Around Exeter area by area, the news down your street edited by Anne Byrne. Contribute by emailing Anne on abyrne@expressandecho.co.uk or give us a call on 01392 442233
Beacon Heath
Celebration
ON Thursday, July 17, there is to be a celebration to mark the 10th anniversary of the launch of Friends of Home-Start.
There will be a tea party from 2pm to 4pm at 149 Beacon Lane, and the organisers would love to see anyone who has been involved with Home-Start in any way or is interested in this charity that supports families in their own homes.
The Friends contribute financial support through membership fees and with fundraising events.
First fete
BEACON Heath is having its first ever Summer Fete on July 19, between noon and 3pm.
Performing the opening ceremony will be the Deputy Lord Mayor Cllr Rob Newby. There will be entertainment, games, food and stalls.
If you have a home made craft, activity or local group you would like to bring to the fete you can buy a table for £5. Please contact 01392 482557 for more information.
Broadclyst
Sports money
THE votes are in and now the parish council and East Devon District Council know what residents would like in the way of new sports provision for the village.
There was £11,800 in the kitty and more than 100 residents voted.
The most popular project, which will receive £9,000, is for an outdoor gym, several pieces of traditional gym-style equipment suitable for outdoor use. Nearly half of all the votes cast were for this project.
The second most popular project, which will also be funded, was for £1,000 to put two football sized goals into the recreation field in Broadclyst. These will create a full-sized pitch in the football season and will be moved to create a kick-about area the rest of the year.
There is also enough money to pay for the third most popular project, a £1,250 scheme to improve the outside practice area at Broadclyst Cricket Club by levelling out the uneven surface that currently makes batting practice dangerous.
The funding came from developers as part of planning agreements reached as a result of a number of housing developments in Broadclyst.
Cllr Chris Pepper, chairman of the parish council, said: "Not all suggested projects met the criteria for this funding; the council will now look at how other gaps in formal sports provision which were highlighted during the initial consultation period can be addressed. Well done to all involved!"
The two remaining projects that did not get enough support and so will not be funded with the £11,800 were: creating a spectator area and scoring area next to the pitch at Broadclyst Cricket Club at a cost of £1,200; installing sight screens at Broadclyst Cricket Club at a cost of £2,750.
City centre
Free pouches
EXETER'S Lord Mayor Cllr Percy Prowse is also chairman of the Exeter Tidy Group and on Wednesday, July 16, he is to launch the handing out of free mini cigarette bins outside McGahey's in High Street.
The bins, or rather pouches, are small re-usable envelopes lined with fireproof material, and which fit easily into a pocket or handbag.
Funding for the project has come from the locality budgets of city councillors.
Cllr Prowse said: "Our street cleaners tell us of the difficulty in picking up cigarette ends. It takes 10 years for one butt to degrade."
Cllr Prowse added: "We are pleased to have received a small financial donation from McGahey's which will be used towards the prizes that the tidy group presents at the annual Sweepers' Lunch."
The event this year will be held on Wednesday, October 15 and the guest of honour will be Karime Hassan, the city council's chief executive.
Coffee morning
THE Lord Mayor is holding his next monthly coffee morning in the Guildhall on Saturday, July 12, in aid of Exeter Leukaemia Fund, his charity for the year.
Organisers say they have been promised a second visit by the Guildhall ukulele band during the morning.
Cakes and savouries will be available and there will be some plants and books for sale.
Canopy work
WORK to replace the canopy over the entrance to Central Station in Queen Street is progressing.
A spokesman for First Great Western said: "We are tendering for the work to be conducted. Once tenders have been returned and assessed we will be in a better position to put some dates and details forward."
Improvements to the station were completed in December last year.
Devon County Council had initially thought that a new canopy was unaffordable but the improvement scheme came in more than £100,000 under budget allowing for a new canopy.
Free concerts
ST Stephen's Church in High Street has moved its series of free lunch-time concerts from August to July.
Each concert begins at 1.10pm and lasts until 2pm.
ploughman's lunches are available from noon.
The series begins on July 10 and the first features Andrew Daldorph and Chris Gradwell on piano and saxophone/clarinet playing Classics to Jazz.
On July 17, it is the turn of the Exeter Singers, with Tony Yates conducting.
On July 24 pianist John Shirley will feature.
On July 31, performing will be Ruth Molins on flute and Dorothy Raven on piano.
