfie win the Gittisham lottery! Huge thanks to professional caller Marty for a great evening!   As well as enjoying enormous community support throughout the day we were very generously supported by the local business community. Snows Toyota, funded all the bingo prizes and many local business gifted incredible raffle prizes, including The Pig, Combe Estate, Combe Garden Centre, Drakes Plumbing and many many more.    Thanks to your support and theirs, our Bonanza Day raised over £1000. That really is an incredible result and we thank you all. This money will go towards kitting out our new kitchen which is now on order, with installation planned over the Christmas and new year period. Your support and engagement with hall events has enabled us to make some major hall improvements this year including the new kitchen.   We would like to wish you all a very Happy Christmas and healthy new year. We look forward to welcoming you back to the hall in early 2026 with what we hope will be a kitchen warming party! Watch this space!    Gittisham Parish Hall Committee   St Michael’s Church Services   Please note Gittisham Festive Carols is a separate event from St Michael’s Carol Service. In addition, there are two Advent services this month as below   Sunday Dec 7th 11am Morning Worship, Advent Prayers and Reflections, Lighting the Advent Candle   Sunday Dec 14th 11am Holy Communion Making Space for Hope this Christmas ‘Hope’ is the thing with feathers – That perches in the soul – And sings the tune without the words – And never stops – at all. Emily Dicikenson   Image from the Annunciation by Fra Fillipo Lippi Christmas comes but once a year but ‘New Year’ in the Church comes sooner! In fact, on Advent Sunday, which marks the beginning of a new cycle in the Church’s calendar. When it’s not unusual for the minister to greet the congregation by wishing them ‘Happy New Year!’ Traditionally Advent is when the Church prepares to celebrate the coming of the Christ Child. It’s time of hope and joyful expectation. A time when we recall how Mary carried the Christ Child in her womb. And to reflect on how we are called to carry the hope and light of Christ in our world today. Even when times may be difficult. Even where there is war, famine and weeping, as there was 2,000 years ago in the world that Jesus was born into and there is still today. So I’d like to invite you this Advent, to pause from the busyness of your preparations for Christmas, to make room, as Mary made room in her body, to reflect and wonder at the miracle, the gift of life in our time. Perhaps to come and light a candle in church or wherever you find a safe and quiet space. Perhaps to say a prayer for peace in our world, or to pray for friends and neighbours, for family present and absent, near and far. Or perhaps, simply to sit quietly and enjoy the peace and beauty of our ancient parish church where generations before, have come to worship, to kneel before the crib and wonder at the mystery of God, the Creator of the Universe, come among us in the form of an infant child. And so may God bless you all richly this coming Christmas, Julia Barrett. Licensed Lay Minister.

PARISH COUNCIL – NOVEMBER 2025 REPORT

Six councillors met for the November meeting along with Cllr Richard Jefferies (DCC).

Superfast broadband. Alex Rowe reported that the original proposal to lay a micro-trench across fields from the

garden centre was now in doubt, as part of this land is in EDDC’s allocation for the local plan. The owner of Radio Fibre is considering an alternative route. Councillors expressed a collective sigh that progress on installing superfast broadband appears once again to be running into issues.

Libraries. Richard Jefferies reported that DCC is carrying out a public consultation about the future of its library service. The county council has 50 libraries, run by the charity Libraries Unlimited, alongside a Home Library Service and outreach programmes. No libraries will close under the proposals, which are designed to save money in the face of rising costs. The consultation includes suggestions to reduce and ‘standardise’ opening hours and options to extend opening hours through additional volunteering by using technology and the potential introduction of community-managed libraries.

Footpaths. Councillors discussed with Richard Jefferies the possibility of him taking Gittisham’s proposal to support a footpath from Hayne Lane to the Otter Inn to his Highway and Traffic Orders Committee (HATOC, which meets quarterly). All agreed that as one of the few amenities in the area, people should be supported to walk there safely. The clerk said that West Hill PC have recently carried out a small highway improvement, and may be willing to share their experience with the parish.

Glyphosate. Alasdair Bruce (East Devon District councillor) was not able to attend, but in his absence he sent a report outlining a range of issues. He explained that EDDC, along with DCC, are considering overturning a local ban on the use of glyphosate (a non-selective herbicide). This has come about after public complaints concerning overgrown roadside verges. Alasdair said that as a committed naturalist and beekeeper, he strongly opposes what he sees as a potential retrograde step. The evidence is clear on the long-term hazards associated with this chemical, he said, especially the devastating impact it has on the little-seen elements of our wildlife. However he said he was confident that common sense will prevail, and that this request will be dismissed.

Finance. Councillors agreed the finances.

Crimes. August 2025: Parsonage Lane: 1 x other theft. Hedge Field Close: 1 x anti-social behaviour, 1 x violence & sexual offences

Planning applications. a) 25/1857/VAR – 1 Hamlett Close, Gittisham EX14 3FR – Variation of Condition 1 (approved plans), on planning permission 24/2200/FUL (Conversion of existing garage to living accommodation, with first floor extension over), to make the project more accessible to a disabled person. Councillors resolved to have no objections to a).

Interpretation boards. Gary Pester outlined further details on the two interpretation boards which the parish

council is considering installing at two sites in the village. This is to provide visitors to the parish with information on facilities and some local history in an attractive format, similar to boards in Ottery and Budleigh Salterton.

Next meeting. 11 th December 2025 at 7.30pm in the parish room.

