People's Republic of South Devon » Totnes

Totnes Baltic Wharf workshop to be on live TV

PRSD — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 10:00:14 +0000

The redevelopment of Baltic Wharf in Totnes is involving the community through their 'community champions'

Internet users will be able to see people power in action with a live internet broadcast of a key workshop designed to shape the future of Baltic Wharf in Totnes.

A wide range of stakeholders will be attending the invitation-only workshop on Thursday, February 9, which aims to identify issues of local importance regarding the riverside development.

But the Sharpening the Brief workshop will be able to reach a far wider audience thanks to the power of the internet.

Discussions at the workshop will focus on access, landscape and ecology, design, layout and sustainability.

The live feed is being hosted by former ITV Westcountry presenter Julie Skentelbery and will stream at www.livestream.com/dartmedia 7pm-9.30pm on Thursday, February 9.

There will plenty of opportunity to comment on what is said at the workshop.

Contact details will be given during the broadcast and a major two-day drop-in event the following week is open to all.

The drop-in sessions on February 17 and 18 at Totnes United Free Church on Fore Street is the main chance at this stage for local people to give ideas and to comment on suggestions already put forward.

Results from all the consultation events will be used by the Baltic Wharf team when it draws up detailed designs for phase one of the scheme.

The first phase includes many of the proposed homes as well as the Landscape and Wildlife Design Plan for the entire site.

The 26-acre Baltic Wharf site has outline planning permission for a mixture of employment space and housing including a modernised boatyard, a co-housing scheme and retirement village.

Around half the site will become public including a riverside walk and plaza and new community and wildlife space.

An edited copy of the workshop broadcast will be available at www.balticwharf.co.uk/revival, which also has regular news updates about the scheme.

Steve Mittler, Director of Baltic Wharf said: “We have learned that genuine participation makes for a better scheme and want to make sure the consultation is as inclusive, accessible and interactive as possible.

“By having the live feed of the workshop, even those not taking part will be able to see what issues are cropping up in the debate and have the opportunity to comment themselves.”

Jeff Bishop, who is co-ordinating the consultation programme for Baltic Wharf, said: “What people say at the workshop will shape what we ask about at the public drop in events. By having the event broadcast it will let everyone see exactly where an idea or issue has come from.”

(from a press release)

Totnes Monster up for South West Music Awards: vote now for the Soundart Radio show The Totnes Monster show on Dartington's Soundart Radio is up...

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

2012 will be the year of tea

Katie Marie — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 18:37:34 +0000

Katie Marie will keep the tea brewing in 2012

Happy New Year peepsickles… hope you had a good Christmas filled with lots of stuff that made you smile

I had a wonderful time doing absolutely *nothing*… which is something I don’t get to do very often these days. I managed to overdose myself on oodles of movies. Not only did I have a Lord of the Rings-a-thon but also a Harry Potter-a-thon and about six other films in between.

But now, it’s time to get back to the drawing board. And there is plenty to be getting on with… oh yes.

My album is pretty much there (yay!) and it’s now time for me to hand over all my tracks to Mr Chris (a very clever chap at Audio Antics) who uses lots of fancy plug-ins and stuff to make my tunes sound super nice.

I’m also trying to organise a tour for May, which is a bit of a challenge to say the least and is pushing my already poor organisational skills to their limit. I came up with an idea to do a tour of mostly tea shops, cafes, coffee shops and arts centres and call it the Tea Total Tour.

I thought I’d be really limiting myself to where I’d be able to play but in actual fact I’ve had more interest than I expected (which is really rather handy). So it’s just a case of venue juggling and hoping that I can put something together that doesn’t involve me going from one end of the country to the other each night lol

Along with venue organising I need to get some new merch sorted for the tour. Thankfully Amy (who designed the cover for my new album) is up for helping me with some ideas I’ve got for new tees which will hopefully look pretty nifty.

So yeah. Lots to do… but it’s all good.

