Last Sunday morning saw the first Town Criers' Competition to be held in Dartmouth since the death of Peter Randall in 2003. Organised by current Town Crier Lez Ellis, 14 Criers from as far afield as St George in Bermuda competed for the Sir Francis Drake Armada Cup and the local Peter Randall Memorial Cup. Led by David Frith from Bermuda with his bagpipes, the Town Criers and escorts, all in their brightly coloured costumes paraded along the South Embankment to the Royal Avenue Gardens where the subject of their 'Cry' was Britannia Royal Naval College. The outright winner of both competitions was Mark Wylie from Calne in Wiltshire whose cry was not only very loud, but also very clear. Helen Randall, Peter Randall's daughter presented him with the Peter Randall Memorial Trophy. The prize for best dressed crier and couple went to Chris Smirthwaite and his escort from Liskeard who were both wearing Cornish tartan - and very smart they looked too! This is a great competition and we hope it will continue to be held in Dartmouth from now on.

2.  Dart Harbour Young Champions

Dart Harbour has announced the winners of its prestigious Young Champion Awards 2011 in three age categories today. The awards are designed to encourage young people and children to engage with, and start using, the river Dart.

After much deliberation, the judges decided that Diptford’s project on the river, in which the children had done their own research, produced computer presentations, written music, choreographed dances and even made a wicker sculpture representing the river, was the worthy winner of the Young Champion Award 2011 in the Upper Primary age group.  St John's in Dartmouth came second and St John's Totnes were third.

In the Secondary age group Samantha Airzee of Dartmouth Academy won for a piece of travel writing based around a trip down the river. The judges were impressed by her clear use of technical terms whilst also using her imagination to paint a vivid picture of the river and its surrounding environment.  In the Post 16 age group Kingswear sailor Henry Bomby won – for his various achievements of the last year, sailing around Britain single-handed, sailing across the Atlantic, and now becoming a professional sailor, taking part in competitions.  But the judges were inspired by his constant returning to the river Dart, sailing on it, and being the best kind of role model for young people of the area.

Diptford Head teacher Tony Callcut said: ‘The children really engaged with the awards and were inspired to put in huge amounts of work.  We are all very proud of them, and we all look forward to next year’s awards!’ Secondary age group winner Samantha Airzee said: ‘I was delighted to hear that I had won. It was a really interesting project and it’s lovely to be recognised in this way for the work I put in.’ Post 16 age group winner Henry Bomby said: ‘Dartmouth has a great maritime history so to win this award from Dart Harbour is a real honour.

As an incentive for schools to enter the 2012 competition, Dart Harbour has teamed up with Greenway Ferries and the Dartmouth Riverboat Company to offer free field trips on the river Dart to any schools who would like to take part. Contact Phil Scoble on by clicking here if your school would like to take part.

3.   Buy the book!

PR guru Phil Scoble reports: Reflections of the South Hams is the new book from photographer Nigel Evans and published by Dartmouth publisher Richard Webb. It features a variety of scenes from around the South Hams, showcasing the district’s most beautiful vistas.

This is the second book featuring the photographs by Nigel, following on from 2008’s Reflections of Dartmouth.  The new book features Nigel’s trademark panoramic images, and many photographs which show the stunning views which the South Hams have in abundance.

Richard said: ‘Nigel’s book is about beauty,’. ‘We are so pleased with it and how it looks. We are really hopeful that the book will be as big a success as its predecessor and will also help promote the South Hams.’ Nigel said: ‘It has taken a lot of hard work to get this book to look so good. It does justice to the views around the area I think, and it’s just amazing to be publishing my second book!

Reflections of the South Hams is available now from all good bookshops.  As you can see we attended the launch party, everyone who saw the book queued up to buy it, you will too when you see it!

4.   Small News

• Youngsters in Townstal, Dartmouth will be taking part in a scheme that rewards their community spirit with fun activities. After a successful pilot project last year, they have a Dreamscheme day on Wednesday, 10th August at Townstal Community Hall at 10.00am.
  Vicki Dunstone, Resident Involvement Manager for Tor Homes said: “The children at the Townstal Youth Club are really excited about this scheme. They will be potting up planters to hand over to residents at Dartmouth’s sheltered housing scheme at Holdsworth House and have also come up with the generous idea of baking cakes. They will be delivering their culinary efforts to the residents of the sheltered housing scheme at Churchill Court, Dartmouth.”
  “As a reward for their hard work, the young people will be taken to Bantham beach on Friday 12th August for games, ice cream and fish ‘n’ chips.”
   

• Don't forget to buy your tickets the Inn Theatre Company's production of As You Like It, Dartmouth Shakespeare Week's production being held at Dartmouth Castle next week.  This is usually a 'sell-out' event so don't delay, get your tickets from the TIC today!
   

• Join our Dartmouth News Facebook page and read things  you never knew about Dartmouth!  Click on the logo or click here.  Or if you are travelling it's simply www.facebook.com/DartmouthNews  nothing more !

• Jennifer Allen reports: Hello at Dartmouth Town Council
  
  I am a visitor from London, and knowing that you have spent public money on public toilets, I would like to say how impressed I was by the public toilets in the old market place. They were not just clean but colourful and bright. I was impressed by the whole town centre, the shops, the park & ride, and the helpful people I met. It is important that visitors have good facilities in order for them to be able to come to the centre, spend time and importantly for you - money. Thank you to whoever has contributed to a lovely town centre.

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
   
• Shopping in Dartmouth click here

Images copyright  Dave Cawley,  Andy Kyle, Phil Scoble, & others.