You can see the full parish council minutes on the Gittisham website, along with other

information about the parish. www.gittisham.org.uk

	Gittisham Gazette	November 2025
What’s On at the Village Hall	A parish newsletter brought to you by Gittisham Parish Council
Race Night   Sat 8th November prize for best dressed Pierre’s Café      Sunday 9th Nov Christmas Events Day 29th November Craft Fair 10am Coffee&Cake 2.30pm Bingo 7pm Weekly Fitness class Tuesday mornings Folk Dancing Weds evenings Community Kitchen Thurs eve Yoga Friday afternoons                                                                       Church 200 Club October Draw Results   1st Prize J Bramley 2nd Prize H Hayman 3rd Prize J Twist     Natter & Nibbles On Saturday 8th November from 10-12 is Natter & Nibbles at Gittisham Farmhouse with raffle & refreshments! Donations so no entry fee and anyone welcome!     Pierre’s Café More autumn colours this month with chicken in red wine and tomato sauce and a vegan roast – both gluten free. Booking 07545 214940	Dear friends and supporters of our parish hall, we hope that you are all keeping well and starting to look forward to this festive period ahead! Thank you to all who came to the Open Mic night! Lots of fun and laughter were had! You may be pleased to know we have plans for more, so dig out that old violin and get practising!   We need to apologise in advance for getting the Christmas decs out rather early this year! This is due to our fantastic Christmas events day on November 29th kindly and aptly sponsored by Snows! (Toyota garage). The first event of the day will start at 10am with the hall’s first ever Christmas Craft Fair! We will have a hall full of local crafters and makers with tables brimming with unique gifts. If you hate shopping as much as me, this could well be the event for you! Come and support your local artisans and start your Christmas shopping early with us! Refreshments will be available, cash and card payments taken.   2.30-4.30 Coffee and Cake! much loved event and missed last month due to a private booking. Come and join us, where a warm welcome awaits and some magnificent bakes!   7pm Christmas Bingo, a real highlight of our calendar! As well as some wonderful festive bingo prizes we have been really fortunate to have the very generous support from many local businesses who have gifted us some truly fabulous raffle prizes! These include Combe Estate with a load of logs, a box of wine from The Pig (perhaps worth more than my car!), massage voucher, gas boiler service voucher from Drakes Plumbing, Lego Advent Calendar and many many more.   We would be delighted to welcome you to these events, the last fundraising events of this year! We would also love to hear from you should you be interested in joining us or have any event ideas or feedback you would like to share.    Gittishamvillagehall@gmail.com St Michael’s Church Services   Remembrance Sunday Nov 9th Act of Remembrance 10.45 am at the Lychgate followed by Holy Communion in Church   Sunday November 23rd at 11am ‘Making Room for the Christ Child’ Advent Sunday Nov 30th 11am at St Paul’s, Honiton Holy Communion with Archdeacon Andrew as visiting celebrant   St Michael’s Church Helen Hayman   Thank you to all those who helped at and participated in the harvest event. We raised £750 at the Harvest Supper. The church looked amazing with all the beautiful arrangements and thank you for the generous donations of produce. Thank you to Sara Trumper and her team for a delicious supper and to Carol Hall for the flower decorations on tables laid out for 70 people. A wonderful evening, so special and thanks too to Len Abbott for being a great auctioneer. The harvest service was well attended and rounded off a weekend of celebrations. November 8th is Gittisham race night! Gittisham village hall 7pm Prize for best dressed Lady & Gent! (optional!) No booking required, bar & snacks available! 7 pm. So come cheer on your favourite horse, win your fortune! Everyone welcome! Information from Helen! 07806480246     A Thank You Card from Rev’d Sue Thank you for all the kindness and generosity you showed me at my last service last Sunday, The music was sublime, the sun shone, the church was full -so many faces of friends and so many memories to treasure as I move on. And then tea -again a joyous and generous affair, Needless to say, I was bowled over by the very bountiful cheque you gave me! Thank you so very much! … All of you at Gittisham will continue to hold a place deep in my heart after nearly almost 20 years. And it goes without saying that I will always remember you in my prayers…with love, grateful thanks & many blessings for the future, Sue. If you would like to read Sue’s message in full, the card will be on the lectern in church for a week or so

HARVEST EDUCATION Helen Hayman

After lots of preparation from Insurance to risk assessment & working out different stations of learning around the farm along with every day equipment & sensory items, also my worksheet!  A coach arrived in the farmyard on 8 th October with 18 reception children from Feniton Primary school!

9.15 am, colourful welly boots & waterproof overalls with backpacks full of snacks the excited children stepped off the bus, welcomed by myself they then placed their items on the chairs in our converted Grain Bin (ideal as a classroom!)
First place to explain all about Our Harvest now & in the past was the mown grass field overlooking the apple orchard past the pumpkin patch! So, we acted out cutting the grass, raking & drying then storing it! Followed by pretending to guide the horses with the hand plough (of course beside the big red tractor, always a class photo opportunity!) so to prepare the soil for next year’s crops!

We then pretended to pick the apples, all then in a large circle following myself (teachers too!) to squash the apples going both directions! Next the barn had grain to feel, along with cattle meal made in our mill & maize stalks that we all stood tall growing with it, of course we then acted out the scarecrow!

Finally we visited the calves, cows in calf & the Dairy cows around the robot milkers which was their highlight as we stood for a while studying them, inquisitive creatures they were (cows!) loved the photo opportunity & attention!
Finally the box of goodies was handed over & we waved goodbye until next year to the children!
(yes the team here at Gittisham Farm, even the vet who was here on routine visit loved listening to the chatter & answering the many great questions from the little ones! They are always so honest!

In and Around the Churchyard Julia Barrett

A Big ‘Thank you’ to the Brimbles!

