MARCH 2012

We managed to get the Ide Times on the village website last month without the photographs and will hope to do this regularly. The web site is www.idevillage.org.uk. A number of villagers said farewell to Andy the postman at the Twinning Quiz on the 19th February but we look forward to keeping in touch with him through Ide Aloud and various village events. How lucky we have been to have such and kind and thoughtful postman and we wish him well on his new round.

May I please have material for the April edition of the Ide Times by the 20th March. It should be sent to me at 1 Cobbe House, Station Road, Ide, Exeter, EX2 9RS, email – brendaspivey123@btinternet.com

Brenda Spivey (Tel.01392 275784)

Community Shop Opening Hours: (Tel. 410035) Monday – Friday 8am – 12 noon and 3pm – 7pm Saturdays 8am – 1pm

(Please note that the shop is not open on Saturday afternoons) Sundays & Bank Holidays 9am – 12 noon

Post Office Opening Hours Monday – Friday 9am – 11.45am and 3pm – 5pm Saturdays 9am – 12 noon. Sundays and Bank Holidays CLOSED

IDE MEMORIAL HALL – to book the hall for our event/party please contact Carol Whitehart on 01392 213608.

THE MOBILE LIBRARY will be in Ide on Mondays, 5th & 19th March. It will be in the Huntsman car park from 11.45 to 12.30pm on those dates.

IDE PARISH COUNCIL

USEFUL NUMBERS Community Rector: The Rev Stephen Bessent Doctor: M.P. Policeman 01392 437662 Dr S.Vercoe Mel Stride 08452 777444 enquiries@alphingtonstmichaels.org 01392 439868 01392 823306

The next meeting is due to be held on Wednesday 21st March in the Memorial Hall at 7.30pm. The agenda for this meeting will be displayed on the Parish notice board early in March.

Contact usThe contact details for the Parish council are shown below. We welcome your comments and look forward to seeing you at the next meeting.

Village Website: www.idevillage.org.ukBarry Hookins, Chairman, Tel: 215726Samantha Young, Clerk, Tel: 426454, E-mail sammyjyoung@sky.com

WebsiteThe Village website is up and running and we would like to update it to show all the events, meetings, clubs, trips etc that are being held. Just a couple of lines from the organisers of the various activities would be great. This would be great publicity for you and could increase interest and membership. Please e-mail louwatson@hotmail.co.uk The Ide Times has now gone global and is included as a link on the village website.

PreceptWe wanted to let you know that the Parish Council have frozen our precept figures for your Council Tax bills 2012/13

Village ImprovementsThe Parish Council will consider any requests from residents about how we can improve our village. Any ideas will, of course, depend on cost and viability but please contact us.

THE QUEEN’S DIAMOND JUBILEE

On Monday, 4th June, a big event to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee will take place in Ide.

Plans are well under way for lots of fun to be had by all!

We would love to have your memories of past Jubilees. Please contact Angelique on (01392) 258794 or email Angelique.burwood@yahoo.com

JUBILEE CLUB

We had fifty members for our annual Christmas Lunch at Fingle Glen on the 23rd January - a happy occasion which was enjoyed by all. The staff served a lovely meal, there was a wonderful selection of prizes in the draw, and I think everyone went home well satisfied.

     At our meeting on the 6th February, we had Vic Morgan from BBC Radio Devon telling us about his life before and during his work with the BBC. He started in the 1960s working as a safety equipment engineer in the building of Concorde. Well, he did say he built it single handed, but that may be a bit of a tall story! We agreed to having memories of watching Concorde fly over and one member even flew on her. After a year in the pub trade, then work with the Inland Revenue, he then moved on to Local Radio in 1984. His first week was the one in which Princess Diana died - a time we remember well, and a busy time in the media. We were surprised to hear that only 2p of our licence fee goes to Local Radio. Vic now does a programme late at night on a variety of subjects - archeology, books, films etc. A subject he is featuring now is local railways and Tony Lethbridge sometimes joins him. Watch out for the Teign Valley Line. It was obvious to us that Vic really enjoys his work. He originated from Wiltshire but loves this area in which he works.  DIARY DATES      March 5th  Brian Cox  Taking us down memory lane          March 19th Ide Schoolchildren followed by a Quiz        April 2nd Spencer Kingdon Boy on the Farm      April 16th Jill Blackett Are you `fit as a fiddle?`                                                                               Jean Hoskin

