Over £7,000 was raised in a charity auction of local artists' work at The Apprentice Restaurant on Saturday.  The funds and more donated by The Apprentice, go towards the much anticipated heated pool and totalled over £8,000. Trustee Sean O'Reilly confirmed that Devon County Council had offered £1.5M, South Hams District Council £400K and Dartmouth Town Council £250K.  Sean went on to say that if all went well the first digger could start this year!  Bring it on is what we say!

2.  Away we go

Burt and Verona are a couple in their 30s who have been together for a long time, and who are perhaps frozen, mentally, in the twentysomethingness they shared when they first met. Everything about their lives appears ramshackle, temporary; when Verona gets pregnant, they hope that his mum and dad will help out. But they propose to take off for a long-planned trip to Antwerp one month before the baby is due, thus signalling their essential ineligibility for the traditional roles of doting grandparents. So Burt and Verona realise they are alone.

They must start afresh, rebuilding themselves as conventional adult. But the crisis is in a sense liberating and they tour North America, dropping in on old friends and classmates, auditioning locations and pondering their future...

This film is on tonight at the Guildhall at 7.30PM. Guest tickets can be purchased on the night of the screening at The Windjammer pub in Victoria Road, Dartmouth for £3.60 per film, between 7.00 – 7.25pm. New members can join at the door on any screening night. For further information contact: Clive Osborne on 079-6802-6449

3.   BRNC goes potty

Britannia Royal Naval College Officer Cadets helped
Kingswear Primary School to finish the garden
started by their fellow cadets last summer.

Last June, as part of the Britannia Royal Naval College Outreach Programme, 20 officer cadets spent a day helping the school to create a garden from scratch in a field. Last Saturday more than 30 officer cadets crossed the river to help the school again and finish the project started last year.

The village primary school is developing an outdoor learning space in the corner of a field at the top of the village, generously donated by the owners of Fountain Violet Farm, Edward and Emma Jones.

On the last visit the officer cadets of Vanguard Division fenced and rabbit-proofed a 20 by 8 metre area and built 5 raised beds. The school decided to name the fledgling garden the vandguarden in return ! This time it was the turn of Ambush Division, led by Sub-Lieutenant Michael Johnson, who was joined by a large group of international cadets from countries as far afield as Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Yemen, and a number from the Marine School in Germany to build the remaining 5 raised beds, the compost bays and a garden shed. They also built the fire-pit area, added some low benches for the children and dug a large circular trench in preparation for the planting of the willow classroom. The new shed is now to be known affectionately as the ambush hut !!

The school again provided the tools and materials as well as food donated by parents and helpers. A camp fire, sausages, cakes, and hot drinks were served up by the Headteacher, Mark Oakshot, and several governors and their families.

The Outreach Programme helps build links with the local community, encourages team-building and prepares cadets for tasks such as disaster relief work. All the cadets were very enthusiastic, capable and well-motivated, not to mention extremely polite. It was another very enjoyable and productive day for all involved and Kingswear Primary School would like to say an enormous thank you to the Royal Navy for making it possible.

If you are able to donate any garden items such as child-sized wellington boots, garden tools and gloves, kneeling pads and flower and vegetable seeds, please contact Kingswear Primary School on 01803 752356 or phone Gill Davies on 01803 752613.

4.   Little S.O.D.S

Lesley from Stoke Fleming Operatic and Dramatic Society reports: Little S.O.D.S. is the name we’ve given to our local children’s drama group and stands for the junior section of our society. We’re so proud of the children ~ they have been working their winter socks off! “Dream On” is our next production and will be performed at the Village Hall on 11th and 12th February. This lively show is a musical adaptation of Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” and is our most challenging show so far. The story retains all the humour and characters of the original, but is retold in a style that the children (and our audiences!) will understand and love. This is Shakespeare without the fear, but with ALL the fun. And of course, as our audiences have come to expect by now, there’ll be some surprises along the way ~ look out for the rapping gangsters!

Little S.O.D.S. have quite a reputation to live up to following their previous successes, and the children and production team have once again given their all. This ambitious project features a cast of more than 40 children aged between 6 and 14 and it is wonderful to see how they‘ve all grown with each production ~ not just in stature, but in confidence and ability. “Dream On” is expertly directed by Dartmouth’s own Lynne Deller who has brought this magical musical to life and who has taught the children so much over the last 4 productions. The Inn Theatre Company have supported this production with scenery, props and some of the costumes from A Midsummer Night's Dream and have also donated £150 to Little S.O.D.S which has funded the hire of a glittering star cloth for the show. We are hoping that “Dream On” will be a sell out. We will have raked seating and a licensed bar and other refreshments will also be available. Little S.O.D.S. is a not for profit making group, run entirely by volunteers on behalf of children who either live in the village or are past or present pupils at Stoke Fleming Primary School. We are delighted to be able to make donations to local charities from the small profit that we make each year. So, if you’ve heard how good the Little S.O.D.S. shows are but have yet to find out for yourselves, then please do come along and support us, we can guarantee to put a smile on your face! Tickets are now on sale priced £6 and are available by phoning Lesley on 01803 770071. “If music be the food of love ~ play on” or should that be “Dream On”!?

6.   Small News
 

• Rowena reports: For the month of February we are running a special “Local £18 Lunch” at Restaurant Angélique. Guests can choose 2 courses from a choice of starter - main - dessert for £18 or opt for all 3 courses for £22. The menu will change weekly and click here to see it.
   

• Sarah from Bellini's Bar reports:  Starting this Thursday we will be holding a cocktail evening every Thursday with Christof doing the mixing and shaking. For our launch this week, all cocktails will be 2 for the price of 1. Mick is playing Motown and Soul each Thursday evening so a great atmosphere is guaranteed. 
  Also :  For the England rugby games we will have a large screen to show the matches – come along and enjoy free hot nibbles and our guest ale. Saturday 12th February 2.30pm England v Italy
   

• Philip Watts is guest Chef at the Dolphin Inn on Wednesday 23rd February. Proceeds & profits to Meningitis UK. The Menu is 4 courses @ £20.00 per person. Philip is not taking a penny... cooking for free.
   

• Good news on the Dartmouth Trust this week, our local MP Dr Sara Wollaston has been busy click here for more. Two out of the three beneficiaries have said they don't want any extra money to the detriment of Dartmouth people:    On Monday night Dartmouth Town Council resolved: "That the Town Council does not support the present activities of the Dartmouth Trust with regard to the rent increases."    The Archdeacon of Totnes, the Venerable John Rawlings,  said "The Church does not want to receive extra funds as result of putting Dartmouth people into hardship."     And this week the Charities Commission once again confirmed formally and in writing, that the Trust could change if it wanted to.     So we all need to have a little chat with the trustees to encourage them to change their view?

The two photos above were taken by Andy Kyle just 90 minutes apart this week.  In Dartmouth sunshine and goodwill is always just over the horizon!

Why not come and visit Dartmouth?

• Self catering accommodation click here
   
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Images copyright  Dave Cawley,  Andy Kyle,  Keith E Gould & others.