FROM THE REVD JENNIE APPLEBY

Dear Friends,

As I write, the opening ceremony of the World Cup is about to commence. And so begins a month of football on TV! It marks a summer season of sport.

Alongside this high profile event has been a rather different event which has not attracted so much attention- the Street Child World Cup. A few weeks ago, teams of children from around the world converged on Brazil for a pre-World Cup football tournament. The teams comprised young people who either live on the streets or away from their families. Team England was a group of girls who live ‘in care’ and a recent TV programme followed them in Brazil. It was clear that these girls all came from tough backgrounds in London and yet they demonstrated a tenacity and willingness to work together as a team. They did not win the tournament but they were able to gain so much more than a trophy for they discovered friendship and happiness from each other and from meeting others. They realised that other young people were living in very difficult circumstances on the streets and suffering more than themselves and yet had hope for the future. Away from the football, they were able to visit the statue of Christ the Redeemer which towers above the city of Rio de Janeiro. Some of the girls were visibly moved by this experience.

The girls returned to England as changed people, full of hope and plans for the future. The experience of the Street Child World Cup had transformed their lives.

Jesus teaches about how our lives can be transformed in order that we might have hope for the future. He said: “I have come in order that you might have life – life in all its fullness.” (John 10 v.10) Through Jesus, we can know that life, a different life that brings hope, peace and a deep joy amidst the trials and sufferings.

Over the coming weeks, there will be many football fans around the world hoping that their team will win the World Cup. It will be a real achievement for the team who wins but eternal life with God is a prize that will last forever.

Enjoy the World Cup!

God Bless you,

Jennie Appleby

NEW BISHOP OF EXETER

Bishop Robert was confirmed as the Bishop of Exeter at a Service at Lambeth Palace, led by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby. He will be installed in Exeter Cathedral on 5

th July 2014.

To all members of the 8am Eucharist congregations at St Mary’s & St John’s

8am Services for July 2014

Sun 6

th July NO Service at St Mary’s Service at St John’s

Sun 13th July Service at St Mary’s NO Service at St John’s

Sun 20th July NO Service at St Mary’s Service at St John’s

Sun 27th July Service at St Mary’s NO Service at St John’s

Hey you guys!

Calling all families –

or Dave & Jennie: 941844 We are going:

get in touch if you want to join us!

ST JOHN’S TIME TO CELEBRATE

Over a hundred people from the four churches of the Parish of Plymstock and Hooe gathered in St John’s on Sunday, 8th June, to celebrate the festival of Pentecost (Whitsun). The Service, which was organised by St John’s congregation, was inspirational.

Afterwards about half the people stayed to share their lunch served on tables on St John’s lawn at the back of the Church Hall. It was only the changing weather around 2.30pm which forced everyone to leave, having enjoyed the food, the view and the company of the others. It was agreed this should become an annual event in the parish calendar.

(Pictures on centre pages)

REMEMBERING D DAY

The people of Hooe commemorated 6th June 1944 by placing a wreath on the Memorial on Hooe Green. It is now ten years since this large stone was placed there by the Rossietter family and was purchased by Sheila Coleman and June Whyte. The stone commemorates the American Marines who left from Turnchapel to fight with our troops to liberate Europe.

Meanwhile at St John’s Church flowers were placed in front of the Normandy window which depicted the invasion on that day 70 years ago. The landing craft in the window was one of over 800 British crafts carrying thousands of troops many of whom did not return.

CHRISTIAN AID

The sum raised at St John’s for Christian Aid was £373.50. Thank you to all who helped.

NEW HYMN BOOKS

Grateful thanks to the staff and patrons of Hooe’s Place Community Café for their recent donation of 100 new Mission Praise Hymn books to St John’s Church.

