N O R NTE WHS L E W CLIMATE CHANGE, TOURISM AND COMMUNITY PAUSING IN A FAST PACED WORLD STARLINGS: LOVE OR HATE? PLUS: NORTHLEW SCHOOL REMEMBERED PAT’S BIG SURPRISE GOVENORS NEEDED FOR SCHOOL AND PARISH COUNCIL www.northlewparishcouncil.org.uk
& Ashbury Produce & Craft Show 2026 ry Saturday 5th September Northlew Victory Hall Adults: 50p per entry o t c i V w e Northl Hall (After 10 entries no further charge) Children: free entry Completed entry forms by 2nd September Sunflower Competition 50p per entry in aid of Force
run. If you enjoyed your read please consider sharing it online or lending your copy to another villager Read it Love it Share it In this issue…... From the Editor...............................................................................................................Page 2 Musings from the: Rev Leigh Winsbury......................................................................Page 3 Rev Chris Jackson lands ‘In the Wilderness’.............................................................Page 4 Be Fun Weekend.............................................................................................................Page 5 Friends of St Thomas launch new website................................................................Page 6 Christmas Memories .....................................................................................................Page 7 Northlew Nature: Starlings - Love them or hate them? .........................................Page 11 Climate change, Tourism and Community in the North Devon Biosphere....................................................................................Page 13 Bandamonium dates and notes..................................................................................Page 15 Betty Spry - Retirement from the Green Dragon....................................................Page 16 Happy 90th Birthday, Pat Carter...............................................................................Page 17 News Snippets from around the village ...................................................................Page 18 Milk, eggs, basic supplies return! PC Vacancy. Council updates. School News: Governor needed, Playground News. 160 year celebration......Page 20 The Rain it Raineth Every Day......................................................................................Page 23 Tania’s Tart’s: Spanish Easter Bread... ......................................................................Page 24 Cottage Garden Wildlife................................................................................................Page 26 Green Shoots east of the village.................................................................................Page 27 Poem: Shining as Lights in the Night...........................................................................Page 28 INFORMATION PAGES Your Parish Council ...................................................................................Page 31 Sports and Recreation ..............................................................................Page 32 Community Contacts.................................................................................Page 33 NORTHLEW NEWS IS A FREE NEWSLETTER PRODUCED BY NORTHLEW PARISH COUNCIL. YOUR NEWS, STORIES, ARTWORK, POEMS OR PHOTOS WELCOMED, EMAIL THE EDITOR, VICTOR HULBERT AT NORTHLEWNEWS@HULBERT.ORG.UK TO ADVERTISE OR IF YOU WISH TO JOIN THE E-DISTRIBUTION LIST, PLEASE CONTACT JOHANNAH SHAW AT CLERK@NORTHLEWPARISHCOUNCIL.ORG.UK OPINIONS EXPRESSED ARE THOSE OF THE INDIVIDUAL AUTHORS AND DO NOT NECESSARILY REPRESENT THE VIEWS OF THE COUNCIL. THE COUNCIL DOES NOT ENDORSE ANY ADVERTISING BUT PROVIDE IT AS A SERVICE TO USE AT YOUR OWN RISK. PROOFREADER: AUDREY ANDERSSON. ALL PHOTOS ARE BY THE EDITOR UNLESS OTHERWISE STATED.