360 BUS TIMETABLE

Ide 0751 1001 1239 1434 1524 1919

Exeter 0813 1020 1258 1453 1543 1933

Exeter 0835 1115 1319 1500 1615 1755Ide 0853 1133 1328 1518 1633 1813 Going into Exeter the bus stops at the mini roundabout and also by The Huntsman. It goes via St Thomas’, up Fore Street, Exeter, down Queen Street to the Clock Tower and finishes at the Bus StationIDE COMMUNITY SHOP & POST OFFICE

Just how important is it to you for Ide to retain its village shop?

You should all have had a letter explaining our plans for the future of the Community Shop and hopefully this has given you food for thought.

Planning permission for the present shop expires in May and it is imperative that we find a new home.

The committee has looked at various sites for the new shop and it has become obvious that our best option is the building next to the Memorial Hall at 7a Fore Street and the only way forward is to purchase and redevelop it. We therefore have to raise the money to do this and the best way to approach this is through a Community Share Offer.

The Share Offer is being launched at a meeting in the School Hall on the 1st March at 7.30 p.m., this will cover our formal AGM and will also be a social event with a bar, a free drink and nibbles. Please come along, have a chat and find out how you can help us make this new shop a reality.

Other news:In last month’s Ide Times I wrote that I had found an item of jewellery in the shop – I am now pleased to report that this has been claimed by the owner. Mystery solved!

To give you an idea of how important it is for the village to retain the Post Office, there were over 1500 Cash withdrawals made in the last 12 months. That’s saved an awful lot of trips to cash machines in town!

Rose Saunders.

FIS (Friends of Ide School)

IDE COMMUNITY SHOP & POST OFFICE AGM and COMMUNITY SHARE SCHEME LAUNCH

1st March, 7.30pmIde School Hall

Social event with drinks and nibblesCome and find out what is happening!

Many thanks to all you merry quizzers who joined us at the Valentine’s Quiz and helped us raise money for the school along with some funds for ELF.  The Cupid’s arrow practical round was great fun and many thanks to Pete for making the bow and arrows and also for being our quiz master.  Don’t forget there is another bag 2 school on the 14th March.  Just bag up any unwanted clothes, bedding, curtains, soft toys, belts, handbags or shoes (please tie shoes together) and drop off at school on the 14th March before 9am, or leave at school anytime during the preceding week.  Alternatively, contact Dawn Chapman (dawn@blueflamerecruitment.com) and we will endeavour to collect your bags for you.  Don’t forget too that FIS run a lottery!  This is open to anyone age 16 or over for the cost of £2 per month. Each month:

There is a draw for 50% of the fund This amount is divided between 2 lucky winners 60% to the 1st drawn 40% to the 2nd drawn

You’ve got to be in it to win it, so contact alison.e.webber@googlemail.com to get yourself signed up!  

Dawn Chapman

CAN YOU HELP?  A small group of us ladies from the village are in training for the London Moonwalk, which is an overnight marathon on Saturday,  May 12th. I'm wondering whether anyone would be able to help me out with a little bit of babysitting in the evenings while I do some training, as my husband, Mark, works away during the week.  It is only for a couple of hours from 7.45 to 9.45 once a fortnight on a Monday. The children (boys aged 1 and 3) have almost never been known to wake at this time, so if you are able to come and watch telly at my house instead of yours please let me know! Many thanks, Rachel Thomas 0771769519

5.

IDE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH

Ide AloudSPRING CONCERT & 4th BIRTHDAY

28th April, 7.30pm in Ide Memorial Hall

11am 6.30pm4th March Mr J.Lipscombe Mr D.Edmonds11th March Mr L.Mason Mr B.Bunce18th March Mr T.Harris Mr B Bunce (C)25th March Mr W.Rounsefell Pastor T.Wright

Our COFFEE MORNING will be held on Thursday 1 March from10.30am to12 noon. Families welcome and any walkers passing by.