SUNDAY, 27th JULY 2014

EVENSONG AT ST JOHN’S CHURCH

FROM ST JOHN’S PARISH REGISTERS

BAPTISM: We welcomed into God’s family by Baptism:

22nd June JENSON ANDREW BELL

29th June WILLIAM THOMAS BLAMEY HOLY MATRIMONY: We offer our congratulations and pray for God’s blessing upon:-

7th June KARL ROGERS & CARLA SLEEMAN

14th June JULIAN RELF & AMY BLACKHOUSE

21st June MARTIN FAIRBROTHER & JACQUELINE HOLDEN INTERMENT OF ASHES in St John’s Churchyard 29th May DAVE SYMONS

30th May PEGGY FOSTER _____________________

ARTS & CRAFTS EXHIBITION

ST JOHN’S CHURCH

FRIDAY & SATURDAY, 26th & 27th SEPTEMBER 2014

St Johns Church and Oreston Art Group are planning another Arts & Crafts Exhibition in September.

We are looking for contributions of craft work. In the past our Exhibition has been of a very high standard and we are hoping to build on those successes. We cannot do that without help from the wider community so if you are willing to show your work and help by being a steward on either day, please contact me as soon as possible. I will be so pleased to hear from you.

Happy crafting. (More details in the August Magazine.)

-Ruth Earl (Tel: 481708)

‘YOUNG @ HEART’

At our meeting in June we were pleased to have a visit from Briony and Roland Corbey’s daughter, Philippa. She gave us a very interesting account of her recent visit to Israel and Palestine where she and friends went on a Medical Aid Mission. They were sponsored by many friends and did a Marathon Walk/Run whilst staying there.

Palestine had been under the Ottoman Empire for many years. At the turn of the 20th Century the British promised a peaceful life for the Palestinians in return for overthrowing the Ottoman Empire. Later Britain offered to establish a stable home for Jewish people. In 1948 the State of Israel was founded, even though the Jews only represented 6% of the population. Since 1967, Gaza and the West Bank have been under a military organisation. In 1948/49 thousands of Palestinians were exiled. Six million of them live as refugees in homes without proper sanitation, they often queue for food and have difficult travel restrictions. Extended family members often live together in one building.

Leaving Palestine one lands in Israel and first sees Tel Aviv. One night in eastern Jerusalem (in the Christian Quarter) they went through the Damascus Gate and saw the Wailing Wall, they had to go through check points and answer questions though generally travellers are relieved of this chore. The condition of the roads is very poor.

They went olive picking with others who had donkeys and carts for transporting the large amount of olives. They also looked after farm animals and did other tasks. Some friends they made had had their farms taken from them. They went to Court and got some of their land back so were able to continue running the farm and grew a very large amount of tomatoes. People travel from as far as France and Japan to view the farms and to see how they are run.

A Theatre Group was in progress to provide therapy and hope to young people.

Philippa and friends practised running for a Marathon and surprised many people who saw them in action, wearing Liverpool tops and tights. Folk invited them in for cups of tea and their run took much longer than planned. There were many children in the Refugee Camp and Philippa and friends were treated like royalty by them.

A common sight was ‘women in black’ who protested about their limitations every week and were sometimes not treated very well.

There was an ‘upside’ when they enjoyed delicious ice creams and looked at some really beautiful scenery.

Ruth thanked Philippa for coming and telling us about how the other half lives. She was admired for her dedication and bravery.

Everyone enjoyed a tasty tea before leaving. -Sylvia Cooke

Next Meeting ~ Tuesday, 1st July 2014, at 2.00pm in St John’s Hall.

Cherishing Churchyards

A-Z of Churchyard Conservation

Reprinted with permission from Caring for God's Acre, the conservation charity for churchyards and burial grounds, 01588 673041, http://www.caringforgodsacre.org.uk/

Bees

Churchyards are a haven for bumble bees if there is a flowery sward and if some areas of grass are allowed to grow long. They nest in old mouse nests, some species under-ground and some on the surface. If the above ground nests are encountered when the grass is being cut the bees fly around because they cannot find the nest entrance – they are not being aggressive. The best thing to do is to leave the nest alone, mark it with a stick and avoid mowing that spot. Nests are only annual so it will not come in the same place the following year.

