Born and bred in Devon, Tom Woods has been appointed new Head Chef at Dart Marina Hotel & Spa in Dartmouth. Tom brings with him over 15 years experience in fine dining and banqueting, and his knowledge of local producers has been the result of living amongst them!

Tom explains: “Devon is my home and I have been fortunate to grow up and work amongst beautiful landscape almost surrounded by the sea. I’ve lived in Salcombe for 15 years and have made some great friends amongst local producers so I will be writing my menus with landscape, the sea and great producers in mind. To be made Head Chef is something I have worked hard to achieve and having worked at Dart Marina for three years already, I know the team very well. I am looking forward to building on the great food reputation we already have here and bringing my own style to the menu with more day-boat specials from Brixham and Plymouth and my own caught and smoked mackerel which I am just perfecting!”

Chris Jones, General Manager at Dart Marina comments: “We are absolutely delighted to have promoted Tom to our Head Chef; his outstanding culinary experience, coupled with his love of regional food means exciting times ahead at Dart Marina.”

Dart Marina’s River Restaurant holds two AA Rosettes in recognition of its high standards of cuisine, and a Strawberry icon which illustrates the Hotel’s commitment to using regional food. As well as an undertaking to reduce its impact on the environment through the green tourism scheme, Dart Marina chooses to source locally – both for flavour, quality, seasonality and local distinctiveness - but also to reduce food miles.   Click here for more details.

2.   Emma Bridgewater anniversary offer at home ….

Calling all you fellow Emma Bridgewater collectors. To celebrate her 25th anniversary we will be entering everyone who spends £10 or more on Emma Bridgewater products during July into a prize draw. The winner will receive a Bridgewater goody bag filled with lots of lovely things! We are lucky enough to be going to a special open day at the Bridgewater pottery in Stoke-on-Trent soon and will be able to get some special pieces to form part of the goody bag. So don't miss out on this fabulous offer – pop along to home …. at 17 Foss Street and add to your collection. If you don’t already own some Emma Bridgewater pottery now is your chance to start …..

3.   Zoo’s tiny miracle gives birth

A tiny deer at Paignton Zoo has given birth months after she lay critically ill on the operating table. The lesser Malay mouse deer named Eve gave birth on Saturday 19th June. Sarah Hewitt, of the Paignton Zoo vet team, said: “I think Eve is an amazing animal! She had a long, complicated illness last year involving a tooth abscess initially then an abscess round her eye which went into the bone. She underwent huge amounts of treatment with many general anaesthetics and came through it all. It is fantastic that she has now given birth – as vets we are chuffed to bits, as for a while it was touch and go with her.”

For a time the tiny animal - adults stand just 20 to 25 centimetres at the shoulder ( 8 to 10 inches ) – had to have her eye flushed regularly to keep it clean. To do this, vets fixed a teat over her eye with a long catheter attached to it, suturing this onto her back to hold it in place. Keepers are staying out of the way to give mother and fawn peace and quiet. The average weight of a baby at birth is about 370 grams (13 ounces) - that’s no more than the weight of a bunch of bananas.

The lesser Malay mouse deer or chevrotain comes from the forests of South East Asia. Adult males have tiny tusk-like canine teeth that protrude from the sides of the mouth and legs the diameter of a pencil. They are the smallest members of the animal family that includes pigs, hippos, camels, deer, antelopes, sheep and goats. Adults are 45 to 55 centimetres long (18 to 22 inches) and can live for about 12 years. A fawn can stand 30 minutes after birth. Their conservation status is low but the species is threatened by hunting and habitat destruction.

Eve was born at Poznan Zoo in Poland on Christmas Eve 2007 and came to Paignton Zoo in 2008. Her partner, Ralf, was born at Newquay Zoo in May 2004 and arrived at Paignton Zoo in March 2005. This is their second youngster. Paignton Zoo Environmental Park is a registered charity. For more information go to click here or ring (01803) 697500.

4.   Dart Drama Festival 2010.

The Dart Drama Festival is gearing up for its fourth year and already eight amateur drama groups have signed up and are raring to go.

The festival, founded in 2007, is non competitive and aims to promote and showcase the work and talents of the many and varied amateur drama groups throughout the South Hams and Torbay. The groups will be performing a programme of one act plays at the Flavel Theatre, Dartmouth, in November.  And not only has the festival attracted groups which have been taking part since its conception; Dit’sum Players, the Inn Theatre Company, and Stoke Fleming Operatic and Dramatic Society, but is also pleased to welcome back, the Dartmouth Players, Kingsbridge Amateur Theatrical Society, Salcombe Players, Shiphay Amateur Dramatic Society and Slapton Amateur Productions,

Avril Dowding, co festival organiser said:” It is really exciting, and we are thrilled with the interest and enthusiasm of those societies taking part. “As always, there is no theme to the festival, so each group can choose what material they would like to perform. Our only stipulation this year is that each play only lasts for 30 minutes.
The content of the festival is always a challenge for us as organisers: to ensure we give our audiences a balanced and varied programme.”

She added: “As there are potentially eight one act plays, we have decided to continue with the same format as last year, that is, to have four plays a night, with each group performing twice, on alternate nights, over four nights. Tickets are being organised so theatregoers can either see one night’s performance of four plays, or have a combined ticket which will enable them to see any two nights performances of all eight plays” Dates for the Dart Drama Festival are Wednesday to Saturday 10, 11, 12, 13 November. Tickets are: single adult ticket £8, single child £4 (one night only); combined adult ticket £14, combined child ticket £6 (for use over any two of the four performance nights), and will go on sale around October time.  Click here for more information

Why not come down for the weekend, or even a week?

5.   Small News

• Sue Murray reports: Macmillan Cancer Support are using the Tea Hut in Royal Avenue Gardens on Wednesday 14th July from 10 - 4pm. We will have good quality bric-a-brac, books, CDs, and some nearly new gifts, plus delicious sandwiches and cakes.  Come along and support this valuable charity.
   

• Dartmouth Hospital and Devon Link are staging a ‘Health Fair’ for local residents of Dartmouth and surrounding villages to inform people of what support is available from both the voluntary and health sector.
  
  The initiative between Jill Perry (Devon Link) and Tracey Cunningham (Dartmouth Hospital Matron) is being staged at the Flavel Hall in Dartmouth on 15th July between 10.30 -12.30 (free tea and coffee provided by League of Friends). It is hoped 30 professionals ranging from the Fire Brigade (showing us how to install fire alarms) to a Parkinson’s nurse will sign post those attending to resources held locally and regionally.
   

• Alison from Dartmouth Caring reports: Don’t forget we have this great river trip out, including supper and music on 21 August, please book a ticket and join us, will be fun and all to a good local community cause.  Tickets from the River Boat office.
   

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

Images copyright Dave Cawley & others.