From the Rector
It is Easter Monday and I, for one, have had a ‘good’ Easter. I did wonder how it would be following such a wonderful Passion Play during Holy Week last year, but it was good. There is no other season that gives such a contrast in mood and atmosphere. It goes from anticipation and celebration of Palm Sunday, through sombre reflection on Maundy Thursday, to utter loss on Good Friday and back to jubilation and joy on Easter Sunday, the day of resurrection. The Holy Week services reflect all this and certainly help me focus on the amazing work of God for all of us in Jesus Christ. But it is not about looking back; it is not just about looking forward; but is very much focused on now because God is God of today, of now, of whatever your situation, today. There is no sense of utter loss or betrayal that God does not know; there is no misunderstanding that God can not see; there is no sense of sheer joy that God can not share because in Jesus God has lived it in very real human terms. The Immanuel, God is with us, of Christmas was lived to the full in Holy Week. So what does God promise; to make everything OK, to take away the pain of life and leave only the joy? Obviously not. What God promises us is to accompany us in and through all that we experience. God will guide us, and through well tried and tested ways will help us avoid many of the pitfalls of life; in fact the gift of a Guide is the promise Jesus made to his disciples and all who believe in him – the Holy Spirit who will lead us in to all truth. God gives us more; there is the gift of a worldwide family - we call it the Church. Like all families, it has its ups and downs and is never perfect, but it is a wonderful place to learn, to practice, to fail and start again – the cycle of death and resurrection continues day by day. What have we got? A God who is totally committed to us and knows and shares all our hopes and fears; the Holy Spirit to guide us day by day; a worldwide family that is always there for you. And last, but not least, eternal life. It’s not bad, is it? Nick Law
From Rev David Rogers, BAUC
Your weakness can reveal God’s power If you were to describe Jesus’ disciple Peter, ‘perfect’ is probably not one of the words that would automatically spring to mind. Peter’s zeal inspired him to try and walk to Jesus on the water. His doubt made him sink like a lead balloon. Peter’s devotion led him to boldly declare he’d never turn away from Jesus. That same evening, Peter denied he even knew the Son of God. Not only once, but three times. In spite of his failings, Jesus named Peter ‘the rock’. Though this ‘rock’ seemed far from steadfast, Peter went on to become one of the Church’s most influential and courageous founding fathers. Peter’s weaknesses were as visible as his strengths. Perhaps that’s one reason God worked so powerfully through his life. Peter wasn’t afraid to make mistakes. He tried to do what was right. Sometimes, he failed. When that happened, he picked himself up, reconciled with Jesus, and continued to move forward. How do you handle mistakes? Try to cover them up. Give yourself a mental thrashing for being so ‘stupid’? Refuse to put yourself in any situation where you might make one? Pass the blame on to someone else? Or do you go to God, set things straight, then dust yourself off and continue on the path God has set before you. Following the latter of these options allows God’s power to shine through your weaknesses. In this way, your mistakes become opportunities instead of liabilities. God can use them to teach you - and those around you - valuable lessons, to humble a proud heart, to fortify your faith and courage, or to prove to others that it’s God’s power, and not your own, that truly is your strength. ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is Made perfect in weakness.’ (Taken from: 101 Amazing Things God Thinks About You.) David H Rogers
Learning to Listen to God's Voice
In a typical day, we are bombarded with sights and sounds which compete
with the still, small voice of God (1 Kings 19:12). We have to be able
to filter out the noise around in order to be able to distinguish what
is really from God. As an illustration, consider the mobile phone. Through
the Holy Spirit, God has access to us 24 hours a day. He dials our number
and wants us to answer. But the ring on God's phone is not deafening
and it is possible not to hear the ring. We can also look at the number
and decide that we really don't want to hear from God. Again, we may
want to hear from him, but we have trouble understanding what he is
saying. So how can we discern what God is saying to us? It might be
said, 'If God were speaking to me, I'd know about it.' However, we don't
always know that it's God. We can easily misunderstand what's being
said or presume its God when it isn't! Although he rarely speaks in
audible ways, God can guide our thoughts by speaking directly to our
hearts and minds. As Jesus says himself: 'The man who enters by the
gate is the shepherd of his sheep. The watchman opens the gate for him,
and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and
leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead
of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.' John
10:2-4. What is your experience of hearing God's voice? Think about
times in the past when you were aware of God prompting or leading you:
What was the context in which this took place? How did you respond?