Burials

Although 70% of the population choose cremation there are increasing environmental concerns about the pollutants being released into the atmosphere. By choosing coffins made of natural sustainable materials for both burials and cremation we can decrease the carbon footprint of our last journey on earth.

Wicker and cardboard coffins, and felt shrouds are all locally sourced alternatives to the traditional coffins which are often imported from the other side of the world, involve logging of sensitive areas or are made of MDF using a range of polluting materials.

Using locally made coffins is sustainable and supports the local economy – whether it be wool from Wales or willow from Devon.

In 1666 an act of Parliament decreed that everyone had to be buried in a woollen shroud to stimulate the failing wool trade – wouldn’t that be great if we could have that sort of logic today!

(For more information contact The Natural death centre, charitable project giving independent funeral advice www.naturaldeath.org.uk, 0871 2882098).

Bee-attitudes

Bee busy ~ doing what you love to do.

Bee true ~ to the dreams God has for you.

Bee sure ~ to taste the sweetness of the day.

Bee silly ~ laugh lots and take time off to play.

Bee bold ~ enough to trust your wings and fly.

Bee-lieve ~ the power of prayer will get you by.

Bee happy ~ keep your outlook bright and sunny.

Bee yourself ~ because you really are a honey!

CHURCH OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD LADIES FELLOWSHIP

Members of the Ladies Fellowship had a very enjoyable lunch at The Bridge early in June, an event we all look forward

to. Fortunately it was a dry day and quite warm. We sat facing the Marina with plenty of interest to watch with the beautiful motor

cruisers and yachts. -Cynthia Warren

(Thanks Cynthia for organising it for us!!)

THE CHURCH OF THE

GOOD SHEPHERD

HOLIDAY CLUB

this year will take place

on

Thursdays 21st

and 28th

August, from 10am to 12 noon.

If you're able to help out, please see one of the current team:

Sue & Alan Jones (Tel 480568), Steve Payne, Rosemary Lea,

Josie Howing-Nicholls or Dave and Jennie Appleby.

ST MARY’S AND ALL SAINTS THE JUMBLE SALE on Saturday 7

th June raised £300.50 for the Roof fund.

Thank you to all the helpers.

COFFEE MORNING

SATURDAY 5th JULY 2014

10am to 12 noon

St Mary & All Saints Parish Hall, Plymstock.

BRNG & BUY ~ CAKE STALL

PLYMOUTH FOOD BANK

Don’t forget that each week food is collected at the back of St Mary’s and taken to the Crown Centre Food Bank in Union Street. Please do your best to pop in something extra with your weekly shopping. This is a very real ministry in which we can all take part. A LETTER TO THE EDITOR (from Frank Crowe)

Dear Mary,

May I say ‘thank you’ to those who contributed so generously and to the DCC of St Mary & All Saints for agreeing to purchase the new copies of the Ancient & Modern hymn book.

Having experienced the old and new English Hymnal both here and in Liverpool, York (whilst ‘going out’ with Bridget) and at CR, Mirfield, I have been accustomed to hymns which were laid out in accordance with the course of the Church Year and Calendar. In my view it is most welcome that we now have the opportunity to follow this pattern with hymns brought as up to date as possible in 2013.

Designed to complement ‘Common Worship’ I hope that we shall be better able to enjoy both the best of the old hymns and those new hymns provided, adding to the richness and worthiness of our Eucharistic worship for the building up of the Church in our Parish.

Yours sincerely,

Frank

P.S. And the book even fits securely in the book rest!!