Getting ready for Remembrance

What has caught the attention of our beloved clergy? What might Rev’d Sue be saying?

Answers by email to Editor of Around the Parishes at   by Sunday 23 November.

Gittisham Parish Council OCTOBER 2025 REPORT

Four councillors met for the October meeting along with one member of the public.

Local Government re-organisation. Alasdair Bruce (East Devon District councillor) was not able to attend, but in his absence, he sent a report which focused primarily on Local Government re-organisation. In place of a two-tier system with district and county councils, the government is proposing to replace them with a smaller number of larger, single-tier unitary councils. Alasdair said a little more information is beginning to appear as to how the government’s devolution is going to work at local level, but it’s still a tiny trickle of what we need, he felt. Whilst quite how the various responsibilities of our current district and county councils are to be divided up is yet to be agreed, we don’t have to look too far to see a potential version of our local government. Across the border in Somerset where the county is run by a unitary authority, there have been major changes in where certain responsibilities fall. Unfortunately, many services we currently take for granted are either underfunded or terminated, said Alasdair Bruce, explaining that he was using this example to try and offer a heads up to where we might end up in east Devon. What is clear is that our town and parish councils will be asked to shoulder burdens and responsibilities that they do not currently have anything to do with, he said. His concern is that they will not be given the tools and resources to fulfil this new role. It appears that this is what’s happened in Somerset. Even before this new world descends on us, there are rumblings that budget constraints are biting at EDDC.

EDDC Local Plan. David Valentine reported that EDDC was in the process of making what it calls minor changes to the draft Local Plan, which may mean parish councils won’t have the possibility to comment when the plan goes out for consultation again. He explained that challenging the Local Plan could be problematic: if such a challenge was successful, it would mean that EDDC could not use the previous formula to calculate housing numbers and would have to adopt the new formula from the government’s National Planning Policy Framework. EDDC would have to find sites for an additional 5,000 dwellings under this alternative formula. Planning consultant Charlie Hopkins is advising the parish council; he is aware of what is happening and will report back in due course.

Superfast broadband. Carol Hall said that the issue of wayleaves had come up once again, and the owner of Radio Fibre (the company looking at providing superfast broadband to the village) was looking at ways to minimise disruption. She added that she’d not had a reply as to whether those residents with Voneus were eligible to apply for a voucher. In principle, eligible homes and businesses can access vouchers worth up to £4,500 to help towards the costs of installing a gigabit-capable broadband connection.

Finance. Councillors agreed the finances.

Crimes. July 2025. Parsonage Lane: 1 x violence & sexual offences. Meadow Acre: 1 x criminal damage & arson. Hamlett Close: 1 x criminal damage & arson, 1 x violence & sexual offences. Hodges Close: 1 x criminal damage & arson, 1 x anti-social behaviour

Planning applications. a) 25/1826/TCA – Gorse Cottage, Gittisham EX14 3AH – x2 conifer: fell. Councillors resolved to have no objections to a).

Next meeting. 6^th November 2025 at 7.30pm in the parish room. December

meeting date tbc.

What’s On at The Beehive

	Gittisham Gazette	October 2025
What’s On                         at the Village Hall	A parish newsletter brought to you by Gittisham Parish Council
Harvest Supper Saturday 4th Oct 7pm Pierre’s Café        Sunday 14th September  Coffee&Cake     Sat 27th Sept 2.30-4.30 Harvest Supper October 4th 7pm Open Mic night October 18th 7pm bar and Pizza Wagon Race Night Sat 8th November prize for best dressed November 29th Christmas     Craft Fair 10am Coffee&Cake 2.30 Bingo 7pm   Weekly Fitness class Tuesday mornings Folk Dancing Weds evenings Community Kitchen Thurs eve Yoga Friday afternoons                                                                                   Pierre’s Café 12th October, Gittisham Village Hall. This month, focus on this wonderful Autumn and all its flaming colours. The main this month is a roasted chicken or vegan burger, both served with vegetables, roasted potatoes and apple compote to recreate the Autumn rainbow. Seasonal cakes, tarts and patisseries homemade, as well for croissants, muffins and apricot danishes in the morning. Booking ahead is highly recommended.  Pierre: 07545214940.       Church 200 Club July Draw Results   1st Prize L Abbott 2nd Prize J Twist 3rd Prize B Garrood	Autumn at the Parish Hall There are so many exciting things to tell you about, we aren’t too sure where to start! Hopefully those who have visited in the last month will have had a chance to admire the newly refurbished loos? What a difference this has made! Huge thanks to Stella and Maggie for their efforts, pulling off the impossible, in just one weekend!   We really enjoyed your company at the recent cake sale and on the Taskmaster Quiz evening!  Thank you for coming along to support these events. Much fun was had by all!    Your continued support, along with some help from a National Lottery Grant will now enable us to move forward with plans to complete the much-needed kitchen refurbishment. If you are a builder or painter/decorator we would love to hear from you as we are keen to employ local craftsmen within the parish if possible.    Looking ahead we have an Open Mic night on October 18th at 7pm. As well as lots of local talent, we will have a licensed bar and pizza wagon! Come and join us with your poems, instruments or tricks?  This promises to be lots of fun! November 29th is definitely a date for your diary, with a Xmas Craft Fair from 10, with all tables now booked! Please do come along and start your Christmas shopping supporting the Artisans of  Gittisham .  We will then run into the ever popular Coffee and Cake afternoon from 2.30-4.30  followed by another epic Christmas Bingo, back by popular demand! Eyes down at 7.30!   We are always looking for feedback and ideas, so do get in touch and let us know the events you would like to see happening.    St Michael’s Church Services   Sunday Oct 5th Harvest Thanksgiving at 3pm    Sunday Oct 12th Holy Communion at 11am   Sunday Oct 26th Choral Evensong at 4pm (Sung by HMC Choir)   Remembrance Sunday Nov 9th Act of Remembrance 10.45 am at the Lychgate followed by Holy Communion in Church       IMPORTANT. Please note the Harvest Thanksgiving Service is at 3pm on Sunday Oct 5th (changed from the time originally given in the in the Gittisham Gazette).Thank You.   St Michael’s Church Helen Hayman November 8th is Gittisham race night! Gittisham village hall 7pm Prize for best dressed Lady & Gent! (optional!) No booking required, bar & snacks available! 7 pm. So come cheer on your favourite horse, win your fortune! Everyone welcome! Information from Helen! 07806480246   Natter and Nibbles this month is at Gittisham Farmhouse from 10am-12. All welcome with donations towards the fabric fund of our church. Enjoy the garden and surrounding views. While you’re there you could take a trip to the pumpkin patch. Plenty of parking and the bus can stop outside on the junction. Bring a friend!   After a major fund raising campaign Gittisham Parish Hall are now in a position to refurbish the kitchen and would welcome any expressions of interest from builders/electricians and painters and decorators that live within the Gittisham parish and would be interested in quoting for works to be completed as soon as possible. Please contact Stella 07813802292

