Torridge Community Transport Association  (TCTA) endeavours to provide a “transportation safety net for all”, young and old, able bodied and disabled. The association works with all members of the community to address their transport needs aiming to develop community transport services within the area. These vital services will attempt to tackle aspects of social exclusion brought about by transport infrastructure issues, thus promoting equality of opportunity and improving access to social, health, employment, leisure, and education services.

TCTA’s Ring & Ride service is now operating on a weekly basis throughout the area and this is due to a generous funding award from Tesco’s supermarkets. As part of a Section 106 Planning Gain encompassed in the development of their new store at East-the-Water Bideford, Tesco’s donated funds to enable TCTA to purchase a 15 seater Minibus. As an added bonus this funding also enabled the purchase of a smaller 7 seater vehicle with wheelchair accessibility offering safe transport for the user who has to remain in their wheelchair during a journey. The three vehicles now operated by the association enable TCTA to offer supplementary services such as a Passenger Excursion Club and a Community Group Hire service giving registered passengers and groups the ability to utilise the vehicles at weekends and evenings.

TCTA currently operates one of the largest volunteer car schemes in Devon providing transport services not just within its core area of 36 parishes in northern Torridge, but also in the surrounding areas as required, meaning that the populous of approximately 50 parishes receives this particular transport solution.

With the support of the Bideford Bridge Trust TCTA also administers a Taxi Voucher scheme. Passengers who are eligible for the scheme receive up to £200 worth of vouchers that can be used with approved taxi firms within the Bideford area

TCTA has a dedicated band of volunteers who use either their own cars or the association’s vehicles to transport passengers. These volunteers are the lifeblood of the organisation and without them generously giving up their time the services would not exist. TCTA is always ready to welcome new volunteers through its doors and will ensure that suitable training will be offered to those wishing to offer up some of their free time to assist other members of their community by driving for the association.

To volunteer (Car/Minibus Driving) please contact the TCTA telephone: 01237 425522.

To enquire about the services available telephone: 01237 423232

Torridge District Council has allocated £6,500 to go to local schools to help them organise celebrations for the Olympic torch relay.

The council has written to schools throughout the district asking for requests for funding and will be looking at each and every reply on its own merits.

On May 21st the Olympic Torch Relay will be coming through Merton, Great Torrington and Bideford so there will be plenty of opportunity to see it and get involved.

Leader of the council, Barry Parsons said, “Torridge strongly believes in the power of the Olympic and Paralympic Games to inspire children and young people across the District, the UK and around the world.  We want this opportunity to spark their imagination and enthusiasm, helping them to realise their potential and to learn from this once in a lifetime opportunity.”

The £6,500 for schools will be available to support any celebration or recognition of the games where reasonable, both in the weeks leading up to the event and on the day itself. Possible uses for the funding could be to pay for transport on the day for children to see the torch as it passes through Merton, Great Torrington or Bideford; to pay for a specialist Olympic sport session to take place at their school; to pay for an inter-school competition or to perhaps purchase materials for making flags and banners.

“Buzz” public distribution points.

ABBOTSHAM.
Post Office.

APPLEDORE.
Library.

BIDEFORD.
Atlantic Village (concourse).
BIDEFORD LIBRARY.
Bideford F.C.
Burton Art Gallery & Museum.
Butchers’ Row.
Council tax office.
Health centre.
Pannier Market.
Park kiosk.

Public houses -   Anchor
Appledore Inn.
Heavitree.
Joiners Arms.
Kings Arms.
Lamb.
Old Custom House.
Portobello.
Riverside.
Talbot.
Tavern.
White Hart.

Riverbank House.
Riversford Hotel.
St.Mary’s Church.
Sure Start.

ALLHALLAND ST.       -   Garland’s.
Roosters.

CLOVELLY ROAD       -   Blights.

COOPER STREET      -   Chiropodist.
Lathwells.
Taxi office.
Three Cs cafe.
Velvet & Vanilla.