FROM THE REGISTERS

During May we welcomed into God’s family through Baptism at St Mary’s:

JAKE JAMES SLATER, the son of Sean and Samantha Slater. __________________

IN MEMORIAM

A TRIBUTE TO BETTY KNIGHT (written by her husband, Cliff)

We first met at a local dance at a place named Wrestingworth in Bedfordshire during the summer of 1962, Betty was 17 and I nearly 20. Betty was the seventh child of a seventh child, on her mother’s side of the family, which made her very special to her older brothers and sisters. Her upbringing was very strict as it was for many during the post War days. When she was 14 her father (a mild-mannered Sctosman who was invalided by shrapnel during the 1st World War) passed away leaving her mother to raise the family on her own. Three brothers were placed in apprenticeships with the same engineering company while one became a baker and her two sisters were found work in a local factory and hospital. They all pulled together for the good of the family. Betty chose to start work at age 15 in a locally run family Department Store on the Wool counter and progressed to Window Dresser for the store. Pay was very low but employment was

assured to help the family survive. When I asked her mother if we could marry, she told me that after a period of Engagement she would give me a final reply. We became engaged on Betty’s 19th birthday, we went to King’s Cross by train to buy her a ring at Bravingtons (those days it seemed as if all local young brides to be wished to obtain their rings from that jewellers). We finally married at Dunton Village church on 27th February 1965, 6 days after her 20th birthday (with the full blessing of her mum). After a few years of trying for children it was found that Betty had an enlarged pituitary gland which would not allow ovulation. We decided that we should apply for adoption and, after many months, were accepted by The Church of England Children Society. In 1969 we were blessed with a wonderful babe-in-arms son, who we christened Steven (after the 1st Saint). We were finally accepted into the life of the Bedfordshire village of Ickwell when our son arrived home. Folk had some strange attitudes in those days to newcomers in many villages. After a couple of years we wished to add to our family by ideally adopting a baby girl but, soon after applying to the Children’s Society again, we found that we were blessed by a miracle, Betty had fallen pregnant. The medical profession advised we not go ahead with the pregnancy as it could be detrimental to her health, but Betty would not hear of it and we had a healthy baby girl named Sharon. Betty joined the Church choir, became a member of the Mothers’ Union and was elected a School Governor of the village school. When both children were settled in ‘Big school’, as it was known, Betty decided she would like some local employment and was thrilled to be offered a lowly position at The Shuttleworth Collection, an aviation museum and education charity at Old Warden Aerodrome. She worked her way up the ladder finally achieving the position of Shop Reception Manager and organiser of School Party visits. She became the driving force for many events held at the Collection and was saddened when told she must retire at the age of 60, it was a Company policy at the time.

We involved ourselves in village life even more and then, out of the blue, were given the chance to move to Plymstock due to a generous inheritance by our relation. Betty and I moved into our Plymstock home during the Easter of 2008. It has been a wonderful 6 years of our life together, the only regret I have is that we did not make it to the Golden Wedding Anniversary that was being arranged by the family.

God bless you Betty for all these happy years.

DIOCESAN NEWS

The monthly Magazine and Prayer Diary (Diocese of Exeter) is no longer printed for distribution round the churches. If you want a copy you need to print out your own from the following diocese web-sites.

a) Magazine: http://www.exeter.anglican.org/index.cfm?page=diocese.content&cmid=34

b) Prayer Diary: http://www.exeter.anglican.org/index.cfm?page=diocese.content&cmid=4663

If this is a problem for you then please ask. Between us we’ll be able to get copies made if you require.

-Richard Harvey

The next General Meeting is at The Staddy Social Club, Staddiscombe, on Friday 25

th July at 10.30 am.

Helen Pearce will give a talk on the SHEKINAH MISSION, an organisation which works with individuals with complex needs including the homeless, ex-offenders, alcohol/drug misuse, mental health issues etc.

Non-members are cordially invited to join us and full membership will be available at the meeting if required. The annual membership fee for a single person is £15, and for a couple it is

£28. There are currently 21 different group activities available to everyone.

For further information:- www.u3aplymstock.org.uk or phone Mary Hough 01752 863372.

AS IT WAS . . .

Reflections of boats on the water at Oreston Quay on a summer afternoon in the 1960’s and below the same spot on a summer afternoon in 2014.

In the lower picture the boats have gone after the quay was filled in with rubble in 1963 to create a park and new waterfront promenade. The King’s Arms public house is still there but new housing now stands beside it.

(Photos submitted by Graham Bulley)

The computer swallowed Grandma,

Yes, honestly it’s true!