Busker support
STAND up for Exeter's charity buskers!
That's the call from Glenys and Trevor Jarman, of Newtown, after they witnessed an unsavoury incident outside Boots.
A busker was singing music from the 1970s and 80s, using a microphone and sound system to keep the beat.
Mrs Jarman said: "He was not doing this for personal gain, but rather to raise money for Macmillan nurses.
"He was wearing the charity's T-shirt and fleece and had a Macmillan bucket for donations.
"As I stood listening to him – he was very good – an oldish chap approached him and stood right in front of his face, shouting that the busker was miming.
"He persisted with this and was telling people not to put any donations in the bucket.
"I found this very upsetting. That other man was acting out of ignorance.
"The singer was not miming, and I admired him for continuing to sing.
"It is a pity that more people do not do more for charity.
"I just hope the abusive chap never needs a Macmillan nurse."
City-wide
Skywards reach
IS this the tallest "weed" in Exeter?
Although this is a buddleia, so not strictly a weed, we are following the logic expressed in the poem by Iam Emberson –a weed is a flower in the wrong place.
And this flower in the wrong place is growing through the paving at the junction of Sweetbrier Lane and Honiton Road.
If anyone knows of a taller weed please get in touch!
Trolley locks
SUPERMARKET Morrisons is removing all trolley locks at its Prince Charles Road store in response to Exeter's customer feedback, which has called for quicker and easier shopping trips.
A special trolley team has visited the store to change all the trolleys, removing the need to insert a £1 coin or token to release a trolley from its bay.
Glen Allen, the store's general manager, said: "Our nation is getting busier and we have less free time than previous generations.
"Customers in Exeter have told us that they want a quicker shop. The removal of trolley locks is just one of the many improvements we are making to our store – to make for a faster and easier shopping trip."
Bus priority
HIGHWAYS bosses are aiming to build bus priority provision for parts of the city.
The aim is to ensure reliable bus journey times, making it a viable alternative to car travel.
In addition to an improved real time bus information system in the city, a bus priority system linked to traffic signals in giving priority to late running bus services is planned at selected locations across the network.
A decision is yet to be taken on precise locations and could be operational within the next few years.
African vintage
A PAIR of carved African ornaments has boosted donations at an Exeter charity shop.
The ivory ornaments were handed in to the British Heart Foundation shop and sold on the charity's eBay store – bhf.org.uk/ebay
They sold for £197 on the BHF eBay store. The ivory-style ornaments were carved in great detail and aroused the interest of 10 competitive bidders.
Andrew Shaw, the charity's eBay manager, said: "It's amazing what people donate to BHF shops.
"When staff spot high-value and unique items, they send them over to us and we list them on eBay. This means we not only get the best price for the rare and beautiful items, but that these objects are available to many more people than they would be if they were just sold in the shop they were donated to."
Bishop Robert
IN the days leading up to his installation at Exeter Cathedral, the new Bishop of Exeter, the Right Reverend Robert Atwell, undertook a prayer pilgrimage around the county and spent a morning with chaplains and prisoners at Exeter prison, as part of his prayer pilgrimage around the county.
He described his time at the prison as a deeply moving experience.
He said: "I met a whole group of men in their 20s, one of them asked me to pray for his partner, who was expecting their first child and was suffering from being apart.
"I also spoke with a man who was on a ward on his own, dying.
"It was very moving seeing how the chaplains were ministering to these men."
He went on to walk through and explore the villages of Branscombe and Beer, including visiting Beer Church of England primary school, which has just celebrated earning an "outstanding" award in its Church inspection.
He planted a cherry tree to mark the achievement, and was shown around the school by head Martin O'Mahony, chairman of governors Jean Smith, and children.
The Rt Revd Robert Atwell is the 71st Bishop of Exeter.
He is spent the days before the installation getting to know the diocese, listening to people's concerns and offering to pray for them.
Go Kids Go
CHARITY Go Kids Go is running a free wheelchair skills workshop in Exeter on Saturday, July 19.
The workshop takes place from 10am to 3pm at St Peter's Church Of England Aided School in Quarry Lane and is open to all young wheelchair users throughout the region. Anyone wishing to attend should call Roy Wild on 01482 887163.
Go Kids Go is a national charity that provides free training courses for young wheelchair users throughout the country.