BRIDGELAND STREET – Anton’s hairdressers.
Bazeley’s.
Bond Oxborough.
Citizens Advice Bureau.
Jenny Hoare hairdressers.
Kevin Bright.
Lavington Church.
Oxfam shop.
Vision Express.

CHINGSWELL STREET-  Bottle Stop.

HIGH STREET             -    Banks cafe.
Methodist Church.
Sounds Interesting.
Walter Henry’s bookshop.

MILL STREET              -    Baptist church.
Blanchards.
Blazey’s cafe / deli.
Danny’s butchers.
Fruit Loop.
Gerties cafe.
Honey’s butchers.
Trawlers fish & chip shop.
Webbers.

MORETON PARK        -    Moreton Park Stores.

NORTH ROAD            -     Employment office.

OLD TOWN                  -    Post Office.

ROPE WALK               -     Pottery.

THE QUAY                   -     Arts Centre.
Britannia Building Society.
Quay cafe.
Radwells newsagent.
Spar shop.
Who’s Next hairdressers.

BUCKS CROSS.
Bideford Bay caravan site.
Post Office.

EAST THE WATER.
Barton Tors post office.
Railway museum.
Royal Hotel.
Pollyfields.
Wooda surgery.

FREMINGTON.
Fish & chip shop.
Premium stores.

HOLSWORTHY.
Library.

INSTOW.
Commodore Hotel.
Johns.

NORTHAM.
Health Centre.
Library.
Marshford Farm.
Swimming pool.

STIBB CROSS.
Shop.

TORRINGTON.
Library.

WESTLEIGH.
Pub.

WESTWARD HO !
Charity shop.
Newsagent.
Post office.

WOOLSERY.
Merry Harriers garden centre.

YELLAND.
Post Office.

On August the 8th, 1720, the Board of Excise ordered that ‘William Kimpton, Supernumerary in the Barnstaple Collection, being dead, as by Mr Jennings the Collectors letter of the 6th instant, Silas Hiscutt, instructed by order of the Board be Supernumerary, ‘the Collector of Sarum to give him notice’.   So Silas Hiscutt, the new recruit or ‘Supernumerary’ rode from Salisbury to Barnstaple all those years ago to begin a career that was to last for 37 years.

In February 1727, Silas married Elizabeth Whitefield of Northam whilst he was Officer of Excise, Bideford 2nd Out Ride.   But in July he was posted back to Barnstaple as Officer for Barnstaple 1st Out Ride. Here, the couple’s first child, Patience, was born, followed by a son, Silas, in 1730 and another daughter, Winifred, in 1731.   On August the 28th, 1732, he was ordered to take the place of Robert Johnson, Officer for Torrington 4th Out Ride, a position he maintained with only a few brief moves for the rest of his career.   The family lived at Abbots Bickington where eight more children were born, the last being Catherine, born May 20th 1750.   She eventually married James Paddon of Abbotsham. Their son, Midshipman Silas Hiscutt Paddon would see action on HM Cutter ‘Viper’ (see Bideford Buzz Nov 02, The Commander) receiving praise from Sir Edmund Pellew in a letter to Earl St Vincent.

In December 1756 Silas claimed ‘Charity’ from the Board of Excise, due to ill health, and this pension was granted him.   We shall never know whether his state of health was due to work or to other events. One year before, his son Silas married Jane Pincombe and then went to sea, not to return to start his family until the end of the Seven Years War in 1764. His parents saw his return and the start of his family but Elizabeth, dying in Bideford in 1768, never saw her grandson Silas who was born in Bideford in 1769.

The life of an Exercise Officer was lonely and dangerous.   Normally recruited outside the area where they worked, to prevent giving favour to friend or family, they were responsible for providing their own horse, for varying their routine, keeping records of nightly journeys, listening for rumours and watching for suspicious activity.   Local Dragoons could be called for help but this was often given grudgingly.    The pay was poor compensation for a job which could end in serious injury or death.   Silas died in Bideford in 1770, fifty years after his ride from Salisbury to Barnstaple.