She pressed ‘control’ and ‘enter’

And disappeared from view.

It devoured her completely,

The thought just makes me squirm,

She must have caught a virus

Or been eaten by a worm.

I’ve searched through the recycle bin

And files of every kind;

I’ve even used the Internet

But nothing did I find.

In desperation, I asked Mr Google

My searches to refine.

The reply from him was negative,

Not a thing was found ‘online’.

So, if inside your ‘inbox’

My Grandma you should see,

Please ‘Copy’, ‘Scan’ and ‘Paste’ her,

And send her back to me.

(submitted by Doreen Pennyfather)

LUNCH ON THE LAWN

Members of the congregation at the Joint Service at St John’s on Sunday 8th June and enjoying a luncheon

buffet in the Paddock. (Photos: D.Demellweek & D.Appleby)

SAND, SEA AND SMUGGLERS! Today as we think about the ‘GULF’, which we are now asked to call the Arabian Gulf, we see a modern group of States under the umbrella of the United Arab Emirates that present to the world a picture of modern living and development that oil and gas have brought to the area. We also see the trouble in the north of the area and the spread of Islamic Fundamentalism which is bringing many problems along with the suffering local people are bearing due to the war in Iraq.

My mind goes back to the early 1960’s when the area was still the Persian Gulf and was made up of the many separate Sheikdoms, still living in great poverty, although some like Bahrain were going very well, others like Dubai were still just two creeks where dhows had been produced for centuries and Kuwait where they had started to come to terms with the vast wealth that was coming for its oil and gas.

The time that I am referring to is 1964, when we still patrolled the Gulf from top to bottom on the lookout for gun runners and gold smugglers, as well as visiting the offshore islands to offer what help we could in various ways. I was fortunate to serve in HMS Mohawk, the first of its class, a frigate with for the first time a helicopter as part of the complement. As a ship on independent deployment and many a mile away from medical cover there should have been a Medical Officer as well as myself on board to provide for the 290 plus ships company, it was I am afraid a luxury that I had only for seven days whilst we were on exercise with the Trucial Oman Scouts and the Parra’s. Therefore for myself it was one of the most lonely times I have spent in the navy, all those men around me but no one who I could talk to professionally and also no one to share duties with, it was a question that whilst at sea I was always on duty. Fortunately, having been trained before the three services standardised their medical branches and with a specialist operating theatre training I was as well prepared as possible to deal with the cases that came during my time in the Gulf. I believe I was doing what is now called a ‘Nurse Practitioner’ role. The other great support was having a Faith and Belief, which helped when one was wondering if you had made the right decision, it always felt as if someone was watching over you. It was a difficult place in which to show your faith because being Muslim and the Rulers of the area being very strict Sharia Law which was in force in many of the Sheikdoms, you had to be careful if alongside when and where you held a Service onboard and you could not carry a bible ashore with you in many places. I believe things are a little more relaxed now.

On one occasion we stopped and caught a dhow running guns off the coast of Muscat and Oman, one crew member jumped overboard before we could secure the dhow but two others were taken ashore. Because they were running guns against the Sultan, they were tried and executed within hours of being handed over to the people ashore. We all hoped that the fellow who swam for it, made it. Not long after this I had cause to be thankful for our helicopter, for it allowed me to send ashore a very sick young Royal Marine, so sick in fact that arrangements were made for his parents to be flown out as he was placed on the ‘Very seriously ill’ list, but pleased to say that because we were able to act so quickly he made a full recovery and, after a spell back in the UK, was able to stay in the Marines.

An exercise out of Karachi, with the Pakistan Navy, was of interest because apart from the ships being four old CA class destroyers, we had sold them after the War, nearly all their routines were so like ours. Because we had to do a night engagement exercise our Captain, being Senior Officer, ordered that they make dull their highly polished scuttles and gun tampons which they had so carefully cleaned for their sail past to the Senior Officer. Their Military Hospital was set up on the same lines as our Naval Hospitals with the Wards looking as though they were ready for ‘Admiral’s rounds’. After Pakistan a visit was paid to Kuwait which had started to enjoy the vast wealth of oil production and Kuwait City bore no resemblance to the city of today, with the roads being dust tracks although the cars, mostly Ford Consuls, were just as likely to have gold plated radiators and door handles. Most of the menial tasks were done by workers imported from around Asia but the only people who could hold top office were native born people.