On the workshop one of the skills taught is back wheel balancing (so that the wheelchair users can go up and down kerbs independently) and there will also be games like wheelchair basketball and wheelchair dance.
There will be extra wheelchairs so mums, dads and siblings can get involved and join in the games.
GP Federation
THE 16 GP practices across the city have banded together to form Exeter Primary Care Ltd. A GP provider organisation, owned by the practices, it will enable them to compete for any primary care services that the commissioners decide to put out to tender.
This federation will be the only way for them to secure some contracts and thus protect general practice income streams.
EPC will focus on the particular needs of Exeter patients, giving the practices greater ability to influence the development and delivery of local primary care provision and to work with other providers as and when appropriate, for example to bid for contracts that cross discipline or geographical boundaries.
The executive board of EPC is made up of GPs and practice managers and Elizabeth Deasy, who has a NHS hospital management background, has been appointed chief executive.
The chief medical officer is Dr Sally Ewings, of the Barnfield Hill practice.
Wildlife garden
CRICKLEPIT Mill, home of Devon Wildlife Trust, is to open up its wildlife garden to the public on Saturday, July 12, between 10am and 1pm.
Those popping along to Commerical Road will be able to pick up some garden advice as well as enjoy a tour and take part in activities.
Cricklepit Mill's wildlife garden is a volunteer-led project that has taken the garden from a derelict disused area into a space for people to relax, enjoy and learn from.
Jasmine Atkinson, the trust's communications assistant has watched the wildlife garden spring to life this year.
She said: "The volunteer team has worked hard to create a garden that is a place the public can enjoy and take inspiration from.
"The Cricklepit garden is a tiny nature reserve in the heart of the city – an oasis for wildlife and people.
"Cricklepit is usually open from Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, so this Saturday open morning is the chance for visitors who may not be able to come in the week to discover the garden."
Tours of the garden will be running throughout the morning and volunteers will be there to share ideas for wildlife friendly features that are easily achievable in all types of gardens.
Activities for families on Saturday include garden trails, bug hunting and garden craft activities.
Famine relief
SING for the Starving is holding a concert on Sunday, July 13, to raise funds for famine relief. The concert will take place at Sidwell Street Methodist Church starting at 7pm.
The concert will include a wide range of anthems and hymns. Refreshments will be available afterwards.
There is no charge, but there will be a retiring collection.
Library mural
COMMUNITY News has learned that the county council and BT have yet to fix a time to discuss the possibility of a mural being painted on the wall of the BT telephone exchange which faces Exeter Central Library.
A spokesman for BT said that they were waiting for the county council to get back to them with a date for the site visit.
Partnership day
WAITROSE Exeter held a partnership day celebration.
There was special bunting in store which had been made by pupils at St Leonard's primary school, two partners, Kirsty Dean and Ryan Collacott (pictured) dressed in Edwardian clothing, and there was a clutch of local suppliers offering tastings on the day and explaining to customers what being a partner meant to them.
Cranbrook
Station news
WORK is expected to begin on the construction of the new station in the autumn.
The provision of the station was delayed when the original contractor pulled out.
Network Rail is responsible for delivery of the platform works and had originally planned to appoint their preferred contractor in early January.
The contractor however pulled out just before the contract was awarded.
Network Rail then returned to its list of tenderers.
The replacement contractor, Balfour Beatty, was formally appointed in early June and, according to a report to be presented to the Devon and Exeter Rail Project Working Party this week, it has engaged with Parsons Brinckerhoff on the design of the platform.
Detailed design is expected to be carried out over the summer with construction starting in early autumn. Balfour Beatty's original programme was looking to have substantial completion (station ready to open but contract not completed) by December 2014; however, the delay in appointing the contractors means that it is likely to open in January 2015, so long as weather permits.
The working party will also hear that Network Rail is looking at opportunities to streamline the programme to achieve an earlier opening.
The surfacing/final landscaping of the car park will follow within six weeks of completion of the platform works; however, efforts are being taken to carry these works out concurrently with the final stages of the platform contract to minimise delay to overall completion.
Heavitree
Tree trail
YOU are invited to be one of the first to walk the Higher Cemetery tree trail.
A guided introductory walk will begin outside the cemetery chapel at 6.30pm on Tuesday, July 15.
A free illustrated leaflet will be available to help identify 21 trees.
Charges for the walk are visitors £3, Friends of Higher Cemetery £1.50, children, aged under 16, £1. Please note that children taking part must be accompanied by a responsible adult.
