RYDA Newsletter 11/2022

WHAT AN HONOUR!

Jon Moore has been the Standard Bearer for the Yealm Branch Royal British Legion since 2012. He had the privilege of parading the Branch Standard on the Grand Pilgrimage to the battlefields of The Somme and Ypres in 2018, but an even greater honour was awaiting him. Last month he was the sole representative from RBL Devon to be invited to parade the Branch Standard at the funeral of HM The Queen Elizabeth. Jon’s personal account of this momentous event is below.

There were 72 of us, drawn from across the country, trying to cover as many counties and districts as possible, I think all of us still in shock at being chosen. Training and briefings became a daily event. We had overnight practice, full dress rehearsals taking place throughout the night, this is when the enormity of the event started to sink in. There is something deeply emotional about watching Britain’s Armed forces march past in all their splendour, followed by the Royal Navy pulling an empty gun carriage through the streets of London at 4 o-clock in the morning, in silence, only the sound of marching feet and horses hooves audible.

The day of the funeral started extremely early as we made our way to Whitehall to prepare ourselves to be part of an incredibly sad day in history. We marched onto Whitehall and formed up either side of the Cenotaph while the funeral service took place in Westminster. The streets were rammed with people, some waved flags, some clapped, others cried. Our 72 Standards were lowered as one, for the 2-minute silence and the ‘new’ National Anthem, and a few tears were shed. This signalled the end of the Westminster service and the start of the funeral procession. It was amazing to watch branches from across our Armed Services march past, perfectly in time, not a single mistake made, doing what we do best. As Her Majesty passed in front of us, traditionally pulled by Royal Navy sailors on her gun carriage, our Standards were again lowered as one, as a final RBL mark of respect, and raised once the rest of the Royal family had passed.

As the procession finished, we left turned and, to the sound of the Royal Marines band, marched off Whitehall to rounds of applause and cheers. Back to the safety of our building we could relax and let the enormity of what had just happened sink in.

To say I was honoured and proud to be part of such a historic day would be a massive understatement. I feel immensely privileged to have been able to represent not only the Yealm Branch of the RBL, but the whole of Devon.

Jon Moore

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As we know, HM Queen Elizabeth died on Thursday 8^th September and a long, rehearsed and meticulously planned chain of events, events that nobody hoped would ever happen, sprang into action. Operation London Bridge was executed.

I have been the RBL Standard bearer for the Yealm Branch since 2012, joining after completing 24 years’ service in the Royal Navy, all of them in submarines. I received an urgent e-mail on Friday 9^th September telling me that I had been selected to be a RBL Standard bearer at the funeral of HM Queen Elizabeth and I was to confirm my attendance by noon the next day and be in London on Tuesday. It took me less than 2 minutes to reply with a resounding ‘yes’.

Time off work was quickly sorted out and a weekend of booking travel and sorting/finding/cleaning kit ensued, still with no details of the coming weeks arrangements. I arrived in London on Tuesday afternoon to meet up with other Standard bearers who had been selected. Our part in the funeral was to be the Massed Standards of the RBL and we would line Whitehall, standing either side of the Cenotaph as Her Majesty made her final journey from Westminster Abbey to Windsor.

Remembrance Sunday Service

13th November @ 10.45am

Beginning at the War Memorial in Newton Ferrers then continuing in Holy Cross Church.

This year's service has a particular focus on the 40th Anniversary of the Falklands War

PLEASE KEEP A SECRET!

‘TREVOR THE BUTCHER’

It is now widely known that Trevor and Debbie Randle will be retiring in the next few weeks and so our local butcher will be closing for good. They have not yet decided on a final date but it will probably be around the end of November, certainly before Christmas.

Trevor is now in his 41st year of supplying locals, visitors and tradesmen with his meat, pies and pasties, not to mention his irresistible Scotch eggs.

As a farewell and thank you to Trevor and Debbie, there is a collection box in the Post Office if you wish to make a donation.

Finally, it is hoped to keep the collection a secret from them both, so Mum’s the word!

More Bees and Butterflies in your Garden?

Let’s make the gardens in our villages a haven for pollinating insects. They would play an important role in halting and reversing insect declines if enough of us were to make our green spaces insect-friendly.

It does mean avoiding the use of pesticides/weedkillers and not being too tidy! Below are a few suggestions for choosing plants/bulbs flowers that will thrive in this area in winter/spring and provide bees and insects with nectar during winter and early spring. Remember that on the whole single flowers are better for bees as they can find it difficult to access the nectar in double.