Gittisham Parish Council SEPTEMBER 2025 REPORT

The Parish Council met on 4^th September.

Five councillors met for the September meeting along with three members of the public.

Broadband. Adam Powell reported that discussions are taking place between the parish council and a local start-up company interested in bringing full fibre broadband to the village. Councillors noted that the company had heard of the situation in Gittisham following the public meeting the parish council arranged with Connecting Devon & Somerset. A trial scheme of certain properties has been discussed, involving residents with poor broadband signing up to a voucher scheme and a connection box would be installed behind those properties. The discussions are at a very early stage, and all agreed on previous experience it would be wise to be cautious at this stage.

Public transport. One member of the public expressed their concern over the level of service provided by Stagecoach to those who catch the bus. They said the bus had failed to show up on multiple occasions recently, leading to missed medical appointments and delays getting to work. This was particularly noted when South West Water [SWW] closed the road to carry out some emergency repairs. Subsequently the road was reopened but Stagecoach did not appear to have this information and therefore directed its buses to avoid Gittisham village, leaving passengers stranded. Members agreed to take up the matter once again with Stagecoach to press for better communication between the company, Highways (DCC) and SWW. If you have similar experiences of the bus service in the parish, please let the parish council know.

Regarding trains, Peter Orchard said the Government’s takeover to improve South Western Railway’s performance has not gone well. From 11th August, and for the foreseeable future, trains to London are reduced to every two hours with journey times extended 45–60 minutes. The track is reportedly too dry.

Finance. Councillors agreed the finances.

Crimes.             May 2025: Hedge Field Close: 1 x violence & sexual offences, 1 x criminal damage & arson. Hodges Close: 1 x anti-social behaviour. Hayne Lane: 1 x criminal damage & arson

June 2025: Hedge Field Close: 1 x violence & sexual offences, 1 x public order

Planning applications.

a) 25/0012/TPO – Land opp Garlands, Gittisham EX14 3AJ

b) 25/1552/LBC & 25/1551/FUL – The Lodge Gittisham EX14 3AD – Remove existing asbestos roof slates and felt, and replace with new natural slate roof with new bat safe roof membrane, including partially dismantling and rebuilding existing chimney stack to match existing.

c) 25/1365/PVJ – Gittisham Farm Gittisham EX14 3AX – Prior approval for the installation of 152 solar PV panels on a pitched roof

Councillors noted a) and c) and had no objections to b).

Road closures. 14 October 2000–2359hrs Road under Ironbridge closed to repair a safety defect.

Next meeting. Thursday 2^nd October at 7.30pm in the parish room.

Less than two weeks to go! We can’t wait to welcome you all to the patch for the third year running!

PYO pumpkins

When? 11-12th, 18th-19th, 25th-31st of October. From 10am-4pm

Where? Gittisham Farm, Honiton, EX14 3AX.

Once again @ will be providing some delicious refreshments (we can’t wait!!!)

Opportunities to meet our cows and calves on our working farm.

Lots of photo opportunities (as always we’re happy take photos of you and your families).

Entry is free, with no booking required, just turn up and pay for what you pick!

OH GITTISHAM, MY GITTISHAM

The Honiton town crier does her thing

calling us all in to the summer fete.

“Rain is to be expected,” I hear someone say

as I’m leaving on a jet plane wafts across Will’s Field

from bin-liner shrouded speakers.

Rain drips beneath the gazebos,

trickles down the poles onto our wares below.

3 small goats trip by, take their place

next to the astronomer’s tent

and wait patiently to be admired.

On up the lane, the Honiton Town Band

blasts out tunes to the beat of the rain,

the queue for the cream tea grows restless,

it’s a veritable cake-frenzy.

There’s been tombola shenanigans,

wrong tickets on bottles…

the lads (young and not-so) have been damming the stream,

trousers rolled up, or tucked into wellies

in readiness for the Duck Race at half past 4.

The hi-vis team are marshalling cars and people,

the Blacksmith is terrifying the passing children,

as he winds his bellows to fan the flames

dangerously close to the basket weavers’ wares.

Here in Will’s Field, we gather for the dog show.

Hopeful canines sniff around, pull hopeful owners

to enter ‘prettiest bitch’ or ‘best 6 legs’.