The walk following the trail should take about one hour.
Concert fun
THE concert in the parish church last Saturday evening was such fun the organisers say they are planning another.
The evening, with a 1940s theme, raised £370 to be split between Force Cancer Charity and the church.
And, just before it takes a summer break, the parish church has another Sunday Night Lite service this Sunday at 6pm.
The theme is Journey into Light and Trust.
There will be no Sunday Night Lite during August but it will return in September.
Newcourt
Station news
THE design and build contract has been awarded to Dyer & Butler and work is due to start on site this month for completion by December.
Site clearance and reptile fencing has been established in advance of construction and the pedestrian footpath linking the station with Old Rydon Lane is nearly complete.
The local community group has been involved in the longer term arrangements for adopting the station and caring for the surrounding soft landscaping.
Centre open day
ON Saturday, July 12, visitors will be able to check out what is the new Newcourt Community Centre at the Rydons, off Topsham Road.
The centre will be open between 1pm and 4pm and those popping along will be able to enrol for local groups and classes which are planned to start at the centre in the near future.
The organisers are promising lots of fun activities with Active Devon.
There will be a bouncy castle, free hot dogs.
There will also be a cake stall, a colouring and a design a garden competition and the award winning Digby and Newcourt Choir will be performing.
There will also be a raffle and an auction.
For more information and bookings call 01392 873560.
Newtown
Parking orders
LOCAL councillors have had another meeting to discuss the plans to change parking arrangements in the Denmark Road area of the city.
The proposals received wide support from residents but a few businesses made objections.
Cllr Richard Westlake told Community News: "We have made a few amendments and these will now be discussed at the next meeting of Exeter highways committee which is to be held later this month.
"If the committee agrees, the traffic orders will then be advertised, and people will then be able to have their final say, and provided everyone is happy then the orders will be signed and sealed."
Pennsylvania
Wild flowers
IT has been decided to go ahead with the planting of wild flowers along the side of Prince Charles Road.
The idea was first mooted by local councillor Percy Prowse, following complaints by residents that the grass on the left hand side of the road, going down towards Morrisons was uncut and left looking untidy.
After Cllr Prowse floated the idea in Community News residents contacted him to say they thought it was a good idea and it has received enough support for it to be given the green light.
Cllr Prowse said: "It will make the area more attractive as the grass cannot be cut until later in the year because of the daffodil bulbs which are growing also present."
Pinhoe
Chancel Lane
COMMUNITY News heard from local residents that in previous years it was easier to see if there were vehicles about to cross Chancel Lane bridge because the vegetation used to be cut down.
Colin and Joy Conibeer, who have lived in Chancel Lane for the past 30 years, believe that the road and bridge is an accident waiting to happen.
They told Community News that the vegetation on both sides of the railway bridge used to be cut back – and cutting it back now would help drivers see if another vehicle was approaching from the other side.
Mr Conibeer added: "It would also be better if they made the road one way, coming down from Harrington Lane.
"At the moment it is a terrible rat run and although it has a speed limit of 20mph, cars go up here doing 40mph."
Mrs Conibeer said: "It is an accident waiting to happen and it will be too late when someone is killed."
Community News contacted the county council, as the highways authority and it, in turn, contacted Network Rail as the vegetation is actually its responsibility.
A Devon County Council spokesman said: "This vegetation is the responsibility of Network Rail and our highways officers will contact them about cutting it back."
Obviously no time was wasted as the vegetation has already been cut back which certainly makes it easier to see if a vehicle is coming from Venny Bridge as you approach from the Harrington Lane side of the railway.
Local councillor Emma Morse said: "As a resident I am more than aware of the issues on Chancel Lane Bridge.
"I have worked closely with the officers to continue the work started by Saxon Spence, and a plan has been drawn up to improve the safety of the bridge.
"The necessary orders were advertised earlier this year but an objection was received. The orders will be debated at the next Exeter highways meeting and I hope that the outcome will see work begin to make the bridge safer."
The spokesman for the county council added: "The progression of a scheme to improve pedestrian safety at Chancel Lane is due to be discussed at Exeter highways committee later this month."
RD&E Hospital
Off to Malawi
PUPILS from St Peter's School in Exeter have recently collected a range of medical equipment from the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital destined for St Andrew's Hospital in rural Malawi (see main picture).