Teaching Kids to Sail

Garden bulbs - plant soon! Perennials

Alliums Early flowering single hellebores,

Grape hyacinth Native primroses

Hyacinth Lungwort (pulmonaria officinalis)

Snowdrop Forget-me-not

Winter aconite Thrift

Crocus Winter flowering clematis

Iris reticulata

English bluebell

Snake’s Head Fritillary Shrubs/trees

Magnolia

Winter flowering heather

Flowering cherry

Pussy Willow

Mahonia

Viburnum

Ivy

Bee Kind - Angela Macpherson

Some of you may have seen and heard excited children sailing little white boats with multi-coloured sails in Newton Creek and wondered who they were.

4 years ago, Yealm Yacht Club took over the assets and responsibilities of the local Community Sailing organization. That is 8 Optimist Dinghies and a commitment to provide low-cost sailing instruction to local primary school children.

Since then, we have been running courses for beginners and improvers during the summer months. This year was our busiest so far with 5 courses of 3 sessions each. Over 40 children participated.

Instruction is provided by paid RYA senior instructors, assisted by appropriately qualified volunteer club members.

You do not have to be a full member of the club to participate. However, the courses provide a good starting point for those who would like to move on to the thriving cadet section of the club. We are pleased that after the courses many families do decide to join.

If you are an experienced dinghy sailor, funding may be available for attending an RYA dinghy instructor course. There would be an expectation that you would join the team of volunteer instructors for at least the next 2 years.

Anyone who might like to train as a dinghy instructor or help run these courses should get in touch with me

Duncan Macpherson. Community Sailing Coordinator for Yealm Yacht Club

Tel.RYDA 872645. E Mail.oppies@yealmyachtclub.co.uk

please mark your payment with your name as reference

The Environment Agency court case against International Paints for polluting the Yealm concluded this week with IP being found guilty of 2 charges. Sentencing has been deferred till January. The link to the EA press release is below. It makes disturbing reading, knowing that the offences were committed in 2015/16 even though the site had closed in 2011.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/international-paint-spills-banned-chemical-into-conservation-area

Planning

Planning Application Ref: 3401/22/HHO

Linden Lea, Church Park (affecting Yealm Road), Newton Ferrers.

This application is for the removal of a section of stone boundary wall on Yealm Road (opposite Holy Cross Church) & the installation of a timber vehicle gate giving access to a new parking area with space for two vehicles and on-site turning. This is a resubmission of an earlier application which was refused following concerns from Devon County Highways. The revised application has additional information on visibility splays and turning space. Given that parking in this section of road often reduces the available width and requires vehicles to travel over the centre of the road and that the new entrance is closer to the bend in the road than the vehicle entrance of the neighbouring property, you may understand the concern.

59 Yealm RoadReplacement of existing dwelling with single dwelling - 1501/20/VAR ( Variation to 3117/17/FUL)

Construction work has started on the old "Westerly" site at 59 Yealm Road and a large Mobile Home placed on the site, we assume this is for use to provide site facilities or as temporary accommodation during the build. In either case, we understand that this is permissible.

You may remember that approval was sought but refused for a second house on the site.

Whats On in November?

WI Craft Group 8^thNovember 2-4pm

We will be making decoupage Christmas cards £1 per card for materials. Please bring small scissors, glue, glitter and a sheet of old newspaper. Tea & coffee provided.

New members welcome. Contact Lesley 873403

Holbeton Film Club - November’s film is Summerland (certificate 12A, brief, moderate threat).

During World War II, reclusive writer Alice has her solitary life upended when Frank, an evacuee from the London Blitz, is left in her care. Despite initially resolving to be rid of him, Alice finds herself and her emotions reawakened by him.

This is showing on Saturday the 12th November in Holbeton Village Hall. Doors open 7pm. The programme starts at 7:30pm. Tickets on the door still only £4 (cash only). Ice creams will be on sale for £1.

Our programme for the coming months is:

The Duke, 12A, Friday 9th December

Operation Mincemeat, 12A, Saturday 14th January 2023

Where The Crawdads Sing, 15, Friday 10th February

Downton Abbey: a new era, PG, Saturday 11th March

Fisherman's Friends: one and all, 12A, Friday 14th April

Mrs Harris Goes To Paris, PG, Saturday 13th May