Charlie Voysey is now at home looked after by careers and family. Much work is being undertaken to make Woolmans a new family home; a credit to all involved.

The piano has been moved into the main Church pending a replacement organ. Although using the old Sunday School room for services was satisfactory, it felt more like a fellowship meeting for some. Meeting in the main Church held a special meaning for others and was preferred.

We join St Ida's Church for their Lent course on 1 March at 7.30pm and thereafter, alternate Thursdays at the Congregational Church, the final course at St Ida's on 29 March.

Ideas for celebrating the Queen's Diamond Jubilee and the Olympic Games are being thought about for a special event in July. What you might call a '2-in-1' celebration. Jackie Chadwick

FILM NIGHT AT DUNCHIDEOCK

Following the highly successful showings of “The Help” and “Tinker Tailor”, this year’s season continues with:

Friday March 9th at 7.45pm; Dunchideock Village Hall.Midnight in Paris.“The best Woody Allen movie in years and a global box office success.” Says the Telegraph.

Friday April 4th; My Week with Marilyn.Both touching and funny. Melanie Williams’s excellent performance as Marilyn Monroe has earnt her an Oscar nomination.

PARISH CHURCH OF SAINT IDA

4th March Lent 2 9.30am Parish Communion7th March First Wednesday 10.30am Holy Communion10th March MESSY CHURCH 10am11th March Lent 3 9.30am Parish Communion18th March MOTHERING SUNDAY 9.30am Special Service25th March Lent 5 9.30am Parish Communion

Your Parish Church - There For Those Important Times... At a time when many organisations and businesses cut back and centralise, closing their local branches, we as your parish church maintain a commitment to “be there” for all seasons and all people in the local community - whether it be for family baptisms, weddings & funerals, or for the annual celebrations such as Christmas and Easter.

What Else Does The Church Do...? We meet for worship each Sunday as well as at the festival times. Our Harvest Lunch is always well supported and appreciated by the local community. In Lent we provide a special study course which is shared with our friends at the Congregational Church. Many of you give generous support to the annual Christmas Bazaar and Summer Fete. For the children, we have provided the monthly Saturday morning “Messy Church” which is proving to be great fun and is growing in numbers, and Gudrun, our Children and Families Worker, makes regular and valued visits to the village school.

We Need Your Help Many of you will be aware of the costs involved in maintaining an active Christian Church in Ide: It’s about keeping your Parish Church there for you all. We can’t do it alone, and we get no financial help from other sources. If you are keen that your Parish Church is there for those important times or even just its physical presence - then we really need your help.  We are very grateful to all those friends in the local community who do give financially to the work of the church - but we do need further support. Can I ask you please to think seriously about regular giving to your local parish church? Contrary to what’s often said, the church has not got lots of money and is not always asking for money, but from time to time, we do need to look to our community to help share the load. If you are a tax payer (you don’t have to fill out a tax return to be a tax payer – just receive any sort of income such as building society interest that has been taxed before you get it) then we can help you make a Gift Aid declaration. This means we will be able to claim from HMRC 20p for every pound given (at no expense to you)……and every little

helps! If you are able to help, David Garnsworthy, our planned giving officer, would be very happy to hear from you (phone 832474). With my best wishes, Stephen Bessent, Rector of Ide

MOTHERS’ UNION

We had a delightful afternoon on the 22nd February learning about the Iona Community, whose spiritual home is the Abbey on Iona. We learned that its members are spread around the country and indeed the world. They live by a five point rule which includes the giving of their time, which is why Neil Davies had given his time to come and talk to us. We also learned something of the music which Iona is famous for.

In March the prayer group will meet on Wednesday, the 7th March after the 10.30am Service.

Mothering Sunday is on the 18th March, when we will be providing Simnal cake at the end of the 9.30am Service.

Our annual Lent Lunch will be on Wednesday, 21st March, 12.30pm, at Joyce Stevens’ home, 10 The Hams. The money raised goes to M.U. work overseas. You are welcome to join us. Sue Campbell

The League of Friends attached to Ide Lane Surgery. Co-ordinator Jane Greenslade Tel 428902 email jane.greenslade @nhs.net We support patients by providing volunteer transport to medical appointments for elderly and disabled people, befriending isolated people and providing information/support for carers.