A.H. Barnstaple

Recipe from Bideford Country market, Bideford Market.

• 2lb Runner beans, chopped or sliced
• 4 or 5 onions
• 1.5 pints vinegar
• 8oz.  demerara sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornflour
• 1.5 tablespoons turmeric
• 1.5 tablespoons dried mustard

Peel & slice the beans & onions.  Place in preserving pan with salted water to cover & boil until tender.  Strain & drain.  Place back in pan, add sugar & 1.25 pint vinegar, bring to the boil while keeping stirred, boil for 15 min.  Mix dry ingredients with remaining .25 pint vinegar, add to main pan, and boil 15 min.  Allow to cool and then spoon into sterilised screw-top jars.

Ready to eat, but flavour improves with keeping.

I expect you have seen the seaweed, like large sheets of plastic, growing and sticking to the large boulders and rocks on beaches. It starts to grow in the summer when it is a bright green. As the season progresses it turns brown and then in winter, when ready to pick, it is almost black. One ‘leaf’ when held out is about 5-10” across and shaped like a large tobacco leaf. Traditionally, it is only picked when there is an ‘R’ in the month, meaning the Winter months.

An average amount to collect would be enough to lightly fill a carrier bag. You will find that when you come to clean it you seem to have collected half the beach as well. This means it has to be picked over for stray shells and odd weed, then washed and washed to remove all the sand. There is nothing worse than gritting your teeth on sand when eating your breakfast. This means somewhere in the region of 6 to 7 times. In fact I was told, just when you think it is clean, you give it another wash.

Then it has to be minced. Quite a task as you will find when you handle the stuff, as it is quite resilient and bounces back from the mincer. Next, place it in a large saucepan with a little water, a cupful of vinegar and some salt. This is to be cooked for about an hour, stirring at regular intervals. It’s like Spinach, its volume will decrease during cooking. Turn off the heat, put on the lid and leave to cool.

The best way to obtain your Laver is to find a good fishmonger or butcher who sells it (there are quite a few in the area) and buy your half pound when you need it. Although only available for picking during Winter, it can be frozen and so is available in the shops most of the year.

TO COOK LAVER – The most common way is to pat into small cakes with seasoned flour or oatmeal, or even porridge oats and fry alongside the bacon for breakfast. Serve immediately.

POOR MAN’S CAVIAR – After making hot buttered toast, spread the laver as bought in a thin layer and serve. Decorate with curls of lemon and you have a talking point at your next buffet party.

So what am I worried about  -  apart from that inherent propensity for gloom and doom that you will have noticed in my  looking askance’ series ?

Well, in addition to the “2000 scientists” who made recent headlines with their confirmation of the principle of man-made global warming and the hazards that follow from it, there are other scientists specialising in the study of ocean currents who have reached a conclusion of even more immediate concern to us on the north-western edge of Europe.

Before the rest of the world gets fried, it seems that we in England can soon expect to suffer a period of really ice-cold winters equivalent to the north of Newfoundland and the St Lawrence Seaway in Canada  -  and anyone who has ordered goods for shipment by sea from Quebec will know that the St Lawrence doesn’t open to shipping until the ice melts in March or April.     Now that’s what I call Murphy’s Law!.

There is good logic behind this prediction and it is based on the fact that we owe our pleasant climate on the north-eastern edge of the Atlantic to the ocean current called the Gulf Stream.  This brings warm water from the Caribbean  -  you know, Jamaica, Florida and all that -  right across the Atlantic, straight to our coastline, along with warm wet winds and surfing waves.

The Gulf Stream is driven by convection currents in the Atlantic where heavy cold water full of icebergs from the Arctic drifts down the western side of the ocean past Newfoundland.  By the time it reaches New York the icebergs that have escaped being hit by luxury liners will have melted, and further south the cold water sinks below the lighter warm water of the tropical regions.  South of the tropics, it is warming up when it meets even colder water from the Antarctic regions so it is pushed up to the surface where it drifts north to the Caribbean, by which time it is as warm as it gets.  This is when we call it the Gulf Stream as it veers north-east across the Atlantic, to warm us up and cool itself down until it mixes with the cold Arctic waters and starts the circuit all over again.

