The wonderful thing about Dartmouth, is that every week something fun happens, and most weeks several fun things!  Last weekend, despite the showers the best small regatta took place in Kingswear.  The creek is lovely and the grassy area at the end was heaven made for this ultimate village fete/regatta.  Shown here are the "Animal Quackers" rowing team!

Pretty Cheerleaders had plenty to smile about last week as the sun shone on their display. Gemma, Larissa and Phoebe held Amy aloft outside the Pigs Palace at the Zoo-in-a-Farm at Woodlands. The 14 girls aged between 11 and 17 are part of the Cannons Cheerleading team who cheer on the Cannons Basketball Team at Marjons University in Plymouth.

Rain or shine, Woodlands is a great place for a day out, click here to see more.
 

Jonathan Dimbleby presents BBC Lifeline Appeal for Dartmouth charity

Did you know? There is a small charity in Dartmouth working to help deaf children to understand spoken language so that they can communicate with their families and learn to read and write. The charity will feature in a BBC Lifeline Appeal this month to show why it’s needed.

90% of deaf children are born to hearing parents with no experience of deafness and no way of communicating in their own language with their new baby. Even with modern technology, many children just can’t hear enough to make sense of speech, while British Sign Language is a totally different language from English and takes several years to learn; meanwhile the deaf child is effectively excluded from family life. National Deaf Children’s Society have reported: “It is estimated that 81% of parents with a deaf child never learn to communicate with their child.”

It has been chosen as one of the few charities to feature in the BBC TV Lifeline Appeal and they are delighted that Jonathan Dimbleby has presented the programme for them. It will be broadcast on Sunday 17th August at 16:45 on BBC 1 and Wednesday 20th August at 11am on BBC 2

If you would like to help, you can donate online at www.cuedspeech.org.uk or by cheque to the Cued Speech Association UK at 9 Jawbone Hill, Dartmouth TQ6 9RW. All donations will be very gratefully received.

Kerry reports:  As a run up to our festival from the 4th to 7th December, we are putting on a number of events and I wondered if you could include some details on your website.

I will be running weekly meditation/relaxation sessions in the library of the Royal Castle Hotel from Tuesday 2nd September (donations to Dartmouth Caring). We are also organising a series of talks and intro to Tantra workshops in Dartmouth and at the Seven Stars in Totnes.

We have started to post some information on our website, click here to see it.  There was an awful amount of interest last year, so book your accommodation now?

Hugh Prothero reports:  Here are the Dartmouth expats enjoying their Devon & West Country Association "Christmas in July" party in Adelaide South Australia.

Expats are all over the world and they come back to visit and spend money.

Which brings us to why we produce this newsletter.  Dave & Jill Cawley produce it to give local people an idea of what is happening in and around the town and a taste if they missed it, and also to encourage quality tourism.  The days of 400 men crossing the river to work at Noss every day are sadly gone and Dartmouth relies on tourism to stay alive.  The many pubs, bars and restaurants, not to mention our fun specialty shops all need tourists to come and spend money.  Dave often says "my old Grandad lived to 95 years of age, that gives me another nearly 40 years left.  I want to be able to walk along the embankment in 40 years time on a rainy February day, and find the town alive, the pubs merry, and get a buzz from my life in Dartmouth.  We can achieve this if we make Dartmouth the quality destination of choice and our efforts seem to be achieving this"

Michael Cozens the South Hams District Council's Economic Development Officer has said "Dartmouth News is the best thing I have seen from Dartmouth in a long time"  We know we are doing the right thing, but no man can live on bread alone. 

We really need all local businesses to advertise on our sister website www.dartmouth.tv , it doesn't cost much and you will be helping secure the future of Dartmouth.  And we need some major sponsors of this newsletter please?  If you want to help send us a pledge or an e-mail by clicking here.

• Come and enjoy a barbecue and an evening of jazz at St Petrox Church on Friday 15 August at 6.30pm. Tickets are £5 each. Contact Simon (835543), Michael (839687) or Jill in the Parish Office, St Saviour's Church on 835540. Or just come along and pay on the night.
   
• Dartmouth dot TV have started sending renewals out for advertising on www.Dartmouth.tv   The website is currently the second highest Dartmouth Web Site ranked on Google and Yahoo. These two search engines make up 92% of all referrals, it's very important to be high on both of them.
   
• Why not come and visit Dartmouth?
   
• Self catering accommodation click here
   
• Dartmouth B and B  click here
   
• Dartmouth Hotels click here
   
• A Tourist Guide to Dartmouth click here