On our first day in the tanker loading port of Al Ahamdi a tanker on one of the loading jetties blew up causing several deaths and many injured, mostly burns. Help was offered from the ship and a working party/recovery team, including myself, spent the rest of the day dealing as best we could with the injured and in some cases the dead, who were treated as if they were our own ships company. The Oil Company hospital that we took the injured to was American built and was state of art with a fully sterile and air conditioned burns unit. Because of my Theatre training I was asked if would stay and help in the first stage of treatment of the injured before they went into the burns unit, so freeing up the specialist staff who could stay within the sterile area. I spent about the next twelve hours there before I felt I could return to the ship and the Captain was in agreement that I do so.

One thing that stands out from the visit was how small the world is, for whilst there I met a man from my home town who was under contract working as a ‘Berthing master’ for the Oil Company. The most amazing thing was that the gas being burnt off from the oil would have produced enough electricity, had we then had the means of processing it, to supply a city the size of Exeter every 24 hours. Just recently I have heard that we have signed a contract with Qatar to ship LPG from there in the next two years to replace the supply of North Sea gas which is on the run down.

Following the end of the downward leg of this Patrol we went off to Mombasa for a period of rest and recreation . .? - the time being spent doing various tasks for the local children and the Tvaso National Park. The National Park task involved the helicopter and crew undertaking the counting of the rare White Rhino and looking for signs of Ivory poachers. On completion the ship was presented with a plaque of crossed small elephant tusks, these I point out came from ivory taken from captured

poachers, which on the return the ship’s flight were proudly taken by them back to their base for display in the squadron’s mess. Much hard work was put in by teams of the ship’s crew who repaired and repainted one of the local orphanage schools. Having ‘rested’ we returned to the Gulf for a further period of patrols and visits to the offshore islands where some medical help was given dealing with minor injuries and sickness, again this would have been carried out by the ship’s doctor, had one been onboard, but they seemed to accept my efforts to help them.

Having completed our 12 months up the Gulf, we returned to Portsmouth where we had the privilege of being filmed by the Rank Film Company, as part of a documentary celebrating the granting of the ‘Freedom of the City’ to Portsmouth Command. My last task before going on a spot of leave was to meet the family of one of our ‘Boy’ Ratings who I had had to take ashore the night before to the Naval Hospital at Haslar with appendicitis, patient and parents were happily reunited although the patient was minus his appendix.

When I look at the pictures of the development in all the States of the United Arab Emirates, it is very pleasing to see that in the majority of cases the ruling families have put so much back into them to the benefit of their people.

-Roland Corbey

Hooe’s Place Community Café

Thursdays Open to all

Morning Coffee 10.30-11.30am

Freshly cooked lunches 11.45am-1.30pm

St John’s Church, Hooe

Open every Thursday 10.00am - 2.00pm

Entrance through St John’s Hall

Enquires regarding Baptisms, Marriages at

St Johns can be made between

10-11am in the church hall.

Local News Local and European Elections In the May elections Labour retained control of the Plymouth City Council with an overall majority of one over other parties. Turnout in Plymstock Dunstone ward was 41.87% and 40.5% in the Plymstock Radford ward. Conservative Councillors Vivien Pengelly and Wendy Foster were re-elected with majorities of 282 and 49 over UKIP and other candidates. The number of votes cast in the European Parliamentary Election in the Plymouth counting area of the South West Region was 67,335. Turnout was 37.62 per cent. Seats (6) are allocated in proportion to votes cast with UKIP and Conservatives Parties each having two seats and Labour and Green Parties one seat each.

