Oyez, Oyez.Oyez. Heanton Nursing Home Celebrates OUTSTANDING rating

Over 100 local people including the Town Crier of Ilfracombe, Roy Goodwin, and his wife, Bea, joined the team at Heanton Nursing home to celebrate their success at being rated Outstanding by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
 

Heanton Nursing Home, the 51-bed, specialist dementia nursing and care home near Barnstaple, received this highest rating following a rigorous two-day inspection by five inspectors. They concluded that “People received outstanding care and were supported to have the best quality of life possible.” Less than 2% of all the homes inspected in England achieve the Outstanding rating.
 

The guests who came to the party on Sunday 7th October, were treated to a hog roast and lots of home-made treats prepared by Heanton’s chefs. The event was a family affair and children were entertained with face painting, a bouncy castle and a bucking rodeo bull ride.
 

The manager of Heanton, Paula Mascall, said “We strive hard to make the lives of those living with us, the best possible. It is so important that people living in a home maintain their links to the community. Heanton prides itself on providing a bespoke service by familiarising ourselves with all the family members’ preferences which we obtain by taking individual life histories. I want to pass my thanks and congratulations onto the incredible care team who work so hard every day and night”.
 

Heanton nursing home is part of the Evolve Care Group, which operates 12 nursing and care homes across the South West. This is their second home to receive CQC’s outstanding rating in as many months. Their first was their Sundial Care Home, near Sidmouth. CEO, Preyen Dewani, a former National Care Entrepreneur of the Year winner, said “Our Evolve Model of care was developed by our team of specialists who researched practices in Australia and America, and we are delighted to be celebrating the results of it, here today.”
 

Evolve Care Group has developed its own bespoke training course that educates people living and working with dementia on the latest thinking and techniques. A number of free places on the course are available to people from the local community. Anyone interested should contact Rebecca on 0117 938 7747.

It is estimated that by 2030 the number of people living with dementia will increase by 61%. The independent charity, King’s Fund say that the cost of supporting those living with the condition is also set to rise to £24 billion by 2026. The Evolve Care Group has a number of subsidised care places for local residents. Further information can be obtained by calling the number above

Ilfracombe’s  Town Cryer, Roy Goodwin and his wife Bea Goodwin with Evolve Group CEO, Preyen Dewani

  Ilfracombe’s Town Cryer, Roy Goodwin, with his wife Bea Goodwin

Best foot forward for the Ilfracombe Art Trail.

What attracts artists to Ilfracombe? Beautiful architecture, huge Georgian terraces and gothic-style Victorian mansions, as well as cottages dating back to a time when Ilfracombe was a seafaring town. The dramatic coast has an abundance of sea birds and wild flowers, and inland the hills, woods, moors and rivers provide walks that can inspire anyone to stop and gaze. In 2012, Damien Hirst, an internationally known artist with strong links to the town created 'Verity', a 20-metre bronze/steel statue weighing in at 25 tonnes and she took her place on the pier. Following this wonderful gift to the town, new art galleries and shops started opening, including Damien Hirst's own gallery 'Other Criteria' and his restaurant 'The Quay' and an art renaissance ensued.

Ilfracombe Art Trail was the brainchild of Sue Hutchins, an artist from Bristol who moved to Ilfracombe 9 years ago. Bristol has many art trails and Sue thought that Ilfracombe would be an ideal place to host a similar event. Not only does it have an amazing array of talented artists but it has a good community spirit. After visiting Bristol's Easton Art Trail in 2014, Sue and her friend Jo Beech decided to launch Ilfracombe Art Trail. There was a lot of work to do and no money to do it with. But after generous donations from Ilfracombe's Town Councillors and the Ilfracombe Charity Book shop, Ilfracombe Art Trail was launched. A committee was formed, all women, the website was built and flyers designed. Local businesses offered their help free of charge, local radio and newspapers picked up the story and registration forms started coming in. The response was overwhelming, with some artists offering to share their houses with others who didn't have a venue of their own. Three house-owners let visiting artists use their homes even though they weren't exhibiting themselves. When Ilfracombe Art Trail opened its doors on 9th-10th May 2015, it had 27 open houses, 37 artists, 5 open gardens, Saturday night poetry in the Museum, Sunday night comic poetry in a pub, and 2 live bands playing in pubs. There was a poetry workshop, a 'meet the author' session in the Library, a willow-weaving workshop in the community garden and a large community painting happening in an artists' studio. There was even a group of wandering musicians who busked to entertain the crowds. As a sign of the event' s success, one venue counted 300 visitors through their door over the weekend.

Ilfracombe Art Trail 7th-8th May 2016 is proving to be even bigger, so successful that registration had to be closed early to maintain its ethos of an art trail that could be followed on foot over a weekend. With 29 venues, over 45 gallery-standard artists, free workshops (for adults and children), music and poetry, there will be something for everyone. It demonstrates that anything can be achieved if you have a group of dedicated, committed people and a town with a strong community spirit and a big heart. This is one event not to be missed.

ILFRACOMBE ART TRAIL 
7th-8th May 2016

For further information please contact Ilfracombe Art Trail on ilfracombe.art.trail@gmail.com 

or visit the website http://artilfracombe.co.uk.

SHORT FILM HIGHLIGHTS THE WONDERS OF DIVING IN NORTH DEVON

If you ever thought that scuba diving in North Devon would be dull then think again. The waters off the coast of Ilfracombe are littered with wrecks and populated by fascinating underwater life. A new short film - Every Dive is an Adventure - introduces members of Ilfracombe and North Devon Sub Aqua Club (ILFSAC) who dive alongside volunteers from Seasearch, surveying marine life as they explore this fascinating underwater landscape.

Film producer Jo Stewart-Smith talks about the inspiration behind this latest addition to the Boat Stories series "I had two people equally passionate about their favourite subject and was torn between whether to focus on exploring undiscovered wrecks or recording marine life in our short film. Luckily, because wrecks which lie on the sea floor act like rocky reefs and become magnets for marine life we are able to reveal a little bit of the excitement of both."

Jo says that the title for this film is a direct quote from ILFSAC Chairman Shaun Galliver who says in the film "Diving off the coast of North Devon is a challenge and we never know what we are going to find - whether we're looking for a new wreck or new marine life - every dive is an adventure."

Galliver, a self-confessed 'wreck head' told Jo about the many wrecks off the North Devon Coast "Around 1910 Cardiff was one of the world's busiest ports and in one year 13 million tonnes of coal or 300 ships a day travelled past Ilfracombe. Many of those either hit rocks or hit each other so we still have a lot of undiscovered wrecks here, we found four last year and even last week we dived two new ones."

He commented that to dive a new wreck, one that no one has touched or seen for 150 years, is amazing and the club can offer that opportunity to its members. ILFSAC has been exploring new wrecks since it was founded in 1960 so its club house is a bit like an Aladdin's cave of treasures from the deep. One of these holds pride of place at the bar; a ship's bell which came from the steamship The George Lamb which came a cropper on the rocks in the late 1800s.

Jo was entranced by the brilliant colours in ILFSAC diver, Maggs Ashton's photographs. Maggs is passionate about photographing this colourful underwater world 'people always say you must have photographed that in the Red Sea, I have trouble convincing people that they are found here in North Devon."

In the film Sally Sharrock tells us about Seasearch, a project which encourages divers to map out the sea bed and survey marine life "We work on the assumption that if we don't know what's there we can't protect it and the only people who see what is down under water are the divers. We train them in basic marine biology so that they know what they are looking for."

Talking about the variety and colourful nature of the marine life Sally says "It's like an old fashioned sweet shop where you have all the jars of different colours on the walls." On this dive she discovers a curious looking Tompot blenny and exclaims "they're always good fun, 'cause they've got a big smiley face!"

Every Dive is an Adventure will be shown on the big screen along with the 9 other Boat Stories Films at a free event on Friday 16 October 2015 at Bideford Cinema, Kingsley School, Bideford - details at www.bidefordcinema.org.uk.

Unsurprisingly, seats are selling fast so if you can't get to the screening you can watch the films online at www.boatstories.co.uk or look out for the DVDs which will be on sale in selected museums and information centres soon.