I’ve also been spending time deciding what this year’s resolution will be. It’s taken a few weeks of mulling over but I think I’m there…

2011 was a real weird one for me. In my personal world there were lots of really horrible things happening, and it seems to be the way with horrible things that they gang up on you all at the same time. My musical world, however, has been filled with so much good stuff and really positive goings on… but the whole year has been like being pulled in opposite directions 24/7.

As I mentioned earlier I decided over Crimbo to hide away the laptop and not go online at all (*gasp!*). I also spent pretty much 99.9% of my time doing not very much at all… and I actually had time to do stuff… which is pretty much unheard of in my world. I had time to go on super long dog walks, and read, and watch a ton of films. I even had time to make proper tea (as in using tea leaves) in a proper tea pot and actually had the time to let it brew. Silly little things, but in all honesty… if you don’t have the time to make a decent cup of tea, you don’t have the time to live!

So that’s my 2012 resolution… and you are my witness. I’ll let you know if I’ve managed to stick to it next week.

Not Bad For A Girl: Mulled Wine in Munich! Katie Marie has had a super week of sunshine, kayaking...
Will music lead to fame and fortune? Maybe not, but it’s a wonderful journey! Most musicians want success, but that could come from a...
Who knew hand claps would become a pain in the bum? Katie Marie's CD is being mastered, and the Tea Total...

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

Jingle Hell? The alternative Christmas playlist on Soundart Radio

PRSD — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 08:00:40 +0000

Give Soundart Radio a listen for alternative Christmas sounds

What’s will your Christmas soundtrack be this year? Do you really wish it could be Christmas every day? Are folks really dressed up like eskimos?

If for you, snow isn’t glistening, reindeer don’t have very shiny noses and nights aren’t silent, then tune into Soundart Radio 102.5fm, who offer an alternative playlist throughout Christmas and New Year, to their FM listeners in the Totnes area, and online listeners everywhere

The community radio station, which broadcasts work made by local artists, musicians and thinkers, have created a unique season of winter themed programmes with a difference, which can be heard every day from December 19 right through to January 8.

Expect bizzarre mash ups of seasonal favourites, new storytelling, drama and comedy, live music sessions, programmes from the station’s international partners, and more.

Highlights include new radio dramas on Wednesday, December 21, and a Winter Solstice live music session on Thursday, December 22 from 5pm.

Christmas Day evening brings us a brand new, Christmas special from Dangaton Moss, followed by original stories from storyteller Professor Olivia Gatepost.

Tune in on Boxing Day for the Dangaton Moss Omnibus edition: all of the recent series back to back, kicking off at 10am right up to teatime: a great chance to catch up with what’s been going on in this very unusual Devon village, with Betty, Aggie and a host of other characters.

Over New Year’s Eve and New Years Day there’ll be back to back DJs live in the studio, and Tuesday, January 3 brings a review of 2011, with founder members Nell and Lucinda.

Check the website for regular updates and a full schedule of programmes.

TV documentary at Soundart Radio follows the transition in a young person’s life A film crew making a documentary following the transition in...
New season of independent listening in South Devon’s Soundart Radio The new season has started at the Soundart Radio community...
Soundart Radio celebrates fifth birthday with cake and performances Soundart Radio is celebrating its fifth birthday with performances by...

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

Occupy Totnes is here to stay!

PRSD — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 09:18:47 +0000

"Occupy Totnes is being very well received within the community, by the local media, radio stations, and the Totnes Town Council."

Our camp at Heath’s Garden has been a success and will continue in one form or another! We are pleased and proud that Totnes has shown such huge support and welcome. Our aim is to get people talking about social injustice. We don’t pretend to have all the answers, but we strongly feel that huge social, economic and environmental changes are happening and public involvement is crucial.

We are all in this together. We are all affected by the recession and public service cuts in healthcare and education. We are all angry at bank bailouts and corporate greed and corruption, and that very profitable companies like Tescos, Vodaphone and Boots avoid paying taxes while the vast majority of society suffer unnecessary hardship.

