Community Store and Post Office

The following is a report from David Stembridge and Jenny Powlett covering the outcome of the Post Office Appeal.

"We are pleased to report that following our Appeal in November 2017 we have received promises from over 90 householders for financial support in the region of £10,000 and sincerely thank all of you who have joined in.

We are now confident that we can continue to maintain our Post Office Shop for the foreseeable future. This is good news for all, especially those villagers who for one reason or another are not very mobile and are dependent on the survival of your post office shop.

If you plan to stay in Newton/Noss for the rest of your life, as many of us do, it is worthwhile making a contribution now, however modest.

Our target remains at £14,000 and we urge anyone who has yet to make a promise to come forward.

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We now ask you to honour your promises by writing out your cheques, payable to the Post Office Action Group and handing them in at the Post Office/Shop or

by transferring the money direct into the Post Office Action Group Account with Lloyds Bank, sort code 30-98-90 a/c number 15734060.

To the donors who have already sent us a cheque for the amount promised we convey our sincere thanks. We will now pay in your cheques."

NEWTON DOWNS SOLAR FARM

The Solar Farm at Newton Downs is on its way towards community ownership. It is now owned by Community Owned Renewable Energy (CORE) which is £40 community energy fund that acquires solar farms on behalf of local communities and then facilitates their transfer into community ownership. CORE has invested £5.83 million to fund the purchase.

A significant partner within CORE is Yealm Community Energy (YCE), a Community Benefit Society set up to provide improved energy services to the residents of the Parishes bordering the Yealm Estuary. YCE is presently chaired by Peter Brown and more details are at www.yealmcommunityenergy.org. Newton Downs Solar Farm is expected to generate £20,000 a year to a community fund and over £1 million over its 30-year life.

If you want to know more, the Yealm Community Energy AGM is at 10am Saturday 3rd February in the WI Hall.

Green Light for Community Lottery

Local good causes can look forward to generating tens of thousands of pounds per year, thanks to approval from South Hams District and West Devon Borough Councils.

The Councils have given the green light to proposals to set up a local community lottery scheme that will be shared across the South Hams and West Devon Borough areas.

The planned lottery, with a jackpot of up to £25 000, will operate in a similar way to the National Lottery or Health Lottery, however all funds raised will be spent in the South Hams and West Devon areas. In addition, 50% of the ticket sales will go directly to a good cause, with customers able to choose a specific cause to support if they wish.

Councillor Keith Wingate, Executive Portfolio Holder for Business Development at South Hams District Council said: “We are thrilled that the community lottery is going ahead because we know how positively our communities will be impacted by it.

“We have seen how other Councils have launched similar initiatives and how their communities thrived as a result. We look forward to witnessing the same for South Hams and West Devon Borough.”

Councillor Lois Samuel, Deputy Leader for Income Generation and Business Development at West Devon Borough Council said: “Community empowerment is very important to both West Devon Borough and South Hams District Councils. This is why we are always open to proposals for potential projects.

“The community lottery is an exciting new scheme that we are pleased to have approved. It will provide our communities with support and yet another tool to empower themselves. This is truly cause to celebrate.”

The lottery will hold its first draw in early 2018.

1.   Postal Services UK    5. Post Office Card Accounts 

       letters  1st class            6. Bill paying facility

       letters 2nd class           7. Road Fund Licence Service

2    Parcels UK  8. Gas and Electricity top up

Timed delivery & next day delivery 9.  E-top-up for most mobile phones 

       Next day with end to end tracking              10. Pre-ordered travel money                           

 Cheaper 2 day delivery. All with tracking services 11. Moneygrams

       to see where your parcel is.     12. Mail order returns for most companies      

3.   International Postal Service                                                    

 Delivery next day with end to end tracking   

     From 3 days with end to end tracking                                      

From 4 days no tracking

4.  Banking Services                               

      Cash withdrawals with chip and pin from all

      banks except Coutts

       Paying cheques and cash

       Paying in Cheques and Cash

       Electronic bill payments