Special boarding passes will be available from the Totnes and Dartmouth Visitor Information Centres as well as from Greenway Ferry’s Dartmouth booking office located by the Boat Float in the centre of Dartmouth.  Will Ford enthused “We are also offering special Jubilee Cruises aboard the WWII Heritage Ship ‘Fairmile’ from Dartmouth town pontoon for 1 hour river cruises every day from 1st May 2012 at 12.30pm, 1.30pm and 2.30pm. This special little trip celebrating the ‘Best of British’ aboard Fairmile (which was stationed in the River Dart during WWII) will see this historic British vessel performing regular duties from Dartmouth for the first time since the war. The fare costing just £1.00 will again hopefully increase trade to the town and add greatly to a visitor’s experience of the area. Local hotels, guesthouses and bed & breakfasts have reacted enthusiastically to Greenway Ferry’s plans and are already adding this affordable service to their itineraries.  For more click here.

2.  Rare chance to sponsor garden benches

As the redesign of the Newcomen 300 plaza in Royal Avenue Gardens nears completion, South Hams District Council is offering a rare opportunity to sponsor three new benches in the gardens. The gardens are the favourite location for sponsorship of trees and benches in the South Hams, but have been at full capacity for a number of years.

Opportunities for commemorative and memorial benches are few so the new layout in the corner of the park in front of the Engine House presents an unusual chance to create a lasting legacy in a special place as a memorial to a loved one, or to commemorate a special occasion for the town of Dartmouth. There are four new benches being installed as part of the design, and one has already been sponsored by the Dartmouth and Kingswear Society in joint commemoration of the tercentenary of Newcomen’s 1712 steam engine and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. Of the three remaining benches to be located in the plaza, one is of the traditional park bench design and the other two are backless to allow people to sit facing either direction – towards the refurbished Engine House or into the gardens itself. The cost of sponsorship is around £1,000 per bench. This covers the purchase of the bench, and its installation, as well as a commemorative plaque to be attached to the bench. South Hams District Council is inviting requests on a first-come-first-served basis, and interested parties should contact the Natural Environment team on 01803 861175.

3.   "The" book again !

Yes we know!  the third time we have plugged this book, but why?  Quite simply it covers the last 55 years of Dartmouth.  Its people, the changes and everything.  The next issue might well be in 50 years time, and for a lot of us we won't be around then.  The changes in Dartmouth of the last 55 years are quite incremental, but put together it's quite a history.  Luckily our forefathers have kept close to our own Dartmouth dot TV motto "Keeping Dartmouth Special" .

There are a lot of local people featured in the main and somewhat huge index and more so in the hundreds of photographs.  Of special note is the full double page colour spread of Regatta provided by the Dartmouth dot TV team.  Returning to the Index, Cllr Debbie Morris, Cllr Hilary Bastone, Cllr Jonathan Hawkins, Cllr Melyvin Stone, Cllr Dave Cawley, Richard Rendle M.B.E., Kevin Pyne and so many others are listed.

Show here is the official launch at The Flavel where Julie, wife of former BRNC Commodore Jake Moores buys her own copy.  Pop down to White Sails Gallery opposite the old Harbour Bookshop to have a look for yourself?  Or click here for more ?

5.   Small News

• Nicola Duffy reports: The Anzac Club Grand Opening - Saturday 5th May Live entertainment & Disco by Lesely Presly from 8.30pm. :  Sunday 6th May Nintendo Wii Games from 4.00pm. All non members welcome for this weekend to come and see our newly refurbished bar.
  
  We are a CIU members Club (visitors can be signed in) Membership Fee is £21.00 (this includes a one off payment of £4.00 for a fob entry key).  We serve Brains SA Gold Real Ale a selection of Red & White wines in individual bottles as well as Spirits Soft Drinks Draught Bitters Lagers & Cider (Tea & Coffee also available excluding Regatta week & other busy periods)
  
  We have a Pool Table, Dart Board, Juke Box, Fruit Machine & Quiz Machine.
  Every year we do an Easter Egg Draw, a Regatta Cash Prize Draw and a huge Xmas Draw that has a top Cash Prize of £500.00 and over another 100 Prizes
  
  How to find us : Along Anzac Street (hence the name) opposite Bunters.
   

• 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 !

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,  & others.