Our choice of site at Heath’s Garden was very carefully made as we wished to be accessible and visible to the public while not being a nuisance.

We will continue to hold a daily meeting at Heath’s Garden at 1pm. Please join us! Everyone is welcome to come, listen, speak and take part in active democracy. Occupy’s specific qualities such as its non-hierarchical structure where all have a voice, the use of ‘consensus’ to ensure an open decision-making process, and its focus on addressing important social issues in a democratic way offers something very valuable and dynamic to our town.

Occupy Totnes is being very well received within the community, by the local media, radio stations, and the Totnes Town Council. We daily receive support and greetings from many interested passers-by and visitors. We look forward to improved dialogue with South Hams District Council!

We will be continuing our activities in a variety of ways including pop-up occupations, events, actions, street theatre and workshops. Our principal purpose is to facilitate information, learning and debate within our local community. We support creative dialogue with respect to the global context of the Occupy movement and warmly welcome everybody interested in finding out more or wishing to support the global Occupy movement.

Join us – see our WordPress blog at occupytotnes.wordpress.com

Occupy Exeter have moved on, but the activism continues 'No one can doubt the significance of your cause or...
Corporate tax evasion petition calls for big business to pay up The government is making cuts, and yet there's 'confusion' over...

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

Will music lead to fame and fortune? Maybe not, but it’s a wonderful journey!

Katie Marie — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 12:37:32 +0000

Katie Marie, on a successful musical journey. Photo taken by Lisa (Indigo Blue Photography) and edited by Sandra (Soul Photography)

In between doing oodles of musical type stuff, I’ve spent an awful lot of time this week partaking in lots of pondering. It doesn’t usually take much for me to drift off into various trails of thought, but this week I’ve been mulling over something that was said to me a few days ago.

I was having a chat with some-one I bumped into who I’ve not seen in ages. We were exchanging the usual pleasantries. You know, things like ‘how are you?’ ‘how’s so and so?’ etc. He then asked me about my music and how things were going. I said things were going well, it’s hard work but I wouldn’t be doing anything else. He then said something to me that kind of took me by surprise… ‘well, to be honest – I did think you would have made it by now and been rich and famous’.

I laughed and took his reply as a compliment… and said I could certainly do with the rich bit right now, lol.

When our conversation was over I was walking along the road thinking (probably a little too deeply) about what he’d said. I suppose there’s a part of me that feels that way too. Maybe I should have hit the big time by now. But if I’m being honest there have been many twists and turns in my life that have led me down different paths, none of which were the same paths I was following when I first decided to be a musician 20 odd years ago.

I began playing music when I was six years old and started gigging when I was 15. My plan was a very simple one. I was going to get signed. Period. It wasn’t a question of ‘if’, it WAS going to happen. And after that *everything* would be fine. I had absolutely no idea what getting signed meant or even what would happen once I was signed, but that was what was going to happen.

As I got older, the realities of what happened when people were signed wasn’t exactly what I thought they would be. I was offered a couple of contracts in my teens and none of them seemed… very… well… fair. I mean, they were offering… not very much… in exchange for… a whole lot from me.

A few years later I started working as a session musician for people who were signed to various-sized labels and I felt very grateful to be able to be on the outside of it all, as it seemed to controlling and so totally not me. I can remember the turning point was when I went along to a music conference. You know, the ones where lots of musical big wigs go along and sit on a panel offering their pearls of wisdom to the hordes of unsigned artists and songwriters desperately seeking a taste of the big time. I managed to book a meeting with one of the main A&R people there who ran a pretty big label in LA. She was really nice and certainly didn’t mind giving me her time.

I had put together a CD of what I thought were my best three songs. I played one of them to her, and after less than five seconds she started hitting the fast forward button. She did that about three times and then went: “N… no, you’re songwriting’s ok, I’ve heard a lot better. I need radio play, I need radio friendly. This ain’t it.” It wasn’t the reaction I was looking for, but I really appreciated her honesty and asked her what she though I could do to improve. “Well, the thing is…for a label my size to be interested in someone like you, you’d need to be shifting something like around 5,000 a year before we’d take you on.”