The air is heady with the aroma of wet fur

and clammy cagoules

as the entrants for ‘most obedient’ parade around the paddock

to prove their worth before the gathered crowd.

And we applaud, not just for ‘best in show’

but for the band, for the Morris dancers,

the Tea Crew and The Bar, for the carriers and the shifters,

the bunting hangers and the lifters,

for the 500 yellow ducks tumbling to the finish line

for our Hi-Vis leader, Alex,

and for us, we Gittisham Folk,

for turning up and turning out

doing our thing, just joining in.

The Exeter Street Band play one last tune

and we sway, until finally

the rain pauses.

And at the church,

the bellringers ring out the day.

A parish newsletter brought to you by Gittisham Parish Council

Devon Open Studios – Octavia Madden

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

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

I look forward to welcoming you!

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Gittisham Village Hall

Dear friends of Gittisham Hall,

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

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

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

September 27th.

Our ever-popular cake sale 2.30-4.30pm

Harvest themed Quiz 7pm

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

November 29^th

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

Cake sale 2.30-4.30

Christmas bingo 7pm, eyes down 7.30pm

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

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

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Gittisham Parish Council

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

What’s On                         at the Village Hall

A parish newsletter brought to you by Gittisham Parish Council

Flower & Produce Show       Saturday 2nd August Opens 2.30pm      Potato weigh in 3.15pm Syrian Kitchen Sunday 3rd August Pierre’s Café        Sunday 10th August  Gittisham Fete Saturday 30th August Parish Council   Thurs 4th September Ukraine – a village hall talk                       Fri 12th Sept Weekly Fitness class Tuesday mornings Folk Dancing Weds evenings Community Kitchen Thurs eve Yoga Friday afternoons A message from Amne: Hi everyone, we have Mary’s Syrian Kitchen Pop Up in Gittisham Hall on the 3rd of August from 12:30 until 2:30 we will serve lunch and drink and dessert £20 for a person   Call to book or send a message please 07383 104987                                                                        Church 200 Club July Draw Results 1st prize Una Wakley-Beddows 2nd prize Ava Marker-Morgan 3rd prize Mrs M Doidge   Church Services Sunday 24th at 11am Holy Communion Rev Sue’s last celebration of Communion at St Michael’s    Sunday 31st at 3pm Hymns and Pimms   Sunday Sept 28th at 3pm Choral Evensong and Farewell Service for Rev Sue at St Paul’s       Pierre’s Cafe            Summer’s arrived at Pierre’s monthly pop-up café and he’ll be cooking kebabs with vegetables for lunch on Sunday 10th August.   Plus there’ll be the usual selection of freshly made croissants, pains au chocolat and other French pastries in the morning to savour with a coffee or tea.   For dessert / afternoon drop in for a range of homemade cakes.   Vegan and gluten free customers catered for.  We’ve been sold out for lunch in recent months, so please book if you can – it really helps us know how many to cater for and means we avoid having to turn people away.  Open 10-4, Gittisham Village Hall.   Text or call Pierre on 07545 214940.  Hope to see you there.

With just a month to go, preparations are in full swing for this year’s Gittisham Village Fete – a wonderful celebration of our community. But to make it all happen, we need your help. Last year was a fantastic day, but we were stretched thin on volunteers. A small group ended up covering far more than expected. This year, we’re asking for more helping hands, even just for an hour or two, so everyone can enjoy the day. Whether you’re new to the village or have helped before, please consider joining the team – it’s a great way to meet people and be part of something special. Volunteers Needed. We’re looking for people to help with the following roles:    Traffic management and car parking    Admissions desk (welcoming visitors)    Duck Race team (setting up, launching)    Serving cream teas in the Village Hall    Cakes! (selling and baking)    Ice cream sales    Bar team    Tombola stall    Dog show assistance    Setup and end-of-day pack away No experience needed – just enthusiasm and a friendly face! To volunteer, email:  Or contact us via the Village WhatsApp group. What’s On During the Fete    2.00pm – Fete opens with music from the Honiton Town Band    3.00pm – Dog Show in Will’s Field    Cream teas in the Village Hall    Morris dancers, the Gittisham Memories display in the Church, and classic vehicles on the Village Green    Pizza Van    Stalls lining the main avenue and Will’s Field Around 4.30pm – The ever-popular Duck Race. Tickets are just £1 each and will be on sale throughout August. Prizes: 1st £100 2nd £50 3rd £25 4th £10 A huge thank you to our generous supporters: The Parish Council, The Pig, Vale Vets, and CarterDawes, whose backing helps us maintain the prizes and keep the fete going strong. Let’s work together to make this year’s fete a day to remember – we can’t do it without your support. Website: gittisham.org.uk/fete Email:  St Michael’s Church Helen Hayman September 6th @ Truances dairy, Natter & Nibbles! Anyone welcome to park at Gittisham Farm drive & walk up if not enough room or depending on weather a field maybe available beside! 10-12noon. Also at the fete on 30th August will have the fascinating Gittisham Memories display in church! A full display of village life past & present with a couple stalls! Any unwanted good condition books welcome, place in church please. Then on Sunday 1st September, hymns & pimms. Harvest Supper will be held on Saturday 4th October, 7 pm ! With “bring your own drink”.  There will be an auction of any produce donated in the church amongst the flower displays! So please add jams, produce, pickles, food/ drink in the church amongst the flower arrangements. Menu will be Beef, Chicken, vegetable option with pudding! (any dietary preference given when booking). Tickets £10.00 all towards the church fabric! Helen 07806480246 or email Then looking ahead to November 8th! Race night with bar! Just turn up for a fun evening with plenty of horse owners needed or cheer on the participants! In Gittisham Hall!     Gittisham Village Hall   Dear friends of the hall and supporters, We are delighted to report another well supported cake sale last month. With your help we raised over £200 towards the running costs of the hall and planned upgrades! Thank you to all involved, especially the excellent bakers! We continue to get to grips with the new hall booking system and thank you for your patience with any teething problems. It seems this has generally been well received and remain happy to chat to anyone who would like to give us any feedback. August is a quiet month with the hall committee supporting efforts to organise the highly anticipated Fete on Saturday August 30th. We look forward to hosting the teas in the hall. Dates for your diary: September 12th 7pm. Talk by a young Ukrainian student who has kindly agreed to talk with us about the conflict in Ukraine and their personal hopes for the future. Please note that funds raised from this event will be offered to the speaker. September 27th  Cake Sale 2.30-4.30 and Harvest themed Quiz 7pm October 18th Open Mic night, bar and Pizzas November 29th Xmas craft sale 10-2 Xmas cake sale 2.30-4.30 Xmas Bingo. 7pm for 7.30 We look forward to seeing you soon!   Gittisham Parish Hall was very lucky to be one of a few charities to be gifted £450 of free paint from Crown this month. We would be glad of any help to paint the loos in September

