Author Archives: Tango Alpha

Skydive for charity in June or October.

www.chsw.org.uk/skydive _____________________________________________________________

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British Naturalists’ Association – local programme, 2024.

BRITISH NATURALISTS’ ASSOCIATION TAW AND EXMOOR BRANCH Local Secretary Brian Sims 9 Old Torrington Road Barnstaple North Devon EX31 2DD Tel: (01271) 343607 PROGRAMME TO JANUARY, 2025. PLEASE NOTE – PARTICIPATION AT ALL EVENTS IS AT YOUR OWN RISK. Sunday … Continue reading

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Shipping notes No. 225 (December).

Bideford Quay. No shipping this month. Oldenburg returned on 17th from drydocking at Sharpness. Appledore. Quorn and Atherstone still at Shipyard. Yelland Quay. No shipping this month. Bristol Channel Observations. 1/12 at 15.43 vehicle carrier RCC Passion, 11,196 tons d.w., … Continue reading

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‘Upstream Thinking’ project has many benefits.

More than 40,000 native trees are being planted for farms and landowners to help reduce land run-off and improve natural water quality as part of South West Water’s catchment management programme, Upstream Thinking. The trees, which were provided by the … Continue reading

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A Devonshire poem about the Piskies.

Here is an amusing poem in the local dialect by J C Harding, who spent his final years in the ‘White House’, which I believe was the name of the Bideford workhouse. Mr Harding filled an exercise book in his … Continue reading

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‘Optimus Grime’ & Co.

Earlier this summer, Torridge District Council launched a competition to name four brand-new vehicles entering service with their Waste and Recycling fleet. The fun competition formed part of the Council’s ongoing recycling awareness campaign and was open to all Torridge … Continue reading

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Upper Tamar Lake sailing club.

If you haven’t sailed for a while and would like to get back on the water, the Club would love to hear from you – you and your family will be made very welcome. We sail on Sunday and Wednesday … Continue reading

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Benjamin Donn, 1729 – 98.

The man who put Bideford on the map. During the eighteenth century, business in all the ports on the Atlantic coast of England was booming. This was due to increasing trade, both imports and exports, with the American colonies. There … Continue reading

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Check the bathing water quality between May & September.

Regular testing of water quality by the Environment Agency is now underway at 150 designated bathing sites across Devon and Cornwall. High standards of water quality at swimming locations are important for people’s enjoyment of beaches and other beauty spots … Continue reading

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Explorer app for visitors to Northern Devon.

North Devon UNESCO Biosphere launches sustainable tourism App for visitors to Northern Devon! North Devon UNESCO Biosphere have launched a new web app aimed at visitors and residents, to highlight the fantastic experiences available in the area, while helping to … Continue reading

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The Huntshaw Church bells project.

Huntshaw’s Historic Bells drop into the limelight – After 500 years! For over a year the ‘Friends of Huntshaw Bells’ have been raising money through grants, sponsorship and events and have raised so far £17k. There is a long way … Continue reading

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The ‘Way of the Wharves’ project.

‘Way of the Wharves’. The Torridge Estuary and Bideford have a long and fascinating maritime history with boat building documented back to Elizabethan times. On the east bank of the Torridge, opposite Bideford town, East-the-Water was an industrial and transport … Continue reading

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The “Freshspring” project.

Steamship ‘Freshspring’ celebrates four years in Bideford. During the Second World War, a fleet of freshwater-carrying steam ships was commissioned by the Royal Navy to deliver water to warships. These became the ‘Fresh’ class of ships and the last one … Continue reading

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Abbotsham – an historical note.

If you have been watching the last series of ‘Poldark’ you will know that the final episodes dealt with the threat of invasion in the West Country by the French. This threat was temporarily resolved by the Peace of Amiens … Continue reading

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Heroine of India honoured with statue in Torrington.

A bronze statue of Sister Nivedita (1867-1911) was unveiled by Great Torrington Town and Torridge District Councillors in Great Torrington Cemetery on Saturday 27th August . Sister Nivedita, who was born Margaret Elizabeth Noble, spent much of her life in … Continue reading

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