What was the outcome? What can you learn about the way God speaks to
you? In the light of these questions, ask God to show you how he might
speak to you today in any particular situation where you need his guidance.
Bere Local History Group
Our speaker in March was Charles Crichton, Commander Ret’d, of HMS Illustrious, with the somewhat secretive subject ‘Over the Dockyard Wall’. He talked at length and in detail about the role played by Devonport Dockyard and its numerous splendid buildings in support of the Royal Navy, with the help of slides, concentrating on the mighty South Yard. In his opinion a decent heritage facility is desperately needed for Plymouth. Commander Crichton’s talk ranged from Edward Ist’s reign to the present time and revealed how important the Royal Dockyard at Plymouth has been over 300 years. Appropriately, the initial slide showed the coat of arms of Devonport. The first stone of the dry dock was laid in 1694, the wet dock being tidal. Fleets were assembled in the reign of Edward I in order to fight the French, particularly in the North Sea, and William III wintered a huge fleet in the sheltered waters of the Cattewater. Thirteen substantial dwellings for the elite, such as the dockyard superintendent, clerk of the cheque, etc, were built at Point Forward, Mount Wise in 1690 and housing was also built for the dockyard workers at Dock. In 1725 a gun depot was erected and in the same year an extension, the Morris Yard, was built. In 1798 a new ropery was built and a powder magazine building erected on the Gun Wharf in 1824. During the 1840s-1850s there was a great building spate. The extension to the North section, Keyham, was started in 1840; innovative covered slipways were constructed around the 1850s of which only two remain. Nineteenth century buildings housed the hemp store and spinning house. Boiling tar was used to tar the yarn before rope could be produced for the ships. The present museum is sited in these buildings and shows how completely the dockyard was self-supporting. A fire centre was constructed in 1854 with the King’s Gazebo being built in the North Yard in 1872. The No 1 covered slip, a cathedral of a building, is sadly empty now and the vast No 1 dry dock, with its huge granite tiers, is also non-operational. Perhaps it would make a theatre to rival the world famous Minack! The productive saw mills became a canteen, which also lies empty and forlorn. There were 37 miles of rail in the dockyard, joining all the key buildings, including the Foundry. The construction of a breakwater for Plymouth was a tremendous undertaking and took 35 years to complete. Sadly, there only remains one Grade I listed 18th century building: the covered slip. In more recent years the huge dockyard engineering complex was transferred to Manadon College, which in turn closed an was transformed into housing. Plymouth University would have liked to acquire this prestigious building but could not afford it. Bases which have been closed in the last 20 years include Ernesettle, the Royal Naval College Manadon, Seaton Barracks, the Royal Naval Hospital Stonehouse, Coypool, the Mount Batten site (RNAS Cattewater), the Royal William Yard and HMS Cambridge (training), now owned by the National Trust. Still operational are HMS Raleigh (training), the Royal Citadel, Bickleigh and Stonehouse Barracks. In the early 19th century the Royal William Yard used to be the victualling yard for the Royal Navy, producing ships’ biscuits, salted beef, beer, etc. Following closure in the 1990s it is currently being redeveloped, boasting luxury housing, commercial premises, cafés and an art gallery. HMS Warspite was Devonport built. HMS Warrior is now berthed in Portsmouth and HMS Scylla, the last ship to be built at Devonport, was deliberately scuttled off the coast of Plymouth in 2004 and is now a marine sanctuary. Babcock Marine are the current employers at Devonport Dockyard (formerly DML) with a much depleted workforce of 3,000, but they are still the largest employer in the city. The dockyard still supports the nation’s nuclear fleet and it is imperative that this continues. Commancer Crichton showed some splended slides, including ships’ figureheads from the reign of King William IV, with HMS Defiant as a finale. His humorous detailed talk was thoroughly enjoyed and it was a privilege to learn about this hidden gem on our doorstep. Betty Endean
Parish Council