Drivers needed!!We urgently need more volunteer drivers to take older people to appointments. Please think about whether you could help. It need not be a huge commitment, you can do as little or as much as you wish, and out of pocket expenses will be paid. It is a great way to meet people and to get more involved in the community. Please ring/email Jane to find out more.

Coffee MorningAdvance notice that Ide Lane Friends are holding a coffee morning on Thursday 12 April, 10.30-12.30 at Alphington Village Hall. There will be

coffees/teas, cakes, draw, books etc and “Home Call” (pendant alarms for safety in the home) will be represented.

Ide Lane Carers’ GroupThe next meeting will be on Tues 17 April 6.30 at Ide Lane Surgery, when Angela Moxey will be talking about foot care and reflexology.

FAREWELL!

As a result of local Post Office reorganisation I will be reluctantly moving on to another delivery back in Exeter. Having been the Ide postman for exactly five years, I have to say that this has been the most enjoyable job I have ever had. You, the residents (and my customers), have been the most kind, friendly and generous people anyone could wish to meet. In those five years I have been able to build up a relationship with many of you and can now count you not only as customers - but friends. I shall miss the overall village scene, the friendly chats especially with the elderly and housebound, and even the everyday challenge of finding somewhere safe to leave your parcels! Take it from me, Ide is a GREAT village. It has a real community spirit - it has Soul , and thank you for allowing me to be a part of your village life and for allowing Ide to be a part of MY life. Thank you to everyone who organised and signed the petition to keep me as your village postman, it has been a real humbling experience.

After my departure on Saturday February 18th I shall still hope to be involved with Ide Aloud, Ide Folk, pub quizzes, and shall endeavour to continue my support of other village events - work permitting. Thank you everyone and, for now, goodbye!! Andy

THANK YOU…….. A big thank you to all our friends and neighbours for all the kindness and concern shown to us over the recent illnesses and deaths of both our mothers. Knowing that so many people have been thinking about us has been very comforting, as have the many offers of practical help and support we have received. Thank you all very much. Imogen and Nigel Walsh

Here Come the Girls!

Get ready for a girl’s night out with a difference.  Come and join us and hundreds of ladies as they dress up and walk the coastal and country lanes of Devon at night to raise money for your local hospice nurses.

To celebrate 30 years of care in your local area, we are going back to the 1980’s with our fun fancy dress theme!  Prizes to be won for the best outfit.  Join us at Exmouth on 19th May or Tiverton on 14th July.  For more info or to register go to www.womensmidnightwalk.co.uk. 

HIRE OF IDE SCHOOL MULTI USE GAMES AREA

We are pleased to announce that the new multi use games areas will be available to hire. We hope that this great new sports facility will be of great benefit to the entire village. Maybe you want to use it for a child’s birthday party, game of tennis in the summer or would like to set up a local team? The court is marked for singles tennis, netball and has two goals for small team football. The nets for tennis will be erected in the summer for use as they need to be left in situ.  We are going to trial the following online booking system. The current rate is £6 per hour. Bookings can be made either online through a google calendar or by ringing the school office (01392 259964)

1)    Enter the following web address  www.google.com/calendar2)    Enter the following email address: mugabookings@ide.devon.sch.uk3)    Password :  bookings20124)    Locate the day and time of your booking enter your name, telephone number and reason for booking.5)    A key can then be collected from the either the school office or community shop. Payment should be made for the booking on collection of the key and deposit of £3 should also be left. Keys need to be collected in advance given opening hours of the shop.6)    The MUGA is available to use until dusk each day.7)    By making a booking you agree to the lettings conditions that are a downloadable document from the calendar

Please when using the MUGA remember the following so that all can enjoy;Do not use scooters,Keep the MUGA tidy,Respect the MUGA so available for all to use,Report any damage to the school,Do not climb the fence,Do not use after daylight hours.