What?!

I sold over 1,000 copies of my previous album, which took a *heck* of a lot of work… and I thought that was a pretty good going for a small indie artist like me. But 5,000?

The thing is, if I was selling 5,000 copies of my album a year I would be EXTREMELY happy! Think about it, that’s not a bad living at all!

It got me thinking… if I was selling 5,000 copies of an album per year I’d be more than happy. And I wouldn’t need to then go to a label and have them take over something I’d put my heart and soul into building up, only to probably turn it into something I wasn’t happy with.

I guess life has made me realise that I don’t do music for the fame and fortune. Don’t get me wrong, I’m very aware that I am part of a business world and I need to have my head screwed on, but although I crave success, the same as every other hard-working musical person, the whole reason that I do music is because I HAVE to. For me it’s like breathing and eating. I simply can’t be without it. And even if no-one bought my CDs and no-one turned up to my gigs, I’d still be going out there and doing what I do, because I love it.

Which led me onto another trail of thought

I think a lot of us artistic types are guilty of not looking behind us once in a while and realising just how far we’ve come. It’s something I don’t do as often as I should. I spend waaaay too much time giving myself grief about all the things I haven’t done and I haven’t achieved. When the reality is that I have so much to be very proud of. I just need to stop once in a while and notice it.

I can remember the first ever Katie Marie website I put up online. I was 19. I had NO idea how to build a website. I didn’t know anyone who could build a website for me and the people I did know wanted shed loads of money, and at that time I barely had enough for food each week never mind a website! So, in the usual me fashion this didn’t stop me one bit. I hopped online and taught myself the basics of HTML. I then loaded up Notebook on my computer and began making a website all out of HTML code. It took me absolutely ages. And it looked really, really crappy. But it was my website and I was very proud of it. When it was up online I had a stats report each week
telling me when people had come to visit and at what time. I updated the website everyday and do you know how many people I had come to it every week? One, maybe two, three or four on a really good week. It was really depressing, but it somehow never seemed to dampen my enthusiasm.

It blows my mind now that I can upload a video, a photo, post something on Twitter… even write this article, and to know that you are sitting at your computer right now reading it is truly amazing. I have people who really, genuinely care about my music and it actually means something to them. I’ve not just gigged in the UK but I’ve visited other countries and met people who support me so much and this is really something I feel so very grateful for.

So to answer my friend, I guess I could say, you’re right. I’m not rich and famous. But the past few days realised that I’ve come a long way over the years and although it isn’t the big time, the journey that I have taken thus far as been a seriously beautiful one that I wouldn’t change for the world.

What you need for a career in music: hard work, resilience and a box to keep the memories in Katie Marie's recording and gigging, punctuated only by games of...
Lots of music business means lots of smiles Katie Marie is busy finalising her new album and preparing...
Not much sleep but lots of music Totnes singer/songwriter Katie Marie has had a week of lots...

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

Date for Katie Marie’s new album announced

PRSD — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 09:42:35 +0000

Katie Marie has been working on her new album. Photo taken by Lisa (Indigo Blue Photography) and edited by Sandra (Soul Photography)

This week has been filled with lots of plans for my new album which is finally starting to come together.

The official release date is (drum roll please…) **February 29, 2012**. For this release you’ll be able to pre-order the album. All who pre-order a CD will be entered into a competition to win an MP3 player loaded with the new album and also some other unreleased live and studio recordings. If you fancy checking it out, head on over to my website: www.funkeegirl.de

So that means I really need to get finished up recording in the studio so the promotional bits and bobs can begin!

I did have a lot of fun last week recording a new tune for the album called The Other Side. I had a really specific drum sound that I could hear in my little brain but had no idea how I was going to replicate it. Time for some experimenting!