March meeting: Full Council at Bere Ferrers Football Club: Further to the report last month about a member of the football club, Council agreed to action by the club itself with the offending member in the first instance. If this does not have any effect, further action will be considered. Concessionary Bus Fares: WDBC Cllr Robin Musgrave had previously stated that help might be available for eligible passengers on the pre-9.30am bus service (ie parishioners in Bere Ferrers) and concessionary fares for carers for disabled. Council has agreed that a letter supporting the move will be sent to the appropriate authorities. Flooding Areas: Devon County Council has asked parishioners to notify them of any areas that flood after rain. Playgroup: A meeting was held between some councillors and members of the proposed new playgroup to discuss items that needed attention. These were approved by Council. Police Report: PC Callender reported that crime on the peninsula was down 30% on last year. Concern was expressed by some residents from Bere Ferrers about a group of motorcycle riders on trial bikes who race through the village after riding through the woods. It was thought that this could be a danger to horse riders in the woods and along quiet tracks. Subsequent to the meeting it was ascertained that a local horsewoman has spoken to the bikers and they are aware of the possible dangers. Annual Parish Meeting: The Annual Parish Meeting was held after Full Council and council chairman, Cllr Phil Archer, and the chairmen of the various committees gave reports about progress in the parish during the past 12 months. Parish Plan: The guest speaker was Robert Plum from West Devon Borough Council, who gave an interesting talk about providing a Parish Plan. What is a Parish Plan? It is an opportunity to look at what is done in the parish; what issues there are and what changes could be made. Representation from all members of the community would be required - farmers, businesses, teachers, residents, etc. It has got to be something that the parish wants to do, because it takes a great deal of time and money. It is not something the Parish Council can do on its own; it should be a separate group made up of parishioners to do the work, supported by the council. Council Meetings: Parishioners are always welcome at council meetings and there is a question time at the end of meetings for any enquiries from parishioners. Fixed meetings are: Finance and General Purposes - always the penultimate Tuesday in the month, usually at 7.30pm and Full Council on the last Tuesday of the month at 7.30pm, unless there is a guest speaker, when the meeting starts at 7pm. For other meetings, please see the parish notice boards. Bev Slaughter
Bere Alston Gardening Club
Our Plant Sale will be on Friday evening, 15th May at 7pm, in the Parish Hall in Bere Alston, when our members will supply many varied flower and vegetable plants for sale. There are always bedding plants and plants suitable for hanging baskets on offer together with shrubs and pot plants, and you will be able to stock your vegetable garden for the summer. There will be a coach outing on Sunday 28th June. Details will be widely advertised as soon as they become available. The village horticultural show will be on Saturday 25th July in the Parish Hall. Bill Roxburgh
Bere Ferrers WI
Flirting with fans with Penny Townsend was the subject of our meeting on 8th April with 20 members present. Penny quoted 'its shake triumphant, its Victorian clap, its angry flutter and its wanton tap'. In true Jane Austen style costume, she showed us various fans made from leather, paper, bone, lace, ivory, sandalwood and mother of pearl. Some fans are with just one piece of material and others have two pieces: on the back and the front. Many fans have an eastern flavour, cranes being a signal of long life and happiness. Leaves were used on fans in ancient Rome and tales from Aphrodite to Vesuvius depicted. Different designs speak for themselves. The mask fan for ogling was based upon drawings of William Hogarth to take to the theatre. The positioning of the fan indicates various moods and signifies silent signals of speech. For instance the zephyr serves the purpose of a mask, covering the face that would remain unknown and also hiding bad teeth! With audience participation and much laughter Penny showed us some silent signals and some members proved very skilful! All in all a good evening. The next meeting is on 13th May and is the National Federation of Women’s Institutes Resolutions meeting, when our speaker is Carole Maytum. We look forward to seeing you there. Kate Harman
The WI Camera Group Exhibition has now been postponed until September.
Chatterbox
Chatterbox parents have continued to meet every week, with the exception of Good Friday, during March and April. The sponsored bounce held on 21st March raised in excess of £280, which will be shared between Chatterbox and TiddlyWinks Toddler Group. Thanks to all those who participated and those who sponsored the children. It is a fantastic achievement and the money will be spent on equipment, toys and courses. We have completed our bunting for the Parish Hall, where it will be displayed during carnival week. Special thanks go to Helena Rogers who has kindly sewed it all together –glitter and all. At the beginning of April we enjoyed a movie and pizza afternoon using the fantastic equipment in the church to show a film. The children enjoyed time playing with the toys while the parents watched the film and enjoyed the pizza and cakes. We have also had a go at juggling and making our own juggling balls. Carnival is fast approaching and the Chatterbox parents are joining with TiddlyWinks to create a float. Watch out for us on Saturday 2nd May and please support us at our stall on Fun Day, 4th May, where we hope to raise lots of money for our two village groups. We have many plans and ideas for future weeks including running a parenting/child development course, a trip to Fowey, a swimming trip to Meadowlands, handbell ringing, and a Strictly get dancing session. If you are a parent of a pre-school age child and are interested in meeting other parents in the area please come along Fridays 1pm-2.45pm in Hope Cottage Café. For further information please contact Julie Overnell on 01822 840452 or email jjeo@hotmail.co.uk
Cabin Childcare Centre
Bere Alston’s new pre-school, the Cabin Childcare Centre, will, subject to final Ofsted inspection, be opened in the Bere Alston Parish Hall on the 20th April. The previous pre-school, the Bere Valley Playgroup, was closed unexpectedly by the Pre-School Learning Alliance just before Christmas, causing anxiety amongst the community and uncertainty over the future for under-five education in the third largest community in West Devon. Karen Sweet and Sue Kowalska, who have 35 years combined childcare experience and currently provide childcare services at Chaucer Primary School in Manadon, Plymouth, will be opening the new pre-school for 2 – 5 year olds, having recently achieved a good Ofsted judgement following recent inspections. . Initially the pre-school will be offering childcare between Monday and Friday from 9.30am to 3.30pm with the exception of Thursday, when it will close at 1pm. Initially Karen will be the pre-school leader and is expecting applications from suitable pre-school personnel including those who were previously employed by the PLA. Mike Benson
Bere Ferrers Social Club
Events for May
Saturday 9th John Phoenix, singer Tuesday 12th Bingo Saturday 16th Karaoke
Tuesday 26th Quiz Saturday 30th Disco
Bere Alston Bowling Club
By the time you all get to read this the new season
will be under way. Good luck to all and let’s hope the weather will
be kind to us this year. The new Fixture List is out and as usual we
have a full and busy season ahead. Our ladies have a big match on 11th
May, playing a County President’s team, so come along and give them
some support. (I think they may need it). Best of luck to our Ladies’
Captain Jessie Swift and the team. Over the last year or so I have been
giving updates on our new site and it now gives me great pleasure in
telling you that the new green has been completed. Paths are in place,
the automatic water sprinkling system is in and this weekend (17th April)
the seed will be sown on the green. A field that has been known as The
New Site has been transformed as is becoming The New Club. We still
have a long way to go but a ‘Dream’ is becoming a reality. Plans for
the next stage, which will be the Club House, are in hand but unfortunately
the funds to build it are not. We owe a huge THANKYOU to all of you
that have supported us in our fund raising ventures to date and also
those that have made very generous donations. Looking forward, we shall
again be holding our Car Boot sales, organising Concerts and much more
so we shall still need your support. What we have achieved needs to
be seen, so if you are passing, pop in and have a look. You will be
pleasantly surprised. The New Club has the potential to be the best
bowling venue in Devon. I have spoken to Tony Beard, the well known
Radio Devon presenter, also known as the Wag of Widecombe, and he has
agreed to come and give us one of his talks: date to be arranged so
watch this space. The new season is under way, so if you fancy bowling
this summer now is your chance to come and join us. Established bowlers
or mere beginners, all get equal opportunities to play. Social members
are also welcome. Club Nights are every Tuesday. The bar is always open
so come along, have a drink in a warm friendly atmosphere, and meet
the members Bere Alston Bowling Club is on the brink of a new era. Come
and join us and be part of it! We look forward to meeting you. For enquiries
call me on 841664 or visit our website at www.geocities.com/berealstonbowlingclub
Ken Bellchambers
Bere Alston Branch Royal British Legion
The next branch meeting will be at the Victoria Social Club in Bere Alston on Monday 11th May, starting at 8pm. On Sunday 17th May the branch will be laying up the present Standard at Holy Trinity Church and a dedication service for the new Standard will be conducted by the Rev Nick Law. The present Standard will be paraded through Bere Alston for the last time. The Parade will form up at the War Memorial at 2.30pm and march to the church. The service will commence at 3pm and at the end of the service the new Standard will be paraded back to the War Memorial. The present Standard is approximately 20-25 years old, so this will be a special event, not only for the branch but to all the people here on the Bere Peninsula. We will be supported by some of the other British Legion branches in the area and the Devon County President, Rear Admiral RF Cheadle, CB, will be carrying out the Exhortation. Council members and youth organisations have been invited to attend. The Stannary Band will lead the parade. The dedication of the new Standard has been made possible by kind donations from local people on the peninsula.
Local Walks
Footpath No.11 Unclassified County Road Newhouse Farm to Collytown Turn left off the Collytown road and follow the track to Newhouse Farm. Where the track swings left to the farm, you leave it and go straight ahead through a gate into the field. Follow the hedge on your left hand side across the field and through a small copse to a stile. Cross over the stile and go diagonally across the field to the right hand corner; you will now pass through a short section of Devon lane and emerge through a gate onto a farm track. Turn right and follow the hedge along the farm track and out onto the Collytown road again. Doris Chapman
Hope Cottage
Hope Cottage Café is just over two years old now. Many people enjoy its welcoming atmosphere and sensibly priced fare and it has become a meeting place for many in the community. We have been very fortunate over the time we have been open to have had over 30 people volunteering to help. Some help once or more a week and others once a month but all help is very welcome and those who run the café are incredibly thankful for all that the volunteers do. Unfortunately, due to many reasons, we have lost quite a few volunteers and so I am now asking if there is anyone out there who would like to join our merry band of helpers. You can work as little or as much as you like and the rota of helpers is worked out to accommodate everyone's requirements. The café opens at 10am and closes at 12.30pm. The working morning is normally from about 9.50am until about 12.45pm although there are the exceptional days when it might be 1.00pm. If you would like to offer your services or just find out more about what's involved please feel free to contact Hilary Boot-Handford (841185), Julie Archer (840578) or Robin Holliday (841093).
A THEMED CONNECT SURGERY COMING NEAR YOU!
WANTED!
Do you enjoy a challenge? Are you looking for something to do that is
different? Would you like to take over as editor of the Bere Link? I
have been editor for exactly 15 years and, apart from feeling that perhaps
I could do with a break(!), feel that it would be good to have new blood
and new ideas. So if you think you might be interested, why not get
in touch and find out what is involved? You would need to have Internet
access and email and be happy using a publishing package such as Microsoft
Publisher. As an alternative, perhaps you would like to share the position,
so that one person doesn’t have to do it every month? Give me a ring
on 840609! Ann Parsons
Bere Ferrers Community Shop and Cafe
Happy 3rd Birthday to the Community Shop and Café! April 18th was our third birthday and the whole enterprise continues to be supported by more stall holders, more café volunteers, more customers and more information exchanged! Let’s all give ourselves a HUGE round of applause and a great many ‘pats on the back’ for maintaining and enjoying such a wonderful community project. We all know the Bere Peninsula is a very special place but the success of the Community Shop and Café really confirms that we can and want to work together, not just occasionally, but consistently, week after week. Our special thanks must also go to the café team who were hastily got together for Easter Saturday, April 11th. For the first time in three years we had a date unfilled, but some of the Really Useful Group, Penny, Helen and Barbara and other team members, Brian and Kay, generously banded together to make a ‘perfectly formed unit’ that had a very successful day. So a BIG thank you to them all for their ‘unexpected’ hard work and enthusiasm. The shop continues to expand. Year three has seen the arrival of Amanda and Ian with their regular veg and fruit stall, Sarah with the cheese stall and Maurice with the pet stall. Mavis has been a regular contributor with cushions and cards and we welcome back Pearl, with her cakes and plants. It is a pleasure to see Mrs Coles each Saturday and a delicious delight to see her rhubarb is back on sale! The new bread rota is working well, so thank you to all who have joined Joyce to help with this team, and the WI has started a monthly ‘Special Cakes and Miscellaneous’ stall which is proving very popular. Our special thanks to the ‘original’ stall holders, Christine with eggs, Kate with her photography and local cards, Carol with health foods, Ecover products and refills and Diana with fair trade groceries and gifts. We also thank our occasional stall holders whose irregular appearances add variety and extra choice to our Saturday shopping and the charity stalls that allow us to contribute to the charities supported by our friends and neighbours. It goes without saying that the café teams are vital to the special atmosphere each Saturday. As they serve us tea coffee and cakes, with speed and efficiency, we are able, after shopping, to catch up with friends and neighbours and chat to visitors, exchanging vital information and ‘occasional’ gossip in an attractive and relaxing café atmosphere. We say a special thank you to all café teams, backed by the RUG, who have not missed a single Saturday for three years! Can we remind everyone that it is fun to be part of a team so please let us know if you want to join a team or form your own; the more of us who help the less we have to do! Our next Café Rota meeting is on May 21st at 8pm in the Social Club, so all teams, and hopefully new teams, come with your diaries and pick your café dates. If any one has any ideas of how to improve or add to this project please come along and share them with us all and here’s to our fourth successful year of the Community Shop and Café! Steering Committee
Nature Watch
SPRING AT LAST! The chiff-chaff began to sing in our garden on the 23rd March, approximately a week late. Readers may remember that this event represents a definitive stage in the seasonal changes each year, at least in my mind! Similarly, I saw the first swallows on my early morning ride to Princetown on Sunday 9th April, though I had heard earlier reliable reports of these birds a few days before. By the time you read this, we should be expecting the imminent arrival of the swifts, by which time all of the migrants should have checked in, if they are still coming. Spring may have seemed to have arrived late this year, but maybe it's just returning to what we were used to 20 years ago. Global warming continues, with the latest analysis suggesting that migrating warblers are already having to fly an extra 250 miles to find a suitable summer habitat. This is quite a demand on a body that weighs a few grams and has already flown from Africa. How long this can be sustained we do not know. On the positive side, black-caps may choose to overwinter here: in previous winters we have seen them come to the bird table, though not recently. Whitethroats seem to have disappeared and willow-warblers less commonly heard in our valley. Flowering plants seem to have benefited somewhat from the conditions this spring, delaying the flowering time of daffodils by maybe two weeks so that we still have them in flower in April: this also applies to the true wild variety as well that survive on a bank near to us. However my attention has been drawn to the quite spectacular displays of wood anemones, even by the 'main road' as one arrives in the parish and climbs up from the Gawton railway bridge. What struck me immediately were the neat, almost circular groups that these plants have formed, an effect that gardeners would struggle to attain even in a well-manicured garden! How they have achieved this in competition with the grasses and all the other plants on the verge is a mystery to me. I hope that the flowering period will extend into May for anyone who has missed them so far! By way of a contrast, I am not surprised by the success of the celandine, which has also given a spectacular showing this year. As anyone who has attempted to weed out celandines from more delicate garden plants will tell you: they form small tubers wherever they root; sometimes this seems to be at each joint on the stem. If the leaves are cut off by mowing, each little tuber will form a new plant! At least I have an answer to one question that I posed some 15 months ago viz: “what happens to the mistle thrushes in spring?” Briefly, these larger cousins to the song thrush make their presence felt throughout winter with their somewhat raucous churring song that they produce while flying from tree to tree. Come spring, song thrush and blackbird calls predominate, (possibly not so many so far this year!) so had the mistle thrushes moved elsewhere? Well, one pair at least have taken up residence in the liquidamber tree directly opposite our kitchen window, some five metres above ground where the main trunk branches out. We watched as a large amount of lichen was gathered and ferried up during nest construction, so it is now well camouflaged—and well out of reach of cats! However, the tree is one of the latest to come into leaf, so I hope it is also non-conspicuous to predators from above: the male bird seems to be rather irritable when a family of long-tailed tits approach too close. And don't forget to look for orchids in May! Pete Mayston
TRAVELLING TO DERRIFORD
HOSPITAL BY TRAIN AND BUS IN ABOUT AN HOUR!