Village Hall Talk on Ukraine Molly Furniss

Gittisham’s popular Village Hall Talk event is set to resume on Friday 12th September, with a talk given by guest speaker Illia Vdovych, a Ukranian student who has been a refugee in the UK since 2022. Illia is an exceptional young man, and I was honoured to have him as my tutee at Exeter College. Despite arriving in the UK with limited English, he achieved excellent GCSE results and progressed on to an A level programme studying History, Economics and Further Maths. He hopes to enrol at Durham University in the Autumn, where he will study History and Politics.

Illia will give a talk at the Village Hall about Ukraine’s history, explaining how the first Ukrainian National Republic was formed in 1917, and discussing the country’s current challenges as a result of the Russian invasion in February 2022. He will also speak about the implications of the war for Britain and the world order. 

I’m really delighted that Illia is happy to deliver a talk which promises to be insightful, thought-provoking and informative. Please come along to support Illia and learn more about Ukraine from the perspective of someone who has been so personally impacted by the turbulence of its recent history.

Village Playground

The village has a playground, which is leased to the parish council, and well-used by parishioners. The equipment was upgraded in 2011, following a successful fund-raising campaign by residents to provide a space for young and old alike to enjoy the outdoors. There is a boules pitch, as well as two types of swing, a balance beam, see-saw and a cow springer. Benches and a bbq are provided also.

A patch of land has been joined with the existing park to create a ‘go wild’ area. This space has a tower slide and mown paths as well as wild flowers and fruit trees, and  bird, bug and bee houses.

Gittisham Parish Council

The Parish Councillors are having a well-earned break from their monthly meetings and will meet again on 4^th September in the Village Hall. Public are most welcome to attend and if you wish to speak, there is an opportunity at the start of the meeting. Or please do keep in contact with your Councillors via the Clerk

We are always happy to hear from you and over the summer we are still busy, in particular looking at the work schedule for our new Parish Lengthsman on parish drains, verges and ditches, renovating the village playground boules court, ongoing work on creating safe walking and amenity routes in the parish to contact the 2 halves of the parish and the ever-present pressure on anyone and everyone to get decent broadband into the village.

Broadband in Gittisham village and surrounds, we are not alone.

Councillor Adam Powell

For many years, possibly the last ten, Gittisham has made a lot of noise about not being connected to full fibre broadband. It is no comfort to know that nearby Weston, Hayne Farm Estate, and of course Honiton have superfast fibre provision, if they want it. We have a little bit of news on this front, but please do not get too excited.

In July 2025 Gittisham Parish Council (GPC), received by email, the results of a survey by East Devon District Council (EDDC) on Rural Broadband in East Devon. These were the findings of an online questionnaire in May 2025 EDDC sent out to town and parish councils, including GPC, many rural businesses, and chambers of commerce. More than one hundred responses were received over the three week period that the survey was live. Broadband provision was rated 1-5, 1 being very poor and 5 excellent. In summary 73.3% rated their broadband provision very poor or poor (1 or 2), 20% reported average service (3), and only 6.6% felt they had a strong service. In other words, almost three quarters of respondents reported their broadband provision was below average, with dropouts, poor speeds, or no connection at all. To amplify this many rural areas of East Devon have very poor or no mobile signal, this means no easy alternative means of connecting to broadband.

The report highlighted the frustrations of businesses, lost internet sales, inability to operate or expand, poor communication between businesses and clients, wasted download time, relocation costs, and expensive satellite alternatives. For residents the consequences of poor provision are equally dire for education, remote working, healthcare, online banking, shopping, and entertainment to name but a few areas of concern. Many witness statements were recorded in the report.

Just to clarify the provision of fast broadband fibre services in Devon and Somerset has been the responsibility of Devon and Somerset County Councils, not EDDC, more specifically an organisation called Connecting Devon and Somerset CDS, since 2015. Many millions have been thrown at this project, many commercial companies have not completed their rollouts, and CDS have not been taken to account for this failure.

Well after 10 years of failing to provide what is now considered an essential utility this report is really, to put it mildly stating what we already know, in Gittisham Parish in particular. I suppose it is reassuring to know we are not alone.

The report continues with three next steps, to summarise, EDDC will:

1.Join together with other Devon Districts to highlight poor broadband provision, and use this stronger voice to lobby central government.

2.Write to the leader of Devon County Council asking them to explain the current position and the failure of rollouts that have occurred in the past.