I tried playing various snare drums and cajons and couldn’t get the right sort of sound with just a spot of EQ-ing. I decided that it probably needed some kind of effect, but I didn’t really know what that might be. Then it suddenly dawned on me, that lurking somewhere in the back of my studio was an old Korg Digital Reverb rack unit that has a really nice sounding reverse effect. I’ve kept it for years and years hoping that one day it would come in handy, now that day had finally arrived (horrah!).

I plugged it in, hooked it up to my ickle Spirit Folio desk and ran a Rode NT1a through it. I had a mess around with the reverse settings and managed to find something that sounded lovely and snappy.

Katie Marie's Spirit Folio desk

Next up was recording a bass drum part… oh no, hang on a minute, next up was taking Molly out for a stroll before she started getting grumpy…

Molly eager for a walk

…then it was time for more recording.

I decided to record the bass drum part separately as I had a specific sound in mind for that too. I used my faithful floor tom which I’ve used many times before for bass drum parts and it always sounds pretty nifty. For this song I wanted to have lots of attack and not so much drum sound. I used a Rode NT1a up high to hopefully pick up lots of attack from the skin and then whacked it for all it was worth.

After adding a few other little bits and bobs it was all wrapped up and finished (minus the vocals of course).

Here’s little sneaky clip if you fancy a listen, (it’s a rough mix with no vocals, but you get the general jist of it).

If you read last week’s article you’ll know that I had oodles of fun being part of a new Logarhythm promo video… and it’s now up online!. Check it out:

Logarhythm with Katie Marie from nickjamesgordon on Vimeo.

So I’ve got a few gigs to look forward to over the next few days. Later this evening I’m going to be supporting Sion Russell Jones at The Barrel House in Totnes and then Saturday I’ll be doing another gig with Sion at a wonderful vibey cafe called Miss Peapods in Cornwall, pop along if you’re free!

Noodling in the studio (behind the scenes of laying down a track for the new album) Unearth what goes on in the studio to record a...
Mic up: creating the right sound for the new album Totnes-based singer/songwriter Katie Marie spends her week experimenting with micking...
Not Bad For A Girl: Katie Marie’s top six drum machines of all time! Katie Marie, singer/songwriter, and drummer, lists her top six drum...

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

Totnes Occupied!

PRSD — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 08:30:07 +0000

The Occupy Totnes movement begins

In solidarity and support of Occupy encampments around the world, citizens of Totnes have chosen to organize their own occupation in town.

The movement calls itself Occupy Totnes and it hopes to take a stand against severe financial inequality and corporate greed in the hope of aiding a process that moves toward a fairer society. The organizers of Occupy Totnes hope to create a space for information and dialogue about the best way to create a better future.

“I’ve totally lost trust in politicians”, says Peter Burgess. “They are not a real force for transforming this society and I feel we have to take direct action in order to make it fairer.”

“I have been waiting for this moment all my life,” said one participant.

This exciting Occupy movement is uniting many people across the globe who recognise that change is needed – and it’s happening now! We believe that this movement is for the benefit of all future generations therefore everyone is welcome to join us, said the organisers.

Follow Occupy Totnes on Facebook.

(image courtesy of Lawrie Cate)

Totnes deadline posted by Cptn News just in from the Totnes Festival...
Naomi Klein speaks to the Transition Culture people in Totnes Naomi Klien was in Totnes talking to the transition culture...
Tell Sid, shares to be offered in Totnes Renewable Energy Society! Totnes Renewable Energy Society shares are set to be offered...

£48m Baltic Wharf development in Totnes uses Community Champions for full involvement

PRSD — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 12:42:20 +0000

Baltic Wharf, Totnes to undergo a £48m development. Community Champions aim to encourage local people to input into the look and feel of phase one

An independent group of ‘Community Champions’ is to oversee public involvement in the first detailed designs for Baltic Wharf in Totnes, its owners have announced.