Underwater cameraman, Rich Stevenson, just surfaced and back in harbour,  ILFSAC, Seasearch members and camera crew after a successful mission, Neptune setting off on an adventure. Photos copyright Jo Stewart-Smith (All Rights Reserved)

• North Devon Moving Image CIC
• Ilfracombe & North Devon’s Sub Aqua Club (official full title of the club btw) they’re often called ILFSAC or Ilfracombe Dive Club
• Seasearch 

Sea Ilfracombe. Entertaining weekend ahead for everyone at Ilfracombe's Maritime Festival

With a huge range of entertainment and activities throughout the weekend, from Pirate Fun Activities for the younger children at the Museum on Friday morning to an open-air Songs of Praise at Preacher’s Rock on Wildersmouth Beach on Sunday evening, no-one can say that there’s nothing that will interest them! There’s a Visual Arts Extravaganza, opening at 2.00 on the Friday at the Landmark Pavilion, displaying all sorts of marine-inspired art work, and providing workshops as well. On Saturday and Sunday, there will be occasional sea-based musical entertainment while you peruse the exhibits, or enjoy a coffee. There will also be musical interludes in the Landmark Café. On Friday evening, the Oldenburg will be moored in the Harbour, and provide the venue for a Maritime Party, with a bar, canapés and musical entertainment. Tickets are available through www.wegottickets.com/seailfracombe or over the weekend at the Sea Ilfracombe office on the Pier. For those of an active bent, you can climb Capstone Hill for the Sea Watch (and hopefully at least see our local dolphins), you can try out pilot gig rowing, or take a guided ramble to the famous Torrs or Hillsborough: you could even put together a team of six and take part in the Sea Ilfracombe Skittles Match on Sunday afternoon. And if you don’t want to be quite that active, there’s a Fun Fishing Competition For those who like messing about with boats, you can take a trip on the old lifeboat, Hampshire Rose (tickets available as above), watch the Y-Sail Round the Island race, instituted last year, or have a go at sailing model boats in Bicclescombe Park.There are, of course, lots of opportunities to hear our performers, who this year include (in no particular order): Ian Hudson, Pam’n’Al, Roger Cockram, Malcolm Ward, Helen North, Anchors Aweigh, Tom & Barbara Brown, Monkey’s Fist, Four’n’Aft, LocTup Together, Martyn Babb & Andy Barnes, Old Gaffers, Steve Dawes & Helen Pitt. As well as performing The Landmark, they can be found on The Old Quay, in The Ship & Pilot, at the Yacht Club, and the Lifeboat Shed, plus they’ll be guiding open sessions at which anyone is welcome to have a sing on the Oldenburg and in The Ship & Pilot. And then there’s the food – ah, the food! The Yacht Club are running a Crab Day on the Saturday – so all things crab there! You can find traditional Devonshire Cream Teas with fresh strawberries at Larkstone Gardens – OK, not maritime, but it is traditional. And on the Sunday, there’ll be Fore Street Fish Festival, with pavement seafood dining, entertainment and a whole lot more. On Sunday evening, there’s the Gourmet Restaurant Trail, taking your starters, main course and dessert in different places, finishing up at Damien Hirst’s 11 The Quay. Oh, sorry, forgot to mention that the Restaurant Trail’s sold out – have to get in earlier next year! Last but by no means least are the children’s events, the first of which was mentioned at the beginning. On Saturday, Ilfracombe Aquarium and Coastwise will be guiding a Rock Pool Rambles, Ticklish Allsorts will be entertaining in the afternoon, and on Sunday morning running a creative workshop at the Landmark Pavilion, as well as Punch & Judy on Sunday afternoon. Sunday also sees a Pirate Fun Day in Bicclescombe Park at which Ticklish Allsorts will also be in evidence. So, all in all, a brilliant weekend is in store! 

For more information, you can go to the Sea Ilfracombe website at www.seailfracombe.co.uk, or call in at the Sea Ilfracombe office during the day over the weekend. Hope to see you there!