3.Write to the minister for digital communications (Peter Kyle MP) and our East Devon MPs asking for a clear plan of action, and a renewed commitment to deliver full fibre infrastructure in rural areas.

The key economic strategy of the current government is to increase growth and improve productivity, how are residents of Gittisham expected to do this without strong digital connectivity? The digital age has overtaken our lives in the last ten years, one cannot imagine how poor access to broadband may affect our lives in the next ten years if connectivity does not improve radically.  

You may want to read the full report summary, which is available on the EDDC website;

https://eastdevon.gov.uk/media/bzcleegm/rural-broadband-consultation-summary-report.pdf

Your comments and feedback would be most welcome by both the Gazette, and Gittisham Parish Council.

	Gittisham Gazette	July 2025
	A parish newsletter brought to you by Gittisham Parish Council and St Michael’s Church
What’s On  at the Village Hall Pierre’s Café        Sunday 13th July  Syrian Kitchen Sunday 3rd August Gittisham Fete Saturday 30th August Weekly Fitness class Tuesday mornings Folk Dancing Weds evenings Community Kitchen Thurs eve Yoga Friday afternoons       Church 200 Club June Draw Results 1st prize R Hayman 2nd prize J Broadhurst 3rd prize P Marker     Church Services Sunday July 13th Holy Communion at 11am    Sunday July 27th Morning Worship at 11am Tel 07763 111367                         As usual Pierre’s Café will take place on the second Sunday of the month. This time 13th July.  Please bear in mind that booking is mostly essential as lunch sold out frequently.  Mains are gluten free. Some dessert also. Vegan danish and long fermented croissant. This is a pleasure to feed such friendly customers each months.  Booking  Pierre 07545 214940 ****************************** A message from Amne: Hi everyone, we have Mary’s Syrian Kitchen Pop Up in Gittisham Hall on the 3rd of August from 12:30 antl 2:30 we will serve lunch and drink and dessert £20 for a person   Call to book or send a message please 07383 104987	Around the world Gittisham Flower festival at the church took us on a floral journey around the world. Our talented flower arrangers showed us the cool blues and whites of the Arctic, an explosion from Mount Vesuvius, exotic blooms from Ghana and colours and fragrances of India. If the sight of croissants or the thought of cream teas made us hungry there was plenty of refreshment on offer at the village hall. And all accompanied by the sounds of birds in the tropical forests of Brazil. Helen Hayman says “A HUGE THANKYOU’ to our talented & creative flower arrangers & all who gave of their time & talents to sing at the AMAZING Concert, bake YUMMY cakes & cream teas, prepare & serve DELICIOUS Lunches. And to everyone behind the scenes who helped to make it all run smoothly.  A GREAT TEAM effort. But most of all Thank You to all who came & enjoyed a helped to raise just under £2k to help us maintain & care for our beautiful Village Church. THANK YOU ALL so much! And from Julia Barrett: “An amazing team effort and wonderful weekend! Fabulous flower arrangements, a glorious concert and lovely lunches and array of yummy cakes and cream teas. A big thank you from St Michaels PCC to everyone who gave so generously of their time and talents and to support and enjoy the beauty of our much-loved parish church.               St Michael’s Church Julia Barratt The Reverend Scott Angell after his ordination as a Priest in June at St Paul’s. We look forward to him celebrating his first Eucharist at St Michael’s in August. The sad news is that the Reverend Sue Roberts who has been the Rector in the Honiton Team for nineteen years will be leaving us in the Autumn to take up a new post in Tiverton. There will be an opportunity to say goodbye to Sue and wish her well in her new ministry in due course.   On a more cheerful note! We are very much enjoying the fruits of the labour earlier in the year of the Churchyard Brimbles in the Old Churchyard. What a wonderful transformation! Do come and look!   Finally much fun was had by all at the Pet Service especially the Tortoise, who proved to be surprisingly fast when let out of his box! Much to the consternation of the intrigued dogs, the delight of the children and the amusement of the Grown Ups!       Next Natter & Nibbles at Gittisham Farm!  Saturday 9th August 10-12noon , all welcome! Raffle & memories too! Donations! No need to book!     To friends of the Hall, This has been a busy month for Gittisham Hall with lots of private bookings and some wonderful community events! The Father’s day BBQ was particularly well supported with some saying it was the best ever! thank you to Sara for organising a fabulous spread and to Nick and Co for the band! We also enjoyed some great live music from Set in Stone! Thanks to Jess and Toni for organising and Dentry Carpentry for sponsoring this fantastic event! Your support has enabled us to purchase a fantastic new hand dryer for the ladies loo! Tell us what you think of it! In other news you may have noticed our booking system has changed and we are now using a software program called Hallmaster which has been successfully used by other halls. Any booking queries please email gittishamvillagehallbookings@gmail.com Congratulations to Connor Davey on passing his phase 1 and graduating in the RAF. His graduation was at RAF Halton on the 18th of June. The passing out parade was accompanied by the RAF Regiment Band and had a Spitfire flyover. His family and friends are very proud and wish him good luck with the next stage in his journey.

Gittisham Village Fete – We Need You!

Saturday 30th August 2025 | From 2.00pm

With just under two months to go, preparations are in full swing for this year’s Gittisham Village Fete – a wonderful celebration of our community. But to make it all happen, we need your help. Last year was a fantastic day, but we were stretched thin on volunteers. A small group ended up covering far more than expected. This year, we’re asking for more helping hands, even just for an hour or two, so everyone can enjoy the day. Whether you’re new to the village or have helped before, please consider joining the team – it’s a great way to meet people and be part of something special.