Victor Hulbert In my youth, I was an avid supporter of Pathfinders, an organisation very similar to Scouts. It was the pioneering, camping, and adventurous outdoor life that attracted me, though there were quieter activities as well. Best in Britain perhaps? Northlew’s miles of spring flowers One I remember well was collecting and pressing wild flowers. I had a collection of more than 160 – and could identify them all. My prized copy of W. Keble Martin’s The Concise British Flora in Colour still sits in pride of place on my bookshelf. How times have changed! Decimating the countryside by picking and pressing wild flowers is now frowned upon, but has been replaced by my other far more environmentally friendly passion – photography. I may have forgotten many of the wildflower names, but what a delight to explore the Northlew and Ashbury lanes and footpaths, especially at this time of year, noting each new species of spring flower as it appears. Much of that beauty does not happen by chance. We have to give thanks to the farmers for their care of the countryside, to villagers like Trixie Hannaford and then Stan Percy, who spread daffodils and snowdrops galore along our lanes, and inspired others to do the same. Then we need to thank those who keep the banks clear by carrying a litter bag while out exercising, the dog walkers who make use of the dog bins, and the many who, when they see something that needs doing, just get on and do it. That spirit is clearly seen in the varied articles in this edition. So, a big thank you to all who have contributed – and to the volunteers who make Northlew and Ashbury from pub to school, church and chapel, halls and clubs, the playground, Parish Council and beyond - the active and positive community we all enjoy. Thank you to the multiple litter-pickers PAGE 2
Hello again, dear Northlew, and well, well, there has been a lot going on, a real mixture of all the good and bad of life. We started the year, just a bit late, with our annual Plough Service, which this year, under Revd Jonathan’s creative mind, went exceptionally well with a record turnout and bacon a-plenty. An exceptional delight was the number of toy tractors being blessed alongside the real one. If you missed it, keep an eye out for next year. I’m sure most of you will know the very sad news of Trixie Hannaford’s passing. The privilege of taking her well-attended funeral fell to me. It has been a desperately sad 12 months for Northlew in general, but especially the church, where we have lost so many of our beloved members. Trixie, of course, was behind so many of the visible fun events at the two churches, the bunnies and chocolate eggs at Easter, the daffodils everywhere, and the candles and fireworks at Ashbury. She will be a hard act to follow. Speaking of Ashbury church, it’s on our ‘to-do’ list this year to arrange a school visit to take the children up to the little church. In the company of members of the Woolcombe family who own the building, they will learn a little more about the beautiful place in which their lives are rooted. It seems to be a feature of Northlew church that its members punch well above their weight in terms of special events. In the last few weeks, as well as the Plough Service, we’ve enjoyed an excellent Burn’s supper, the amazing Nativity set exhibition, the annual steak pie lunch, the wellattended (secret) breakfast [not church I know, but I saw all the same faces in the kitchen!] and many more; do watch out for the upcoming ‘Safari Supper’ and the St Georges Day Dragon pie - not to be missed. Long live Northlew, and all its amazing teams who make good stuff happen for the benefit of all. PAGE 3
Wilderness Rev Chris Jackson. Superintendent Minister West Devon Circuit of the Methodist Church As I write this article, we have just begun our journey through Lent - a time of reflection and preparation for Easter. The word wilderness always comes to mind when I think of the beginning of Lent. Before Jesus began his ministry, he was led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness for 40 days of fasting… not something I would necessarily endorse for us all today… I have far too many cravings to succeed. However, over the years, I have reflected on the idea and importance of wilderness experiences. Not particularly in a literal sense…I’m not a good camper, and the idea of sleeping in a tent still fills me with horror. I know! I’m a wimp! hungry beast of information. I could live without most of it. The world would not end if I didn’t pay attention to it all. I could be selective and choose what I wish to take note of. I have recently come off all social media platforms for personal use, and it has been refreshing. If I have missed something, oh well, it has not seemed to have made much difference to my life. Another word I have used recently in relation to ‘wilderness’ is ‘fallow’. But a spiritual and mental wilderness experience is a whole different ball game. A field that is intentionally left unplanted for a period of time to restore soil fertility. It allows the soil to rest and regenerate, helping to restore its nutrients and improve its overall health. We live in a very fast world. In fact, many people have the sense of being put into a neverending spin. Bombarded by an endless, often digital, stream of information and knowledge. How we are expected to notice any of it is