Plymouth in Bloom 2014 Plymouth in Bloom competition this year will celebrate one hundred years since the Three Towns of Plymouth, Devonport and East Stonehouse merged to become the Borough of Plymouth. Entries for the competition close on the 4th July. Judging starts on the 18th July.

Council’s 50 New Pledges

The Cabinet of Plymouth City Council will on the 15th July recommend the updating of the Corporate Plan to reflect the implementation of a 50 further pledges drawn up by the newly elected administration. The Cabinet decision will be considered at a meeting of full council at a later date. See separate magazine article.

Coast Path Reopened The South West Coast Path at Jennycliff has now reopened to walkers, having been closed on safety grounds some months ago. Damaged wooden steps have been replaced

with composite plastic and the path upgraded with 36 tonnes of hardcore and 90 tonnes of plastic.

Road Resurfacing A major 12-week programme of road resurfacing and reconstruction started in Plymouth on Monday 23 June. Roads to be resurfaced in Plymstock include Rollis Park Road and Reddicliff Road. Dates and times of the roadworks will be issued later. Two other surface treatment programmes will start this summer in parallel with the resurfacing works – preventative micro-asphalting on roads showing the first signs of deterioration, as well as large-scale patching to areas requiring special attention

‘Have Your Say’ Meeting The quarterly Neighbourhood Meeting for Plymstock and Radford will be held in Plymstock Library on Wednesday 16th July at 7.00pm. Priorities set at the last meeting have been concluded, these were: 1. The lane at the back of Maple Court, a Public Right Way, will remain open. 2. Cars and taxis have the right to use Memory lane through the car park as it is a public highway 3. Plymouth City Bus representatives were present to discuss complaints and answer questions.

Piazza Big Screen The Big Screen on the Piazza in Plymouth City Centre is now controlled by Plymouth City Council after the BBC’s collaboration project with 20 local authorities across the country ended. The City Centre Company, who now runs the attraction for the Council, has not published a schedule of events to be shown on the big screen this year. Wimbledon tennis will be shown on the big screen between the 23 June and 7 July and the final football game of the World Cup on the 13 July at 8.00pm.

Library Films This Month 'The Railway Man', which tells the story of a British soldier haunted by his experience as a prisoner of war during WWII, will be shown in Plymstock Library on Monday 21st July at 2.00pm. It is Cert 15 film and runs for 116 Minutes. Classic films ‘Some Like It Hot’ will be shown in the library on Tuesday 8th July at 2.00pm and ‘Night To Remember’ on Tuesday 22 July at 2.00pm.

Downham School Site Plans The city council at the end of May accepted the offer made by Aster Homes for re-development of the former Downham Special School site in Horn Lane, Plymstock as it was considered to offer the best range and mix of housing. There were eighteen offers for the site that would include the existing public footpath and some grass areas on the south side of the development site. Eighteen representations from the public referred to the use of the site as a whole and not on the disposal of the public open space. Only two of the responses mentioned loss of public open space. The Developer will be required to provide improved public access to the retained open space as part of the development.

Roadside Memorials

Plymouth City Council, in a delegated decision, has set out guidance to the bereaved, nearby residents, Police and Council officers on the procedure to be followed for roadside memorials in the event of a road death. Floral or other tributes will be allowed at the roadside on the understanding that they will be removed within 13 months of the accident and that they do not block sight lines, or otherwise present a danger through obstruction or distraction to motorists. There are many ways to permanently memorialise an individual in a dignified manner, without the use of a roadside memorial; the Council offers a range of options through its cemeteries and crematoria. These have extensive grounds and gardens of remembrance. Options include memorial rosebushes with name plaques, benches and ornamental shrubs and trees. Memorials in the grounds of the crematorium are easier to look after and visit, and are in a more pleasant environment that allows quiet reflection and contemplation.

Waterwatch A new counter-terrorism campaign has been launched by police in Plymouth to urge the public to look out for suspicious activity around the naval base. Residents and users of the Port of Plymouth are urged to report any suspicious activity in and around the naval base and the need to report it.

The deadline date for the August 2014 magazine is July 15th 2014