Crucial to this circulatory system is the heat of the sun in the tropics and the cold of the ice caps at the poles.  Now, the heat in the tropics is not in question -  in fact it is likely to get hotter – but the north polar ice cap is already suffering the effects of global warming.  We must all have read or heard about the thinning of the ice cap on the arctic ocean, to the detriment of the polar bears, and the shrinking of the glaciers of Greenland as the ice melts in the warmer summers faster than it builds up in winter.  Not something that affects us, we may think, but it is that melting ice in Greenland, melting faster every year, that is likely to have the most striking influence on our personal climate in the immediate future.

Greenland ice is not sea ice.  It has formed from snow falling on Greenland for hundreds of thousands of years; it is thousands of metres thick and Greenland is a very big landmass, as big as all of Western Europe; so that is a lot of ice.  When Greenland ice melts it forms fresh water, and fresh water is lighter than sea water.  The time may come when all this extra melt water pushing south with the present cold current down the coast of North America is no longer heavy enough to sink below the waters of the Gulf Stream, and actually swamps the flow of tropical water that keeps us warm.  We would then be exposed to cold currents from the Arctic all year round, leaving us with a climate similar to north-east Canada, as I described earlier.

The scientists have not said yet how soon this may happen, but their computer models indicate that the change could be quite sudden and could take place almost any year now.   On the other hand it is still just possible it may not happen at all.                   Even Murphy’s Law is not infallible!

Chris Hassall

250g soft butter
250g light muscavado sugar
4 eggs
250g self raising flour
250g raisins
250g sultanas
125 g glacé cherries, halved
1tsp mixed spice
1 tbsp brandy

Grease an 8″ tin and line the base with greaseproof paper.
Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl until well combined. Turn the mixture into the cake tin and level the top.
Bake in a pre heated oven at 140 centigrade for 1 hour, then cover with greaseproof paper and cook for a further 1 hour 15 minutes. The cake should be just firm to touch in the centre. Bake it in the middle of the oven. Good luck

Steve

Last week whilst  I was staying at my daughter’s  my grandson informed me it was ‘Children in Need’ day

If he wore something spotty to school.  and paid a pound,  he would be contributing.

At the time I was feeling slightly stressed in my grandparent role,  so I asked him if he might ask at school if they could have a ‘grannies in need’ day . His answer was to quote,  ‘he was the ‘lowest of the low’ at his new school,  wasn’t a form  captain or rep,  so had no authority. Still it seemed like a good idea to me.

There seems to be a tendency now for grannies to shoulder an awful lot of the responsibility of caring for their grandchildren. My view is that I’ve done my bit bringing up two children with very little help from grandparents. Now is my time, so I’ll help if I’m absolutely needed,  but don’t intend to be permanently on call.

Last week was an exception My daughter was recovering from an operation  and the children needed to be taken to school, the dog needed to be walked, the hens fed, the cat kept in order  – you get the idea. I think  I was extremely useful, doing laundry, cleaning the house, shopping with a completely baffling list of items at the supermarket, ‘what are monster crisps ?’ -  ‘did you look all the way down the aisle grannie’?,  scouring the roads for the shop that sold chicken  pellets   creeping out in the dark  to the woodshed etc

In  between my daughter needed looking after, the grandchildren fought on return from school over computer games  and seemingly everything else, and my son-in – law vanished to tend to his huge self sufficiency empire of allotment, hens, bees and orchard. On return no comment was made on the tidiness of the house although he did apparently say ‘it looks as if the fairies have been in’  Ha Ha!

The final straw was the fracas between the dog and a small black sausage dog-     dog and hens escaped to the road; meanwhile with the kitchen door open  the cat helped himself to the  recently plucked pheasant.

And the good news?

I came  home for the weekend, but may have to return next week!

RA