becoming increasingly challenging. But what if, just for a short time, we could stop spinning. Stop the intense pressure to keep up. It sounds good, doesn’t it? I believe the period of Lent is the church’s opportunity to provide such a period of renewal. To take a deep breath and reflect on ourselves and our surroundings. I shared with someone the other day that it was like gathering the family around the table to have a meal together with no devices, TV, or music. Just each other and sharing food, conversation and face-to-face fellowship. I recently went on a week-long silent retreat. I took no devices with me and spoke to no one (apart from my wife for five minutes at the beginning and end of the day on the phone. And, take note, a phone without apps. The idea of going into the wilderness need not be a negative action. It can, and should, be one of positive regeneration and healing. It was invigorating. I read, I walked, I prayed, and most of all, I listened. I listened to the nature around me. I listened to my own breathing, and listened to God. I knew I had to return to the business of the world, but I learnt several lessons about the At the end of Jesus’ 40 days, the devil came to him in the wilderness and tried everything to distract him from his mission. However, those 40 days had made Jesus strong. Renewed, he was able to swat aside the devil’s attempts with ease. Jesus was now ready for his greatest task: being the Saviour of Creation. AMEN PAGE 4
Bee Fun Weekend Saturday 16andSunday17 May,10 -4 Northlew Parish Church and Church Room Activities for adults and children! Art & Photography exhibition (themed) Poetry competition Talks, demonstrations and displays Build a bee hotel Plant a meadow in a pot Discover nature in the churchyard Refreshments, sales table & raffle All proceeds will be used for urgent church repairs For more information contact valofgreen@gmail.com www.fostnorthlew.org
St Thomas’ Church [FOST] Val Walsh A new website FOST has a brand-new website, www.fostnorthlew.org, to publicise the charity’s aims and activities. The site includes a history of the church with a tour and photographic gallery and includes past and current copies of FOST news. You can also become a member or make a donation via a secure link to help raise funds to care for the church building. Easy fundraising Whenever you buy anything online – from your weekly shop to your annual holiday – you could be raising much needed donations for FOST at at no cost to you. Visit: www.easyfundraising.org.uk/causes/the-friends-of-st-thomas-church-northlew. Over 8,000 retailers are ready to make a donation – including eBay, Amazon, Argos, John Lewis, Sainsbury, Tesco, Booking.com and M&S. Save the dates! Bee Fun Weekend 16 & 17 May As part of the church’s commitment to Eco Church and the protection of nature, we’re celebrating World Bee Day and the importance of bees and other pollinators to the environment. There will be lots of activities for all ages, including: Talks, demonstrations and displays Building a bee hotel Planting a meadow in a pot Discovering nature in the churchyard Refreshments, sales table & raffle As part of the weekend, we’re also planning an open Art & Photography exhibition and a Poetry competition, both on the Bee theme. For more information on these and all the weekend’s events look for posters, keep an eye on Facebook, or contact Jackie Ellis or Val Welsh valofgreen@gmail.com. FOST Committee 2026 Chair: Keith Ellis Secretary: Jackie Ellis 01837 658750/07952 071809 or email jackie.ann.ellis@btinternet.com Treasurer: Tony Hazell Email: carmelcoaches@hotmail.com Tania Haycocks Shaun Millership Charlotte Rowland Alan Welsh Val Welsh Revd Leigh Winsbury [ExOfficio] PAGE 6
Featuring Northlew Silver band in their distinctive new hoodies. What a busy season it was for Advent – especially for the Northlew Silver Band as they accompanied carols in Church, Chapel, and at The Green Dragon. He’s Behind You! The Christmas spirit started early with NADS enthusiastically re-enacting the story of Cinderella in inimitable Northlew Panto style. Somehow, Cinder’s found herself on the Devon coast, but with that twist in the story, actors put their heart, soul, and voice into the performance. Over two nights, the audience laughed, booed, and clapped in appreciation. Away in a Manger The following weekend FOST [Friends of St Thomas] created potentially the largest nativity display that Devon had ever seen. More than 90 nativity sets were on display. Some were local family heirlooms, others were hand-crafted, while a large number were part of a collection from around the world. The Americas, Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and Australia were all represented, clearly representing that Christ the Saviour was born into the world for all peoples and nations. Placards also shared Christian artwork and history from more than twenty countries. Many people who ‘popped in for ten minutes’ stayed more than an hour, often circling the displays twice to take it all in. One little girl was so excited going around the displays again and again that her mummy struggled to get her to leave. When daddy came home from work, she surprised him by telling him, “I saw Jesus today”. Daddy came to see for himself the next day with his daughter as his tour-guide! PAGE 7 PAGE 7
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