The Baltic Wharf Consultation Steering Group will support and help guide the work of an independent facilitator to gather ideas from across the Totnes community, including those who do not usually participate in such events.

Local people will be asked for their input into the look and feel of phase one of the 26-acre redevelopment in the New Year.

Phase one will include the co-housing scheme and the Landscape and Wildlife Design Plan for the entire £48 million development will also be consulted on and submitted.

The steering group includes members from the town and district councils, KEVICC, Transition Town Totnes, the co-housing group and others. Its role and composition was decided by townspeople at a pre-consultation meeting in August.

Baltic Wharf Consultation Steering Group member, Tony Whitty, said: “Steering Group members will do their very best to be effective community champions so that everyone who wants a say in Baltic Wharf’s design can get their opinion across. People will be able to come to us if they feel an important point hasn’t been properly considered. It is potentially a very exciting new way for developments in the town to work with communities.”

Steve Mittler, director of Baltic Wharf, said: “We have learned that genuine community involvement makes for a better scheme. By getting a detailed understanding of these views at the beginning we have the best chance of producing a scheme the community really wants.”

Leading the consultation process is independent facilitator, Jeff Bishop from BDOR Limited. He said: “In my experience it is rare for a developer to seek this level of local involvement, especially for a project of this size. This is a real opportunity for everyone who is interested in Baltic Wharf’s future.”

Full details of the public consultation will be finalised in the coming weeks. As well as at least one big public drop-in event, the process is expected to include workshops and other types of interactive activities.

The feedback will be used to help draw up a detailed planning application for phase one, which South Hams Councillors will have to approve before construction work on the site can begin.

Once complete, the Baltic Wharf revival will have space for over 300 jobs, a fully modernised boatyard, extensive live-work opportunities, a ground-breaking co-housing scheme, up to 190 affordable and market homes and a retirement village.

Some 12 acres of the site will become a new green community space with wildlife-friendly play and picnic areas and riverside walkways linking to the footpaths beyond.

Outline planning permission for the semi-dilapidated 26-acre site was granted in December 2010.

(from a press release)

(image: Baltic Wharf, Totnes A view from Totnes Footpath 2 along the length of the boatyards. This image was taken from the Geograph project collection. See this photograph’s page on the Geograph website for the photographer’s contact details. The copyright on this image is owned by Derek Harper and is licensed for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 license.)

See how Totnes low-impact community Landmatters live on their open day The Landmatters community, who live in low-impact dwellings near...
Harnessing the power of community workshops in Totnes posted by Cptn A series of nine public workshops from...
Totnes workspace #16 opens its doors for community groups and local projects Totnes workspace #16 is opening its doors – above Barclays...

Soundart Radio celebrates fifth birthday with cake and performances

PRSD — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 11:52:49 +0000

Mae and the Midnight Fairground, the Totnes-based band will perform at Soundart Radio's fifth birthday celebrations

Mae and the Midnight Fairground will be one of the bands helping community radio station Soundart Radio celebrate its fifth birthday.

The ‘Cinqo di Soundart’ bash, as we’re calling it, will take place on Saturday, November 12 at studio 3 in Dartington.

Join the radio station from 6pm for birthday cake and complimentary mulled local cider, then down to Lower Close from 7pm for performances by the Clockwork Moth puppet theatre, Totnes Improvisers Orchestra, Mae and the Midnight Fairground and Matthew and Me (formerly Spree), all for £5.

And just to get you in the mood, here’s a link to our conversation with Mae, or Mae on the Midnight Fairground from 2010.

Party time begins at Soundart Radio with A Fete Worse Than Death Dartington-based community radio, Soundart Radio, is celebrating its fifth birthday...
Summer radio volunteers needed at Dartington’s Soundart Radio Are you supportive of young people's creativity and do you...
New season of independent listening in South Devon’s Soundart Radio The new season has started at the Soundart Radio community...

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

Just Do It documentary about activism screening in Totnes

PRSD — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 10:24:29 +0000

Just Do It: a movie about activism gets a screening at Totnes

A documentary about activism and getting involved is being shown in Totnes.