Sean Millar, Headmaster

IDE TWINNING ASSOCIATION

Greetings fellow Ide-ites. In my capacity of Monsieur le President de Ide Twinning it fell upon me to attend a recent pre-planning preliminary meeting called to look at staging some Jubilee Day celebrations in the village. There will be more info on this in the racy gossip fest that is the Ide Times, but I think I'm okay to say that Ide’s Jubilee activities will take place on the Monday rather than Diamond Jubilee Tuesday. I’m not sure if I wasn’t listening but I believe this is because on the Tuesday The Queen will defo be too busy to attend, though I just bet she won’t be able to make it on the Monday either - I’ve got a tenner on it at the bookies that she’ll claim she has to stay home that day to shampoo the corgis. Along with other village groups, Ide Twinning will be contributing in their own special way to the Diamond Day; we are going to organise the appointment of a Jubilee King and Queen for the day, open to all to put themselves forward or to nominate someone, with the drawing of lots to decide final two persons, who will enjoy certain privileges but also have certain duties (not-onerous). There will be further info on this after we’ve discussed it in the corridors of power that are Twinning Committee meetings down The Hams, at Joyce’s house, in due course. At the next meeting we will be discussing the possibility of a springtime event, probably not a Sunday Lunch, but something for sure. Again, further details to be announced. Quizzes continue, thanks to all of you who support them. The last quiz was won by Sir Harry Bookins ‘No Idea’ team, who normally do manage to live up/down to their name, and haven’t won a quiz within the lifetime of our present monarch or possibly longer, so well done to them. The evening was also the occasion of making a presentation to our sadly departing Postman Andy, who will be much missed in his role, but has promised to keep in touch via village groups and activities. Next quiz will be around mid-March, then there’ll be an Easter Sunday

Messy ChurchSaturday, 10th March, 10am to 12 noon. in Ide

ChurchLearn about Palm Sunday and Easter, make things, play games, and have refreshments!

All welcome.

edition which will most probably be an all-for-charity event, or possibly towards shop funds. Pete Bishop

IDE CHILDCARE TRUST - Children’s Wish-list! Do you have any old scooters, board games or craft materials that need a new home? We’d love to hear from you if you have anything suitable and in good condition for the older children (aged 7–11) who attend our after-school and holiday clubs. We’re also on the lookout for a properly working TV/DVD player and would be happy to pay a reasonable price for this. Please contact Naomi on 01392 210984 or email idechildcaretrust@hotmail.co.uk

WEST TOWN FARM & ORGANICARTS

Here at West Town Farm we're part of Natural England's Higher Level Stewardship scheme, to promote public access and understanding of the countryside. With over 150 educational visits a year we're doing quite well!  

A little while ago we applied for a special pot of funding attached to the scheme, to improve our facilities for educational visits by building a new website, classroom, toilets and creating a series of educational boards to be put up along the farm trail. The boards feature information about the history, environment and agricultural practises of the farm.

We're really pleased to say that the project is almost complete! The new website is up (www.westtownfarm.co.uk), the classroom is finished (you can see pictures of it on our facebook page) and Steve has almost completed drawing the boards for the farm trail. The project has been a major undertaking for the farm but we're sure everyone will enjoy the results.

In other farm news, after years of replanting the orchards we now need to do some maintenance work on the 300 or so young trees. A lovely lady called Lizzie spent a week volunteering with us in early February, working just on the trees, and we had the first of our Orchard Volunteering Days as well. If you fancy a bit of pruning and would like to get involved, our March Orchard Volunteering Days are the 14th and 17th, 10am to 4pm and lunch is provided.

Alternatively, for the artists amongst you, organicARTS will be running a series of farm walks for those who would like to create and exhibit their work at the farm during Devon Open Studios. The walks will be on the following days: 26th February, 6th May and 15th July, meeting in the farmyard at 10.30am for a two hour walk. Followed by a home-made local lunch (£5) for

those who would like it and then a discussion about work and the exhibition. The theme for organicARTS’ exhibition this year is ‘Every Picture Tells a Story’ and if you have any questions please email Christine on christine@organicarts.org.uk

Lastly the next Meat Week will be the 8-12th of March and the shop is open from 10am to 5pm so come along for sausages, steaks, whatever you fancy!

Harriet Bell

VIOLIN LESSONS – I am a post Grade-8 violin student available to give violin lessons – beginners to Grade 6. Competitive rates. I live locally. For more details ring 01392 832057.