ILFRA-EXPO NEEDS YOU! VOLUNTEERS REQUIRED for Ilfra-Expo 2013

A brand new art event that needs your support! Ilfracombe is holding its own art event this summer. Running from July into August, Ilfra-Expo will be presenting a selection of emerging and established artists from across the UK. Artworks are created in response to Ilfracombe and will be displayed in a variety of venues throughout the town, including large-scale public artworks that will remain in place throughout the summer. You can follow the process on twitter @ilfraexpo and on www.facebook.com/ilfraexpo. This event is a pilot for future events and is relying on the communities support. Could you help by volunteering your time? Support needed from people with a good local knowledge to offer guided tours and to act as live guides in some of the venues. You need to be confident talking to other people and have a desire to positively promote the event and Ilfracombe. Can you be available between 14th July and 11th August 2013? Please contact Erin Rickard for more details: lfraexpo@gmail.com

 

Second ferry for Severn Link - FastCat Ryde’ to join sister ship

Ferry operator Severn Link has completed the two vessel deal with ferry operator Wightlink, taking ownership of the ‘FastCat Ryde’ which will service routes across the Bristol Channel as from this year. The 34 knot Kvaerner ‘FlyingCat’ passenger catamaran, which carries up to 360 passengers, has now undergone exterior renovations and repaint and will shortly join its sister ship, the former ‘FastCat Shanklin’, in Swansea, paving the way for the first modern regular ferry service to link the shores of North Devon and South Wales due to commence this spring. The first ferry, which is currently completing an extensive interior refit in the docks at Swansea’s SA1, has been the focus of much public interest, with crowds of people turning out earlier this year to watch it make a brief appearance at Ilfracombe on its way from Portsmouth to its new home in Swansea. The completion of the purchase of the second vessel signals a landmark moment for Severn Link, which is now finalising a series of routes to roll out through 2010. Geoff Metcalf, Managing Director of Severn Link, said, “We are very happy to shortly be able to introduce the second ‘FlyingCat’ to her new home in South Wales. This is the next major step in being able to commence regular Bristol Channel crossings with a fun, fast and affordable ferry service which will make travelling from the South West of England to South Wales much easier than ever before.”
Severn Link is currently on the countdown to announce a launch date for the first route to cross from Ilfracombe to South Wales. Schedules, pricing and booking information will shortly be available on www.severnlink.com and through its online Facebook and Twitter channels.

Ilfracombe, in the sunshine & out of season

Ilfracombe and Around 7th March
The sun has come out at last so an early start meant that time and tide were on our side as there was still plenty of water in Ilfracombe Harbour. The sunny photos here belie the fact that overnight temperatures dropped to minus 9. This beautiful Victorian resort with its grand villas and terraces was indeed bathed in sunshine so it is hard to believe that we are still in the grip of one of the longest cold spells. In the sunshine and out of season, Ilfracombe Harbour still poses a picturesque vista despite a couple of the buildings undergoing a pre-season paint job. In a month's time the boats, now in dry dock on the quayside, will be bobbing side by side in the harbour and the Ilfracombe Princess will resume its popular wildlife coastal tours. The “working” side of the harbour is strewn with fishing nets and lobster pots,
boatmen are busy giving their crafts the once-over and there is a pervading smell of fish and ships varnish. High

above the pier sitting atop Lantern Hill is St, Nicholas’ Chapel, said to be the oldest building in Ilfracombe. This natural harbour sits amongst spectacular cliffs and coves nestling between the Exmoor National Park to the East and North Devon’s Gold Coast to the West. In June the town celebrates its Victorian heritage with “Victorian Week” an eight day extravaganza of shows, parades, stalls and dressing up culminating in the town criers competition and the “Last Night of The Proms” with

fireworks to music over Capstone Hill. Ilfracombe is also renowned for its award winning floral displays which adorn the streets and promenade, by the summer the newly planted flowers beside the Bandstand will be in full bloom. The conicle shape in the background is the Landmark Theatre and Cafe, the Ilfracombe Tourist Information Centre is located here on the seafront,
Places to Visit: Ilfracombe Aquarium, Ilfracombe Museum, Ilfracombe Lifeboat Station, Chocolate Emporium, The Tunnels, The Landmark Theatre & Cafe, Chambercombe Manor, Torrs Walk, boat trips to Lundy Island, Ilfracombe Wildlife Cruises. Photos copyright Pat Adams all rights reserved