The Transition Town Totnes Film Club is screening Just Do It: A Tale of Modern Day Outlaws at its regular screen night.

For screening, tickets details and to watch the trailer, pop over to our D&CFilm site.

TV documentary at Soundart Radio follows the transition in a young person’s life A film crew making a documentary following the transition in...
Totnes Monster up for South West Music Awards: vote now for the Soundart Radio show The Totnes Monster show on Dartington's Soundart Radio is up...
If Totnes is twinned with Narnia, then Newton Abbot is twinned with Despair says Matt Harvey Matt Harvey explains his comment 'if Totnes is twinned with...

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

Totnes workspace #16 opens its doors for community groups and local projects

PRSD — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 10:00:55 +0000

Totnes High Street: opening up workspace #16 above Barclays bank

From Tuesday, November 1, the Totnes workspace #16 is opening its doors every Tuesday evening from 6.30pm to individuals and community groups who wish to develop local projects and events.

Based above Barclays bank at 16 High Street, the workspace offers a large office space and facilities, as well as a smaller private meeting room, open wi-fi and a kitchenette for groups to use.

James Engwell, who is developing the TQ9 enterprise network and workspace project said: “We’ve been approached by a variety of different local groups asking for our help, and have decided that opening up our facilities on a regular weekly basis would be the most effective contribution we could make.

“As well as connecting different volunteer and community groups to each other and to our own growing creative community, this open evening fits in with the TQ9’s wider commitment to open up our town centre’s empty spaces. We welcome any individuals or groups that would like to work alongside other community projects in a collaborative environment.”

Some projects which will use the space include an ‘expo’ planned for local teenage culture, the development of an official Pop_up Shop scheme where empty shops are opened up for non-profit use, a charity arts exhibition, and a ‘lobby’ group who’s objective is to open up the long dormant Rushbrook site for community use, as well as discovering other hidden community assets.

Jenny Wellwood, who is developing the teen expo project, said: “It’s great being able to use the workspace at #16 to plan our events, it provides us with a relaxed but focused place to meet regularly. It is really good to participate in a great networking scheme too – using a otherwise empty office for community groups to meet and develop projects is really forward-thinking.”

Those interested in getting involved in the community event project evening at #16 or in the TQ9 project should contact James Engwell on 01803 866333, email tqnine@gmail.com, or the TQ9 website

(image: This image was taken from the Geograph project collection. See this photograph’s page on the Geograph website for the photographer’s contact details. The copyright on this image is owned by Kate Jewell and is licensed for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 license.)

Plymouth groups invited to find out how to apply for Big Lottery Funding If you’re a voluntary sector group and are after...
Co-op offers £40,000 to community groups for Fairtrade Fortnight The Co-op is supporting the South West's Fairtrade Fortnight by...
Community groups are being called to help with Teignbridge’s Big Tidy Up campaign Community groups and schools are being sought to help with...

Stability be damned – this is about Europe!

PRSD — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 10:37:29 +0000

Rebel yell! The Government faced a massive revolt from its own party… sorry the Tories… on the call for an EU referendum

Much has been made by Coalition MPs about the need for stability, still the government faced a massive rebellion on Europe

Newton Abbot Red – that’s Anne Marie Morris – led the Devon charge against the government, followed by Totnes MP Dr Sarah Wollaston, and Devon South West Tory MP Gary Streeter.

Another less surprising rebel was Torbay’s Lib Dem Adrian Sanders.

Mel Stride and Oliver Colvile voted not to have a referendum on the EU.

Newton Abbot MP to rebel over European referendum vote Newton Abbot MP Anne Marie Morris has put her name...
Newton Abbot MP Anne Marrie Morris quotes Gandhi in EU referendum debate Invoking political icons is always good during debates. Newton Abbot...
Earliest human remains in northwestern Europe found in Kents Cavern New findings on a bone at Kents Caverns is the...

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh