Merton MonthlyMerton MonthlyMerton MonthlyMerton Monthly

(also available on

dave.folland@btinternet.com by the 20

If we don’t receive items in time, we cannot put them in!

WHAT’S ON DIARY

Every Monday - Every Monday - 3

rd Tuesday of the month -

1st Wednesday of the month -

Every Thursday - Every Thursday - Thursdays - 2

nd Friday of the month -

1

Freecycle / For Sale

Merton MonthlyMerton MonthlyMerton MonthlyMerton MonthlyJune 2017

(also available online at www.mertondevon.com)

Please send articles to either: - dave.folland@btinternet.com or e.tidwell@hotmail.co.uk

by the 20th

of June for inclusion in the July issue.

If we don’t receive items in time, we cannot put them in!

WHAT’S ON DIARY – other info, where applicable, in newsletter

Circuit Classes, Clinton Hall, 7.15 - 8.15pm Kettlercise, Clinton Hall, 6 -7pm Merton & Huish Wildlife Group, Clinton Hall, 6.45pm The Friendship Club, Clinton Hall, 2 pm Craft Group, Clinton Hall, 7.00 - 9.00 pm Kettlercise, Clinton Hall, 6.30- 7.30pm SMB, Clinton Hall 7.00-10.00pm Merton & Petrockstowe Heritage Group (dates in

If you would like to place an advert

please email Dave or Elaine

For Sale – Phone 01805 603112

Joyce Gray Large Rotary Clothes Line

Ground Spike enclosed

£25 Item re-listed due to pricing error in previous issue

For Sale – Phone 01805 603947Bosch Electric Hedge Trimmer

2ft cut, as new

£30 ono

For Sale – Phone 01805 603146

Towell Farm Electric Cooker: 6 months old, oven never used

Reclining Chair: Light green fabric

Single Bed Base & Headboard: Base has

storage - £20

Free local delivery

Freecycle / For Sale

Merton MonthlyMerton MonthlyMerton MonthlyMerton Monthly

If we don’t receive items in time, we cannot put them in!

other info, where applicable, in newsletter

Merton & Huish Wildlife Group, Clinton Hall, 6.45pm

dates in members’ programme)

If you would like to place an advert

please email Dave or Elaine

Phone 01805 603112

Large Rotary Clothes Line

Ground Spike enclosed

due to pricing error in previous issue

Phone 01805 603947 Bosch Electric Hedge Trimmer

Phone 01805 603146

Electric Cooker: 6 months old, oven never used - £50

ight green fabric - £40

Single Bed Base & Headboard: Base has under

2

All Saints Church

Team Rector: Revd Martin Warren, tel: 01409-281424

Team Vicar: Revd Susannah Metz, tel: 01837-810621

Methodist minister: Revd Nigel Coke-Woods, tel: 01837-810591 Dear Friends An article recently took us to a remote Pacific island; sounds idyllic, doesn’t it? What was the advert for Barbados? (Yes, I know Barbados isn’t in the Pacific!)‘Blue sea, blue sky, white sand.’ Palms trees down to the beach, sounds wonderful. The reality; it is the world’s worst polluted place with plastic rubbish! Imagine a metre square – about the space you stand in. How many pieces of plastic are there in it? 30,50,120? Keep going. Over 600 pieces of plastic per square metre! Now I know about bits of plastic, our new dog keeps on scattering bits around the garden. It’s a major effort collecting it all up before getting on with the mowing. 600 bits per square metre though – I’d never get the mowing down at all! The horrifying thing is not even the amount; the worst part is that the island is uninhabited! No one lives there. You can’t blame the locals; it’s not their rubbish it’s ours. Plastic is swept across the oceans and dumped on this remote paradise island. As stewards of God’s creation we are called to care for it and cherish it, not dominate and destroy it. Plastics are a huge problem we have created in a very short space of time. They kill wildlife, they get into the food chain and they reach every corner of the globe. Recycling is great but more is needed - remember the deposit scheme on bottles. So simple, but we need to go further. What plastics can we do without? Excess packaging for a start. All those plastic electronic goods – do we really need so many? All of us can make a difference and we can start today. Yours, Martin Warren.

Merton and Huish Wildlife Group Halsdon Wood Guided Walk

In May the group joined the Dolton Wildlife group on a guided walk through the meadows and wood at the Halsdon Reserve. Kevin New expertly lead the group as we first explored the bluebell wood and discovered Twayblade Orchids which only grow in one area of the wood. Then we ventured out into a culm meadow and down onto the river meadows passing the twin oak trees made famous by photographer James Ravilious. Passing the Halsdon hide, Kevin New showed us the pond areas which had been recently dug. We witnessed butterflies laying their eggs on the stems of flowers and then back up through the wood to the carpark. A wonderful afternoon in sunny weather. Thank you Kevin.

New pond dipping equipment for The Clinton School. In the first week of May, Graham Heaman, our Chairman, and Trevor Higton, Committee Member, donated to the school several items of pond dipping equipment paid for from Wildlife Group funds. There were also information posters detailing the types of creatures that can be found in and around a pond area. The children and staff were delighted with the equipment and we are sure there will be much enjoyment dipping in the school pond and discovering what lies beneath the surface. Wooden Hide Rebuild Thank you also to the small band of men who helped clear and rebuild the wooden hide in Slaughterhouse wood on Saturday 13

th May.

We now have a Facebook page! Merton and Huish Wildlife Group

Remember to keep taking your wildlife pictures for the Photographic Competition which closes at 5.00pm on Tuesday 19

th September 2017.

For details see poster in The Clinton Hall.

Services at All Saints 4th

Jun 11.00am Morning Prayer 11

th Jun 9.00am Holy Communion (at Huish)

18th

Jun 9.30am Holy Communion 25

th Jun 11.00am Family Communion

2

nd Jul 11.00am Morning Prayer

3

Clinton Hall Update from the Committee

Village Hall Survey - Thank you to everyone who took the time to send in a completed survey. A brief summary of the main

findings are detailed below.

All agreed we have an amazing village hall with lovely grounds, lots of space both inside and out and the village hall is a great

asset to our village.

Main changes you would like to see:

• More events, especially family events or those aimed at younger ones. It was stated that there’s not enough for all ages.

• The village hall needs to be open more often for people to use i.e. library, coffee, more of a meeting place and greater

support for the local groups.

• More communication – people would like to know what happens at the village hall, either something in the Merton

Monthly or a permanent display of activities and events.

Suggestions for events/facilities:

• Films/Theatre/Comedy Night/Bingo & Quiz nights

• Regular social evenings/Concerts/Bar Functions/Live Music – including classical/Themed events

• Craft Fairs/Table top sales/Car Boots

• Educational classes such as cookery, computing skills etc.

• Doctors Clinics or Post Office (if ours ever closed)

• Youth club - 10 years+/Indoor Football/ Exercise classes for kids. Fitness for older or non-fit people

• Use the outside more for events i.e. it’s a knockout, Outdoor concerts

• Cycling/Running events

• Village Produce Show and/or Gardening Club or Community gardening area/compost area

• Café open once or twice a week/Breakfast club

• Sunday lunch two or three times a year

• Organised walks around the village that allow dogs to come with tea/cake at the end

• Village panto

As a village hall committee we value what everyone has to say and our aim is to implement as many recommendations as

possible. Over the coming months’ you will see more events for all ages at the hall including; Pasty & Cider Walk, Family Fun

& Sports Day and a Spanish evening just to mention a few. Watch this space for more information.

We take on board comments that we need to improve our communication and let you know what’s going on at the hall. There

will now be regular articles in the Merton Monthly with a summary of what is discussed at committee meetings, details of events

that have happened and what it up and coming. You are also welcome to come and join the committee at any time. We are a

small team and need a lot of support from the community to be able to put on events and run the hall too.

Summary of issues discussed at last meeting:

Gym – the gym is providing regular income for the hall and we now have 65 members who use the facility on a regular basis.

The gym is managed by Alana. If you want to join the gym please email the village hall. It’s only £12 a month.

General hall maintenance – We’re sure you can appreciate with such a large building that there are always things to be dealt with

from fixing lighting, looking at new heating systems, general tidiness of hall, locks, security etc…

New tables – we are expecting delivery of new tables.

MUGA – we are going to repair the tennis nets and are aiming to get the MUGA up and running for tennis throughout the

Summer. If anyone is interested in starting a tennis club then please email the village hall.

Events – we are in the process of arranging the following events; Cider & Pasty Walk, Family Sports & Fun Day, Spanish

evening – details to follow.

Village Hall Survey - discussed findings.

Football Club – Merton Football Club has been voted the “Best Club in North Devon” by the Football Association for facilities,

sportsmanship, organisation etc… Well done to the whole team for this achievement.

Committee members include: Philip Collins, Janette Newell, Janet Nancekivell , Jeannie Sheppard, David Kirton, Kath Welch,

Alana Mabon, Tracey Laughton, Kevin Stacey, Paula Soutinho, Kenny Heaman, Elaine Tidwell

For booking information please email info@clintonhallmerton.co.uk

4

Merton and Petrockstowe Heritage Group

For our May meeting we welcomed Bryher Mason from the National Trust who gave a presentation on Castle Drogo, which was built between 1911 - 1930 for Julius Drewe to designs by architect Edwin Lutyens.

Julius Drewe was the founder of 'The Home and Colonial Stores' and retired at the age of 33 a millionaire. In 1890 Julius married Frances Richardson and they had five children. He bought the Drogo Estate in Drewsteignton in 1910. Building work started in 1911 using local granite and labourers. All the inside panelling and furniture was made by a Crediton firm Dart and Francis. Even during the First World War, when many of the labourers went off to fight, building work continued. The Castle was given to the National Trust in 1974 and over the past few years significant repair work has been carried out to the cost of £13million to stop water penetrating the roof, walls and window and is still ongoing. Bryher’s talk was fascinating and she encouraged us all to visit the Castle and see for ourselves all the work that has been done.

The next meeting on Friday June 9th will be a walk around Hatherleigh with Dennis Bater. Please meet in Hatherleigh Community Hall car park at 7:15pm.

Ann Luxton 01837 810728

ADVANCE NOTICE

September 2017 we are planning an exhibition of photos, articles and objects from the 1950's and 1960's relating to either Parish.

If you have anything that you think may be suitable to loan or have copied etc, please contact Philip Collins, 01805 603656 (home) or 01805 603443 (work)

Many thanks

Philip

The Merton Friendship Group Wednesday 7th June we have a very interesting talk about Dementia. Please come and join us, our membership is falling, you will be very welcome. Any questions make contact with Christine Wickett on 01805 603258

5

Merton Vintage and Classic Vehicle Rally & Summer Fayre

Thank you, Thank you, Thank You!!

The weather wasn't kind on Sunday, but that certainly didn't stop you from coming along. We were amazed by the number of

exhibitors that braved their precious old vehicles to attend our event, a great 'BIG THANK YOU' to each of you.

We need to say a 'Special Thanks' to the visitors that came along, paid their entrance fee, made the most of the weather and

supported the exhibitors and the Merton Monck Committee.

We are delighted to have received such lovely comments about how well organised the event was......so much so that people have

even tried booking for next year – please let us have a few months off to recover!!

If you did anything to help with the rally, exhibit, visited, bought a raffle ticket or helped by working the rota we are extremely

thankful to you for helping to make the day such a fabulous event.

We haven't been able finalise everything yet, so watch this space for further details.

On behalf of the Merton Monck Committee enjoy some photos, more can be seen on the Facebook page courtesy of Devon Charms

Photography.

Some messages from Facebook:

I want to say a HUGE Thank You to Vehicle Owners and all the People who spent today and a few other days working to organise this Show :) Majestic. Wish it were two days? ☺ Fab Fun and so much to see and do :) Definitely coming to visit again next year or if you do it again this year? SUPERB.

********

Good day thank you.

********

We were in two minds about coming with it being so wet but Mala wanted to go for a bus ride which she thoroughly enjoyed especially as she got to see the calf's in Huish Park. She wanted to see some this weekend and had already seen the ponies and sheep she wanted to see. Mala also loved the Really Wild Experience and handling the snake for the first time ever! So thank you for the excellent day

******

It was great! Thanks for organising.

Letters from Reader’s

If you would like to add a thank you letter or comment on something in the Parish please

email Dave or Elaine

Merton Short Mat Bowling Club

We are currently recruiting new members.

We have club nights approximately once a month during the summer (May to August) and most weeks throughout the

winter (September to April)

We have equipment available for loan if you would like to see if the game is for you.

For more details please speak to either Jeanie on 01805 601125 or Julie on 01805 603405.

Merton AFC 150 Club Draw

April 2017

£20-00 P Crocker

£10-00 D Beason

6

Merton Playground Committee

We are extremely pleased to say that ground has been broken on the new playground and it is set to be completed by the first week in June. As a result there will be a special opening ceremony held on Saturday 17

th June 2017, time to be confirmed. We

hope to have Lady Clinton attending to officially open the park along with photographers. Please come along and join us in celebrating the completion of phase 1. Please note: Until the park has been inspected and insurance is in place we kindly ask that parents ensure children

do not use the new equipment. Residents will be informed when the park is ready to be enjoyed. Tractor and Trailer Ride There are a few tickets left over from our Auction of Promises. Tickets are £6 per head and can be purchased by called Jill or Debs on the numbers below. The ride will be on Sunday 9

th July, unless the weather is terrible where it

will be scheduled for the following Sunday. New Playground Benches We are looking for help to purchase benches to be placed in the new playground. If anyone would be willing to sponsor a bench we’d be delighted to place a plaque with their name upon said bench. Quiz Evening: Following our successful Pudding and Quiz evening we will be holding another on 8

th September at

7.00pm for 7.30pm. Watch out for further information, will it be puddings again?

New members always welcome, for information regarding any of the above events please contact Jill 603524 or Debs 603441

Old Playground Equipment Sale

The Merton Playground Committee will be selling the old playground equipment to anyone who is interested and willing to help dismantle what you purchase. The equipment is still in good working order, but is sold as seen so any improvements/repairs will be the responsibility of the new owner. The sale will be conducted by sealed bids. If you are interested please put your bid in a sealed envelope containing the name of the item you wish to bid for, the amount, your name, phone number and email address. Post or letter box drop your envelope to Jill Malcolm, 2 Coldstream Gardens, EX20 3GY. Do not delay; the closing date for bids is Friday 9

th June 2017.

Wooden Adventure Climbing Frame: 3 x platforms, net bridge, wood wobble bridge, sliding pole and climbing ladders/steps

7

Kid’s Corner

Colouring Competition (see below)

For those in the village under 10 years of age. Closing date for entries will be Friday 23

rd June.

A small prize will be given out at Merton Primary School on Friday 30

th June during the Celebration

assembly. The winners name will also be printed in a future edition of the MM newsletter. When you are happy with your artwork hand your entry to Elaine Tidwell (Eli’s Mum) or post/letterbox drop it to 9 Meadow Vale, Merton, EX20 3EB Please remember to put your name and age on the back of your entry. Have fun doodling!

Little Otters Pre-School, Merton

Opening times: Term time

Tuesday 9am – 1.45pm

Wednesday 9am – 12.45pm

£3.75 per hour We aim to provide a safe and stimulating pre-school environment and to work within a framework, which ensures

equality of opportunity for all children and families.

We believe that early years’ education is much more than teaching sounds, colours, numbers and letters. It is about

developing strong, curious and confident children. Our aim is to make learning fun and for children to enjoy learning

as they start their journey in life.

Your child is entitled to 15 hours, funded, the term after they are 3 years old. We are also able to provide 2gether

funding for 2 year olds.

For more Information please contact the school on

01805 603357 or email admin@clinton.devon.sch.uk

Little Otters Parent & Toddler Group Fun and stimulating activities for children aged 0-5 Years.

Activities available vary from messy play, story/singing

sessions, small world play and much, much more!!

A chance for Parents/Carers to have a catch up while your

children play in a safe environment. A snack & drink will be

provided for the children & tea/coffee & biscuits for the

adults.

Where - Merton Pre-School

When - Every Friday, 9am - 11.30am

Price- £3 per child, £4 per family (Under 6 months free)

Contact the school on 01805 603357

8

HANDY-VAN Man & Van– Ready to Help!

Removals Clearances Labouring

Local or Long Distance

Careful Safe Deliveries

Any Job, Big or Small

01837 811172

POUND-WISE BOOKKEEPING SERVICE

Tanglewood, Merton, Okehampton EX20 3EA

01805 603405/07970 541448

julie@pound-wisebookkeeping.co.uk

FOR THE SMALL TO MEDIUM SIZED BUSINESS - Accounts and VAT - Tax Returns - Payroll (Real Time Information) NB Non-compliance with RTI could result in fines

being levied by HMRC

D W Decorating Painting & Decorating Specialists Interior * Exterior * Commercial * Domestic Also guttering and down pipe cleaning

Tel - 01805 603011 Mob - 07515100827 Merton Mill, Merton

GRASCOTT FIREWOOD Quality Seasoned Firewood

£85: Single Load

£160: Double Load

£230: Triple Load Delivery charges may apply

Tel: 01409 281393 E-mail: info@grascottfirewood.co.uk

WCM PLANT

3 – 14 TON EXCAVATOR HIRE ALL ASPECTS COVERED

GROUND WORKS & DRAINAGE

Also logs for sale

01805 603603 – 07860 754853 Wayne Mansfield - Merton Devon

BUCKLAND ACCOUNTS SERVICES Farm and Rural Business Accounts

Accounts / VAT - Day to day accounts, VAT,

Cash flows / Budgets

Payroll - RTI ready

Animal Movements - On-line submissions

Tim Cartwright MAAT, AIAgSA

Haddiport Farm, 07971 118964

Buckland Filleigh bucklandaccounts@gmail.com

~ Peter Bright ~

THATCHER

Wheat Reed – Water Reed

Tel. 01837 810148 (Petrockstowe)

9

Merton Post Office & Shop (part of Agrimotors Merton Garage and Petrol Station)

Bill Payments - Phone Top Ups - Personal Banking National Lottery – National Express Tickets – Health

Lottery Foreign Currency –Stamps - Greetings Cards - Wrapping

Paper Newspapers & Magazines - Milk

Devon Air Ambulance Lottery …..and lots more

Tel: 01805 603200

Agrimotors Merton Garage MOTs – Tyres – Batteries – Servicing

CoolCar Air Conditioning Centre Eclipse Automotive Diagnostics

Tel: 01805 603324

Alan Davison

Plumbing & Heating Services

Oil boilers and Rayburn services

and repairs

Tel: 01805 603233

Elm Cottage

Merton, Okehampton EX20 3EA

Producers & Stockists of Building Lime Products Specialists in Cob & Stone Repair www.jjsharpe.co.uk On Facebook https://www.facebook.com/JJSharpeLtd