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Volunteers Needed We’re looking for people to help with the following roles:

• Traffic management and car parking
• Admissions desk (welcoming visitors)
• Duck Race team (setting up and launching ducks)
• Serving cream teas in the Village Hall
• Cakes! (selling and baking)
• Ice cream sales
• Bar team
• Tombola stall
• Dog show assistance
• Setup and end-of-day pack away

No experience needed – just enthusiasm and a friendly face! To volunteer, email: 
Or contact us via the Village WhatsApp group.

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What’s On During the Fete

• 2.00pm – Fete opens with music from the Honiton Town Band
• 3.00pm – Dog Show in Will’s Field (class info to be announced on social media)
• Cream teas in the Village Hall
• Morris dancers, the Gittisham Memories display in the Church, and classic vehicles on the Village Green
• Pizza Van
• Stalls lining the main avenue and Will’s Field
• Around 4.30pm – The ever-popular Duck Race

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Duck Race Tickets tickets are just £1 each and will be on sale throughout August.

Prizes:
1st – £100 2nd – £50 3rd – £25 4th – £10

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A huge thank you to our generous supporters: The Parish Council, The Pig, Vale Vets, and CarterDawes, whose backing helps us maintain the prizes and keep the fete going strong.

Let’s work together to make this year’s fete a day to remember – we can’t do it without your support.

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More information and updates:
Website: gittisham.org.uk/fete
Email: 

GITTISHAM FLOWER & PRODUCE SHOW at the Village  Hall on Saturday 2nd August 2025 at 2.30pm

Potato bucket weigh in at 3:15pm

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

Entrance fee Sections A,B,C 20p: Children’s entries free

Special potato class £1 – payable when your seed potato is collected

Sections A,B,C no prize money. Section D prizes 1 st = £1, 2 nd = 50p, 3 rd = 25p

McCann Junior Cup for most points by a competitor age 12-16 in Sections A,B,C

Awards for Best in Show in Sections A and B

The show is open to all residents of Gittisham parish, which includes Gittisham Vale and Hayne Farm estate. We also welcome entries from those who no longer live in the parish, those who actively support the parish, and those with close links to the parish.

Children must be aged 3-11, Juniors must be age 12-16 on Saturday 26th July 2025. Children are welcome to enter Sections A,B,C upon paying the entry fee.

SECTION “C” HOMECRAFT

30 Chocolate Swiss Roll – as attached recipe

31 Vegetable Tart (not exceeding 20cm)–own recipe

32 Sausage Plait – using homemade rough puff pastry

33 Madeira cake

34 A jar of strawberry jam

35 Jar of pickled vegetable(s)– any variety

36 Set of 4 Dorset Buttons

37 Homemade birthday card for a child

38 Photo of a bird in your garden – max size 25cm x 20cm

39 MEN ONLY – 6 Brownies – as recipe

Full details of flower, vegetable and children’s classes available online or from Sue Fallows

Gittisham Parish Council JULY 2025 Report

Four councillors met for the July meeting along with one member of the public.

EDDC Local Plan. David Valentine reported he had spoken to planning consultant Charlie Hopkins regarding representation at the Local Plan inquiry later this year (or early next year). His diary is busy in October, but otherwise he is happy to help. He is not representing any other parish council or party in respect of the current EDDC Local Plan. Councillors resolved to approve expenditure for Charlie Hopkins’s initial assessment. David Valentine will prepare a summary of parish council representations previously made, and give Charlie Hopkins the opportunity to assess the likelihood of GPC being successful in making further representations at the examination in public. Having the initial assessment, David Valentine argued, would provide a better basis on which to consider further expenditure over and above getting Charlie Hopkins’s professional assessment.

Councillors heard that Axminster Town Council is suggesting there were irregularities at EDDC’s Local Plan  meetings, but David Valentine cautioned that if the inspector finds the plan unsound, it could open a new can of worms.

Finance. Councillors agreed the finances.

Crimes. April 2025: Cypress Close: 1 x violence & sexual offences. Nether Close: 2 x violence & sexual offences.  Meadow Acre: 1 x criminal damage & arson, 1 x violence & sexual offences

Planning applications.

 a) 25/0659/LBC – Rapshayes Farm Gittisham EX14 3AB – To take down existing wall to barns 1 and 2 and rebuild as masonry cavity wall with stone face

b) 25/0660/VAR – Rapshayes Farm Gittisham EX14 3AB – Variation of Condition number 2 (approved plans) on planning permission 20/0781/FUL (Conversion of barn to holiday let accommodation) proposal to take down existing wall to Barns 1 & 2 and rebuild as masonry cavity wall with stone face

Councillors said it was not clear what changes had been made, and Carol Hall agreed to investigate and report back.

Lengthsman. Carol Hall said that FabTrim Landscaping had carried out some lengthsman-type work, including strimming the river so that it is ready for the duck race. He will be strimming the ditches by the village green, and they will be cleared once ground conditions permit. Alex Rowe said he had purchased some cones and road signs for future lengthsman work. It was agreed that a list of items to attend to should be drawn up in the coming months.

Coincidentally it emerged that some council highways contractors had visited to cut drainage splays which direct water from the road into ditches along Parsonage Lane and up to Bellevue and other areas around the village, also they have cleared the drainage holes into the river along.

Play area. Councillors discussed reviving the boules court, after a request from a resident and also having seen the new one in Tipton St John, and it was agreed to investigate how much it would cost to bring it back into use.

Alex Rowe said a resident had been in touch to ask if adult outdoor fitness equipment might be a possibility, and the clerk agreed to investigate although warned that it could come with a significant cost.

Next meeting. Thursday 4^th September at 7.30pm in the village hall.