Twenty-eight pupils will deliver five cages of equipment to St Andrew's during their 20-day annual expedition this month.
Over the last 12 months the emergency department at the RD&E has been collecting out-of-date medical supplies that would otherwise be disposed of.
The collection includes basic equipment like syringes, needles, gloves and catheters that are vitally needed but always in short supply at St Andrew's.
James Moore from the Exeter Travel Health Clinic, and a former senior nurse in the ED, has helped identify equipment of most value to the Malawi hospital, having accompanied the St Peter's expedition himself in 2013.
Dr Gavin Lloyd, consultant emergency physician, said: "It is an absolute pleasure to see the hospital salvage materials that benefit patients in Malawi. The emergency department has already begun collecting material for the 2015 expedition and hope to develop further links with the healthcare community there in future."
Andrew Hubbard, assistant head teacher at St Peter's, explained: "For nine years the school has been able to offer students the opportunity to visit to southern Africa, on their annual expedition to Malawi. Statistically one of the poorest countries in the world, it is also one of the safest and friendliest countries in the continent."
St David's
Mouldy flats
EXETER City Council has reassured residents living in Southgate and Watergate that plans to sort out their mouldy flats are in hand.
As previously reported in Community News, the residents say that their flats have become mouldy after cavity wall insulation was installed.
Resident Marian Snow told us that there is mould growing on the walls of her flat and that of fellow residents.
Wardrobes are damp and clothes have turned white.
Mrs Snow said: "The flats smell awful. The damp problem has been on-going since December last year."
Now Mrs Snow has told Community News that a neighbour was told by the city council that nothing will be done until the end of the financial year next April.
Mrs Snow said: " As you can imagine we are all disappointed and it is causing some great distress. It does seems rather unreasonable that we will have to live like this for another nine months."
A spokesman for the city council said: "We will be taking a report to members in September seeking approval for additional funding to sort this problem out.
"However, it is a major and very expensive project and we need to ensure we go through the proper process and have a clear grip on the extent of the works needed.
"Unfortunately it isn't a quick fix."
St Leonard's
Cars scratched
A NUMBER of cars have been vandalised in East Grove Road and St Leonard's Road.
PCSO Nic Unsworth, part of the neighbourhood policing team, told Community News that the cars were scratched between 8pm on Friday, June 27 and 11am on Saturday, June 28.
He said: "I have seen cars which have been keyed before and that is usually when someone has taken a bunch of keys and scratched the paintwork so that it leaves several marks like fingernails.
"This is a single straight line so that it looks as if it could have been done by a diamond ring. It is totally malicious.
"We would like to hear from anyone who saw anything and also from other car owners who have suffered similar damage as we want to know if the damage started further afield.
"If you think you may be able to help in any way in our investigation of this incident which may lead to the identification of an offender please phone 101 quoting reference number CR/85375/14."
West Exe
Cop cards
YOUNGSTERS west of the river are about to go sticker-crazy – and it is all the fault of the police.
To encourage youngsters to engage with the police, the local beat officers have come up with the idea of a sticker album.
There are 26 stickers to collect in all – so-called cop cards – for pupils in Years 4 and 5.
Stickers will be awarded when the youngsters answer questions from their local neighbourhood beat officers – for example, who is your local PCSO – and they have until now and the end of December to complete their album.
And to make the task easier the local officers will be organising flash sticker events which they will be advertising on Facebook and Twitter.
The names of those who complete their album will be put into a prize draw so they will have the chance of winning a family friendly prize which has been donated by local businesses.
The prize draw will be held in January next year.
Wonford
Bad parking
PARKING problems are continuing on the junction of Magnolia Avenue.
Local councillor Marcel Choules is therefore appealing again to drivers not to park on the junction as it means that on occasion bins cannot be collected.
Cllr Choules said: "Residents are really fed up with the situation. It is bad enough bin lorries not being able to get access but what happens if it is a fire engine or ambulance?"
Residents only
FURTHER problems are being caused in Magnolia Avenue itself, according to Cllr Choules, because residents-only parking signs are in the wrong place. Cllr Choules explained: "The signs can't be seen because they are in the middle of bushes. I have brought the matter up with both the housing association and the city council and the good news is that the signs are to be moved."
Don't forget!
AS we mentioned last week Wonford Fair is being held on Saturday, July 12 – fun for all the family between 11am and 2pm in the fields behind the community centre.
↧