It is possible to do this journey by taking the train to St. Budeaux
Station (13 minutes from Bere Alston and 8 minutes from Bere Ferrers
- Return Fare £2.30 or £1.40 with rail pass). At St. Budeaux leave the
station, turn left and walk 20 yards to the main road, where you turn
right to St. Budeaux square, then 40 yards to the bus interchange (stay
on the rail side of road). Catch the City Bus No. 29 for a 25 minute
journey or, if you want the grand tour, take the No. 46 for a 45 minute
trip! Monday-Saturday the 29 runs every half an hour, normally at 14
and 44 minutes past the hour. Cost £1.80 return but FREE WITH YOUR BUS
PASS! Returning, the 29 leaves the hospital at 37 minutes and 7 minutes
past the hour until 1848. A little pre-planning is required and you
will find copies of the bus and rail timetables most useful. The Bus
Info Line is 01752 222221. If you have time to spare then there are
banks, shops and cafés in St. Budeaux Square. The bus also calls in
at a Tesco Store. This is a quicker service than going via Tavistock
and is cheaper than car costs and parking. Have Fun! ‘The Explorer’
Fair Fares
Concession Fares are needed on Tamar Valley Line Consider the following:
46% of the English population enjoy concession fares on local rail,
but not here within West Devon. In October 2007, Bere Ferrers Parish
Council asked West Devon Borough Council to add the Tamar Valley Line
to the scheme. This was declined due to alleged government underfunding.
It is now been revealed that WBDC is at least £100,000 overfunded by
government for concession fares. But the goal posts have moved. Lower
income on budgets such as parking have to be topped up and the concession
surplus is needed elsewhere. Residents of Tavistock, Horrabridge, Yelverton,
etc can use their direct and frequent public transport, the bus, to
Plymouth free after 0930. Why can’t we at least have a reduction on
our public transport fare to Plymouth by rail. We can travel to Plymouth
by bus. From Bere Ferrers it takes 104 minutes (one way) with the change
of bus in Tavistock, against the direct train time of 19 minutes. You
can only stay one hour if using the only afternoon bus back from Tavistock
to Bere Ferrers and you have to pay full fare on the first bus. From
Bere Alston there are more stay time options but the two-bus journey
takes 90 minutes against 24 minutes on train. A concession rail fare
of 50p would cost under 10% of WDBC’s profit on concession grants from
government. It would boost the use of the railway by about 5%, thus
helping protect its future. WDBC Councillor Robin Musgrave has declined
to take the matter further as he was only contacted by one resident
about it, although the parish council has been seeking this for two
years. If you agree with BFPC that there is a case for concession fares
on the Tamar Valley Line please contact Councillor Musgrave at Lower
Tavy, Fore Street, Bere Ferrers, PL20 7JL or email Cllr.robin.Musgrave@westdevon.gov.uk
or phone on 01822 841064. Ray Bentley
May Diary
